Dream and Destiny:The Saga of Love, Faith and Betrayal. *Editing*

Epilogue_Part_1

6 years have passed since that fateful night and it was twenty eighth of October again. Raghu dressed himself in his casuals and drove himself to the Indira Gandhi international airport. On his way, he picked up purple orchids. Sanyukta loves them a lot— he thought and a smile appeared on his face. As the clock struck 6 in the evening, he reached the airport, parked the car and walked inside. The weather was freezing enough. The air India flight returning from Davos, Switzerland was scheduled to arrive by seven in the evening. There was still an hour time. Raghu walked to the waiters' lounge and settled himself in one of the metal chairs. He placed the orchids in the chair beside his and walked to nearby book store to pick up the daily. By the time he walked back to his chair there came an announcement that the flight from Davos was delayed for an hour. Raghu listened to the announcement and consulted his wrist watch. "An hour more. It will be eight then" he said to himself slumping back in his chair.

The airport was busy bustling with passengers of different nations, genders, ages and culture. The noise of flights landing, taking off, the cargoes pulling up the luggage made the airport even more chaotic. Raghu looked around; everyone was busy with their own business. He shook his head; shrugged off every other thought from his mind and flipped opened the newspaper. The date on the paper "28th October" caught his sight and the memories associated with that date came rushing to his mind effortlessly and tears clogged his eyes. Slowly the noises behind him began to fade as he found himself slowly slipping into the memory of that horrible night, involuntarily. That night when they fought for life. That night when they fought for what's right. That night when he stared straight into the death's eye..... That night...

                                                     ............ 6 years ago:: 28th October 12:00 AM............

Randhir looked at her face for one last time, helped the tufts of her hair that covered her face in a mess to the back of her ear. He then pecked her forehead and began to croon slowly and quietly.

"You so know me
Pinch me gently
I can hardly breathe

Forever is a long, long time
But I wouldn't mind spending it by your side
Tell me everyday I get to wake up to that smile
I wouldn't mind it at all
I wouldn't mind it at all"

He completed singing and sat there silently, pressing his forehead against hers and hugging her tightly. His tears were flowing down to her cheeks silently. There occupied an eerie silence for a moment. There was no noise other than the noise of the rain drops ramming against the glass panes of the windows and for the noise of his pounding heart. Randhir stopped whining and drew back himself to take a look at her. She was there in his arms just as if she had been sleeping the night away. Randhir looked at her and mumbled "I am not the one who'd let go that easy san-yuck-tha. You gotta bear me for the rest of our lives. Dare you breathe your last." He said and put her carefully on the bed. He knew she hadn't left him yet. Or so he felt. Whatever it was, all he had to do now is save her at any cost.

He then stood up and looked around for his mobile. He found it lying on the other side of the bed. He quickly rushed towards it and grabbed it. There was still no network. And the sky was raining cats and dogs. Randhir's injury on his head bled to extent that he began to feel dizzy and his vision began to get blurred. He began to tremble. He looked down at Sanyukta and mumbled. This will all be over soon. This will all be over soon. God!! Give me strength to sail through this — he said to himself and just bent over her to take her in his arms. It was then that the power went off!

"Damn!" he shut his eyes tight and waited for a moment. A moment later the lights connected to the inverter turned on. Randhir let out a laugh and wiped the stream of blood that got mixed with his tears, from his face and searched for the torch light. He however got the torch light from the drawer of the bedside table. He turned it on and looked outside. Only they have the lights inside. Outside, it was pitch black, thundering and raining simultaneously. He then looked down at Sanyukta. He grabbed whatever keys he found on the bedside table and stuffed them into his pocket. He took her cardigan and wrapped it around her frame. He put her socks on her feet and made sure that she got her muffles around her head. "Here we go!!! A new adventure eh? Pretty lady." He winked at her, he knew she'd listen. Even when she couldn't reciprocate, he knew his words would reach her heart. Every word of his! He can't cry and let her low. So he kept talking to her, he began to talk to tear that dreadful silence that drove him even more insane and scared. He was talking, tying the thread of torch to his hand and lifted Sanyukta up in his arms. His steps began to stagger unable to take the weight.