November the 15th, 1965.
Descending down the stairs of the fort, I sat staring at the sun. A big orange ball of fire, it was already kissing the sea at the horizon. The gold of its reflection in the sea moved up and down with the waves. A flock of birds took off from among the trees to the far right and flew its way to a distant island where it would rest for the night.
Situated on the outskirts of the town, the fort was old and devoid of any human element. For someone coming from the sea its worn down façade gave an impression of a long abandoned palace. Waves came and broke down at the wall of the fort below me. The boisterous sea could not dampen the commotion my head was filled with.
A long wait ended as I heard her footsteps up the stairs. I did not turn to look. She came down and sat by my side. When her shoulder touched mine, a familiar sense of warmth ran down me. When we were in school this touch of shoulders was a necessary ritual between us. It did away with a “Hi” or some other verbal greetings, for words were insufficient and evanescent whereas it remained. A melancholy smile appeared on her face as we looked at each other. I smiled too. She tucked a fold of hair falling on her face to her ear and letting out a sigh rested her head on my shoulder. “Yes?” she inquired.
“They say it’s pretty hot there at this time of the year.”
“Hmm.”
“Somehow I had always known it would all come to this, but I had not thought it would be so soon” she said softly. The crimson of sun washed her beautiful face.
“Nor did I. It will be very hard on them. But I can’t think of an alternative.”
When two months ago, after assimilating a lot of courage, I told my parents about our relationship they said it was ridiculous. “What will all the relatives say when they come to know about it?” my mother asked. “Relatives? Think about how I will be mocked at in my office.” My father said angrily. “Don’t even think about it once more. I have led my life with my head held high and I want it to remain like that.”
How I tried to make them understand that what society thought about it did not matter, but to no avail. My mother, on the verge of tears, started murmuring to herself how, through the years of my growing up, she had taken utmost care to raise me in the best possible way she could and that this was not what she deserved to receive in return. Father did not even listen to me. It was all ridiculous to him.
Things were not pretty different at her side too.
We lived in a small town populated with people who through generations of easy and peaceful life had learnt to be content and to take life as it came. A languor pervaded the lives of townsfolk. I wonder if anyone, save two or three, from our town had any considerable business with whatever happened in the world outside. Life was monotonous and time trotted in our town. Nevertheless, we had always loved it. We had grown up there and had spent the best time with our friends and families. In school we were best friends and remained so through the college years too. It was only after college that we realized how deeply in love we were with each other.
The sun had sunken down into the sea completely by now and a dark blanket covered the sky. She lifted up her head from my shoulder and gently touched her lips to mine. I kissed her.
"Don’t be late. I will pick you up at 5. Sharp,” I said.
“Yes.” Her eyes welled up with tears.
I knew I could not shed my tears. One of us had to be strong.
Before the break of dawn next morning, we boarded our train to a new life, leaving behind everything we loved except each other. We knew a tougher world waited for us out there and that life would not be easy for us two single girls.
