Etched In soul

The End

Aditya heard all of it. His mind still trying to process it all.
"Zoya you said you were not dead. What happened?"
"I am not dead Aditya. I AM ALIVE" She said.
Aditya's head was now spinning.
Zoya could read his expression.
"Come with me." She said.

Aditya was not sure but he followed her. Soon they were in a nursing home.
"Zoya?"
"Shh.. just come."
She took him to a room. What Aditya saw next just added up to all the weird he had been hearing.
It was Zoya. She was lying on bed. Lots of machines attaced to her body. She was breathing.
Aditya looked at her.
"Zoya.. mujhe kuch samjh mein nii aa raha."
"Hume bhi nahi aa raha tha Aditya. Imagine waking up to realise you are out of your body and staring at it. It freaked me out." She said.
"After everything. That woman returned. She was the one who brought me here. I heard the doctors saying I am in coma. She has been paying for me maybe out of guilt."

"How long has it been ?" He asked carressing her hair, the body that layed there. Touching her cheeks.
"Its been 3 years."
"Excuse me Sir? Who are you?" A nurse entered the room and questioned Aditya.
"I am.. I am Aditya. Zoya's friend." He said. Pain was evident in his eyes when he saw that nurse couldnt see Zoya who was standing next to him.
"Ohh.. I feel sad. I wish death comes soon for her. She has been breathing but is brain dead. Doctors says she wont come back. God knows how long she has to endure it." The nurse said. Aditya didnt say anything. He just kept looking at her body. She was beautiful. It was becoming difficult for him. He wanted to shout. He wanted to cry. The nurse left.

He looked at Zoya standing right beside him. Both pair of eyes had tears. "Soon I figured out why I am still tied here. People say that there is life after death. You stay here if you have got unfinished business. Aditya my soul is bound. I was here because I was in search of true love. Something I wanted so badly but could never get. I never thought I would be free until that day when you saw me. I was shocked too. You were my only chance to be free. I kept asking you if you love me or not because only love could set me free. I wanted to go Aditya but that was till I had not fallen for you. I wish I could stay."

Aditya shifted his gaze to her body. He then looked at her. She placed her hands on his cheeks and said, "Aditya. I wish we met when I was alive. I wish I could stay. I know I have ruined you but please dont cry baby. Please." She sobbed.
"How Zoya? How I am supposed to live without you." He said crying, holding her hands that were on his cheeks.
"You will ok. Take care of yourself. I will be there Aditya. I will be there with you forever."
"Dont go Zoya. I will die." He begged.
"Your love has liberated me in all sense Aditya. Time to set me free. If this is real then so is heaven. I will wait for you up there. "
"By the way. Still scared of ghosts.. are we?" She smiled.
Aditya chuckled between his tears.
"Set me free Aditya. "

Aditya took a deep breath and turned around to look at her body. He bent down and kissed her forehead. Tear drops fell on her cheeks. He then kissed her cheeks. Then whispered in her ears, "Its time to rest baby. I will come soon. I love you. I love you so so much." He saw the machine beeping. The lines went straight. He looked at the her vanishing figure. She smiled at him, "I love you too."  She was gone.

Aditya's eyes were full of tears and so was Misha's. Her heart felt heavy. She hugged Aditya tight and cried. Aditya too held her tight.
"You miss her a lot."
"I do."
They broke the embrace and looked at each other. Misha wiped his tears. He smiled.
"Misha baby.. you know I never thought I could share this with anyone. I thought no one would believe me."
"I do. I always did." She said without delay.
"Then you have to help me."
"Yes anything Adi bhaiya." She said wiping her tears.
"Take me to Zoya."
"What?"
"Come here." He held her hand and walked into his house. He took her to his bedroom and stopped infront of Zoya's painting.

"After she was gone. I was lost Misha. I tried to live. I swear. I came to this place. I started new business but I couldnt. I couldnt bear the loss of Zoya. I became an alcoholic. Cried for Zoya to return but she never did. One night, I was drunk as usual and that was when I slipped and fell hitting my head on ground. The next moment I found myself looking at my own body. Just as Zoya had described."

Misha froze. She couldnt move.
The fear was evident in her eyes. Aditya took her hand and pulled her to another small room attached. She saw Aditya there, lying on the bed. She didnt know how to react.
"Strange. Years have passed but I have been lying here. Nobody found me. Just like Zoya..  I had to find why was I bound. I was bound because of my pain. Misha only your family could see me. When I first saw you, I knew that maybe God has finally sent a little angel to help me. Get me to Zoya.. Misha. Its time for me to go." He said.
Misha went speechless. Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Adi bhaiya.." this was all she could speak. She hugged him.
"Misha.. its ok baby. You will be fine. Just ask your mommy and daddy to bury me next to Zoya. The address you will find in my diary."
"What will I tell them?" She asked crying.
"You found me dead with this note." He said.
"You are brave sweetheart. Take care of yourself." He said patting her cheeks.
"Now go. I want to meet my Zoya." He smiled.

With slow steps, she walked towards his body and placed her hand on his chest.
"Adi bhaiya. Time to meet Zoya." She said crying. She looked behind her. Aditya was gone. Forever.

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Maximum of you guessed about Zoya. Bet neither thought about Adi. Anyways. I know it was not a very unique story but like I said I wanted an Adi Zoya version of it.
An epilogue is on the way.