Paranormal TS : With you... (Part 2 at Page 4) Completed - Page 4

In hospital,

The team was waiting outside the ICU. Everyone's face was gloomy, Chotu was weeping on Shree's shoulders, Rathod was sitting in a chair, putting his head between his palm, Aisha was leaning against the wall, putting her right hand on Rathods shoulder, her eyes were red.

Arjun looked at the faces keenly, his sixth sense was telling him that something was terribly wrong, but he couldn't understand what happened, was the accident that serious, or they know the victim? A series of name came into his mind, the team knew, but still he couldn't reach to a probable decision.

Arjun : Kya hua?

All looked up to him. he looked straight into the teary eyes.

Arjun: Shree, detail bolo. Kaise hua?

Shree : Sir..woh...taxi...

Arjun : Itna time kyun lagaa rahe ho! Aisha?

Aisha : Sir two trucks main collision hua aur woh dono aage ki taxi ko hit ki...taxi ulat gaya...driver aur passenger dono spot dead...ek truck driver vi maara gaya..dusra critical hain...

Arjun : Cause pata chala?

Shree : Ek truck ka break fail tha.

Arjun : Dead bodies ko..

Rathod : Liza is examining. yehi hain.

Arjun : Here?? but generally toh lab main...

Rathod : Zaroorat nehi hain. We've informed the families, they'll take them away from here.

Arjun : hmm...Chotu truck ka licenses?

Shree : Sir, let him be...avi..

Arjun : Avi sab duty pe ho...voolo matt...wahan ek ka nakhra dekh ke aa raha hoon...aab sab shuru matt ho jaana...

before he could finish, Liza came out.

Aisha : Liza!

Liza : I've checked again..but...she's no more...

Chotu started crying more loudly.

Arjun : Stop it Chotu! hospital hain!

But the ladies & Shree moved to Chotu and started crying, hugging him tight. Rathod again stumped into the chair, he looked defeated.

Arjun : Rathod, victim Chotu ki relative hain kya?

Rathod got up and gestured him to follow, he lead Arjun inside the ICU.

Rathod stood beside the bed, holding the headrest, and Arjun saw a lady was lying still on the bed, covered with a white sheet upto her neck, the face was smudged with blood, the accident crushed her head. he moved closer to see the face, and what he saw, he couldn't believed his eyes.

Arjun : (whispered) It's...it's...impossible!

Rathod : 3hr pehle khabar mili...even we couldn't believe it... now Liza checked her for the umpteenth time...She...she left us Rawte!!

Arjun looked at Rathod, tears were brimming out of his eyes.

Arjun : But...she was with me!!...yahan aane se pehle...aur woh yahan aane se mana vi kia...toh... woh yahan kaise?...are you sure..ke yeh Sakshi hi hain?

Rathod : Tum paagal ho Rawte! dikhai nehi deta yeh kaun hain?..(removed the sheet) look at those bangles...can you recognise them?...this kurta...maine khud uski Bday pe gift kia! Special order tha...(he moved to the table and picked up her stuffs) yeh ETF ka service phone...number dial karke dekho...ID card, credit card...yeh tickets..yeh purse...this pen...tumne gift ki thi na? aur kya proof chahiye? chehra dekhlo...yeh face kisi aur kii ho sakti hain? Answer me Damm it!!

Arjun stood tongue tied... speechless and totally confused. he looked at the lying form. The dirty cloths... the stains of dirt, soil & blood... she was wearing the same when she was with him...the red scarf.. and the bangles...she was that very girl he saw in the beach, that girl who asked him to imagine & she'll lead him to Roshni...she did so... then how it could be possible? today he met the most important person in his life...& she is dead...and to whom he should be grateful is also dead...what is happening to him.

Doctor called Rathod to complete the formalities, and Arjun leaned against the wall...lost into his thoughts. And he felt a cold palm holding his.

He looked at the person and found Roshni standing beside him.

Roshni : Itna shocked matt ho...jo avi dekh rahe ho wahi sach hain.

Arjun : Kya sach hain? Yeh Deadbody? ya tum?

Roshni : dono.

Arjun : Kaise?

Roshni : There is a thin line between life & death... she loved you so much and always wanted you to keep smiling... she needed to say you her last words, she wanted to see you smiling once before she breathed last. so she just crossed that line to fulfill her last wish.

Arjun : Aur tum? tum kya ho?

Roshni : Me? you can say I'm your imagination... or you can say I'm the result of your love... that pulled me back to you...

Arjun : Matlab tom sach main ho?

Roshni : Ha vi aur naa vi...main tumhare dil main hoon...you can see me...whenever, wherever you want, agar nahi chaho toh nahi aaungi...but baki ke duniya ke liye main invisible hoon... mujhe koi aur nhi dekh sakta...

Arjun : Oh! toh tum mere illusion ho?

Roshni : (smiled) may be...

Arjun : toh woh sea beach main...Saakshi too was an illusion?

Roshni: Do you still believe it was an illusion, Arjun? If you believe so...it was... & if you feel it wasn't, then it wasn't.

Arjun: (looked at Sakshi's lifeless form) but she was there...I talked to her... touched her...yeh kaise?

Roshni : Jaise avi maine tumhara haath pakdi hain...

Arjun looked at his hand...his fingers were still entwined with hers...but he felt nothing...as if her hand didn't exist. it made him more puzzled.

Roshni: Tum paagal nahi ho Arjun...bass harr cheez ko logic se tolna bandh karo aur aapni dil ki suno... meri aur tumhari duniya alag hain...parr phirr vi hum hamesha saath rahenge...aur Sakshi vi.

Arjun : Kaise?

Roshni: Wahi karo jo woh chahti thi... jo hum chahte hain.jeeyo, muskurao...hum dono ki hisse ki zindegi aab tumhe jeena hain... humari muskaan aab tumhari chehre main laana hain...tab hi hum tumhare saath reh payenge. nahi toh...shayed..

Arjun : toh aab Saakshi vi...

Roshni : woh aayegi nahi...she promised you.

Arjun : Mujhe baat karni hain...

Roshni : (frowned) baat karni hain ya daantna hain?

Arjun frowned, and the clicking sound from the doorways shifted his attention. Rathod entered with Sr. Anand, Sakshi's dadu.

Arjun looked at that old man, last time he looked much younger... but now he was looking vulnerable. and aged.

Dadu moved to the lifeless form and held her hand, placing a soft kiss on the knuckle, he started crying silently. Rathod signaled Arjun to give him some place. arjun moved to doorways with Rathod but a firm voice stopped them.

Dadu : Sameer...can I take her home now?

Rathod :  woh...kuch formalities...

Dadu : Haan...complete kardo...she needs rest. you know how careless she was.

Rathod : Hmm.

and he left. Arjun was about to follow Rathod, but a soft whisper stopped him.

Dadu : you promised you'll never left me alone...but tumne phirse aapna wada tod dia! Sakshi? yeh tune bilkul accha nahi kia...aab main yahan akela kaise manage karunga? pehle toh mujhe jaana  tha na...(paused for a while)...aab tu toh upar aapni mom aur dadi ke saath maze main rahegi...mera kya hoga?...aur tere woh Kharoos baap...woh kumbhkarn...uthke jab tere liye puchega tab kya kahun? ke mummy ke paas jaake baith gayee? huh!

Arjun gaped at the old man.. talking to someone standing beside him, holding a hand of the corpse... he was scolding his granddaughter. Arjun looked hither & thither... to find someone familiar. but he found no one.

Arjun : (in mind) Roshni? kahan ho?

 but nobody answered.

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

after 3 days, Sakshi's funeral.

 Anandlok was decorated with grief and sorrow. A number of people came to show their condolence to the mourning family. Each person was sad, the whole ETF staff, the newspaper team, her friends, the people she met for her cases, her friends...most of them had tears in their eyes. but Dadu was completely calm, composing others. GK, Sakshi's pet was nowhere in the hall, it was upstairs in Sakshi's room... was sitting on her bed, it refused to move from it's place.

Rathod was looking pale, he was standing at a corner silently, trying hard to control his tears and failing each time, his nose became red and eyes were already swelled, evidenced that he was crying from last night. Arjun could clearly remember how Rathod mourned on Roshni's death, but Sakshi's passing away broke him more. Chotu was weeping, hugging a melancholic Shree, ETF ladies condition was no better...but they were consoling Chotu  and Shree as well.

Rathod silently made his way to the terrace. Arjun saw his sneaking away and followed him.

Rathod found a corner and climbed on the boundery, facing the shore ahead. Arjun silently stood beside him leaning against the railings, his back was towards Rathod.

Arjun could here Rathod's sobbing. He was crying bitterly. After a while Arjun placed his palm on Rathod's shoulder. Rathod turned and hugged Arjun tight, hiding his face into his chest. Arjun felt wetness on his shirt.

Rathod : Usko aise nehi jaana tha... itni jaldhi nehi... avi toh bohot kuch baaki tha... bohot kuch karni thi... she cant left everythimg behind...

Arjun : Sam! stop it...yeh tere tears mujhe manzoor hain...but you cant wipe  your nose on my shirt...akela rehta hoon...wash mujhe karna hain...teri beehn nehi hain wahan meri shirt dhone ke liye!

Rathod increased his volume. Arjun felt a slap on his back. he looked back and found Roshni there.

Arjun : (to Rosh) what? maine jhoot thori bola? aab tum mere kapdain thori saaf karoge!

Roshni : isko samhalo...sharam nhi aati tumko Arjun...bechara dukhi hain...aur tum...

Arjun : (smiled Sheepishly) main toh bas...

Roshni : pata hain. he needs you now Arjun... don't leave him alone.

she was vanished in the air.

Arjun sighed, and shook Rathod.

Arjun : Sameer Rathod! control karo...kya bacchon ki tarha ro rahe ho!itna toh Chotu vi nahi roya...

Rathod parted the hug and moved to a corner, leanded agaist the railing. he sniffed while Arjun handed him his kerchief. He took it and wiped his face.

Rathod looked at the shore and started talking. As if he forgot about Arjun's presence.

Rathod : It was her favorite corner, jab vi udas hoti thi yahan baithti thi... aur pichle kuch saal se yehi uski regular place thi... puri duniya ko aapni takleef se dur rakhti thi... uski andar kuch vi chalta ho... sabki samne sirf smile hi karti thi... bachpan se aisi thi... ziddi... aapna dard ko ignore karti thi aur dusron ke piche pade rehti thi...

Arjun : You know her well Rathod...kaisi thi woh?

Rathod : (Smiled faintly) Sakshi Anand... shaitaan ka female avatar...shararat iska middle name tha... harr waqt kuch na kuch iske dimaag nain chalta rehta tha... but kavi pakda nahi jaati thi... unless she confessed it. School main meri junior thi, aur baaki boys ki tarha main vi usse dur rehta tha.

Arjun : haan...ladkiyaan hamesha tere liye Ravan ka avatar tha...

Rathod : yeh wali nehi...balki...isne meri jaan bachayee thi...aur kahin baar izzat vi.

Arjun : kya?

Rathod : haan...scouting ke waqt isne mujhe sher se bachaya, 12^th main dusre ladkon kii hatho pitne se bachaya, aur kahin baar  school aur college main stupid makeup ki dukaan type ladkion se vi... .  thori  nahi...poori paagal thi, jab jo mann karti thi woh karr leti thi... but sabke liye care vi karti thi. Roshni meri best friend thi ..but she was more than a sister. kavi kavi laagta tha pichle janam main meri elder sister rahi hogi...

Arjun : but you never mentioned about her.

Rathod : bas aise hi...tenth ke baad suddenly zidd karr ke  boarding school chala gaya, sabko bura laaga, Dadu main, Samar...sab ne bohot try kia, but woh ziddi kisiki nehi maani... aur kisiko letter vi nahi likhti thi... phir main vi aapni life main busy ho gaya, Roshni se dosti hua...woh dusri pagli ne mujhe uski yaad hi nahi aane dia.

Arjun : Haan...uski rehte ki aur ko chance milna mushkil tha. phir kya hua?

Arjun couldn't stop himself from probing further.

Rathod : (sighed) Crime journalist Sakshi Anand suddenly saamne aa gayee. kahin baar cases main mera help kii...

Arjun : help aur yeh?

Rathod : Rawte? ETF main vi usne kavi koi gadbad nahi ki... haan light hearted thi...but kaam hamesha seriously kia, uski efficiency ke khilaf kuch nahi sununga...

Arjun : Ok! but usko ETF kyun?

Rathod : (irritated) Andhe ho Rawte? Hall main itna bada sa portrait hain... dikha nahi?

Arjun : Woh late Brigadier Vikram Anand ki beti hain...pata hain...toh? yeh koi reference nehi hain...

Rathod :  He was shot in front of her.

that was something Arjun didn't know. it pricked something inside him. now he could decypher every word she said. she said she knows his pain, she knows how it feels when someone close is snatched away from you, she know how it feels when nobody believes you...she knows the helplessness well. she always tried to share her pain with him, but he never allowed her. he always failed to see the hollowness behind her smiles, her silly antics always covered up her grief. he failed to recognise her tears she always converted into twinkles.

Rathod : that shootout in the press conference, Sakshi was invited for it. she was very excited that she gonna cover an event of her father. but terrorists attacked  that event.

Arjun : yup it was huge...aur case vi directly special force ko dia gaya tha. but Sakshi... unse statement toh dia tha na.

Rathod : haan... but they didn't recorded it. file man uski statement nehi thi... jab maine pucha toh case incharge ne kahan Sakshi psychologically unfit hain aur...top secret bolke woh case ko rad tape karke rakha gaya... toh She needed help...

Arjun : Kya?

Rathod : we were helping each other... she needed my help to bring justice for her dad...& I needed her help to find out the assasin of my friend.

Arjun gaped at Rathod, he was working on Roshni's case? it was a shock-day for him indeed.

Arjun : She knew about Roshni?

Rathod : She knew every details about you and Roshni. I told her.

Arjun : usko nahi batana chahiye tha rathod... it is dangerous...

Rathod : I know...and I'm sure yeh accident vi koi coincident nehi hain. I forbade her to go alone... par yeh ziddi ghori... kavi kisiki nahi maanti... akeli nikal gayee...

Arjun : Rathod! don't tell me ke...

Rathod : She went for your case Rawte... & I know uss evening tum dono main jhagra vi hua...

Arjun offered Rathod an questioning look.

Rathod : In last two year... sirf ek hi cheez uski aankhon main aansu laata tha... it was you. I saw her crying each time you hurt her. kyun Rawte? usne tumhara kya bigara tha? kyun itnaa hurt karte the usko?

Arjun : itnaa kuch pata tha aur yeh nehi ke...

Rathod : You scared of losing her.

Arjun looked at his friend, surprised. How did he know?

Rathod: I'm not blind Rawte, mujhe dikhai vi deta hain aur main sab samajhta hoon, tumhare jaise..

Arjun : I love roshni, Rathod... not her.

Rathod : Accha!( flared up) dusron se jhoot bolo, mujhe koi problem nehi hain...but khudse itna bada jhoot matt bol Rawte! Acchese smajhta hoon tujhe main! (hit over Arjun's heart) yahan jo chalta hain sab jaanta hoon... agar kuch nahi tha toh kyun hamesha uspe nazar rakhta tha? uski harr movement ke khabar rakhta tha... choti se choti baat pe uspe chillata tha... kyun? Don't tell me you used to hate her... darrta tha tu...ki agar usne tera dard ko dekh lia toh woh sirf sympathy nahi dikhayegi... she'll heal you... and after that you'll lose her like you've lost Roshni... aur yeh tujhse bardast nahi hoga...but dekh! tere zidd ne yehi karr dikhaya...tu phirse akela ho gaya... kyun Rawte? kyun hamesa khudko aur dusron ko takleef ke alawa kuch nahi dete ho...

Arjun : isiliye nehi chahta tha ki woh mere aapno main shamil ho...

Rathod : tera kuch nahi ho sakta Rawte!

Rathod was going to say more but his phone buzzed. It was Aisha. Another case arrived and they have to go.

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

it was late night, Arjun was going home after solving the case. he was restless, something was bothering him but didn't know what it was.

finally he stopped at the beach. and to his utmost surprise , it was a bit away from Sakshi's backyard. he could see the silhoutte of the dark mansion from the beach and it surprised him. generally he goes to his  & Roshni's private place...but today he ended up here, why?

he moved to the water, recalling the last time he saw her playing with the waves, making sand castle on the beach which was diminished by the waves and her smile each time her castle was buried under the waves... did her eyes well up that time? he couldn't remember.

he settled on the sand, facing the waves. those waves are looking like the questions he had... craving for answers...  and the answers she took away with her.

He didn't know for how long he was sitting there... he saw the moon was drowing into the sea and felt something soft near his right shoulder. he startled a bit to find GK looking at him. that dog was not much fond of him, but today it seemed calm.

he looked briefly at that dog...it was looking pale, he knew it had nothing since she passed away, neither it moved from her bed. and today it came down to the beach...or it comes here everynight.

GK groaned at him and rubbed its hean on Arjun's shoulder. then it stumped on the sand and kept it's head on Arjun's lap. Arjun could feel how weak it was. he recalled how Sakshi used to say that GK was her lover from last birth. he started caressing its furry head.

Arjun : Missing Sakshi?

Gk made a soft growl...aknd rubbed it's  nose on his palm.

then he saw her...coming towards him... the breeze was playing with her scarf and she was having a big time to handle it.

he smiled...how much he loved to see Roshni annoyed with the breezes, specially when it played with her dupatta... when she was fought with the air to control her cloth and yelled at Arjun to stop laughing and help her.

but today he was proved wrong again. when she came closer, he missed a heatbeat. it was Sakshi.

Arjun : (Whispered) Sakshi! is it you?

she settled silently beside him. facing the waves. he looked at her... death increased her beauty to thousand folds...or he never tried to see her this closely before. he stared at the calm face, holding a smile  onto her lips.

Arjun : Why Sakshi?

Sakshi smiled at him... he could feel the melancholic gaze on him.

Sakshi : Agar mere bass main hota ...toh kavi nahi jaati... par meri badluck itni acchi hain ki... hamesha kuch na kuch ulta karta rehta hain... hameshe jin logon ko khush dekha chadti hoon...unke liye kushi toh dur ... unka dard vi nahi baant sakti...

Arjun : aur aapna?

Sakshi : mera? (smiled) mujhe dukh nehi hota...meri dukhi hone se kya hoga? dukhi hone se problem thori solve hote hain? isse accha main khush dikhu...aur baki sab vi khush rahe...

Arjun : itna aasan nehi hain Sakshi...

Sakshi : itna mushkil vi nehi hain Arjun...aab toh Roshni vi tumhare paas hain...aab kis baat ka dukh?

Arjun : usko wapas pane ke liye tumhara jaana zaroori tha kya?

Sakshi : kaash... kaash tum yeh baat bohot pehle samajh jaate...kaash main hamesha yaha reh paati...kaash meri kismat main aise jaana likha naa hota...toh shayed humari kahaani kuch aur hota, nehi?

She offered him a melancholic smile. then ruffled his hair.

Sakshi : mere jaane se dukhi matt ho, Arjun. I always wanted you to be happy, like SHE wants...khush rehna...

Arjun : Kaise?

Sakshi : I left my smile for you... jab vi meri yaad aaye smile  karr lena.

Arjun: Sakshi...

sakshi: mujhe koi afsos nehi hain Arjun...aur nahi tumse koi shikayat... so don't blame yourself.  bas itna yaad rakhna ke main, Roshni,Sameer aur baaki sab...we love you...tum dukhi ho toh hum vi dukhi  hain.

she got up and moved  to the waves.Arjun called  he from behind.

Arjun: aab kavi nehi milogi?

Sakshi: pata nehi... yahan meri zaroorat khatam ho chuka hain. aab wapas aane ka koi wazah toh hain nehi!

she offered him her usual big smile before she disappeared into the waves.

Arjun felt his breath  hitched into his chest while he felt a familiar hand on her shoulder.

Roshni: don't worry...she'll  be around...agar tum chaho toh tumhe chorke woh kavi nehi jaa sakti...

Arjun looked into her  big eyes.

Arjun: really?

Roshni: tumhe aapni payaar pe varosa nehi hain kya Arjun!

Arjun nodded before he cluched tight  her hand.he couldn't reverse the time to get those ladies back into his life...but now he knows how to live with their memories.

he looked at the rising sun...from now on he'll be smiling...and living every moment to the fullest...like he lived with Roshni...like the way Sakshi lived...like they wanted to watch him living...like his closed ones want him to live.

he looked at GK. that dog was still resting on his lap...he hugged it tight and started teasing it...it protested, by gorwling and jerking its body hard...but Arjun didn't let it go.

Arjun: oye Gk...motu...aaj se mere sath workout karega ok!!

GK gorwled in denial...

Arjun: motu!!! Sakshi ne khila khilake mota bana dia tujhe...

GK barked at him...annoyed.

After half an hour, when Dadu climbed up the terrace, he saw GK and Arjun was playing on the beach. chasing each other, playing with water,hugging, cuddling and GK was licking Arjun's cheeks... like it did with Sakshi.

He looked at the sky,smiling.that crazy girl... aapna jaadu chala hi dia!

The End

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Plz don't ask me to continue this. better, let me read the story after that morning. I know I've a bunch of talenter, fantastic friends who can write that story. Am I right?