A Sew Through Time [Bandbudh And Budbak]

14: Badrinath's kindness

The waves continued to crash into the shore. Water surfaced around big metallic pieces and junk, carrying away its spare parts.

"Alraght!" Karan put his hands in the air, "I lose! You guys win! Come out now!"

Never a yell came to fetch up his spirits.

"This ain't funny anymore!" He continued running around, "Say something!"

The waves crashed.

He fell on his knees and sat near the coastline. Jeeva's handprints were left on it despite his absence.

The waves crashed.

His fingers ran down his hair from frustration. He heard his heart pounding against his ribs very much and very hard.

The waves crashed.

He heard his lungs fill up with air and rush into his windpipe.

The waves crashed.

Fine sand ran through his fingernails. He believed he could hear it.

The waves crashed.

He grabbed the suspenders hard, leaving deeper nail marks. Was this his skin or a part of his attire?

The waves crashed.

How annoying .

The waves crashed.

He felt he was being watched. But no one was there. Maybe it was the fish and the sharks and whales? He felt the taste of clam on the roof of his mouth, he had it back then.

Sea salt blurred into hus hot tears, rolled down his face.

The waves receded.

A shadow loomed over him. He saw it and was joyful to see it. But when he looked up.

It was Badri.

Did he just play a prank? An awful joke? Did he tell the others to watch his state to laugh on him?

"Arre re" Badri smiled, "Tu thik hai Karan?

"Is this-" Rage scorched his throat, "Some joke to YOU BADRINATH?!!"

"AWAZ NICHE!"

He had never heard such a loud voice in his life. It left him stuck to his place, wondering whether that was his real voice,

"H-how could you do this to me?"

"Do what?"

"What could had happened if I got lost?! What if I died?!

"Funny you are" he leaned down and spoke softly, "Beta Karan, you were toh the one who said Khushi dragged us here on purpose? Now you're scared being left on your own?

He dug his face into his arms.

"Wanna hear one fun fact?" Badri caressed his shivering head, "Do you know what would've happened if Khushi never came back? I'll tell you. If my sister didn't come back, we would had been dead"