On the bench

Winter was about to start. People were going hither and thither, wearing mufflers, and overcoats. Some of them were doing their shopping. Stray dogs hid in some warm places. It was exactly 4:30 a.m. Delia was leaving for her best friend’s birthday party. It has been one and half years since they met. Their friendship bond was such close that many times people would get confused whether they are siblings or friends. Both of them were alone in the city, until they met each other. They were far from their home for studies.

Delia was carrying a small box of present, covered with pink wrapper. The box was containing a cute pure silver bracelet. Delia bought it for Anishka from her savings. She didn’t spent her money for buying new shoes or winter gloves. She saved her money for Anishka’s gift.

Delia and Anishka planned to celebrate the birthday in morning because both of them loved sunrise and it was difficult to get together at night due to cold, near the lake, on the wooden bench, which was surrounded with bunch of beautiful flowers. They decorated the bench with some balloons. Because the bench was the place from where their friendship began.

Delia reached the lake at 5:00 a.m. carrying the gift and a box of cookies, from her mum to Anishka. Anishka wasn’t there sitting on the bench, so Delia waited her there. After forty-three minutes, Anishka appeared. She was walking mildly, carrying a box of cake.

‘Finally, you are here! A very Happy Birthday, dear.’ exclaimed Delia. ‘Hey girl, whom are you taking with? Are you celebrating your birthday alone? Clean up this bench and go to your home, it’s wintry outside.’ said a postman.

‘It’s freezing in here. I think we should go somewhere else.’ said Delia without paying any attention to what the postman said.

‘I dunno, sun is rising, sky is yellow and saffron. Perhaps we should wait here for some time. Here, let’s cut the cake.’ responded Anishka.

When Delia showed her present for Anishka, she was rather froze, not because of coldness but in surprise of such a beautiful gift.

‘Why…you spend all money for me?’ asked Anishka in hesitation.

‘Why not, after all we are best friends.’ continued Delia. ‘I do remember your gift too, what you did for me…..it was really difficult still you tried to book a hot air balloon ride for me because I loved it, on hot air balloon, you gave me a large painting kit.’

They cut the cake, ate the warm creamy cookies. Drunk a cup of hot tea and enjoyed the view of sunrise, being silent for minutes. They sat on the bench, in the heat of the little heater.

After a while they left for their classes. There work mode was on from morning 8a.m- 9p.m.

Delia returned to her home, prepared for the classes, ate breakfast and left for her lecture. Though Delia and Anishka were best friends, their colleges were different. Delia hurried towards her college. She joined lectures, did practical, completed her classes. Then she participated in basketball match. She was good on it. Basketball was the only thing which gave her little fame. Otherwise people don’t even notice her in other school periods. She loved painting; usually she makes some landscape or portrait of her parents. (She misses them the most.) Today, she was having a strong temptation of painting herself holding Anishka’s hand. She painted it beautifully but the only problem in there was, it was looking like Anishka was leaving and Delia was trying to stop her by holding her hand. Delia didn’t meant to make it but it just came out. Delia just closed her painting kit and decided to check if Anishka was at home or not.

It was evening, Delia was passing the park, where she celebrated Anishka’s birthday, yesterday. She noticed a girl sitting lonely on the bench. Delia moved towards the girl and saw it was Anishka; her face white like snow, her eyes jet black, as though they become completely cold. She raised her head, to see Delia. ‘Why are you sitting in such freezing place Anishka. Come let’s go home, you can catch flu. Look how cold you are.’ said Delia.

‘Don’t worry about me, Delia. I’m totally fine. I was just memorizing all those beautiful moments which we spend together. Take care of yourself, I would never want to leave you……anyway, go home! I am also heading to my home.’ answered Anishka coldly.

Delia set off to her home feeling strange about Anishka. She took her boots in shoe rack, threw her wet coat and scarf aside, slipped into warm clothes, made an instant hot soup and shrank in the blankets. Many wired thoughts were hitting her mind, suddenly she saw someone was watching her through the glass window, beneath the curtains. As she moved forward to see who the staring person is, it got disappeared. She felt a rush run through her body, and slept in her bed again.

Next morning when she leaving for her college, she almost bumped into a girl called Catherine. Catherine was classmate of Anishka. She asked Delia about Anishka’s sudden absence.

‘I haven’t seen Anishka from three days, do you have any news of her.’ asked Catherine.

‘Of course, I have! I see her every single day….except, today.’ answered Delia.

‘Well, I guess Anishka is ill these days, that’s why she is absent at school from three days.’ said Catherine.

‘WHAT? She didn’t tell me that she is unwell, her expressions were weird yesterday. I should have took her with me. She was sitting in the cold.’ exclaimed Delia.

‘Okay then, see you later and send my message to Anishka if you would see her, “Teacher wants her to represent our college along with the top students from other schools.” Good Bye.’ reminded Catherine.

Delia was worried about Anishka. But the problem was that she had to go to college right now, so she went to her college quickly. She was doing all of her work as fast as she can. She didn’t even joined her basketball match and departed to Anishka’s home, to see whether she is okay or not.

When Delia arrived at Anishka’s home, she saw door wasn’t closed properly, she quickly entered, she saw the bedroom was untidy, although kitchen was neat and clean. The house was empty; Anishka wasn’t at her home at all. Delia closed the door and walked out of the home to check Anishka in other places. She called Anihska but her phone seemed to be nowhere on earth.

In frustration, Delia was returning to her home, moon was visible in the sky. Delia saw someone standing on the middle of the road, a girl. Abruptly a truck driver almost knocked her off, but truck passed through it, like a fog. Yet the girl was standing.

Delia ran to her home, She was extremely terrified, she blowed off her door, threw her shoes and boots away without even washing her hands she crept in her bed, after closing all the windows and door.

Next day, she found everything messed up, hence she recollected her clothes, cleaned her bedroom and got ready for her college. She didn’t even ate anything since yesterday night. She just took some dosh with her to buy something to eat in her way.

Her day went busy in the college, still her mind was making her to think about Anishka and that girl on the road.

After the college was over, the only person she could think of to talk with, was her mom. Therefore, she called her up in the way.

‘…..yes mum I am taking care of myself.’ she lied. ‘What about you and dad!’

‘Nothing new, dear! How’s your study going, What about your friend, Anishka?’ asked Delia’s mother.

‘That’s the problem, mum. Anishka has been absent in her school from five days. She didn’t even talked to me from two days. When I went to search her at her home. It was all alone, door wasn’t even closed properly.

‘You won’t believe what I saw yesterday evening. There was a girl, in the middle of the road, I saw a truck was passing by it…. I’ll tell more about it later. There’s something going on, I need to watch out. Take care mom see you soon….’

There was someone in Delia’s room. Delia saw it when her eyes caught glimpse of her glass window. She went inside, without thinking any more. It was Anishka…watching the painting made be Delia few days ago.

‘Anishka! What are you doing here, in this time? Tell me what’s happening. Why are you not going to your college from last few days? You are acting really strange since your birthday.’ said Delia.

However, Anishka didn’t say anything, she just passed the wall…….

‘How y-you d-did it?’ asked Delia becoming more frightened than ever. ‘T-TELL ME, WAIT DON’ GO!’ yelled Delia when Anishka was passing through the wall, leaving Delia alone.

Delia followed Anishka, running and panting, in the cold night. Finally, she reached near the lake. It was the very same lake, where Delia and Anishka used to spend their time, they even celebrated birthday.

Anishka was watching the moon, sitting on the bench.

‘What’s the matter? Please tell me Anishka, how you passed the wall? It’s not t-true, is it?’ asked Delia fear filling her eyes.

‘I didn’t want to tell you, seems like I have to. Didn’t you saw the girl standing in between of the road and the truck rolled over her? Didn’t you observed how I got through the wall? What do you think all of these clues say?’ inquired Anishka.

‘It’s impossible, no! How, when, where? If it is so then how are you talking to me right now? I don’t reckon it.’

‘You need to, this is the truth. Didn’t you noticed what the postman was saying on birthday; “Are you celebrating your birthday alone?” this means he was not able to see me. It is just you whom I am visible to, no one can see me now.

‘It all happened just the day before my birthday. Sorry that I never told you a fact about me. When we met I thought you would also be a girl who said some words with me then moved away. But I was wrong. Day by day our friendship grew stronger. Thus I thought it would be problem creating if I would tell you about my problem. I was a cancer patient from starting, my mother and father send me here so that I could study and my problem could recover. It was my father’s job that they didn’t stay here, with me. Yet they used to come here sometimes, they would be worried about me, try to make them believe that I am not in this world now. Delia-Delia are you listening.’

Delia was completely freeze from this news. It was as if she was sitting on the bench but her soul was in another world.

‘Don’t be upset, it would make me sad too. Here take this bracelet I can’t carry it anymore. Also the painting which you made of us, was beautiful.’ Anishka returned the silver bracelet.

‘You would never leave me, would you?’ asked Delia in almost whisper.

‘Never, if you want! Perhaps same me couldn’t live with you anymore. Do me a favor, would you? Always stay the same Delia. Maybe I’ll see you from the sky…..looks like it’s the time. I’ve to go now! Remember, I do not want to see tears in your eyes neither in mine or your parents. There would be another Anishka waiting for you as a friend……’

Anishka disappeared in the direction of the lake, after saying this. There was smile and hope in her eyes.

Delia was just staring the reflection of moon in the lake when there was a call from Anishka’s mother.

‘Delia, I know it is the least thing you would ever want to hear, but-’

‘-Anishka just spoke to me. She was in front of me, giving advised that I should never change and she don’t want to see any tear in your eyes. She also said that she would put an eye on me from the sky.’ told Delia to Anishka’s mother.

‘Oh Dear! You was one of the most closest person she ever got. We are coming there tomorrow. I shall inform your mom about this too. Goodbye.’

Delia continued her staring at the reflection of the moon, alone in the cold night, sitting at the bench, taking the silver bracelet, wearing the same smile, which was shining on Anishka’s face. The bench was the place from where their friendship started and the bench became the place where they met last time, ever.