Double Stranded

Chapter 1

15th December 2021, 2:00 am
Present time

With a deep sigh, she took a long glance above in the skies. It was dark, cold and very quiet. Sounds of waves coming from shore kept sheering the silence. Her gaze roamed through the shimmering stars. They seemed like children playing hide and seek. Clouds chasing a galloping moon in an infinite race. Just another endless night that felt like eternity. She had the couplets in her mind right then, was planning to write in her diary, next she gets her hand on it.

Yet it was already written in her conscience:

Lone Star

Alone and beautiful
Brightening so far
Lightening a little
It's surrounding part
As trying it's most
To lessen the dark
I feel my heart
Like filled with love
As you've come back to me
And my heart to serve
And those moments
Remind me you said,
"Me and my love
will never fade.
Think of me
And my love with sure
And the world of you
Will be changed to pure"
Know that I have
Caused you this pain
Know that I won't
Ever see you again
Our worlds may part
Am still with you
Lone you are not
Won't ever leave you
Walk me over
Our marks on shore
Crave you once
Trusted my core!

At the age of 39, married with two kids, Esha was a messed up bundle of emotions. She knew she interpreted things differently, a habit she developed since childhood. Her imagination made her perceive things with immense intensity. The beauty of an object turned into exquisite displays, quietness into serenity and sorrows into agony.

She was in her most desired place, the roof top of her house located by the black sand beach of Karachi, just like her parents'home she spent her childhood in. It was also cold and beautiful in winters.

Reluctant to let the piercing wind spoil her mood, she cozily folded more into her favorite black shawl and continued to stare above. Such weathers were not affluent for most. But for her it brought long peaceful nights. Long enough to talk her heart out. God was the best listener.

Long back she used to talk to her conscience, an introvert whose only loyal friend was the voice coming from inside her head. It stayed with her as long as she remembered. Sound that talked her out of her most distressed times, consoled her, rejoiced her to relive again. But something happened a few years back and the sound stopped coming.

Since then she formed a custom of coming upstairs alone at night, talking to the only one left to hear her out, one who wouldn't judge her for her silly secrets. Her most trusted companion. The God Himself.

Dinner and other night chores were already done. Everyone in her family was asleep. Knowing she could stay upstairs as long as she desired, she closed her eyes and rested her head on the back of the chair, inhaling the cold aroma of salty breeze. Just then, she heard her daughter calling from
downstairs in a desperate tone, "mama please come back!"

Her panic voice made her take a brief look at her watch. It was 2:00 am. She lost track of time.

Loving the fact that the darkness around her never asked her anything, she thought it must be one of her daughter's silly pranks; and opted to stay upstairs. She just answered her in a loud voice, "Coming dear. Give me a minute".