The Revival

This post has been published by me as a part of the Blog-a-Ton 34; the thirty-fourth edition of the online marathon of Bloggers; where we decide and we write. To be part of the next edition, visit and start following Blog-a-Ton. The theme for the month is "Of-Course, I'm insane"

                         The clamour of the chai vendor shook Diya up from her dream . The hustle bustle around her revived her back to her senses . Yes , she was on a train that would take her to Palghat . She looked out at the vast stretch of paddy fields flanking the rail . The crimson shade of the sky would have invoked an impulse in her to dabble on a piece of white paper  if not for the hefty cloud swaying in her heart . 

                     Resting her head against the window sill , Diya checked her phone . It was  6 P.M . Three more hours to their destination . Her gaze fell on the old couple sitting opposite her . They seemed happy . More than that they seemed content . Now thats the curious thing about being heartbroken . When you flutter in the strokes of love the people around you cease to exist . Your eyes wander in awe at the splendour of nature . You see the world in a shade of red . And when the same clutch of love strangles you a tad bit harder , thats when you realise the world isnt a garden of red roses after all . There are people in it . All shades of people ; some black , some yellow , some red . Happy , sad , content , overzealous , dejected ; The emotions are multitude .

  " Diya , do you need something to eat ? " , her mother enquired . 

                       A bundle of  infinite affection resonated in her voice .  Diya shook her head . She was not hungry , not even parched . Her parents headed back to their discussions on the families they would be visiting the week ahead . No , this wasnt a mere trip to reconnect with old friends . This was a means to rekindle her lost laughter .   
                                  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                       Three months back , she had been on the same train travelling towards the same destination . For a different purpose though - To visit Vivek . 

                        Vivek , the guy who sprinkled her days with the one mesmerising spice of life ; Happiness . The person who instilled the indelible spark of passion in her . Not just for love , but for the whole world , towards art , towards words , towards every nuance of life which remained unexplored . Vivek, the guy , who after drenching her neck deep in fervour forgot to carry her in his arms such that she wouldnt drown head deep .

                     He never had a hint that she would be coming . She was always the impulsive type , a trait she regretted at the end of that day . Try as she might she couldnt get through to talk to him for the past month . Now she was going to pay an undeclared visit to him . Reaching the station she called him on his number . He didnt attend it as usual . She thought of sending him a text , though its been days since he replied to her texts . 

" Vivek , i know you would be angry when you know this . But i am here at the Palghat railway station now . Could you pick up my call for once " Her message read . 

                      She was surprised to see her phone ringing the next minute . She attended the call , a  sparkle twinkling on her eyes for the first time in days . 

   " What is wrong with you Diya ! Have you gone insane ! "

   " Ofcourse i am insane Vivek ! . I have always been . I am not asking much of your time . An hour , or at the most a few minutes . I am not sure why i came down here without letting you know before . I knew i would reach the station past nine at night . But you loved that side of me , the spontaneous me . Dont you . I came here for you Vivek . Please give me  a few moments . I wouldnt bug you more "

  " No , i cant meet you . Priya wouldnt like it ". He retorted.

  " Priya , the girl you had been talking about ? " . How relationships take newer forms in a matter of days . 

" Yes ". 

                          She was almost on the verge of breaking down . She noticed a girl staring at her from across the waiting room  . Not always one finds such melodrama in public places ! Diya mumbled further , " Think of all the good times we had and just meet me as your old friend lost in the city in this late hour . Please Vivek "

    " I have told you once , Diya . You didnt tell me you were coming , for one . Another is , as you said , you are an old friend , but a forgotten old friend . " . Saying that he cut the phone . 

                     Aghast , Diya  deftly dialled his number again only to hear the busy tone . She sat there staring at her phone for a long time . She remembered dialling his number for one hour at a stretch .  Tears started pouring down her face . To that moment she was not sure why she took that train that day . Was she that insane  . Somehow she had to suffice the one desire that had been ruining her days over the past one month . To see him , to talk things over , which she failed to do . After trying in vain to reach him for more than an hour , she noticed that her fingers had begun to ache . Resting the phone on her lap , She closed her eyes and sank herself more onto the chair .  

                 Maybe she dozed off for a while for it was the lady in charge of the waiting room who reminded her that it was almost 11 p.m . 

" Where is your train ticket , madam .? " The stout lady enquired .

" I dont have a ticket " Diya replied helplessly.  

" I am sorry madam , you are not allowed to be here in the waiting room overnight if you dont possess a train ticket . "

"Oh , i am sorry . I didnt know that . When is the next train back to Cochin ?" . 

              She had planned to stay there overnight and take the early morning train back . Didnt Vivek use to drop her back usually ? She reminisced with pain . 

" The Ahalya Express has just come ." The lady strained her neck to confirm the train was still on the platform . Its about to leave now ." She almost yelled .

                    Diya remembered grabbing her backpack and heading in search of the ladies compartment like a girl frantically trying to escape yet another disaster in her life. Managing to cling onto the door in time she realised she had no ticket . She hoped the ticket examiner wouldnt try barging into the heavily packed compartment . The crowd was frightening . She slept on the floor with a bunch of other women . Though it seemed unfortunate atfirst , later she realised she was lucky to have secured atleast that much space . 

                     Opening her eyes the next day she tried hard to let herself believe that the whole incident was a nightmare. But the pang which returned back to her heart  with all sharpness proved otherwise .

                                                
                                          ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                  Now after three months her parents found out the perfect place to bring back the joys in her life . Their native place . They never knew what had happened . Just that she was heartbroken . If they had known ,they wouldnt have planned their journey to the same station which had shattered her life . 

                      Diya didnt complain . She was going to face the past . She was prepared to let it go .  Her eyes grazed the sky now donning a lavender shade . Tucking back the strands of hair that fell on her face she smiled as the soft breeze brushed past her .

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