THE STORY OF LIFE | A 21ST CENTURY RAMAYANA

THE LAST TIME

"What?Why are you looking at me like that?"

Malini looked back down as Raghavan caught her straight her gaze towards her. Her heart, for that brief moment, drew to him again. Maybe it was her fear, or her sense of experience, that told her, it would only be only a few moments more with him.

She left his way to think of ways to arrange everything as Raghavan armed himself and set off to arrange his men.

As Raghavan left the room, Malini was left quiet as she began to slowly find all the things se would have to arrange to send him off. It was the first time Raghavan had asked for one. His faith in god and the almighty had left long ago, and hence he had given up any ritual or superstition. But today, was when something in him wanted a see-off from her. Probably, the last time.

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Mahesh dusted off himself as she flung inside the room, pitch black and hidden in darkness.

"Ive had enough," Mahesh said, expressing his scorn towards not only the situation, but also with what Raghavan had done to him, albeit not expressing the distaste vocally.

Urmila found herself in a cubicle. for it was far too modest to be called a room. Her eyes struggled to accommodate herself to the darkness, but as she tried to make sense of what was going on, a similar figure appeared before her, panting and her long tresses possible to be made out even the darkness.

"Di!" She yelled as he fiddled with the latters' arms.

"But Sir," came a mans voice from behind perhaps towards Mahesh," Raghavan Sir told not to keep these two together..."

"RAP!" Came the sound of a slap, and it could be made out that it was one that Mahesh had hit. His frustration was looking for ways to vent itself out.

"Sir, sir, SIR! Thats all YOU know, huh? Listen, Im elder to him anyway. You will listen to ME. ME!"

The guards remained quiet as the door thrashed close behind them, leaving the two alone.

Urmila calmed her breath as she turned to look at the shimmers of the sunrise that fell on Siyas face.

"Di..."Her voice broke. Should she be angry, worried, panicking? What would she do?

Siya read the confusion on her face, and refraining herself from an explanation, leaned ahead and engulfed Urmila in a hug as the two sisters sobbed on each others shoulders.

"Di.." Urmila groaned.

"For once, for once just please stop with this attitude of yours. I know, I know you love me, Lakshman, Ram Bhaiyya, everyone; but please, when you imagine us being happy, always know that you too are seeing yourself there. Without you, none of us can think of being what we are. Risking you life for us wont save us, in fact, it'll make our existence worse."

Siya ran her hands over Urmilas hair. As they could see the end of the war approaching, their hearts sang a song of solace, as well of pain.

"Urmi, call it my fault, but whenever I hear of something happening to you or anyone of my own, I cant control myself. I see it as my responsibility to make sure you all are safe. I dont think of myself, I just want to make sure that..."

Urmila shook her head as she broke away.

"You will be adamant about what you think, I know. Sometimes I feel, Lakshman and you are siblings separated at birth."