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Fireflies


 

Aishwarya Bindana is a twenty-something Designer - Writer - Bookworm - History Enthusiast and Seeker of Random Facts, who is perhaps more comfortable in the world within her words than the one around her. She takes pride in filling awkward silences with random titbits of information. Do visit her Behance page!

 

Her lungs burnt as she willed her legs to continue taking the next step. The sound of her own heavy breathing filled her ears as she desperately looked over her shoulder. Darkness greeted her back; her frantic eyes spotting nothing but tree trunks and the eerie silence of the never-ending night. She couldn’t remember how long she had been running- only that her underused legs ached, and her stomach muscles cramped violently. Barely able to see the moss-covered floor, her bare foot snagged on an upturned root. She tumbled headfirst to the damp ground. With a helpless little sob stuck in her throat she tried to lift herself. The measly little ankle gave under the strain. A fresh set of tears spilled down her pale, dirt smudged cheek at the hopelessness she felt. Balled fists beat the damp soil as her jaw clenched in helpless frustration.


Minutes passed, hours then, until the tears dried, and only dry sobs shook her thin frame. Knees pulled up to her chest, she curled up trying to make herself as small as possible. The pain shooting up from her ankle now distant. The night was cold and dark and endless. The tall trees created a canopy that covered the sky in a world where any source of light was few and far in between. The forest was thriving from the recent showers and damp from the oncoming winter. Shivering, she tried to gather her dirty tattered dress to cover as much as possible, but the flimsy material held little warmth. The wetness of the ground slowly seeped through her dress and began chilling her to the bone. She turned her head to look at the canopy; her mind detaching itself from reality. She could hear the low breeze, feel the chill of it vaguely. Her eyes stayed on the leaves- imagined the rustling lullaby they must be creating. Only the slow thump of heart kept her company in the otherwise silent night. Perhaps it was better that way, the fleeting thought made its way through her mind as her eyelids began to droop and her breathing slowed down.


Days passed, maybe months- with nothing to keep a track of time, it stopped mattering as she slipped in and out of consciousness. Each time her eyelids fluttered open, the forest and the canopy were just as she had left it until she slipped right back under the heavy cloak of sleep. The forest grew as it always did- uncaring of what lived or what died within. The creatures of the night whirling- waiting and watching. Soon the layers of soil and plant would start to grow over her. If she didn’t move- she would become a part of the forest floor. She would remain there in a land where nothing ever truly died and passed on.


She drifted into consciousness for a brief time. Her unfocused gaze latching on to a blurry point of light in the distance. It moved as she watched it blankly. Tired, she closed her eyes again falling back to an unconscious pit almost immediately. Much later, her eyelids slowly slid open. The moving dot of light was still there. Lifting her hand, she tried to rub the illusion from her eyes- the arm dropping like dead weight before she could pull it up to reach her face. The dot moved slowly tracing vague patterns across the darkness. As she watched through half lidded eyes, a second dot appeared and carried on like its predecessor. Curious enough, very slowly, she pushed herself up to her elbows. Her body protested; her muscles weak and tired. Aches formed in different places as she sat up carefully and squinted towards the light. Almost immediately, a few more lit up, moving about lazily in the distance. She continued to stare as they started to move closer. She swallowed, the hair on the back of her neck prickling. Out of nothingness, a figure materialized. Heart pounding in her ears she tried to scoot backward. Her legs lay limp slowing down her movements as the figure moved closer. She watched as it slowly folded inwards to resemble a human crouching down.


Suddenly, a few flecks of light appeared in front of her face, her head reared back in surprise. A shadowy figure in black robes bent down looking at her ankle. The dots of light floated up illuminating her bruised leg. Fingers reached out towards her and she jerked her leg back. A wave of prickling pain washed over her limb as she tried to pull the leg back. Eyes prickling with tears she extended her hand out to ward off any further attempts of contact. He looked up, his eyes trained on her face. A mass of silvery hair covered his forehead complimenting the razor-sharp grey of his eyes. Slowly looking back at her leg, and then up again, he leaned away from her retreating into the darkness. The little dots of light receding with him until they dimmed out. Panic still affront in her eyes; she searched the forest line for any movement. Once satisfied, she let out the breath she did not know she had been holding and looked down at the hand protectively cupping her ankle. Brushing a few wayward strands away with the back of her hand, she carefully placed the throbbing limb more comfortably before lying back down. The last thing she remembered before exhaustion took over was a dot of light in the distance dancing lazily into the night.


Orange burned behind her closed lids, pulling her out of a dreamless sleep. Frowning, she opened her eyes to find a familiar dot of light hovering in front of her face. Almost sensing she was awake, it jerked back before cautiously coming closer to her face once again. Not moving, she watched as it carefully made its way towards her. Slowly, it touched the tip of her nose, staying for a heartbeat before it jerked back to a safe distance again. Confused, she squinted to look at the troublemaker more clearly. Her eyes wandered along the forest line until a slight movement near a tree caught her eye. He was there again. She knew. His presence hung in the damp air. Moments later, she stubbornly laid back down and willed her eyes closed. Orange splashes burned her eyelids each time she closed them now. The trouble-making little dot remained. Every time she opened her eyes from a restless sleep, the little light floated around aimlessly in front of her. Sometimes there were two of them- both putting on a game of catch for her. She never said anything, simply laid there as her eyes tracked their meanderings. Each time, she could feel his presence- not threatening, not coming closer- just there.


She woke to darkness one time. Her eyes taking long to focus to the pitch black that was the forest. No little dots. Panic welled in her chest- heavy and suffocating. Rubbing her fists against her eyes, she struggled to sit up. Breathing heavy and laboured, a sense of loss settled in her gut. The lights were nowhere in sight. Minutes passed as she continued to look for them through the line of trees, trying to pull herself up to her knees. The ankle still throbbed and after a wobbly effort to rise, gave out under the weight again. With a little frustrated cry, she hung her head. She felt it then. She turned her head slowly, to see the shadowy figure mere feet away. He walked silently until he was standing in front of her. Carefully, his form crouched down to her eye level. In the dark, she could vaguely make out his hand reaching towards her face. It stopped a hairs breath away from her cheek. A tiny dot of light drifted up from his palm to light up the space between them. Wide eyed, she looked into his face. He didn’t move, didn’t say a word. Of its own accord, her hand lifted. Before she knew where it was headed, her fingers landed on his forehead in a whisper soft touch. Eyes focused on the movements of this alien hand, she watched her fingertips trace the jagged scar over his brow, across his eye and down his cheek in a reverent little touch. His eyes closed as he remained still. The jarring red scar threw off the otherwise carefully constructed face. It was painful and angry and fresh. The skin around it had only just started to heal, the flesh held together by the tender new skin. His eyes slid open and for a brief instant she glimpsed something before the cool sharp reserve slipped back into place. He looked down as she pulled her hand away; his own reaching out to cradle her ankle.


More dots appeared around them as he turned the injured limb from side to side. She kept her eyes on his bent head- the shadows back in place to hide the hurt side of his face. He rose then, looking down at her with expectant eyes. The little dots flanking him, some peeping over his shoulder, others from around him- all seemingly waiting for her. Looking up at him, she frowned in confusion. He tilted his head gesturing for her to rise. Finally understanding what he meant, she looked back down to her leg. It looked the same to her. Tentatively she moved her toes. She could still feel some residual pain. Swallowing nervously, she looked back at him. And the dots. What a paradox. Cloaked in the darkness yet still carrying around light. He raised an eyebrow in challenge never taking his eyes off her. His hands remained at his sides. With one last look at him, she placed her palms flat on the ground and slowly lifted herself up on her good leg. Shaking like a new-born foal, she rose. Her knees quivering with the sudden activity. A new wave of energy swept through her as she realized she could stand. A smile had only started to lift the corner of her mouth when she placed her bruised ankle to take a step. Pain shot up her leg and it gave out. He caught her, holding her stead and upright. With a surprised gasp, she turned her indignant eyes on him. She expected the ankle to have healed- for him to have magically fixed it. His brows lowered in puzzlement at her offended look. She saw the moment it dawned on him. His lips twitched as if he were trying to bite back a smile. Frowning, she slowly placed her foot down, wincing at the pain. His hands stayed on her arms keeping her steady. Minutes passed as she tried to get accustomed to staying upright. Slowly, the pain receded, and she took in a deep breath. One dot floated up to her eye level tapping her nose and jerking back in the distance enticing her into a game of catch. Smiling at the little troublemaker, she looked up at him again. He stood patiently watching the exchange. Their eyes met, his lighter than she had seen them, and a ghost of a smile sat on his lips. He slid his hands from her elbows only to capture one of her hands in his. He raised it up keeping a firm hold on it and titled his head towards the little dot. Gripping his hand tighter, she took a deep breath and took a shaky step forward.



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