The Fence

The Fence

She walks forward with the wind to her face as the tears run down her cheeks. She walks with no strength. There is No graceful swift in the hair blowing up at her face. Nothing like what's seen in the movies, or what's written in books. She doesn't wear a light flowing dress of cotton, but she is bare footed with tethered clothes walking towards the edge of death and beyond hell. She is real. She is what can't be imagined.

Beauty isn't a factor. She doesn't have those deep green emerald eyes that can tangle someone in luxury. Her nails are white and almost gone. Biting has brought blood. This blood is a new wonder to someone who never left comfort, not till now. This woman isn't a little innocent girl or a beautiful damsel in distress. The event of her suicide isn't like 1857 Revolution or the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. It's a thing of rejoice.

She loves. She cares and holds what is true to her heart. The woman is Pia Khan. Short hair. No exotic colors just plain black. Her lips trembled as she sobbed loudly. Torned Salwar-Kameez covered her body. Dirt stains imprinted on it randomly. Teary eyed she walked towards the fence. Barbed wire entwined it.

Warning signs of not crossing the LOC is spread across the fence.

On the other side of the fence is a man in a white Kurta-Pyjama. He too is walking towards the fence with a sad look on his thinned face. A sad smile crosses his face when he sees Pia. This man is Prashay Singh.

He walks slowly, as though it pains him to move. He stops in mid stride and coughs violently. Pia runs to him with  fear embedded in the lines of her face. She stops when she reaches the fence making sure not to touch it. Prashay too attempts to run, he reaches the fence and looks at Pia. He sighs. Light is lit in the hollow holes of his eyes.

"You look beautiful Pia." utters the man.

Pia looks at Prashay. Tears flowing from her eyes. She loves hearing his voice;  loves the way his lips form the words and the deep soft melody they made. Her heart races watching him stand so near but so far, she wishes she could hold him once more.

Now, she remembers the plan. The plan that will make them together forever. An endless life together in the land of God. Hand-in-hand. Heart-to-heart. Forever.

"I love you." He doesn't know what to do. Prashay's heart breaks in two. He wishes to hold her soft hands that always brought him to the luxury of no fear and worry. He misses his Pia. The division of counrty has broken many spirits, and so has the rioters killing. Prashay cries, tears breaking lose from the fold of his eye lids.

"I love you too Prashay. We will stay together in the hands of God. No one will keep us apart. Neither India nor Pakistan and neither this fence."

They stepped closer to the fence. Prashay falls to his knees and stares at Pia.

Pia wiped away her tears. She bent her head down to the fence. Prashay does the same. They move their hands to the fence close together and cross the fence to the vast stretch of emptiness between them. Sirens are rung, warning Pia and Prashay to stop moving.

"Stop or you will be shot." Warns the soldiers.

"Pia. I am glad I got to die with the one I love. I know now that you're safe from with me."

They run towards each-other while the soldiers of both countries set them ablaze with guns. Blood spilled, legs shivered and they fell. Their hands stretching towards each-other.

They lost. Their Love lost. The Hate had finally divided a country in two.