Akshnav - Tales on Track

18. The Wrath of the Wounded

The room felt like a cavern of despair, its darkness so profound it seemed to have a physical presence. Shadows danced upon the walls like specters of sorrow, their twisted forms writhing in agony.

The air was heavy with the scent of decay and forgotten memories, a morbid perfume that clung to every surface like a damp shroud. Cobwebs clung to the corners, their delicate threads glistening with a malevolent dew.

A single, flickering light cast eerie silhouettes, making it seem as if the darkness itself was moving, twisting, and writhing. The walls seemed to press in, their cold, damp surface exhaling a sigh of hopelessness.

In the center of the room, laid a man on the floor, finally tired after the tears ran out, like a sentinel of sorrow, his frame worn and weathered from countless tears and despairing whispers. The floor felt cold beneath, a mournful sigh that echoed through the desolate space.

Every inch of the room seemed to whisper tales of heartache and loss, a haunting reminder that joy had long since fled, leaving only an oppressive, crushing melancholy in its wake. The darkness was a living entity, a palpable force that suffocated all who dared to enter.

The knocking sound made a sharp sound.

"Abhinav, please darwaza kholiye. Dekhiye sab aapki raah dekh rahe hai niche. Hume jaana hai na. Aisa aap tootege toh kaisa chalega. Please bahar aaiye." Aarohi muttered, feeling sad for the broken man inside. She knew what he must be going through. She felt pain like this before. The despair nearly killed her. She wished she could help him. But her hands were tied.

Abhinav slowly sat gaining a momentum of consciousness. He has lost all his senses these days. He blinked his eyes, trying to gain consciousness and sober up. He has to sober up today. He got up with the support of the bed corner only to stagger and hit the broken bottles of alcohol.

He moved towards the bathroom and took a glance of himself in the mirror. He couldn't believe this was him. Shame filled his veins, and he couldn't meet his own eyes in the mirror. He splashed some water on his face and wiped it with the sleeve of his shirt. He badly reeked of alcohol. He immediately decided to take a bath and go down. He couldn't believe God will give him so much pain. He doesn't know what bad deeds he did in his past life that in this life only pain is written in his fate.

He took a thorough bath and wore a white kurta. His gaze went on the payal that was kept on the dressing table. And the pain rushed again, aching his heart. Why would this have to happen with him? He kept the payal in his pocket of kurta, holding onto one end as a ray of hope.

Abhinav came down and looked at everybody sitting and mourning. The rush of rage that flew him wanted to destroy everything in his path. These people had no right coming here and mourning for people that never mattered. The fake tears were gutting him from inside.

He walked down silently. Others were already on the way. He was so lost in gazing into nothingness that he came out of his thoughts by Aarohi's voice.

" Abhinav ji. Please khudko sambhaliye. Agar aap hi Tut jayege toh kaisa hoga. Aap hi toh strength hai."

Abhinav didn't bother responding to her. His grief was too much. He didn't need philosophy anymore. Sweet, motivational words look nice only on tv. In reality the pain of losing someone is too much to handle. A broken person doesn't want to hear the nagging of someone.

Abhinav walked towards his car and drove without looking back. He reached the place. He saw everyone standing surrounding the pyres. He wants to run away. He couldn't go ahead. The strength in him is gone with her.

The sun beat down upon the gathering, casting a somber glow over the mourners. The air was thick with the scent of incense and flowers as they made their way to the banks of the river. The sound of chanting and wailing filled the air, a haunting melody that accompanied the departed on their final journey.