The life of a withering flower [COMPLETED ✔️]

Chapter 10

"The scene is so beautiful", she exclaimed sitting by the window at night as the night sky and lands wheezed by us.

She was sitting by the window as an adamant kid, trying to take in all of it.
Of course, the midnight blue sky with a million circular white centrals and one creamy large crescent, was too much to miss.

"We will be there at nearly 3 AM", I said focusing on the book instead.
She, however turned a deaf ear to me.

It has been 3 days since we were in the train. I can't wait to get this over. The journey is straining me out.

"Look!", she called out for me and I scooted near her to see over two dozen fireflies on a grassy field where the wind breezed by.

It was such a breathtaking view.

"Do you know why the fireflies are the only ground animals to illuminate?", she asked.

I sat back on my seat and waited for her to continue.

"Because they are said to be the lives of people gone too soon. They are fragile and soft. Too soft that even a squeeze of finger can kill them... Just like a soft and intimate matter takes millions of lives. They are said to be the representative of the dead. Burning bright in the darkness. The same tale goes for the stars, doesn't it? People acknowledge them as the remnant of the dead. Guess... The dead illuminate only in the darkest hours of their loved ones", she smiled.

Whatever she said...made no sense. It was illogical. But deep down somewhere, we tend to believe in the illogic because it provides more facts that we want to believe than the bitter truth that logic provides.
Somewhere deep down, Illogicity is what we appreciate...because it comforts us.

"Listen, what do you think? Where would I go when I die?", she asked.

"That depends on how you have lived", I answered.

She looked back at the sky. "The stars in the sky might be missing their family and friends...or the persons who were completely truthful to them but would shine bright in the sky for a forever that's unknown. However, the fireflies on the earth have the privilege to search for their dear ones and stay with them for a brief moment before they die of love. Which one would you choose?", she asked.

"You want me to choose between troublesome rocks and annoying insects?", I countered. She giggled softly.

"Your arguments always tend to prove the other person's words just mere platitudes.", she said before looking back. I don't know what is so freaking admirable there.

"But you see... I would be like the stars. I would have the privilege to see the people I love from afar, for a forever I believe in while... Maybe I would be raising another civilization on me. That being said...on some other planet, in some other distance, earth might just be a star...someday it's forever will end...and someday it will go down carrying onto hopes... Somewhere, some other person of another civilization might be finding hope in the sparkling of the earth... The earth where people are so despairful... Where even it's own people are searching for hope. It's kind of strange...isn't it?", she said.

It would be a lie if I said her words didn't faze me.

Somewhere... Lightyears ahead... A person... Of another civilization... In a foreign language... Might be seeing hope according to him... Even if the hope, according to him is despair. Doesn't it prove one thing...How people have different opinions about different things?

"You sure you don't want to sleep?", I asked.

"Nope...not until we reach", she said not tearing her gaze from the window.

"You are too absorbed... I see", I sai flipping a page of the book I was reading.

"Can you sing something?", she asked not meeting my gaze, I however, spinned towards her and look at her with wide eyes. She wiggled her eyebrows and I prevented myself from saying anything.

"The passengers will be disturbed", I said making an excuse.

"You are scared", she said turning back to the sky.

Yes, I am scared. I am scared that this one time I will try...and I will dream big. And, I don't have it in me to see what lies beyond the dream...that might break.

I looked back to the book which now was dropped on my lap as the wind flipped the pages vigorously and set it on a random page.

I was never acquainted with reading books. But...fictional characters are more dependable than real life characters. I was never acquainted with remaining silent. But...silence is more permanent than the vague noise in the atmosphere.

"Hey...you know? Your brother and my didi were childhood friends? I don't know if you know this...but that is where they had began meeting each other", she said still stargazing.

Of course. I don't remember. I don't know. Because bhai won't tell me. I didn't like her didi. So, we would let this topic slide and would talk on different unnecessary things instead. Life had been easier then.

Mom hopes dad will come back when he gets out of his trauma. Bhai hopes I will get back to singing. Sometimes...hope has the same effect as despair and expectations... Sometimes, they have common grounds.

While my own demons and Phantoms were busy dawning over my mind, her eyes sparkled with the light coming from outside.

Normal camps, trekking and picnic...

They had been nice dreams. They had been the best reality.

"Hey, what is the time?", she asked me.

I glanced down at my watch.

2.00 AM, it said. 2.00 AM, it read.

"2.00 AM", I said.

"We should probably prepare to leave?", she asked.

"Yeah", I agreed as I dragged the bags from below the seats and placed them on the booth beside us. She brought our phones and chargers and earplugs and dumped them in her small back pack.

"I have your phone and charger", she informed me and I nodded.

Manali, it was.

// Hola readers!! Did I give you a hard time updating late today? Actually, I didn't have this chapter prepared, so it is a one-shot. I hope you like it as always... And this was a bit dull, don't you think? But maybe I will mend things next time? Love, yours - miss_writer 😘😘//