TIME MACHINE (OS)

I’m crossing all boundaries in your love,

Desiring you is now my passion.

Your sight quenches the thirst of my eyes,

Inside of me your presence is limitless.

Vansh was anxiously pacing back and forth in the corridor. Though he was surrounded by his family, yet he was constantly thinking of her.

Around six hours had passed since the operation. Still, she lay there unconscious and unaware of the storm raging inside her husband’s head. He didn’t want to lose her ’cause he knew it would ruin him. No one has the right to touch her except him yet the bullet dared to pierce her fragile heart. If something happens to her, he would set the world on fire.

“Why Riddhima? Why did you come in my way? That bullet was meant for me. This was supposed to be my pain? Who gave you this right?”, he murmured to himself.

He glanced at his reflection in the mirror- unkempt hair, blood stained shirt and a sullen face. A normal Vansh Raisinghania would’ve fixed his appearance in seconds but this Vansh Raisinghania didn’t care. He slowly ran his fingers along the blood stained fabric and recalled how his wife shielded him from his bad fate. He had always been fiercely protective of his family. Even death would think twice before knocking at the door of Raisinghania mansion. Vansh was the fighter, the saviour. But, for the first time in his life, someone else did the protection, and made him feel that he was worth saving, that he was precious. This feeling was overwhelming and the pain inside him was unbearable. He didn’t realize when tears started rolling down his eyes and landed on his hands.

“I know how you’re feeling. She will be fine, Vansh. She risked her life to save you. Just imagine the depth of her love. Your Riddhima will be fine, Vansh. Her love for you is limitless”, his Dadi comforted him. But no amount of kind words or sympathy were enough to calm down the storm raging inside Vansh. His feet started moving in the direction where he in his right mind would never think of going. He was an atheist. He had no belief in the Supreme power which controlled everything. Vansh was his own God. But, today he needed Him. He had to remind the Supreme power that it had no right to snatch away his beloved.

“You know that I don’t believe in you but, the one who is in the room fighting the battle between life and death does. My wife considers you her everything. Don’t do this to her. You don’t have any right to take her away from me. Spare her life. Please”, prayed an inconsolable Vansh. His family shockingly looked on as the now reformed Vansh took the vermilion and proceeded towards his wife. He couldn’t hide behind a mask anymore. He wasn’t able to comprehend his emotions. This feeling was completely alien to him. Seeing his wife on deathbed made him realize that even though his breaths keep deceiving him, deep down his heart desires her. If he could travel back in time, he would change the course of events. He would save his sweetheart from the cruel fate. If only he had a time machine. The control -freak Vansh felt powerless. Only his Riddhima was capable of making him feel so weak. She was his greatest strength and yet his only weakness. But, he was too stubborn to admit it.

“Where is my watch? Where is my file? I’m unable to find anything. You have changed everything. Nothing is same anymore- not even me. Either tell me or get up and put everything back at its right place. Are you listening to me? Get up dammit!” , he shouted. ” Dadi, Siya everyone is worried for you. Just get up. How long are you planning to sleep?” ,Vansh pleaded holding his wife’s hand.In this world of chaos, she was his only sanity. His sea found solace only in the arms of her shore.

“I’m not me without you”, he whispered. As if the heaven had answered his prayers, Riddhima’s hand moved slightly and after a while her eyelids fluttered open scanning the entire room before settling on to her husband’s anxious eyes.

“Riddhima are you fine? Do you need anything? Wait, I’ll call the doctor.”, he said hurriedly. Riddhima gestured him to remove her oxygen mask. “Do you want to say something?”, enquired Vansh. “Vansh, your watch is inside the drawer right there and you’ve kept your file in the study”, she whispered softly.

He just smiled at her, searching for the limitless love in her brown orbs. They both knew that this was the beginning of a beautiful journey.

Thank God time machine doesn’t exist or else Vansh Raisinghania would’ve never realised that “once you fall in profundity of love, only death can rescue you.”

Love,

Ehsaas.