Yami

Chapter 18, The murkiness of the dark

Every chapter of your tumultuous journey is a fleeting episode. Just as the sun rises after every dark night, an evening inevitably descends before the onset of another nocturnal stretch. Despite meticulous preparations for the commemoration of my birth,( Being a princess does that to you, using huge words. eh?) still an inexplicable void lingered. The photograph captured a moment that might depict me as a pampered child, yet it concealed an emptiness—an absence that I keenly felt. The missing piece in the puzzle of celebration was none other than my mother, an integral part of our lives whose essence had been brutally snatched away on that fateful birthday years ago.Unable to fathom why we were subjected to such tragedy at such a tender age, the memories of our mothers were banished to storage or confined within the walls of the stables. Each picture was meticulously removed from the palace, as though erasing the painful reminder of a past that haunted us.The prospect of celebrating my birthday after that harrowing incident held little appeal, yet familial insistence prevailed. No birthday in the entire nation was celebrated with the grandeur reserved for mine—a week-long extravaganza unfolded. Each night boasted distinct events, and countless well-wishers flooded the palace. Despite being constantly surrounded, an overwhelming loneliness persisted until an unexpected encounter altered the trajectory of my emotions.There they stood, Mom and  badi  Mom (Ruhaan's mother, My aunt)right before me, gazing intently. A surge of indescribable joy enveloped me, tears welled up in my eyes, and my throat tightened with excitement. I rushed towards them, yearning to embrace them, to seek solace in their arms. However, what unfolded was a cruel illusion—a hallucination that shattered my jubilation. My heart, unwilling to accept the painful truth, scanned the surroundings, only to be beckoned by a hand toward a familiar room—the haven where my brothers and I had played since childhood, a repository of memories from the time our mothers were still with us."Why the hell are you here?""Get the f*ck out of here now."My screams echoed, reverberating through the palace. My father, uncle, and brothers rushed in, alarmed by the intensity of my outburst.Perhaps, deep down, I had harbored a futile expectation that my mother and aunt would miraculously appear on my 18th birthday. How foolish could I be? I pondered. When queried by my father about the commotion, my response was laden with an undertone of rage."What the hell are you doing here?"I interrogated them, dismissing my father's claim that they were my friends. To me, they were the architects of my descent into madness, compelling me to question my sanity. Their actions had driven me to converse with inanimate creatures rather than with fellow humans. Yes, Aadhya, Samaira and Adam, with the audacity to stand in front of me on my birthday, after cheating on me for god knows how long which led to my comatose position. Oh they had guts.(The intensity of my emotions was heightened as, instead of meeting the women I have longed for since childhood—whom I love the most in the whole world—I found myself face to face with the last people on earth I had hoped to encounter on my birthday.)"I don't want them here. Escort them out now."My Words, Firm and Intense.My indifferent directive to Ruhaan marked my retreat from the room, a hasty retreat to the solace of my bed. Why had they come, I wondered repeatedly, grappling with conflicting emotions? Yet, I found myself torn, unwilling to let them go. An inexplicable force compelled me to halt their departure, and I sprinted to the gates. To my dismay, no one was there. A hand on my shoulder, and I turned to find my brother."They are here."He stated, as if attuned to the silent musings of my mind."I knew you wouldn't let them go. I saw it on your face for days, the yearning to see them again."His words hung in the air as I vehemently denied missing them, vehemently asserting that it was our mother, not them, who occupied my thoughts."So, they should just go."Harsh's pragmatic response led to their departure, leaving me puzzled about my conflicting desires. Why did I want them here, despite the misery they had inflicted during our time in Dehradun? Standing in the cold December weather, contemplating the tumult within me, I grappled with the inexplicable force that seemed to pull me in their direction."That's what happens when these three are near me; I lose my mind."I ruminated on the troubling recurrence of the broken mirror, this time determined not to succumb to its deceit. However, a realization dawned—the palace materialized only when we were together, whereas the mirror seemed tailored to my solitary experiences. Summoning my brothers, Adam, Samaira, and Aadhya, I inquired about the mirror's existence. Their exchanged glances spoke volumes. When pressed to unveil the truth, Aadhya reluctantly admitted,"Yes, we have seen it before."The nod of affirmation from my brothers shattered my composure. The revelation that they had known all along and had allowed me to believe I was losing my sanity nearly broke me."Stay away from me."I declared, distancing myself from them.As Ruhaan attempted to approach, I silenced him, urging everyone to keep their distance. I retreated to my room, barricading myself against the world. The unanswered questions gnawed at me—what was the truth, and what was the real story behind this surreal experience?In the bleak canvas of existence, where every phase is eclipsed by shadows, the delineation between day and night is merely a trick played by the human mind. The illusion of light refracting, painting the world in hues, mirrors the transient nature of reality. As my thoughts meandered through the labyrinth of confusion, I grappled with the enigma that enveloped me.