60

He was at the bottom of the Ghat, waiting for her. She was taking more time than expected. He was restless. The river water was swelling in flood. People were surprised at the flash flood when the monsoon had already retreated. The River water was rising faster than never before. Anytime the Ghat would be evacuated by the officials. He paced up and down. Still there was no wind of her. He grew desperate.
.... ...
She came out on the streets and broke into a run. A person lurking there followed her. She did not stop. She was running like a marathon runner. Someone stopped her obstructing her path. She did not even look up to see who it was. She turned and changed her route. A person stood before her, pointing a gun at her in the crowded street. She was not in her senses; she just had one thing in mind. She needed to go. He was waiting for her. The gun wouldn't stop her. It never stopped her at all. She just pushed him aside without bothering about the life threatening weapon he was brandishing and again gained pace. He was taken aback. He followed her. He tried to catch up with her in vain. 

She merged herself into the faceless crowd beyond identification. She did not know for how long she was running. Finally she reached at the top of the Ghat.

"Please... leave the Ghat! Please, everyone! Please... the water level is rising... please leave everyone!" there was an announcement to evacuate the Ghat. 

He stood there. They both were to meet. She had promised him that she would meet him here and he had told her that he would be waiting for her. 

She did not turn up. People had started climbing up the Ghat and he lingered back, looking around.

"Was it some kind of joke? Is she really coming?" a doubt rose in his mind. His anger was mounting. He started striding up the stairs.. and then he saw her...
.... ...

"ARNAV JI" She screamed her lungs out, descending the stairs skipping the steps. People tried to stop her descend and warned her not to go down .. the water level was rising dangerously.
"KHUSHI...!"he screamed climbing the stairs three at a time... He maneuvered his way up elbowing people around and She was descending faster than ever. She couldn't keep her feet on the stairs when she saw him approaching and let herself in a free fall in his arms.

"KHSHI!" "ARNAV JI!" they met like never before in each other's arms not bothering about the crowd and the danger warnings. He lifted her off the ground screaming her name. She had closed her eyes and had let herself melt in his arms. 

She gave him a hard look and took out something from the bag. He inserted his hand in his pocket.

"Arnav ji, I was not crazy! See this!" she kept it on her palm looking at him and dropped her jaw in shock to see him doing the same.

"What....?" She looked ghostly. And then they were melted in each other's arms again.
"I was not crazy, I found this...! I was not crazy!" she mumbled.

"But I was crazy, Khushi! I was crazy! And look at this!" they both kept gaping at each other's palms. 

The bells in the temple on the river bank, started ringing, Conch sounds filled the air, water level still rising, Two souls reunited at dusk...!

********* *********** **********

They were in the old mandir. She took prashaad and gave half to him. He looked at her in disbelief and took it from her. 

"This is amazing... ! Devi Mayya, Shukriya! Thank you! Thank you!" she joined her hands and looked at him. He stood there with folded arms. She pulled his arms and joined his hands forcibly. 

"Devi mayya, is waiting for your prayers!" she was angry at his arrogance. He was lost in his thoughts his bag still hanging around his shoulders he looked at her blankly and joined his hands absentmindedly. She smiled and thanked her devi mayya for that also.

They had forgotten everything... what had happened in their lives, that they both hated each other, that they had a long list of pending cases behind, that there was a woman called lavanya in their lives, that a person names Sham had turned their life in to living hell, that they had a family worrying about them!!

They came out and were sitting under the lamppost. She took out her diary and held it out with both her hands, looking down guiltily.

"Arnav Ji, this! I am sorry I did not give you this! But now I don't need it. I won't have those dreams again.

Arnav took the diary with one hand and held out his laptop in the other. She looked at him questioningly... "Sorry! ....My dreams!" he said sheepishly.

"What?" she screamed. "Yes!" he confessed solemnly. 

"I was crazy, Khushi...! I saw those haunting dreams!! I hid them from you!" he said holding her hand. She smiled at him. Nothing would make her angry now!

"We both are crazy!" she yelled at the top of her voice revolving around with stretched arms. Passersby looked at her in amazement.

They sat under the lamppost back to back, pushing each other to be comfortable.
He opened her diary... "Damn it! She had to write it in her pure Hindi! It will take me ages to understand!!" he grumbled.


"What the...! But of course, he will write his notes in English! It will take hell lot of time to read his English!" she muttered furiously, but started reading his dreams.

They did not know how long they were sitting there. Their trance state, the charm was lifted by the red alert siren for the rising water level. It had again started drizzling. They got up with the help of each other and tried to move towards the mandir for shelter again. His knees wobbled... he felt giddiness filling all over. Her head spinning, she couldn't take a step forward. 

"Arnavji...!" she could say with great effort. "Khushi,... Khushi!" he couldn't say more. Everything went pitch blank in front of their eyes.
........ ..

The River water was rising dangerously, water reachedl the brim... The outpouring rain had mercifully stopped for some time!!... two groups of people had gathered around in the Shamshaan Ghat (Crematorium) A very large crowd on one side of the river and a group of few people on the other side of the river. 

Two bodies were cremated and put to fire at the same time, on either side of the river Gomati. One had a royal cremation and other would not have even the mention anywhere. The fire from both the sides of the river, rose up to skies in that dark pitch black night!!! 

**** ****

"Arnav ji... ? Is this our end too?" Khushi asked first. Arnav was thinking the same. They had seen the funeral and cremation....on the banks of the river!! They both collapsed in a heap on the ground in each other's arms..!!"