Chapter 39: chapter 39

The grand ritual was happening in the ashram. Many sages participated in the ritual. Everyone was chanting the mantras like it was the end of the world. Meenakshi was sitting among them, praying to God for her son’s welfare. The ritual was breathing fire and the sound of the chatting spread all over the place.Ravi and Rona reached the temple to meet Sandhya. Sandhya was performing a ritual with the help of other women. After she finished the ritual, she looked at Ravi and Rona. She drained out of energy as she walked to them and surprisingly said, “Brother, you are here?”“What are you doing, dear? Why do you drain yourself by doing all of this?” questioned Ravi.Sandhya smile gently and said, “Brother, Auntie told me that it might be a bad day for Surya according to his horoscope. Anyway, Rona has to take my place from tomorrow and perform all of this. Surya loves you, Rona! He is struggling to express his love for you. We are just good friends! Please take care of him after I leave.”Rona couldn’t bear it and said, “Enough of this, Sandhya! Surya doesn’t love me. The woman whom he loves is you. He loves you heartily and he had always loved you! I’m in love with Ravi!”Sandhya was awe-struck. She stared at Ravi and he started explaining everything to her. Sandhya was having flashes of how Surya cared for her, how Surya treated her, and how Surya loved her. She couldn’t control her tears as Ravi talked. After a while, Ravi sighed a deep breath and said, “My dear Sister, please don’t be a prison to your past. Accept the present and realise how much Surya loves you. He cannot live in a world with you!”Sandhya felt ecstatic and her happiness was all over the place. Surya reached the temple and looked for Sandhya but it ended in disappointment for him. He dialled to her and the priest picked up the call instead of her and said, “Hello!”Surya was confused as who it might be and asked, “Who is this?”“Is this Surya speaking?” the priest asked.“Yes! Who is this?”“I’m the priest of the temple, can you come to the inner temple?” he said.Surya looked at Vinay and both of them walked inside the temple. As they walked in, the priest was waiting for them. Surya looked at him and doubted, “This is my wife’s phone…”“Son, Sandhya told me that you would come and she asked me to handover this letter to you!” he said, handed the letter, and left.Surya started shivering and opened the letter with a million thoughts in his head.It read,“Surya, this is Sandhya!I just got to know that you are in love with me and I’m ecstatic. And I love you the most, with all my heart and that’s why, I’m going to leave my last breath.”Surya’s eyes widened in shock and his heart was thumping.“Yes, Surya. What you heard was absolutely true. I’m going to die. I overheard Aunt weeping in the prayer last night. Only one of us has to survive! I have to die before the clock hits 6 today or else you might be in danger. Why would I let something happen to you when I can sacrifice myself?” Never!I’m extremely sure that you are going to take care of Maggie more than I do. After I die, please find a suitable girl for yourself, marry her, and lead a happy life.I only have to live with your memories. I will be waiting for you in another life, I want to be your wife there! It’s funny how our first conversation happened with a letter and the last conversation is ending with a letter!Forgive me for doing this to you. I love you, Surya. I always will!”Surya lost his stability for a moment and screamed, “No!”He collapsed to the ground and wasn’t able to diagnose what’s going on. Vinay was confused, pulled the letter from his hand, and read it and was lost.Surya squeezed Vinay’s hand and begged, “Vinay, Sandhya wants to die! How can I live without her? How can I imagine my life without her? NO!”His body was shivering and started searching for her in the surroundings. Vinay called Ravi and explained the situation.Surya collapsed to the ground and was losing consciousness. The priest came to him, sprinkled the holy water on his face. He applied kumkum on his forehead and said, “ What are you worrying about, son?” The God’s with you, he will take care of everything. Trust him!”Surya looked at the statue of Lord Shiva blankly. He kept staring and his mind was wandering places. He zoomed into his thoughts, squeezed his eyes and something struck his mind. Some words revolved around his head. A conversation and he opened his eyes wide open with a gasp.He had flashes of the place he saw in his dream last night. The place which had a hill. The place where Surya was chasing Sandhya.He rose and started running to a place. Vinay followed him. Meanwhile, Ravi told the matter to everyone at home and called Surya.Surya said, “Ravi, I’m going to a place. I will send you the address. I need you to send an ambulance to that place right now.”Surya and Vinay started their journey in the car. They left the temple and fate know’s what it holds for him.