She has more pain inside like I do and she consoles the same way too, CK thought.
Only opposite character attracts , warned his mind.
But this is not attraction, it is something different , opposed his heart.
Only then did he realize that he was still holding her hands. He felt it was so skinny, but still he cherished her warmth.
Come on CK, say something to divert her. Look at her , said his mind.
“You are hot,’ he blurted out.
“What?” she asked, with a bemused look, getting back from her thoughts.
“Oh no, I mean, do you have fever? You are hot,” he added, taking back his hand from her wrist with a heavy heart.
“Oh,” Sara smiled, “I am always hot.” Yes you are , he thought. “My friends would hold my hands during winter and they will yell if I hold theirs during summer,” she laughed. Don’t worry, my hands are always yours. I am always cold and you are always hot. We are going to be the deadliest combination ever , thought CK, smiling.
Their conversation made them feel better. Nothing in this world can replace talking to the one we like, holding their hand, especially for the first time. The situation appeared quite okay, people were allowed to talk to each other, knowing they would die without that. Many hours passed.
“I feel hungry,” Sara stated, holding her size-zero stomach.
“Yeah, me too.’
After an hour, the leader came to the airhostess and asked her to distribute food for the terrorists. Hearing it, a small boy sitting nearby said, “I too need food, mom,” to his mother. His mother closed his mouth tight with her fingers, facing the leader who heard it.
“Yeah, distribute for them too, but listen, if you try to plan anything, plan it along with your last wish,” the leader insisted, pointing the gun towards the passenger.
“He too has some pity,” Sara whispered into CK’s ears, blowing some air along with her words. CK held his hand interlocked, buried inside his thighs, controlling his emotion for her. CK nodded yes, casually.
“And he speaks English better than the others,” Sara whispered again.
“Oh, Sara, don’t do that,” CK uttered, uncontrollably.
“What happened?” Sara asked, narrowing her eyebrows.
“I mean, he might hear you,” CK saved face, while rubbing his forehead. What happened? Did I fall for her? Do I love her? CK wondered.
Maybe , said his heart.
You want some more time to decide, it may be due to physical attraction said his mind.
It’s a magic that happens in a flow, and it is destined to happen beyond our control, his heart remarked.
The battle between his heart and mind continued, which only stopped him from seeing the food. CK and Sara had their food without uttering a single word as they were starving since morning.
“There is no other pleasure in this world than having food after starving for long hours,” Sara stated, rolling her eyes at CK. I can show you the real pleasure of the world, thought CK, faking a smile.
“I drank excess water, I want to go chu chu ,” said Sara, rushing up her words and tapping her knees.
“You mean you want to pee?” CK guessed.
“Yeah,” replied Sara, tapping the ground.
“Hey, don’t make this place smelly,” CK joked, lifting his leg. Sara punched his leg.
“I can’t hold it, I am going to ask them,” said Sara.
“Be careful, anyway you will be in history being dead because of asking permission to pee’ said CK laughing.
“If I don’t ask, you will die of stench, remember. So don’t scare me,” replied Sara, lifting her hand with a terrified face.
CK couldn’t control his laughter looking at her face, which looked exactly like a kindergarten student asking for permission from their class teacher. CK heard a terrorist’s footsteps approaching them, so he closed his mouth with a hand and leaned back casually.
“Can I use the restroom?” Sara asked, gathering the words after lot of struggle.
“Eh?” The terrorist was unable to understand.
“Restroom!” Sara shouted. CK bit his finger, trying to control his laughter as it happens in school. Each time we will try to make different sentence but at the end, the teacher will hear only the word restroom, CK thought and smiled.
The terrorist glanced at CK. That one glance was enough; CK was overcome with fear. “Restroom!” The terrorist shouted to another, and the word ‘restroom’ went in a chain, passing from one terrorist to another, till it reached the leader.
“In fear it went in backward direction; I don’t feel like going now,” uttered Sara, arching her eyebrows as soon as the terrorist left, nodding yes.
“Hey, if you ask one more time, he will kill you for sure out of suspicion,” CK smiled.
“Shit!” Sara got up from her seat.
“Finish that too!” CK laughed. Sara moved ahead, staring at him. As soon as she came back, one by one the passengers started to use the restroom. Only when we see someone going to the restroom, we get the urge , he thought, feeling the same. Hours passed by.
CK closed his eyes suddenly because he felt something fall on his eyes and he felt heavy on his shoulder. He then brushed it away slowly realizing it was Sara’s hair. He saw that Sara had dozed off. He then moved his shoulder slowly so that her head could comfortably rest on it. He was cherishing the moment. He badly wanted a phone to capture the moment but ended up capturing it in his heart. I can be in any hijack being next to you , he thought, admiring her. He wanted to kiss her forehead but resisted it. To divert himself, he looked all around. Some were taking a nap, tired of ideally sitting for long hours, but all the terrorists were still wandering. How are they so energetic? He wondered. Moving his puzzled eyes away from them, he got a glance of a newly married couple. He looked at them. They slept on each other’s shoulder. It made him remember his friend. He must be married by now. He would be wondering about my absence, but I am not sure. It’s his first night so I doubt he would be wondering about something else, he thought, smiling with memories about the first-night talk in college.
CK’s face changed, lost in the thought of who would really miss him. Dad wouldn’t have found my absence even by now , he thought. He couldn’t even think of one person. He got irritated and punched his thigh. By the movement in his shoulder, Sara got disturbed and made a sound. He turned and looked at her. You are signaling that you’re there baby ? He always wanted to address his loved one ‘baby’. He realized that he called her ‘baby’ in his mind. I think I’m falling for her, why should I resist it? I can feel a good chemistry between us, and above all, she too is missing her loved one just like I miss my mom, so she knows the value of love. Once I know that it is love and when I am firm about it, I will propose, but still that I won’t tell her know about my work or my background . I want her to fall in love with me only , for who I am , and I believe she would , he fell asleep thinking. But even in his dreams he had her. CK dreamt of Sara dancing with him in his friend’s marriage. CK imagined Sara wearing a red lehenga looking so gorgeous and people murmuring that they are the best pair and some teasing them that they are going to be the next couple for marriage. The dream was full of lights, sweets, romance and dance.
THE BAD NEWS
The Director’s eyeballs got struck seeing CK’s name in the hijacked list on Facebook.
“What?” The Director shouted, seeing his phone again and again to make sure what he saw was true. “Oh my god!” He screamed, holding his forehead. His mind became blank, and tears welled up in his eyes. The funny days with him flashed before his eyes. When the memories of their first meet flashed, he remembered about Chandra Sekhar.
“Does he know about it? If so, someone would have informed me anyway…” said the director, looking at the phone. He touched the phone’s icon with his trembling hand. When he saw CK’s name while scrolling the contact list, tears from his eyes found its way out despite his resistance. He wiped the tears and
pressed the call button to Chandra Sekhar, taking a deep breath. After two–three rings, Chandra Sekhar picked up the phone.
“Hello” The director took a while to gather up courage to talk to him.
“Uh, is CK…” the Director began, choking.
“He has gone to attend his friend’s marriage. Didn’t he inform you?” Chandra Sekhar replied casually. Hearing it, the Director moved his eyeballs left and right, wondering how to say it.
“Hmm, I know, but…” he dragged his words.
“Is anything wrong with the film?” Chandra Sekhar asked, trying to guess from his words.
“No, no, it’s not about the film, it’s about CK. I do know for sure, I saw it on FB.” The Director tried hard to gather words.
“Hey, don’t beat around the bush!” Chandra Sekhar shouted, getting up from the sofa, which caused his PA to come near him.
“I read that his flight has been hijacked,” said the Director with a heavy heart.
“What?” Chandra Sekhar asked, hoping he didn’t hear what he just did. But, he heard the same words again. Hearing it, he stood breathless, dropping the phone.
“What is it?” his PA shouted, but Chandra Sekhar couldn’t hear anything. He fell on the sofa and buried his face in his palm. The PA didn’t know how to react, he was wondering what it would be, picking up the phone from the floor. PA heard someone continuously shouting, “Hello? Hello!”
“Hello, I am Chandra Sekhar’s PA, who are you?”
“I am CK’s film director. What happened to him, is he alright?” The Director was breathing heavily.
“Okay, but what did you say to him?” The PA asked, looking at him.
“CK’s flight got hijacked. I just saw it on FB. I thought you guys would have known by now.” The Director rushed his words. Hearing it, PA’s hand rushed to close his wide-opened mouth .
“There’s fake news too on FB, don’t worry,” PA assured Chandra Sekhar, placing a hand on his thigh and dialed the airline. Chandra Sekhar lifted his face and watched his PA talk to the airline, expecting good news. But the PA cut the call and said, “Yes, it’s hijacked,” with a long face. Hearing it, tears rolled down Chandra Sekhar’s cheeks.
“Will he also leave me alone? Oh god, why is it happening only to me? I didn’t behave like his dad even for one day, but I swear I was trying hard, but I couldn’t,” Chandra Sekhar wept. His PA didn’t know what words will console him. He stood speechless. Chandra Sekhar rushed to see his wife’s photo in CK’s room, which he hadn’t done for years after her death. His heartbeat rose, and he started to cry more seeing her. “I still can’t believe that you left me. Please don’t give me such pain, I know I was wrong, but just give me one more chance please, please!” He sobbed.
THE TERRORIST
CK opened his eyes frightened, dreaming his friend’s wedding being hijacked. He realized he was sleeping leaning on Sara’s head, who was still sleeping on his shoulder. Even with messed up hair, she looked pretty for him. He felt his leg ache because of idly sitting for a long time. He stretched his leg, catching his knees. Sara got disturbed as he moved his shoulder, but still she didn’t wake up. She leaned on the window and continued sleeping hugging her mini backpack. Only then did he realize that his shoulder hurt more than his legs. He kept stretching his shoulder back and front. He turned and saw that everyone was awake and getting back to their terrified self, fearing what may happen next. The terrorists looked so restless. They were discussing in groups. He couldn’t understand anything, but one thing was clear in his mind that today was going to be more terrific than yesterday. Thinking about it, he turned towards Sara who was finally awake, bending her neck left and right.
“Good afternoon,” said CK smiling. Sara smiled at him, adjusting her hair. “Do you remember we’ve been hijacked?” CK mocked at her.
“…only to forget that I was sleeping. And, don’t you have any other good news to say as soon as I wake up?” Sara stretched her hands with interlocked fingers.
“Yeah, of course I have one.” Sara’s face brightened at the sound of that.
“The terrorists are so restless,” he stated casually. Sara glanced at the terrorists’ group discussion with a puzzled look.
“Oh, what is our government doing? Why can’t they save us?” Sara sked, rubbing her forehead still looking at them, terrified.
“I think so, they are discussing about that only. Be cool, everything will be okay,’ CK replied, looking at her terrified face. “Umm, how many hours do you sleep?” CK asked, trying to divert her and feeling bad for spoiling her mood as soon as she woke up.
“Ah, I love to sleep. I’ll sleep till I feel like waking up; I’ll find my peace only in my sleep. Sleep is a gift to human beings,” Sara spoke, forgetting about the discussion. It’s easy to change her mind. She is lovely, just like a child. This nature of hers will be useful for me in the future, CK thought, nodding his head and listening to her.
“My friend used to joke that I have a sleeping disease. You know I have even slept for 16 hours in a day,” Sara beamed as if she had won the World Cup.
“16 hours?” CK’s mouth was wide open.
“Yeah, 16 hours,” she repeated, smiling.
“I love sleep too, but not like you,” he noticed her reaction changing. “What happened?”
“My mom will always scold me for sleeping. She must be scared, hearing about the hijack,” Sara stuttered, facing down.
“It’s okay, you are going to talk to her by the end of the day,” CK assured her, giving her confidence.
“Hope so,” said Sara, nodding her head.
“I feel hungry. Even getting a meal a day has become a luxury here,’ said CK, waiting for her to smile. “Above all, using a restroom has become a luxury,” he waited for her to smile again. This time it worked.
CK and Sara saw the terrorists discussing with the airhostess.
“Will it be something about the airplane?” Sara asked, still looking at them.
“No idea.” Their heart missed a beat when they saw a man walking towards their direction. They could feel their heartbeat all over the place.
“No, no, no…” Sara murmured. CK couldn’t understand what was happening.
“Get up,” the terrorist said, facing them. Sara held CK’s hand tightly. Feeling it, he turned and looked at his hand inside hers. “Up, up,” shouted the terrorist. CK jerked as he looked at the terrorist. The terrorist signaled him to stand up, using the gun. CK’s hands began to tremble.
“No, please…please leave us,” begged Sara, tears welling up in her eyes.
“If you don’t get up now…!” The terrorist shouted, pointing the gun at them. Seeing the gun pointed at them, their legs automatically stood up. CK was still holding Sara’s hand tightly. There was pin-drop silence. CK took a glance at the passenger whose eyes were stuck on them with a terrified look. But what did we do? CK thought, breathing heavily, looking at all the other passengers. CK heard Sara weeping and he could feel her dead cold hands. The terrorist still didn’t lower the gun.
LIFE OR DEATH
The leader’s voice broke the silence.
“Your government doesn’t value your life. Only if we start to kill you, and shoot it and send to them they will hurry up.” CK’s legs began to tremble. He felt a weird feeling in his stomach. He could feel his heart beat in his throat. Sara was stunned hearing those words.
“They are going to be the first. If you want to live, just beg for your life,” the leader pushed another terrorist ahead, who was holding the camera.
Sara and CK looked at each other’s face hearing it. CK saw Sara pink-faced, with her mouth and eyes wide open, still weeping, holding her mini backpack close to her face. I want her face to be pink from blushing, but now I am seeing her face pink from the fear of death, thought CK, recollecting memories of Sara’s first eye contact, her first words, her care, her childishness; his dreams flashed in his mind. Suddenly he heard the passengers’ voice shouting for their life in f
ront of the camera. Sara burst out in tears seeing it.
“More, more, more!’ the leader shouted, lifting his gun. CK could hear weeping and crying sounds from all around. Sara held his arm and leaned on his shoulder, crying.
“It’s going to be okay, okay?” CK said, brushing her hair while breathing heavily.
“It’s not going to be okay,” said the terrorist, pushing CK backwards. Sara held him as he was about to fall. The terrorist signaled the airhostess to open the door using the gun. When CK gained balance, he saw the door open. Sunlight fell on their face after long days. CK shrunk his eyes and Sara covered her face with her trembling hands.
“Move!” The terrorist urged them, pointing the gun outside. CK and Sara looked outside and their eyes were filled with green trees and shrubs. It was green all around. Their eyebrows arched above their bulging eyes, seeing the height.
“Hurry up! Jump!” The terrorist shouted.
“No, no, please leave us…” begged Sara, crying and looking down.
“You will not die by jumping, only my gun will kill you,” the terrorist joked, smiling. Seeing it, the passengers started to shout and cry for their life, which was recorded.
“Look at how they are shouting and crying. Had we told them we are taking them to assist us in collecting food for the passengers since the government has requested us for some more days, would they have panicked like this?” The leader whispered to another terrorist. “Learn to mock, that’s the key to hijacking. Show them the fear of death, but don’t kill them so easily. Their life is our strength, so don’t take risks. That’s why I’m sending them to get some food. This video is enough to get our demands as soon as possible,” he added, smiling at the screaming and weeping passengers.
“Come-on,” shouted the terrorist, pointing the gun at Sara’s head.
“No, no, no!” CK shouted, pushing the air. Feeling the gun at her head, Sara closed her eyes and stood motionless with a tightly closed fist. CK took a deep breath and jumped, closing his eyes. Hearing the sound, Sara jerked and opened her eyes. She saw him lying on the ground.
NEVER BEEN A LOVED ONE Page 3
