OS: Wreck of the Day

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OS: Wreck of the Day

It was an odd place for her to find relief. Just another reason for people to call her weird but the low concrete wall and overhanging trees seemed like old friends to her. There were even clothes drying on a rope of nylon suspended between two steel poles just as there had been on that day.

Khushi trailed her hand lightly over the clothes on the line. There was a brown cotton saree, lightly patterned at the border in moss green. It was soft to the touch and something Khushi could imagine her Amma wearing in a few years time. The accompanying blouse and petticoat still damp, clung to the rope. They didn't swing in the breeze freely as the saree did; hampered only by the pegs that stopped it sprouting wings and flying away.

The saree, blouse and petticoat were the only female clothes hanging on the line but Khushi couldn't bear to touch the others. Jeans, trousers, t-shirts and shirts to fit a grown man and a young boy. The jeans heavy with water dragged the rope down and it sagged in the middle until the legs of the larger pair of jeans almost touched the puddle of water that had collected underneath it.

Khushi left the clothes behind and walked slowly towards the edge of the roof. A glint of sunlight caught onto something by the wall and reflected into her eye. She winced and looked away, lifting a hand to shield her eyes.

Once her eyes had adjusted she turned quickly to the wall searching for what had caught the sun's attention greedily like a magpie. In a crack between the wall and the floor of the rooftop a sliver of something gold sparkled.

Khushi bent down wearily reluctant to actually sit or even place her knees on the floor where she had collapsed in grief barely three months ago. She tugged at the piece of card lodged in the wall. She had already recognised it and not wanting to tear it, kept her efforts light but it was in vain. The piece of gold that dislodged from the wall into her waiting hands was not a full star as she had hoped but two solitary points, torn apart from their sisters.

She felt a jolt of pain tear through her chest as she remembered picking up the stars Arnav had abandoned so easily that day. Her stars which she had collected and loved since the age of 9 Khushi had left to him, hoping they would be able to convey to him her infinite love even in the face of his hatred.

If she gave him stars now, would he realise what they meant?

Khushi clutched the torn star in her hand and made her way to the wall. Her steps faltered as she reached it. How confident she had been three months ago, willing to sacrifice her own life so Arnav could be happy. Could she do the same again?

Having once experienced what it was like to be loved so intensely, could she willingly sacrifice herself so someone else could have that joy? Should she?

Her hands shook as she placed them on top of the wall and leaned over. The building was only three storeys high, the highest building in Lakshmi Nagar but she felt her head spin as she saw the street below. She quickly pulled her head back and took a deep breath of cold air. The temperature had dropped, the sun would soon set.