The clock will strike again!

‘That was the last time we were meeting. I stood there and waited till her car finally drove away. She is getting married.’

‘With one hand I waved her ‘goodbye’. I was holding the red rose in other hand. I brought it to give her for the very last time, which I couldn’t.’

Two broken hearts, some unsaid conversation. The clock strikes 11 p.m. This time the clock will not connect them, as this was their last meeting, and time has changed for both of them!

Place: Hauz Khas, Delhi

Prakash and Preeti could have talked for the last occasion, but they chose complete silence.

Prakash was walking away with the red rose in his hand, homewards, lost in memories.

Air of East

Prakash, a simple boy from Ranchi just moved to Delhi to complete his MTech.

Not sure about the environment, he was quite amazed by the surroundings.

Entering the class, he saw Preeti for the first time.

‘Excuse Me! What is the time? Actually I am feeling hungry’, the girl asked Prakash.

Before Prakash could say anything, the physics professor entered the class.

Prakash quickly took the nearest seat.

The professor smiled and took his chair. He was going to start the new batch, the first day session. Unexpectedly Prakash stood up.

‘Excuse me, Sir! What is the time? Actually I am feeling hungry?’

Get out… the professor yelled.

Preeti understood, Prakash had actually voiced her thoughts.

‘Hi Prakash, it is half past ten in the morning. I am Preeti’, taking her right hand forward towards Prakash.

An unknown bond of friendship blossomed; starting from studying together and helping other students in their studies, they were different from the rest.

Preeti wanted to work on high-tech developments which would help future NGOs, while Prakash wanted to become a software engineer. The only thing in which Prakash lagged was, a regular late comer to the class or important tutorials.

It was their shared unconditional nature of care and support, nonetheless, which brought them close to each other.

The only thing that their relation realised with being with each other is, their need to be present for each other whenever needed. In their college years they have worked together for many projects and helped many NGOs; also a church that Preeti used to visit every Sunday!
The car honked, breaking the night silence…

Head light flashed on Prakash’s face as he was walking on the footpath, pulling him back into the present.

Air of East

Last thought that Prakash evoked was, he safely lodged Preeti inside the train, the train which will take her home forever.

He could read Preeti. She didn’t take a drop of water since morning. She knew her parents were planning to get her married to a business tycoon.

‘You are again late Prakash.’

Prakash was at the nearby hospital, donating blood to a critical patient. He was huffing as he came running. He wanted to drink the water, but he passed the bottle to Preeti, with moist eyes.

It is the same pavement by the church, where Preeti used to come.

Tonight is Good Friday; Prakash looked at the church and the church clock.

A bright man with a divine glow in long white tunic appeared before him. He had long hair and beard. He smiled and took the red rose from Prakash’ hand and said:

‘Nobody is ever late, you are very much on time, my son. Tonight a new clock will strike in your life!’

The next moment Prakash found himself inside the church!

Standing before Christ’s statue, he was indeed surprised to find the statue was so similar to the bright man who took the red rose from him a few moments back. The red rose was kept on the God’s altar.

Air of East

Before Prakash could even understand what was going on, he saw a girl come inside the church with flowers and place it lovingly before Christ. She picked up the red rose from there.

The beautiful girl smiled. Folding her hands she turned around. There was no other person present inside the church, she looked at Prakash and said.

‘Excuse me! What is the time, actually I am feeling hungry?’

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