𝙃𝙞𝙨 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙥𝙞𝙚𝙘𝙚 | 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙚

Chapter-2

Yayayay
I've got 200+ reads. I know for most of you that isn't something too great, but for me it is.
*Writer does a small happy dance*
Sorry, I wasn't dead neither did I have corona, I was just working on somethings. But now I'm back and sorry for the delay.
★★★★★★★★★★

He was a 23 year old painter. His lifelong dream was to paint a masterpiece but that had remained a dream. Navya poured out her worries to Manik. She told him how Nandini was convinced that she would die when the last leaf fell.
"Is she stupid?" Asked Manik. "How can she be so foolish?"
"She is running a high temperature" complained Navya. "She refuses to eat and drink and this worries me a lot."
"I'll come with you and see Nandini" said Manik.

They tiptoed into the room. Nandini was sleeping. Navya drew the curtains together and they went to the next room. She peeped through the window. There was only one leaf on the creeper. It was raining heavily and an icy cold wind was blowing. It seemed as though the leaf would fall any minute. Manik didn't say a word. He went back to his room. Nandini woke up next morning. In a feeble voice, she asked Navya to draw the curtains. Navya was nervous. She drew back the curtains very reluctantly.
"Oh!" Navya exclaimed as she looked at the ivy creeper. "Look there is still one leaf on the creeper. It looks quite green and health. Inspite of the storm and the fierce wind, it didn't fall."
"I heard the wind last night" said Nandini. "I thought it would have fallen. It will surely fall today. Then I'll die."
"You won't die," said Navya energetically. "You've to live for your friends. What would happen to me if you die?"
Nandini smiled weakly and closed her eyes. After every hour or so she would look out of the window and find the leaf still there. It seemed to be clinging onto the creeper.
In the evening there was another storm but the leaf didn't fall. Nandini lay for a long time looking at the leaf. Then she called out to Navya.
"I've been a bad girl. You've looked after me so lovingly and I've not cooperated with you. I've been depressed and gloomy. The last leaf has shown me how wicked I've been. I've realised that it is a sin to want to die."
Navya hugged Nandini. Then she gave her lots of hot soup and a mirror. Nandini combed her hair and smiled brightly. 
In the afternoon the doctor came. After examining his patient, he told Navya,"Nandini now has a will to live. I'm confident she will recover soon. Now I must go down stairs and see Manik. He is also suffering from pneumonia. But I'm afraid there is no hope for him."

The next morning Navya came and sat on Nandini's bed. Taking Nandini's hand in hers she said,"I've to tell you something. Manik died of pneumonia this morning. He was ill only for two days. The first day the janitor found him on his bed. His clothes and shoes were wet and he was shivering. He had been out in that stormy night."
Then they found a ladder and a lantern still lighted lying near his bed. There were also some brushes and green and yellow paints on the floor near the ladder. "Nandini dear," said Navya,"look out of the window. Look out at the ivy leaf. Haven't you wondered why it doesn't flutter when the wind blows? That's Manik's masterpiece. He painted it the night the last leaf fell."
                        ★★★
This is the last chapter of the book. I'm sorry to break your hopes of Manik and Nandini being together, but this is the charm of the story.

And also I'll be coming back with another Manan story but this time they won't be separated. I promise. But for that you guys have to leave the  link of some graphic designer for the cover.

And I'm super excited for for my birthday on 31st of this month.

Ok enough of my rants, now byyeee

Love❤
Riddhi