Sands Of Time (Part 2)

ABOUT 18 YEARS LATER

Aryan and Pratima both were almost inseprable.They just could not live without each other. The childhood friendships transformed into love and were just meant to be with each other. Both were each other’s best friends and an emotional support. Their family knew about them and with their permission they both got engaged. It was like a total love story that was about to be woven into the eternal bond of marriage. They both could not be happier. They both loved each other. They just wanted to be together.

The college had ended and everyone was in a free mood and thinking about the plans for the future. Pratima’s birthday was about to come and Aryan had arranged a special party to her in which their parents were going to announce the engagement.

So the moment had arrived. Both of them were equally exited. Finally the love they had for each other since childhood was going to be having the blessings of god.

During the party everyone was so happy, the reasons being obvious. So it was the right moment when Mr. Sharma got up and was about to make the announcement.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please. Today as a father I cannot be happier to see my only son getting engaged to be married to the daughter of my best friend and business partner Col. Singh. Now I would request my son Aryan and my lovely to-be-daughter-in-law Pratima to come on stage and exchange the rings.”

They both got up on stage and with the blessings of the whole of Waknaghat, they were engaged. Both of them looked each other with the happiness they had never experienced before. It was their moment. It was the moment that they had been waiting for years.

The rest of the party went well. Everyone in attendance showered the new couple with blessings. After the party Aryan n Pratima were going home. Just like that the topic of what was next came up. Aryan was sure about his future. He always wanted to work in his dad’s steel mill. He asked Pratima the same question.

“I am not really sure what to do next. But partially I was thinking about joining the Indian army the same way as my dad did. “She said. Thought I hate the idea of being apart from you for such a long time.

‘Really???He said. But then we will have to be apart. I can’t stand a single moment apart from you.

“Just a thought “She said and smiled. I know you can never be apart from me. Neither can I.

“Hmmmm”He murmured. I wish you knew how difficult is for me to stay apart from you for a single second n you want to go for such a long time.

But the decision taken by Pratima was more than just a thought. Finally she decided to join the army. She had to go to training for a few months. Aryan was devastated by not being with Pratima for such a long time. This was the most time he had spent alone in the last 18 years without her. Same was her case. She wanted to get back to his Aryan. She wanted to hug him like she had never hugged him before. She had to see him.

A FEW MONTHS LATER

Pratima had finally come back. Aryan could not have been happier. It was to him that his soul had come back to him. He never wanted to leave Pratima alone. Ever. But there was a stipulation according to Pratima’s training .She was not actually the part of the army. She was in the Special Forces which were only required during the state of war .So she had not expected to go anywhere.

But God had some other plans for them.

An unexpected war broke out almost as soon as Pratima reached home.

Aryan and Pratima were sitting in a restaurant when the news of war flashed on T.V.Both was wordless for a moment. None of them had anticipated a war and that too so soon. Both were so very saddened by the fact that they had to leave each other.

Soon, the day when Pratima was about to leave came; they were at the railway station at Shimla waiting for the train. Both of them were trying not to think about anything cause they figured out whatever they think will make things worse, much worse than they actually are right now. The train arrived soon and it was the time to say goodbye.

‘So, I guess that’s it, train has arrived and I got to go now’. She said breathing hard. I just wish I had the chance to stay. Just hope I don’t start to cry, he looks so calm, I should not make him weak.

‘Yeah, I guess so’. He somehow said. I just don’t know how I will even live without you. I just hope I do not cry, you are so calm and I should not make you weak.

Then they hugged, their hug lasted more than usual because none of them wanted her to leave. Both of them wanted to live like this forever. Both of them wanted time to just stop so that they may never have to leave each other. But duty was duty and Aryan was the first to realize that so he loosened the hug.

And she was gone .Aryan was left alone without his soul. So was Pratima.

A FEW WEEKS LATER

It had been a few weeks since she had gone, Aryan was devastated. He could not work properly, never ate properly. Cell phones were not allowed during the war, so he decided to write a letter and posted it with the hope that his Pratima was fine.

At the war, it was a different scenario. Pratima was so busy in doing stuff that she did not have the chance to think about Aryan during the day. She worked under Col. Shah, who used to work with her father. He was really very much impressed with her work, he considered her as his daughter and tried not to burden her with much work, but she was always eager to do more. Even if declined any new work, she used to help others in completing their work. She is really like her father, stubborn but still sincere. Col .Shah thought.

But during the nights .it was a totally different world. Between the echoes of attacks n bombs, all she could think about was the time she spent with Aryan. Those were the best times of her life. Even while sleeping, all she could think about was him. God I love him so much. She thought and went to sleep. This was her routine. But her routine was about to be shaken up badly in the next couple of days.

Next day, a backup battalion was called because of much causality, much more then they had anticipated. That battalion was headed by Capt. Rachit Shah, son of Col. Shah. He was a tall, well built and proud soldier. He had this ruggedly handsome charm .But he was a man of action not of words, so except of when there was any need, he rarely spoke. And it turns out that Pratima and Rachit were to work together as a team in a search and rescue mission.

So, next day they headed out, with 2 other soldiers in hope of finding some officers that were trapped at some kilometers from their base .It was a simple operation, go find the men, take them out of there and come back to base. At least it sounded simple. They had been walking the whole day and were not able to find any other soldier. They almost lost hope and decided to rest during that night and go back to base tomorrow morning with the bad news. Tents had been set up and there canned food was cooking in a bonfire they made. While Pratima was busy in chatting up with soldiers, she saw Rachit sitting on the other side lost in some thoughts. Just then she thought about Aryan, that he would have been thinking about her the same way and then she felt bad about it so he decided to go and talk to Rachit.

She went up to there.’ Hi’ .she said

‘Good evening Cadet’ came the reply.

Oh so now there is formality.’ Captain I was wondering if you would come and sit over there with us???’

‘Thank you but I am fine’. He said with a straight face.

‘But, it would be nice….’

‘I think I said I am fine?’He said almost rudely.

He might be handsome but he does not have the way to talk to a girl.’ Never mind’ .She said and went off.

After eating they all went into their tents to get some sleep. Rachit was alone in his tent. Pratima was alone in hers. The other two soldiers were sharing the tent. She thought about what Aryan might have been doing and did not realized when she dozed off. But after some hours she woke up with a loud bang, and it was close. Very close. Hurriedly she came out of that tent and saw the tent of soldiers burning in flames. She was shocked and could not think what to do next. They had been attacked. Just then Rachit came running towards here’ Run Pratima run. RUN’