ONE YEAR LATER
I was driving home, enjoying the beautiful weather. The surroundings were lush and green, and it looked like it might rain today. When I got home, I parked the car and went straight to the courtyard instead of going inside. I sat down, enjoying the weather, when the delivery boy arrived with a box of pastries. Seeing the box reminded me of that day a year ago.
~ Flashback Starts ~
The police had asked me to identify the body. I went over and removed the cloth covering it. The body was in terrible condition, completely burnt beyond recognition. Then I noticed a bracelet on the ground nearby—the same bracelet I had given to Anika. It confirmed my worst fears: this was Anika. I collapsed to the ground, crying and blaming myself. "This is all my fault. If only I had stopped her from going to the meeting, or insisted on taking her myself. I'm sorry, Anika. I should have been with you."
Anika’s mom came up behind me, and I hugged her tightly, both of us crying uncontrollably. I told her, "Anika suffered a horrible death, but she should not suffer in the afterlife." I arranged for the best and most expensive coffin and performed all the necessary rituals. After that, her mom and I moved to a different place because staying in the old house brought constant reminders of Anika's absence. The new house was one Anika had loved and where she wanted to live after our wedding.
I remembered our last conversation when Anika had told me she wanted pastries. Since that day, I visit the graveyard every day, bringing her favorite flowers and pastries. I sit by her grave for hours, talking to her and sharing everything that has happened.
~ Flashback Ends ~
I took the pastries from the delivery boy and put them in the fridge. I was about to leave for the graveyard soon. I grabbed a notebook and the scrapbook and sat in the courtyard again. Writing was never something I enjoyed, but since Anika left, I write for her every day. I write letters and poems, hoping my feelings reach her wherever she is. With a pen in hand, I began to write:
In the shadow of loss, I stand alone,
A year has passed, yet the pain has grown.
Days stretch long, like endless nights,
Without your presence, nothing feels right.
I hope you’re at peace, wherever you roam,
In some distant star, or a heavenly home.
But here on earth, my heart still grieves,
Among the falling autumn leaves.
Life’s cycle turns, people come and go,
Yet why so soon? I'll never know.
Unprepared, I face each day,
Wishing you'd never gone away.
Your absence leaves my world so dry,
Like withered leaves against the sky.
Yet memories whisper, soft and kind,
In them, a solace I may find.
In dreams, I see you, smiling, free,
A fleeting glimpse of what used to be.
And though you’re gone, your spirit stays,
Guiding me through the hardest days.
YOU ARE READING
A Song For Us
Romance"In 'A Song for Us,' follow the journey of Anika and Anirudh, childhood friends whose bond transcends friendship. As they navigate the complexities of growing up, their unspoken feelings and deep connection are tested by life's twists and turns. Set...
