Meet me on the roof

CHAPTER 6 - FUNERAL

AKRITI

AGE: 16

The orangish hue from the evening sky enters the window of kitchen and into the hall, where my mother is pacing left and right like a lunatic. There's news that says about a terrorist attack in one of the Navy base, a very similiar to that of my brother.

Please god, Akash Bhai ko bachalo. Please.

(Save Akash)

We called the base and headquarters twice but no response. Usually the military calls the family members ASAP when there's a casualty in combat. We don't want that call but a reassurance that my brother is safe and sound.

Sahil, enters through the door and i smile at him. I run into his arms and hug him. He smells like computer and wires. His new passion, he is always on computers, making graphics, animations, hacking etc.

His computer skills are natural. Absolutely mind blowing. His first animation was based on me. Man, I love him.

Our exams for eleventh grade are over and waiting for the results. They were good. Even though I hated my chemistry exam. Sahil on the other hand aced it. His painting exam was not so good though.

Anyway, we are tension free for a while. Except for the tense situation at home.

I make my mother sit and calm her down. Then Sahil gives her some water with alot of coercion she drinks it. I set a plate of food for her to eat.

Sitting down with her and keeping the plate in the table. I break a morsel and fees her. She smiles and pats my head. She does the same with Sahil who is massaging her legs.

"Voh theek hoga. Aap ka bahadur bacha hai." I say and smile at her.

(He will be okay, he is your brave son.)

She just nods and drifts down to her own little world looking way too intently at the wall straight ahead.

Then after making her eat, the phone rings. My heart almost jumps out of my chest at the sound of it's ringing. My mother's face turns ashen, her body stiff and she is not picking the call. Then i slowly reach the phone and with shaky hands, I press the answer button.

"He..hello?" I tremble.

"Good evening miss, is this Akash bansal's mother?"

"Ye..yes hi-his si..sister."

"Mam, we are sorry to tell you that he lost his life in combat in the latest terrorist cross border firing. We are extremely so-."

Then everything turns black and my head hits something hard.

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My brother's memory fills my brain, every single one of them like a cobweb of happy, fun, sad, annoying and so many more emotions in the memories. My brother. Akash. Death. Combat. Terrorist attack.

My eyes slowly open and try to adjust to the surroundings, a bright light over my head, three humans looming above me, I know them but I can't comprehend what they are trying to convey.

Slowly the cobwebs of akash's memories replace with thoughts of those who are in my surroundings.

"Hey Akriti, how are you feeling?" I recognise the voice, Sahil's sister.

Sahil. Where is he?

"I am okay." Then a sob fills the room and i look to my right to get to its source. My mom. She is a message while sahil soothes her uncontrollable tears.

"Mo..mom." I say and she runs into my arms. I hug her as much as the body would allow.

But wait.

Where am I?

I look around and realise that it's my room. How long have I been here?

I look at Sahil's sister. She smiles at me with little tears in her eyes. My mother still cries over my body.

"Mom, I am fine. But aka..akash is no more." I choke out.

A dead silence fills the room and Sahil's sister asks my mother to give me a little space.

"Is your head hurting any more? No signs of fever though. Perhaps, A pain in the ear, nose or throat?" She asks as she checks. In response all i could manage was a shake of my head.

Then she goes away and talks to my mother, maybe trying to tell her about my health.

Sahil comes in my view and i smile bright at him. He leans down discreetly and kisses my cheek.

"God, why can't you take care of yourself?" His voice cracks but he is smiling, barely.

"Hello to you too." I say and he breaks into a smile. A big one.

"I think you should sleep." He says and kisses my cheeks along with my forehead again. I nod.

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A day later the body arrives, the whole city walk with us to the cremation ground, wishing their condolences.

It's just a parade for these people, me and my family are absolutely devastated.

The whole cremation ground is silent except the cries of my mother, Sahil's sister. Me and Sahil on the other hand are standing holding each other's hands. Not a single year falls down my cheek. I feel numb, utterly cold inside. He was so young, so youthful to die like this.

After the cremation, we return home with dead silence. Sahil's sister is bawling her eyes out. She and Akash bhaiya had an affair back when they were in college in Delhi. We got to know that the night after I fainted. He gave her a ring, they planned to marry.

I can't imagine the amount of pain she might be in.

"Go have a bath." My mother says and I nod absently and move to my room with Sahil trailing behind me. His eyes look empty and he looks like he is pain.

I enter my room with Sahil and close the door behind. He pulls me to him and hugs me. "Cry it out, Aki. No one will know, i promise. It's just me. Always will be."

Then i cry like there's no tomorrow. I cry for mu lost brother. I cry for Sahil's sister. My mother's lost son. I cry for the martyr of this country.

Akash always said that no death is better than that of a martyr.

And gid, fulfilled his wish.

Why lord? Why?

I sniff and loom back up at Sahil, his eyes reflect my pain. His eyes speak the amount of love and empathy he has for his family.

"I love you." I say to him and press my lips against his. He caresses my lips with softest of kiss. And i understand his unspoken words, loud and clear, 'I love you too'. So I press more, wanting to eliminate the pain we both are breaking from inside.

My hands walk into his hair and bunch to angle his neck to deepen the kiss. But instead he pulls away.

He whispers so slowly against my lips, his jaw locked as if fighting his last threads of restraint, "Aki we can't." he says.

"Why?" I moan, breathing heavily. I want him now more than ever. He is the only one I can have at this very moment.

"It's not healthy to slide the pain off with sexy time." His eyes soften to explain me the consequences of our future actions.

"But i love you so so much, Bunny." I say and a sob breaks out. "I want you like I have never wanted anyone."

"I know baby, Mee too. I love you so much more. But if we do this, you will regret it to the ends of the world."

"I won't, i promise." I hug him so tight that he can't escape.

"Let's take a bath first. Get rid of these negative energies. Okay?" He smiles sweetly and guides both of us to the bathroom.
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WORD COUNT - 1290