Broken But Beautiful

56. Aurora

Manik

We lay on the cold tiled floor, staring wide eyed up in that dark ceiling. Only a small corner of her head nudged against my shoulder, otherwise we lay physically separated. All of us, our shattered, broken pieces, all over.

Together.

Our breathing slowly synced in as silence erupted between us. Quiet, composed, tranquil silence. It wasn't the calm before the storm.

It was the calm after.

I did not know what had washed away, what had destroyed forever, or what was lurking around humming the harmony of beginning another new beginning that did not affect the rest of the world. Because right at this moment, the rest of the world did not exist very keenly. It never felt like there was going to be a dawn, or a sun was going to rise in a few hours. It did not feel like it was ever going to stop raining, or it was ever going to stop being the dead of the night, it was ever going to stop wavering us in the cold breeze. It was dark. Only a sharp golden light coming across the opposite apartment through the open balcony.

But it was still dark.

"Nandini?" Alarm buzzed in my head, "Isn't it too dark? Are you-"

"I'm fine," her voice left a small air, "There's that yellow flash. It's fine,"

"Still-"

"Please," she bellowed softly, "Don't- don't turn any light on. I'm fine, really,"

I let the matter rest, another question now pressing me back. I wondered how it never crossed my mind before.

"When did you get this?" I hesitated, "I mean- this fear of-"

"Dark?" She left a short chuckle behind, "As I said, it's bad when it's like- total blackout. One time I was four- I went to the washroom and the door jammed. Amma and Appa were going to late that night for a critical surgery. Long story short, my apparent babysitter dozed off downstairs and the power went off. Remember when it was a common thing back in our childhood?"

"Shit," Abrupt instinct of ill feeling towards that unknown person filled me up, "How long were you stuck?"

"Well, what I heard later from Amma was 5 hours. She woke up in the middle of the night and remembered she forgot to put me down on bed. That's when she ran upstairs and I was passed out on the bathroom floor,"

Silence followed again. I did not mind.

Although, I had a strong instinct to let my hand slide across to hers. It puzzled me. Sometimes with her, I got these- weirdest, silliest of instincts to follow, urges so strong as a vital need, which without fulfilling I felt I might biologically stop breathing. Like right now.

"Manik?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you about your mom?"

I sighed, closing my eyes, letting the trembling spread all over me.

"What about her?"

"Nothing specific," she murmured, "Just some nice things,"

A small, faded smile attempted to stretch into my lips, "I found everything about her nice. Or at least, that's all I have left of her,"

"Still," she let out a small breath, "Just...tell me about her,"

"Nyeonika- I call her by her name because I used to love her name and she gave me the permission to call her by her name. Only in private, though. Calling your own mother by her name apparently can give you the title of a rich spoiled brat,"