Ashwath's home lay shrouded in a suffocating silence, besieged by police vehicles and the wail of ambulances. Yellow police tape encased the property, a stark barrier against intrusion. Anand perched on the compound wall, his gaze fixed on the WhatsApp profile picture featuring him and Ananya, a haunting reminder of happier times. Ashwath, torn between roles, assumed the demeanor of a stoic police officer rather than that of a grieving son. Nisha, escorted away by a concerned friend, sought refuge in another's embrace, her own home now a place of turmoil and sorrow.
Ahalya received the news belatedly, rushing towards the home as soon as she alighted from the cab. Her hair streamed behind her, trailing like ribbons in the wind, and even her vibrant yellow kurta billowed with her haste. Tears streamed down her cheeks, defying gravity as they traced backwards from her eyes. However, her frantic approach was halted abruptly as officers intercepted her, denying her entry with firm resolve.
"Please, just let me see her one last time," she pleaded through tears.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but we have strict orders," the officer declared with a heavy heart.
"Amma, Amma, I've returned. Please don't leave me," she cried out in anguish outside the home, her grief echoing through the silent streets.
"Calm down, dear," Ashwath said, gently holding her from behind. As Ahalya caught sight of him, she clung to him tightly, burying her face in his chest as tears flowed freely.
"I need to see her one last time, Ashwath, please," she pleaded between sobs, her voice trembling with desperation.
"We have protocols to follow," Ashwath replied in a subdued tone, torn between duty and empathy.
"I never felt like an orphan, never missed my biological mother. But today, losing her, I feel truly alone," Ahalya confessed, her heartache palpable in her cries.
"I know she loved you, loves you, and will continue to love you even beyond her passing. Wherever she is now, she wants to see her daughter find happiness," Ashwath offered words of solace, his embrace a pillar of support in her time of need.
"Where is Appa?" Ahalya asked, wiping her tears, and Ashwath stepped aside. Ahalya's eyes fell upon Anand, sitting alone, shattered by sorrow. She approached him, sinking to her knees and taking his hand in hers, their shared grief a palpable bond.
Anand lifted her gently, and they embraced, finding solace in each other's pain.
"I see her in you," he cried softly.
"I can never be her, no one can be," Ahalya replied, her voice heavy with sorrow, acknowledging the irreplaceable void left by Ananya's absence.
Ashwath stood there, a solitary tear escaping his own eye, quickly wiped away as he regained his composure. His gaze remained fixed on Anand and Ahalya, witnessing his father's tears for the first time in his life. It was as if a dam had burst, releasing a flood of emotions that had long been suppressed.
Seeing his father's pain shattered Ashwath's heart. He had never imagined witnessing tears in Anand's eyes, and yet here they were, a testament to the depth of his grief over their beloved's departure. Ashwath felt powerless, unsure of how to offer comfort or solace. Part of him wanted to approach his father, to embrace him and reassure him of his strength, but he remained frozen, overwhelmed by the weight of the moment and his own inadequacy in the face of such profound loss.
***
Days passed,
In silence dwells the empty home,
Where once the kitchen giggled free,
But now the walls no longer shout,
And utensils lie silent, bereft of glee.
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THE END
Action" What we call the beginning is often the end. And to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from." -T.S. Eliot In the enigmatic town of Kshaya lurks a figure shrouded in infamy: SHAITAN, the most wanted criminal whose true id...
