The eerie silence of the dark night was broken by a dog’s
howling. He halted and took a look around. No one!
His next footstep was like a determined thief. After a
few minutes, he realised that the danger zone was over,
and he walked as briskly as he could.
The street was desolate and empty. It was a nippy,
doleful winter night. Years of unhappiness reflected in
the old man’s pensive eyes. But, that night he bore a
confident look on his craggy face although his aged skin
had only a blanket to fight the chill.
Light glared from some lamp post at a distance. He
didn’t know how far it was. He had lost his excellent
powers of sight and calculation. But he always believed
his instincts and turned left from the junction. That
must be South.
Yes, South! That’s what she had told him.
At that moment, he shared a hate-love relationship
with that winter night. The biting cold numbed his
body giving him uncontrollable shivers and clattering
teeth. But then, he thought, he would encounter her
soon. It would compromise everything he had faced so
far, and anything he would face within a short time.
She had made him lonely for a decade, by leaving
him for a better thing, which everyone called ‘Death.’
She had been his very life. A part of him died along with
her that day. His earthly life has been more miserable
since that day. She haunted him.
He was aged, but does love know age? Life without
love was certainly no life at all!
In hours of trance, he visualised her. Many a time,
she told him how to contact her. He obeyed, but nothing
worked.
Last night, she had asked him to get out of the care
home and walk to the South. She said she would be
waiting under a cherry tree. Though reasonable thinking
was alien for his age, he asked her how to know which
way was South and how to locate the cherry tree in the
dark night.
All that she said was this, “You will see, however
dark be the night, a big cherry tree full of pink blossoms;
I will be waiting there for you, in a white gown,” she
then paused.
“Take whatever direction you like, but ultimately,
you move to the South! Be calm, this time it will work!
See you there…”
That was too much for a senile man. The question,
‘Why South?’ skipped his mind.
Running away from the care home was not as tough
as he had imagined. The cold night and the drinks had
made the guards forget the world. They might not have
thought too much about the ‘problem man!’
He walked, then he ran…but, he didn’t find any
cherry tree. He doubted that he took the wrong path.
He became mad. He walked to all sides. Which was
South? Which was North? Which was East? Which was
West?
He experienced the world around him spinning.
“Dear…”
A call from behind frightened him.
He turned and looked.
He recognised her in the white gown standing under
the pink cherry tree with both arms stretched towards
him. He sighed in enormous relief, for he had reached
his ultimate destination.
He looked at her. She looked attractive as always.
But how did I miss the pink cherry tree? He thought.
But, it was no time to think. He advanced and
embraced her; then he cried like a baby.
All his agonies were gone. He was once again
delighted, and at peace.
The night patrol team noted an old man lying dead
under the cherry tree.
His hands were tightly clasping a stone, and his body
was covered with pink blooms.
© Mridula
________________________
For short and touching stories like this, please buy short story collection "STILL LOVED STILL MISSED" paperback HERE-https://www.amazon.com/Still-Loved-Missed-Myriad-Souls-ebook/dp/B07PPWBZPN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=13FG7ZMK8H3T8&keywords=still+loved+still+missed&qid=1555312645&s=gateway&sprefix=STILL+LOVED+STLL+M%2Caps%2C504&sr=8-1
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Looking forward to the valubale feedback from TSM members all over the world.
Love & regards, Dr.Mridula from
Comments
This is a nice incisive short story. There were two sentences that I think could be replaced or omitted. In para 5, the sentence starting "It would compromise everything . . . I found that to be a little out of place, because I immediately thoought, "what" and "how" and thus temporarily lost the emotional impact, which is strong.
The second was "He became mad." Again, I don't see that adds anything. Maybe the word "mad" is wrong because I immediately thought "insane" but it is when writing this I think maybe not. But with a story like this that is laden with motion, you don't want the reader to stop and wonder. At least I wouldn't.
However, as I said, a good short story. Well done.