WANDERERS – XVII

There was no light anywhere around his new found habitat and hence no way for him to have gotten back. He felt uneasy about it but also got dissolved and mesmerized to the extent that was lot more than what the sanyasin’s powers had done. It was probably on that soil, something soothing, something magical and yet incomprehensive to an ordinary mind.

With all that in mind, he slowly closed his eyes wanting to sleep quickly and get back to the cave-house by early morning. As he tried hard to sleep, so much more it was running away from him. ‘Let me sleep’ he begged his thoughts to stay away while they circled, invaded and mocked him. From irrelevant childhood incidents to his college days, from the cave-house to the tomb-hall, from his employment days to his relation with her, thoughts went wandering and dragged into their deepest whirlwind reminding him of what had transpired. ‘I know, leave me alone’ he screamed at them and turned to his left, next to right and on his back but they ran away only to come back again and again ensuring he didn’t sleep. He started to flow with them too…

‘But why don’t they like me? I’m educated, earn well and can take care of you like no one would, not even them!’

‘I know, but I don’t know. Same like your parents, they just don’t want me to be your wife. The only way out is to elope’

‘Nope, don’t say that’

‘Why not, we are adults and can take our own decisions!’

‘Yes, then there’s only one way out. We won’t marry anyone else, not even each other.’

‘So, you mean what, live-in relation?’

‘They say marriages are made in heaven. So let’s get married when we get there!’

All she could do was smile and nod.

And they had started to live together with no bounds or enforcements. They lived happily like husband n wife, like love birds and like friends for a long time. Anniversary was celebrated on their move-in date, recpetion party was thrown to friends and those who mattered, none knew they were unmarried and had no marriage certificate or vows. They hardly fought, everything was too perfect and what lead to the void between them was naïve like in any other relationship.  

Thoughts took him until there and left him with himself. He was finally set free as the brain started with its routine and laid him to sleep. It all took nearly whole night to vanish and he got deep into his sleep while the Sun was getting set to rise from behind, of which he had no clue.

It was well past noon when he eventually opened his eyes and gained consciousness. The old man had sent his daughter with a cup of tea which the wanderer couldn’t refuse. He knew there was no point repenting and quickly got on to his feet to get moving.

‘You can’t go out’, she stopped him.

‘It’s important, let me leave’ he pleaded.

‘It’s been raining since early morning. Didn’t you notice that?’ she asked him.

‘My mind was talking to me about the past, and hid me from the present’

Continues…