An Evening

(My first attempt at writing a short story)

It was a cold winter evening. She felt the wind gushing through her hair as she saw the clouds catch fire with the sunset. This was her favorite part of the evening. She lay there on the concrete floor staring at the sky as it turned from blue to orange, red, purple and then grey. She had a long day and all the work was exhausting her. This was her recluse. Her favorite spot, where no one would find her. On top of the half constructed building.

Today she had decided to share it with him. And there they lay staring at the skies with the wind singing stories of the far unknown. There was something about him. He had the wind in him.
Now as she stood looking at him become one with his element, she felt a strange tingle pass through her. When he opened his eyes the stars had come out. And the moon was right above them.
“There’s something about the night”, she thought. “Something imminent”. His grey hairs were falling on his eyes, and she noticed how his sharp features had suddenly gone soft.
“Show me! Show me, for I need to know” she said to him with impending urgency. But he shook his head. “It is not time, my dear” he said, as always since the past so many days. Hearing this she turned away with a swish of her skirt. She had been growing impatient. More impatient than she could handle. He looked at her now, adoringly. “She is just a child. But she must wait. It is for her to find out the truth herself. I can only be the medium. The fire in her burns stronger than ever. However, the only way she can learn to be one with her element is when she learns patience. Patience is the key”, he thought chuckling to himself. She came to him and held his hands. And they did what she had known for so long. She would stare as long as she could into his eyes, searching for the truth she wished to see. But she could never decipher what his eyes were saying, or what his mind was doing. Today was no different. She did so, until she felt everything behind him dissolve. Her eyes were losing focus and she was squinting. And then with a quick movement of her hands, she withdrew. “What is it?” he asked.
“Nothing… nothing, I just… felt you’re… I saw a demon emerge from you.”
“Demon? Oh so you have met him then?”
“What is wrong with you? I can help, you know. I can remove him from you”
“That won’t be necessary. He has been with me since I was born. And he will die with me. He is in my control. Come now! Get over it”

And so they continued. Till she felt the same things happen again and withdrew.
“What is it now?”
“I saw an old man’s face. He seemed Mongolian, with yellow skin and a wrinkled face! Who is he?”
“I see you are getting through my soul. They all live inside me. And they all live with me. They make my decisions and are carried forward with my soul to all my lives. There are 14 more inside me. You are not going to try and meet all of them are you?” he said with a slight smirk. Then he thought to himself, “She is getting stronger, maybe today is the day.” He realized that if the time had come and they were to discover the truth, they were to lose no time. For the stars will not stay in that position for ever. He got up and he held her hand, while she sat on the cold railing of the building and told her to concentrate. And she did as he told her. She held his hands and looked deep inside his eyes and watched the world dissolve till all she could see was darkness. She was scared, but she was determined. She stared deep without letting go. Till suddenly he closed his eyes and fell back. She gripped his hands and asked him urgently what had happened.
But before he could answer a huge gush of wind came howling through. A wind so strong and mighty that she let go of his hands. The trees around them danced to the fury of the horrible winds. The dry leaves were hauled up from the ground into the air. They seemed to have come right out of the gates of the heaven. And then it grew still. So very still.

“I should’ve known”, he muttered.”I should’ve known, I should’ve known.”

They stood in silence for some time, looking at each other. And then she sat down with all her weight.
Presently he turned his attention to the full moon that was on top of them. The clouds had gathered around in the circular motion with the wind swirling around. Then he spread his gaze to her face. She was also looking up staring at the strong halo of the moon and the wisps of cloud around it.
He couldn’t help by think, “My God, she is lovely!”
She noticed his gaze and grew conscious. Averting her eyes she quickly asked, “What could this mean? Should we stop?”
To this his face turned grave and he replied, “There are many things on this Earth that are controlled by things far superior than humans can understand. They all work together in harmony and tandem to protect the secret that lies within them. They know you are one of them, but everything must have its place and time. For if these adherences were to be broken, so would the code of their being and that would threaten the existence of all that were. It is their choice and not ours as to when they would reveal their secrets to you, and until then all I can say to you is to not give up on the fire that wishes to break free from within you.”
He could sense her disappointment, but that was the choice made for her. And that is what had been told to him. She was born with her choices already made.

“Shall I give you a ride home?”, he asked
“No…no thanks, I think I will take a cab. Thanks anyway, I’ll see you later”
She took quick long strides towards him, gave him a peck on the cheek, picked up her coat and walked out of the door, not once meeting his eyes. He watched her now as she went into the darkness, till she was visible no more.