Sweet Fortune

The dark grey clouds were raging mad in the sky. Two days ago a blazing sandstorm had destructed a cluster of small islands; the aftermath of which was felt in a lot of places. The storm had subsided exactly forty eight hours later leaving a trail of wreckage behind. Somewhere deep down people could still hear the earth bellowing. The villagers from the adjoining island were even more ill-fated. The mad fury of Mother Nature had ripped away every last bit of their belongings as the sea swept almost everything that came her way.

Arjun could see the boat approaching from far. The entire village had gathered near the jetty, awaiting the arrival of the rescue boat that was carrying people from the neighboring island. Finally it reached ashore. Men, women and children of all sizes started clambering down from the boat in one go. The babies wept as they clung desperately to their mothers. Few walked around with a stoned look, as if they were just hit by a tornado. And indeed they were. The raging blizzard had destroyed these people’s lives overnight. All was ruined and yet they could barely manage to gather their wounded spirits to make way home here.

In the midst of all this chaos Arjun’s eyes fell on her. Something about her struck him so intensely that it was impossible for him to draw his attention away. She was no ravishing beauty but her striking silhouette made everyone around look pale in comparison. Wearing a skirt and a choli that barely covered her tiny frame; she stood alone in one corner of the boat awaiting her turn to alight. She seemed completely unfazed by the hysterical frenzy that was taking place. And then he noticed a slight movement. Her one free arm was holding at a pale blue pole while the other nestled a makeshift bundle that was tied in a sling fashion against her bosom. It shook him to the core to realize that there was a baby moving inside that bundle that she had been carrying all along.

The chilly winds had forced few tendrils of her hair to come undone from the bun. When she lifted her face to put them back in place, their eyes locked. Bright and luminous they said it all. Emotions ranging from the pain of losing someone dear to the hardships borne, clearly reflected in those honey dew eyes. But on watching closely Arjun could also see a faint flicker of hope there. Maybe to outlive all that life had bestowed on her.

Was it love at first sight for him?  Impossible for a level headed man like me, Arjun thought to himself. But at the same time, drawn by some unseen force he found himself scurrying ahead, battling the crowd, never losing sight of her. Once he reached the edge of the boat, he simply extended his hand towards her and waited with bated breath. And then something dramatic happened. The thundering clouds clashed against one another in a final roar and then miraculously the sky started clearing up. She paused for a moment, took his hand as he gently led her down. Sealing of destinies had happened somewhere. Fate had strange ways of getting people together. It could be the first step towards a new beginning, both of them completely unaware of what the future held in store for them.

The water was serene again.