Phir Le Aaya Dil - Mishbir FF

Chapter 25: The Lakeside

Chapter 25: The Lakeside

5:30 AM

"Zubaan khamosh,
Aankhon mein nami hogi,"

Lying in his open tent, Abir recited a poetry to the stars.

"Yahi bas ek dastaan...
Dastaan-e-zindagi hogi."

The night had turned into a foggy morning with Abir spending the entire night in the company of the starless sky, the winds and Mishti's memories at this very place, the lakeside. Berating himself silently for running away like a coward, Abir had passed another sleepless night, just like the countless others since his wedding day.

"Bharne ko toh har zakhm bhar jayega,

Kaise bharegi woh jagah
Jaha teri kami hogi?"

Abir sighed. Deciding to get back home before his family wakes up, he started wrapping up his stuff inside the tent when a strong wind hitting his face paused him in his tracks. The familiar breeze and the change in aura had him straighten in alarm.

With a bit of trepidation, Abir pulled apart the curtain of his tent and popped his head out. Finding the place empty, he shut back the cover.

Abir brushed his fingers in his hair and groaned.

"Nahi Abir," He huffed, "tu soya nahi hai." He whispered to himself, "Mishti ko yeh jagah yaad nahi ho sakti."

No sooner did he blurt the words to himself then he heard the shuffling of footsteps and a heavy log-like material being thrown on the ground.

Walking aimlessly with her limping leg and a walking crutch, Mishti didn't realize when she had reached the same lakeside that had once been a witness, not only to their blooming love story but also to a tragic separation. Only if she knew it!

The sight of a beautifully decorated area near the waters and a bench to sit caught her attention. Drowned in her own anguish, Mishti didn't care less to check if there was another soul breathing in the same space as her. Like a burden she hated to carry, Mishti threw her walking crutch away and sat down on the bench.

With his heart in his mouth, Abir tiptoed outside his tent. The moment his eyes fell on the girl facing her back to him, he skipped a beat. Abir stared at the sight in sheer disbelief, for there could be far more chances of him hallucinating than of Mishti being here in the wee hours of the morning, alone.

But the sight of the walking crutch lying at a distance threw him back to reality. The reality that his Mishti was indeed there, twenty steps away, seated at a place they made the memories of a lifetime threw him off guard.

Abir felt light-headed with overwhelming emotions – destiny had brought him twice in front of his love and there he was, running away from what was his. Only his.

The silent buzzing of his phone diverted his attention. He fished out his phone to find Bade Papa's incoming call. In a flash of a second, panic crept up his veins as he realized that Mishti had indeed walked up to the lakeside all alone with a limping leg at five-thirty in the morning. He noticed Mishti holding her head in her hands and resting on the bench.

Abir tiptoed to a far end of the lakeside and picked up the call in the last ring.

"Bade pa-"

Bade Papa didn't even let him complete his sentence. "Abir, Mi...Mishti ghar se gayab hai!" Abir heard his Bade Papa speaking with a slight tremble in his voice.

Abir sighed. "Bade papa aap chin-"

"Poora ghar dekh liya lekin kahin nahi hai," Abir heard the commotion and chaos in the background as Bade Papa held back a sob, "meri beti -"