Dream

He was looking around fretfully for her. She had promised that she would make it to the lake by any means this time after sunrise. He stared at the lake, the water was sparkling, the sun was already up and so were the birds which were flying from one tree to another. He threw a pebble in the lake. It disappeared. He mauled his hair viciously and turned.

He was stunned for a while; His eyes didn’t blink for the next few seconds, her sight served as a monsoon rain in the barren desert. She was walking towards him! She was wearing the simple white cotton shalwar kameez, her hair were open covering her shoulders. Some locks of her hair were getting into her eyes because of the wildly blowing wind. In the struggle to approach him she tangled her red dupatta in the woods, she didn’t bother to stop and unsnarl it. It lay there in the woods…

He opened his arms, she walked and then ran. He caught her under his arms and tossed her up. She squealed with joy. Suspended in the air, she saw his face upturned below her, his wide shoulders, blooming face, V-necked black t-shirt adding allure to his fair complexion, grey jeans with his favourite pair of sneakers on. She could see herself too, reflected in his hazel eyes, her hair billowing, her face blazing with excitement, the stretched sky behind her.

He dropped her down and swathed her in his warm embrace. They had lots to talk about, to share but their lips sewed with anxiety. They walked slowly in the woods, with their hands tied together, her head on his shoulder and his hand wrapped around her waist. She told him about her last night dream in which they were visiting Atlantic coast. He laughed over her dream. She showed mock belligerence over his laughter. He chuckled over her reaction. All was so natural…

They stood up and looked in each other’s eye with a promise to meet again near the same lake. Before they could say farewell to each other the monster from the lake appeared with a horrific sound which pierced their trance. With terror and dread she fainted. He stared at her frail body laying on the rough surface, her silky black hair stowed with dirt and her face which was blemished with happiness was expressionless now. The monster lifted her with her hair; his feeble effort to seize her from the monster’s grip did no good. She was already in his hug. He vanished into the lake ferociously.

He stood there on trembling feet, his body was shaking and tears were streaming down his face. He had lost her! He loved her with passion; his world revolved around her, his life was in that poor creature.

With the loud music her sleep was distracted, she realized her pillow was soaked with her sweat. She sipped the water from the Glass on the table beside her, rubbed her eyes and thanked God that it was just a dream.