Love And Lies Are Red

10

The pond was still and silent, as if it wanted to convey some feelings that were drowned in it. It wanted to tell the sky that they could never merge even though their boundaries were endless. There was rain when the sea called the sky, and there were fierce tides on one call from the sky. Neither could discover what hid behind each of them, and the sky seemed to have opened its heart when there were ripples created by the stone that he threw into the sea. Someone was finally reflecting his feelings. The sky was merging with the sea, he could feel the whirling storm inside him when she squeezed his shoulder.

She had stopped by the leafless trees when she found him sitting by the lake in absolute silence. She could catch the echoing pain in his mind from that distance. She sat beside him cross-legged, and stared at his face. There was more regret on his face than hers, and then she realised the differences. Regret and guilt are words parallel yet colliding somewhere. Regret often includes guilt while guilt might not include regrets. She was feeling guilty but he was regretful. The reason was everything that she was doing. Arshia started speaking but he shut her at the very start -
"You have caused someone's loss. I don't see any harm in not letting their deal being done. Ok that being dismissed, what was the need for killing that politician? You are swimming in mud thinking you will find a safe shore but that isn't it! You did another murder Arshia!! Unbelievable...", He said and gasped.
"The deal was broken only after Murugan died, and that was what they had always wanted! I couldn't see smiles on their faces when I am in woe", she grunted. He could only see the curtains of revenge on her eyes, and how she missed what was being shown in his eyes. Abhimanyu's lips trembled when he said the words he was always running away from - that she had transformed into a murderer.

"So you mean I should get hanged, no?", She said. He remained shut as he searched for the right explanation. She smiled and then laughed, but his frown kept deepening. That hurt her real bad.
"I'm sorry Arshia but this is getting hard for me to...", He swallowed several times and also the actual words along with them. It was getting hard for him to love her like that. He respected others' right to live until it was lawfully contradicted, but Arshia thought a person's life was a joke. Once she had grabbed the knife like a toy, the blood became her play. She was addicted to murder it seemed, and he feared being associated with a serial killer in front of the world. Arshia understood this too that he had gotten a job after waiting so much. He was the only support of his mother and if something happened to him, his family might break further.
"....to continue with you", he did not care to explain it, "I never said this but your first murder gave me insomnia. Now your second murder is giving me anxiety attacks. How can you be so heartless? When I heard the police sirens outside my house, I locked myself in the bathroom. I puked the third time today. I'm no hero to save you Arshia, I just need a normal life. Please...".
She nodded, her breaths feeling heavy. He ingrained a bit self-hate in her mind. It was disheartening to know that she had become someone whom he did not prefer. She suddenly felt all alone and was ready for what was coming for her.

"I am sorry to put you through so much stress. It must have worn you out. The police quite suspects me now but I am glad that Ghanendra is surrounded with accusations", Arshia smirked devilishly.
"Stop killing people Arshia! This ain't a way to lead a peaceful life. You will always be filled with fear wherever you go", he stood up in an instant and raised his voice at her. She was surprised to see him rebel against her for the first time.
"You know what Abhimanyu, when I first saw you, it was like I always knew you. When I came to know you, I was immersed in your personality. And now I realise that it had been a bubble of my narcissism. I just used you for my mission. You don't have to do this anymore. I'll simply inform you of what I am planning next, or if you don't want, I will never talk about that too", she smiled broadly. The little birds chirping around them made her heart feel lighter. Her expectant eyes were intact at him. Still, he was not over his anger even though he was yearning to pull her close to his chest, absorb her fragrance for lifetime and never let her go but all that came out of his mouth was...
"I am going back to my hometown in two days. Just wanted to inform you because...",
"Happy journey Abhi", she tried her best to sound arrogant. The hidden tears in her eyes combined with her choked voice left him speechless. He couldn't dare to interfere with her ego because that would mess up something greater between them. Abhimanyu took a last look of her, the longest ever he had, and then turned to his way. Perhaps forever.