The Secret Park

The Secret Park

Like every day she sat on the cool bench under the huge pavilion and stared down at the meadows of the park. 

Here, she could find the much needed silence, that is what she liked about this place. The serene air of the oncoming Winter gave her hope.

Whether he will come today? For many months now, she thought. For the one hundredth time she hoped and wrote in her notebook, where she collects all her thoughts and writes. Thoughts, hopes, wishes. She writes and writes until she no longer know why she did that.

Why she was in this place? Day, after day, after day. Every Day she came to the lonely park that no one else visited except her, alone. And there was not a single day when she didn't came, it was worth it.

Sadly, her eyes direct their attention to the locket, which hanged down from her neck. After a long time, she opened it. An aching stitch pulls through her heart, and she remembers again what is she doing here. An image of a soldier appears. She closes the locket and wipe the warm tear running down her cheek.

Dreaming she closed eyes and relives her story. Again, she smells the scent of the old library, in which they saw each other for the first time. Again, she feels the warm hand that firmly held hers, as they kissed for the first time in the dark night near the small lake and fell in love. Just like it was yesterday, she felt the first kiss, she felt the swinging movements as they danced. She saw in her mind still glorious, blooming flowers, which sweetened the wind with their fragrance when he showed her this Secret Park for the first time. And she remembers the painful moment when he told her he would be drafted into the War, while she held her arms tightly around him and promised every day, as long as he would be away to wait in this small, Secret Park for him.

And this promise she had never broken. Not even one day, not for five months. She would never do it.

Sadly, she gets up and turns to the edge of the meadow. How long would it take? She does not care. She would wait.

The thought that he had fallen in the war, hurts. She wanted to cry. Instead, she sits down again on the cool bench and takes her notebook. And she writes:

Dearest Prashay, 

Five months have passed since the day you had to leave me and I'm still hoping for a miracle. 

I sit here day after day and hear your voice call my name in the hope that my wishes will come true. Praying that we will be together at last. Your love has brought me so much warmth and security, even in this situation that I never feel alone. I feel that you are within me.

Every day I read about the War in the newspapers, about the fallen soldiers. Hopefully my love will save you, especially from what might threaten you.

I'll be here, in our park, waiting for you till eternity. 

In everlasting love 

Your Pia. 

Her eyes filled with tears she closes the notebook. As she is about to leave, she sees a shadowy head in the corner of the park. Believing it to be a dream she rubs her eyes, but it was reality. Back there came with a bundle of red roses her beloved Prashay. "Pia", he called out and ran to her. Crying, she stood up, and fell into his arms. She could still not believe it, it was too unreal. For hours, they lay in each other arms and did not let go of each other.

They were lucky. Many young men died that year. It was not a good time for young couples. It was 1999 Kargil war.