JOURNEY WITH SAF ACADEMY

GONE WITH THE WIND!

" He is here one moment and he isn't the next. It becomes difficult for my mind to understand why my heart craves his presence " - Author 

Monami finished washing the dishes and left the kitchen. She turned off the lights and set aside the grocery for next day's breakfast. She was tired from the day's work. Passing by the window, she feels the cold breeze on her face. Her tiredness is somewhat lessened. She sits on the bench nearby to feel the moment a little longer. Somehow she closes her eyes and ends up dozing off until someone taps her shoulder. 

It's Kabir. 

' Sorry! Par laga yaha sougi to subah tak machcharo ka naashta ban jaogi ' he said, with his hands in his pocket. She chuckled and shifted, indicating him to sit. He takes place beside her on the bench. 

' yaha kyu baithi hi?' he asks casually. 

' hawa....Hawa. It's fresh! ' she says with closed eyes. He smiles at this. Silence follows. Only the rustling of leaves is heard. The breeze is making it's way through all the open windows and there is a different kind of scent in it. Monami's hair decide to follow the direction of the wind, and softly blow over her face. But she cannot feel it. Her senses are more concentrated on this particular scent, very slight and may seem insignificant, but it is distracting her. As a kid, she would often sit in her house's backyard with her Mom. Stories of patriotism and nation love were shared there. Young Monami would be lost in her Mother's stories and would soon drift to sleep. With her Mother patting her head. Maybe it's her Mom's scent here as well, but not her Mom. She can't be now. The safe haven of the childhood is lost and so is her Mother. 
Kabir speaks, breaking Monami's trance,
' Thank you. Aaj agar tum mujhe push nahi karti to shayad....' he could't find himself to complete the sentence. Monami moves her hair away and listens intently, knowing that it must have been a difficult choice. 
' Meri life me, mujhe kabhi nahi laga tha ki mujhe koi second chance milega. 3 saal pehle, I was sure ki meri judgement as a doctor kabhi galat nahi ho sakti but... khair. Aaj agar tum mujhe wo second chance wali warning nahi deti to shayad mai aur guilt me chala jaata' he says while looking at her, listening to him all ears. She smiles softly. 
' Tum mujhe bhot zyada credit de rahe ho ' she spoke as she tilted a head a little. 
' It all passes away, Kabir. Mujhe nahi lagta hum kisi ek moment ke saath apni poori zindagi bita sakte hai. It's not possible'. she spoke shifting her gaze back on the window. 

Little did she know, someday she will experience this contradicting situation firsthand. Will it be possible for her to survive then? 

Karan got a call from the police station asking him to come for joining the stakeout. Apparently, they had found the location of another agent and were waiting outside the location to catch him red-handed. It's around 11 p.m. and he is leaving and passes by kitchen, he walks in to watch a basket full of dishes cleaned and stacked neatly. He simply walks out, being clueless why he walked in in the first place. 
He reaches the location that turns out to be a Family restaurant. It appears as normal as it could. Nothing abnormal. People coming in to eat and  enjoy. He makes quick notes of the place. When something catches his eyes. A kid hiding behind a cemented flower pot. He keeps his eye on him but an alert is issued that no movement is coming from the agent's side. This could possibly mean two things,
1. either he knows about the trap and has run away
2. or maybe he has been caught and the police team is being watched. 
Another fruitless effort. Maybe this time, a new trap has to be set. 

Monami is finishing assignments in lounge room. It's about 12 a.m. by now. She is finally done with the day's work and is ready to hit the bed. She thinks of Sid, maybe she should give him a massage gel, painkiller or something like that. She takes some with her to his room, she knocks but the door opens itself. She comes in and turns on the lights only to find Sid absent on the bed. She quickly comes inside and checks for him only to find him down on the floor, curled up with his plushie. She sighs. 

' Thak gaya hoga' she thinks to herself. She keeps  the gel on the table by the bed and picks up a pillow from the bed. She squats down, lifts his head softly and places the pillow below. She covers him with a blanket and turns off the light and leaves the room. 

Karan returns to academy, but doesn't come in for a while. He is still standing outside. He gets down from his jeep and hears intently the rustling sounds of the wind. In entire darkness, when the world is sleeping, he thinks to himself that they are missing on this nature's music.  Suddenly, he feels a tap on his shoulder, he turns around instantly to find Param bhaiya standing there with a stick. 
' Ye koi time hai academy aane ka? Chal. Uthak baithak shuru kar de' Param bhaiya speaks in an angry tone while playing with the stick. Karan is surprised.

The wind is still blowing. Dust from the ground enters his eyes, disturbing his vision. He rubs his eyes roughly and opens them only to find his vision empty. There was no one there. He sighs and begins walking inside with blood red eyes.