Aatma

Chapter 2

Year 2011  

Place: Thane, Mumbai 

Varun, a smart young Engineer in his mid twenties celebrated his last day at work as he had landed a better job opportunity elsewhere. "Too bad you're leaving us, we we'll miss your energy and team spirit," his boss expressed his feelings as the party came to an end. "If you ever change your mind, remember these doors are always open for you," he stated and wished Varun the best of luck for his further endeavors.

After a long night, Varun woke up to embrace the new day with butterflies in his stomach. Today was going to be his first day at NCL corp. Looking dapper as always, he skipped the breakfast his mother had prepared and zipped away in his car.

A train of thoughts ran through his mind as he pondered on the probability of how his new colleagues would receive him and the work challenges that awaited him. All his queries were answered when he stepped into what appeared as a government office. The enthusiasm level of every employee was to the proportion of zero. The ambiance was monochrome, nobody seemed interested in knowing the new senior manager. And the ones who did, merely snubbed him when he attempted to strike a conversation.

Disappointed, he found his way to his cubicle and settled, his new boss dropped by to see if he was comfortable. "You may find a stark difference in our working style, but you will get adjusted to it," He smiled and handed over a list of task that were to be streamlined before the annual board meeting. "You were bursting with energy in that interview, I want to see you channel all that in your work," he exclaimed and narrowed his eyes.

"Sure thing, you won't be disappointed sir!" Varun assured him with a broad smile and sighed after he left.

"Okay Varun I know this place is unfriendly, but you will start liking it...I hope so...," he comforted himself and began working like the rest. It wasn't until they broke for lunch when he set eyes on a beautiful young girl seated across her desk facing him. Her fair and frail frame was draped in a sky blue sari. It appeared she had no friends when she pulled out her lunchbox and ate on her desk in silence instead of heading to the cafeteria.

Varun stole glances at her and headed to the cafeteria where the rest were eating and chattering. It was a good opportunity to introduce himself and make some new friends, but Varun's mind was occupied with her thoughts. Rushing back to his desk post lunch break, he kept watching her from where he sat and didn't realize when the hours passed until a colleague in the cubicle beside him inquired if he had plans of going home.

"Oh, it's seven already! Time sure passes fast here," he snapped out of his daze and realized it was time to leave. As he prepared to make a move he noticed the lady neatly gathering her belongings and stepping out elegantly until he lost sight of her. There was something majestic about her.

The whole night Varun could think about nothing but her. Her pink lips, her manicured fingers and the occasions she would tie her hair in to a loose bun made his heart race faster. Her beauty had captivated him, he couldn't wait to head back to work to catch a glimpse of her again.

The following days went in admiring her from a distance. There were times he mustered courage to go talk to her, but when her eyes met his, he would go weak on his knees and chicken out. She caught him staring at her on several occasions, but strangely never encouraged or acknowledge him. She was quiet in nature and kept aloof from the rest of the staff around her. Everyday was like a routine for her. She would come draped in different colour saris , work on her computer, eat lunch alone and leave exactly at seven in the evening. She was like a pretty flower blooming midst a barren land.

By now Varun had memorised her movements and couldn't wait to befriend her. Hence one fine day he decided to give it a try and talk to her after office hours. That evening when the clock struck seven he watched as she prepared to leave. Rushing out before her, he sat in his car and waited patiently outside the gates.

"I hope this works..." he mumbled and saw her walking towards the bus stop.

Mustering courage, he steered the car towards her and grabbed her attention. "Hi, we work at the same place. I heard the buses are on strike today, mind if I drop you home?" he used his charm and offered her a drop home.

Taken aback, she lowered her gaze and stuttered. "No...No thank you....I..I'm fine," 

"You need not fear me, I sit right opposite you, if you've ever noticed". He sighed and tried to gain her trust. 

"Yes, I know..." she answered softly and met his gaze.

"Well then I insist, it's been twenty minutes and I see no sign of the bus either. Please..." he begged and looked at her longingly. Embarrassed, she coyly stepped into his car while he gloated in sheer joy. 

Elated that he had convinced the beauty to drive her home, he introduced himself again and struck a conversation to know her better. "By the way I'm Varun, the senior manager. What's your name?" he inquired curiously.

"It's Mehek..." she replied cautiously and avoided his gaze.

"That's a lovely name, how long have you been working here?" he asked.

"Three years..." she replied and ran her fingers through her hair. Varun continued the conversation and noticed how she gradually felt at ease with him. The air lingered with her sweet fragrance as he entered the dimly lit street, and drove away from the bustling city. 

It wasn't long before she asked him to pull over right in the middle of a deserted road. Puzzled Varun stepped out with her and inquired where she lived exactly. "You can't view it because there aren't any street lights, nor many houses either. Mom hates the city so we moved in somewhere away and more isolated," she explained and proceeded towards what resembled a forest.

"Mehek, are you sure you will be okay? Shall I come along, I have a flash light in my car too," he expressed his concern while she laughed in amusement.  Her innocent laughter echoed in the silence of the woods.

"It's alright Varun, I can see the light emitting from my house right there," she pointed in the direction of the few banyan trees that looked eerie in the moonlight. "You better head home now or your family will start worrying , I'm sorry you had to go out of your way to drop me," she smiled gently.

"It isn't...apparently I found a short cut on the way which will take me home faster," he hurriedly lied and hoped she would let him drive her home every evening.

"That's nice, okay then! Good night..." she turned and walked away before merging with the darkness.

Varun reluctantly drove back home and reminisced the whole journey with Mehek. The fragrance of her sweet perfumes lingered over him. "I can't believe we finally spoke!" he closed his eyes peacefully and dreamt about her.

From that day onward it became a kind of ritual for Varun to drop Mehek home in the evenings. Mehek grew warmer to him and he fell deeper in love with her, so mad was he for her that one day he confessed his love and asked her to marry him.

Mehek didn't take it the way he had expected her to and avoided him the whole day until it was time to leave. As usual Varun waited for her in his car, but this time she walked straight into the bus without turning back. Realizing she needed time to think over his proposal, he sighed and drove back home disappointed.

The following day Varun sat in anticipation, it had been an hour since everybody had arrived, yet there were no signs of Mehek. His boss noticed his lack of concentration and warned him subtly to focus on work. Mehek's desk remained unoccupied for the next 8 hours. Varun sulked as he left for home, wondering why she hadn't turned up that day.

Sadly for him, she neither turned up the next day nor the following three days. "I hope she hasn't fallen ill, I need to see her!" he expressed his fears to Abhilasha, his schoolmate whom he met at the local coffee shop. 

"I bet you scared her, poor thing must be feeling embarrassed to come in front of you," Abhilasha teased and sipped her mocha. "Anyway what were you saying about that reunion?" he grimaced.

"Oh forget it, I'll manage it all...you just make sure to attend it and if possible bring your lady love as well," she smirked and continued talking about the good old days.

The next day when Mehek still hadn't resumed work, he could no longer hold his patience. He felt perturbed seeing her empty chair as bad thoughts crossed his mind. He stopped over at the girls sitting beside her desk and inquired about her absence. 

"What? Who is Mehek? Which girl? What is he talking about? Such were the reactions he received from them. Confused he went on a spree asking everyone present there if they knew anything about Mehek and why she hadn't been coming to work. "What is wrong with everybody?" he wondered as one of men sitting behind his cubicle offered to help.

"Did I hear you say Mehek... the girl who used to sit there?" he asked as Varun's ear perked up. 

"Yes, finally somebody who knows here!" he heaved a sigh of relief.

"Yes, I knew her. Don't mind me asking this, but how do you know her? You barely joined us a month a ago," he commented.

"Well we became friends right after I joined. I used to drop her home too, but off lately she hasn't been coming to work. Didn't you notice it?" he explained while his colleague looked on in astonishment.

"You became friends with Mehek!...The girl who used to sit there...That Mehek?" he dilated his pupils and asked Varun repeatedly until Vrun got irritated.

"Well of course I'm talking about Mehek, how many Meheks do we have here?" Varun retorted.

"There's only one, and she passed away six months ago..." he paused and walked away from Varun assuming he had lost his mind.

The news hit him hard, Varun couldn't believe what he heard about Mehek. "What nonsense is this, she used to come here everyday. Does nobody remember seeing her?" he screamed at all while they looked on in amusement.

Horrified that none claimed to have seen her, he rushed out like a maniac and drove straight to her place. The day light made it easier to spot her house from a distance. Pulling his car over, he walked past the banyan trees and found his way to a dilapidated bungalow. Assuming this was it, he knocked on the door and repeatedly called out to her until the door opened with a creak.

A week later...

Abhilasha recovered from the reunion hangover and browsed through all the pictures taken at the party. Realizing she hadn't heard from Varun, since they last met at the coffee shop, she decided to give him a ring. Unfortunately his phone was switched off and there was no other way to get in touch with him. She recalled having a mutual friend at the company he worked previously, and hence checked with him if he knew any alternate number. They spoke at length and concluded with she  confirming her presence.

"Oh Varun...What have you done...." she sighed and drove straight out of the city and into the the deserted street on the outskirts. Locating the exact spot that Varun had told her during their rendezvous, Abhilasha stepped out hesitantly and studied her surroundings.

  There was an eerie feeling as she saw the bungalow from far. Balling her fist, she took in a deep breath and walked on the path that ended at the entrance. Hoping to find Varun inside, she knocked on the door and was surprised to find an old lady instead.

"Oh..uhmm...i'm sorry to have disturbed you, but i'm looking for my friend Varun. Is he in there?" she introduced her self and tried to look past the old lady's shoulder. 

"Varun dear, you have a visitor," the old lay called out to him and welcomes Abhilasha inside. "We don't have many friends or relatives visiting us, it's good to have someone drop by. You go talk to Varun while I prepare some tea for you," the old frail lady exclaimed in delight and dragged her crippled leg towards the kitchen.

Abhilasha surveyed the interior of the house, it reeked of wet wood and dead mice as she looked for Varun.  "Varun...how did this happen?" she found him seated on the window sill and approached him cautiously.

"What ever happened, happened for the good. We are together and that's all that matters..." he smiled and looked out the window. Abhilasha saw the girl he had mentioned about, draped in a delicate white sari, she looked back at him from the backyard and shifted her gaze towards her.

"Have some tea, dear...I made it specially for you," the old lady who happened to be Mehek's mother offered Abhilasha to have some before leaving.

Abhilasha glanced at the cup and then at the old lady before refusing politely. The old lady felt hurt and expressed her feelings. "Please do have it and stay a bit longer, it's not everyday that we get visitors," she gave a toothless smile and extend her wrinkled hands that held the cup.

"You need to rest, grandma..." Abhilasha whispered and walked away without looking back.

Varun noticed the sad look on the old lady's face and smirked "Let her go, granny...she knows..." 

Abhilasha entered the main city and head straight to the venue her mutual friend had mentioned. 

"Hi, i thought you would never come," he said as she entered the venue that had a small gathering of Varun's friends and relatives.

"How could  I not? He was a kind soul and a good friend...." she replied with a straight face and stared at the body.

"It seems the cause of death was food poisoning, they found the body this morning rotting outside the city," he explained and wondered how she could stay so calm.

"Loneliness sure drives one insane..." She quoted and paid her condolence to Varun's family before leaving his house.