eFiction India eFiction India Vol.02 Issue.09 | Page 68

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STORIES

cleared the table. My father walked up to
his room to play the radio. My brother ran
up to our room to get his shaving kit. There
was a lot of noise in the room. My voice
got muffled. My father’s friend too had a
moustache.
Some love stories need to end.
We were a bunch of six. We had all bunked
our offices for two days to spend a chilly
weekend on the hills. It was a lovely drive
uphill. I felt the tiny raindrops on my
hand when I rolled down the window. We
stopped at a dhabha and ate ghee-drenched
paranthas with daal. My friend burped out
loud when we got back into the car. We
laughed out loud. I was in love with him,
even when he burped. We reached at three
am. We were exhausted.
We rented two rooms, one for the girls
and the other for the boys. My boyfriend
had carried my bag. I went to their room
to get it. He was alone. He smiled at me
and pulled me towards him. It was a cold
night. The sun would rise soon. Half an
hour later, our friends returned. I went
back to our room, without my bag. Next
morning, we ordered more paranthas for

eFiction India | June 2014

breakfast. He loved paranthas. I heard him
burp. I couldn’t laugh. My head was filled
with loud cries.
Some shields should not guard.
It was a pale blue sheet. The walls were
painted in stark white. My mother held
my hands in hers. I could see my father
standing outside. He looked forlorn and
tired. I wanted to tell my mother to be with
him. But she would not leave my side. She
was my shield. I felt weak, I could not stay
awake. I think I slept for a few hours. When
I woke up, I saw my mother was shaky.
She was trying to rest her head on the arm
of the bed. My father was still outside. He
needed some rest.
Next morning, they took me home. On
our way back they asked me if I was participating in the college fest this year. I was
a runner. My room was full of my medals
and trophies. I don’t remember if I replied.
I stared outside the window. I saw people
jogging, some were running. It was very
early in the day. Every day I watch people
run in the park. My mother still doesn’t
sleep well. My father looks older. I smile at
times. I have given up running.