Relief

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Chris' POV
I walk over in the direction where those firemen are standing. They've cleared most of the area and there are no masses to push through. Only a few people here and there, crying women and kids, men consoling and trying to comfort their families, everyone reacting individually to the situation. The only thing common between them is devastation. The burnt buildings are the sight in front of me and it looks like an explosion.
There are almost four of these destroyed buildings which became the relinquishers of these families, lying in their debris, viewing their abandonment from inside out. It's overwhelming how few hours ago, these buildings had people living in them and these people had shelters. Now neither of them have each other.
On my left a bunch of people are sitting on the pavement. A small kid, sitting in his mother's lap keeps on looking at the burnt buildings and back at his mother. She's holding his hand in her hands, misery clear in her posture. The kid tries to get his mother's attention by pulling her hair. She looks at him and gives him a weak, helpless smile with tears filled eyes. She looks at her kid with adoration, possibly thanking god that he's safe and embraces him in a hug and the kid puts his small arms around his mother's neck readily. I'm on the verge of crying myself so I look away and head forward. I almost wish I had not left my apartment today when a cab stops on my right. I stop and see an aged man coming out of it with a heart shattering look on his face. A woman, probably his wife, comes rushing to him and jumps in his arms. Her expressions full of grief turns into something like gratefulness in the presence of the man. The couple, embracing each other, continues crying in each others arms while the man tries to comfort his wife that it's going to be alright. I hear him saying that he's here now and they'll make it alright together. He makes promises to her, promises of love, joy and safety. His words have a positive affect on her. This scene makes me involuntarily turn around to look at the girl, who's the reason I'm standing here.
Tachycardia is not a term sufficient to describe my heart rate at the moment. My heart is literally pushing my ribcage, trying to come out of my chest when I see her face and find that she's holding the same expression as that woman. The only difference is that Mahi is looking at me, in the way that woman is looking at the old man. In the exact moment, my breath is caught and there's a relief. It's a weird feeling. I don't know if any combination of words can describe the six letter word and even if it could, I know it would not be able to do justice to my feelings. Sincerely, if I try to put it out, the expressions her deep glassy eyes hold are alone enough to make me experience unexplainable feelings and the slight curve of her lips portraying her thoughts could make me walk into fire and I decide that no matter what happens, I'm staying with her, I'm staying with Mahi as long as she needs me .

Mahi's POV

"Faith includes noticing the mess, the emptiness and discomfort and letting it be there until some light returns."
-Anne Lamott

Holding onto these words, I desperately try not to let myself go to any of the scary places in my mind which could take my faith away. So I let the only person, who's here for me, go and find out what lies there for me in near future. I know it's cowardly but I cannot bring myself to look at the destruction so I turn around and wait for Chris to come back with the answers.
People are crying sitting on the pavements, probably waiting for some help or some of their relatives. Cabs are coming and stopping in front of the building and another round of cries begin as the earlier one stops. Even after everything, sounds of cellphones ringing, horns wailing, music playing can be heard at distance, proving me that life has not stopped. Only my world is crashed, momentarily. Eventually I start to lose my calm. Tears threaten to spill out of my eyes.

Trying to be brave, I turn in the direction of chaos to see Chris. He's standing in the middle of the road, eyes locked on an elderly couple who are sobbing almost silently now. I look back at Chris and he begins to turn. When he watches me looking at him, his expressions soften. There's something in his presence which tells me that it's going to be alright now. His crystal blue iris conveys something, something related to closeness and calm. His warmth brings a slight smile on my face which I can feel after crying so hard. Above all, one of the strongest thing which I feel is relief. I'm relieved that he's here. I'm scared of this feeling too but I'm relieved that tonight he Found Me.

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