The Bond || ONC2022

Chapter 4

Bhallar wrapped a turban over his head and swung the longer end over his shoulder. His latest companion, Bur, was slower than his last one, Zor, which was saying something. Imagine a six-month-old crawling; that is how fast Zor was.

"I don't mean to pressurize you, my lovely, but I am in a hurry." The aspiring bounty hunter caressed Bur's hump lovingly; the camel bleated. It sounded like a moan.

The sexy kind.

It made the young man feel lonely for just a moment. He shook his head. Since the age of ten, he knew he could never lead a 'normal' life. Even if he was to succeed in his plans, the chances of which were a smidgen less than impossible, the sacrifices he would have to make would leave him-

"Hey!"

A somewhat familiar voice stopped his descent into the valley of pessimism: the dark place in the physician's head.

Bhallar glanced at his compass before turning to look behind him.

The man who had saved him from the dark place in his mind wore a turban similar to Bhallar's, except that it looked new (or at least, washed) and covered everything except his eyes.

The said man caught up with him moments later. His eyes reflected Ra's rays and shone.

Bhallar was mesmerized. He couldn't have seen what he thought he had, right?

'Nah. It must be Ra's rays playing tricks on me.' The physician concluded and bowed politely, "Sir, did you mean to call me?"

"I think you dropped this." The man replied, holding out a pouch to the latter.

Bhallar's lips fell open. He didn't have to tap the front of his robes to confirm that the pouch in the man's hand was his, yet he did it anyway.

The physician snatched the item with a force that its contents didn't warrant, or so the latter thought.

The green-eyed man raised his brow. Curious. 'They are just candies. Why did he snatch them off of me like they were his life's savings?" he contemplated, watching Bhallar cradle the pouch to his chest and look at him with tears in his eyes.

"Thank you, good sir. I owe you a favor. I don't know when or how, but I will repay your kindness."

The physician's words confused the latter more than his actions had. There was definitely something he was missing. 'Maybe it's not what's in it, but the item itself.' he guessed again.

He was closer to the truth this time around. The pouch that was now nestled against Bhallar's chest was the last gift his sister had given him before disappearing. On it, Mayeen had embroidered the first alphabets of their names. She had intertwined them so seamlessly that it was impossible to tell where one ended and where the other began. The thread the girl had used was similar to the color of her eyes: golden.

'Dada, I made it for you. Do you like it?'

'Beautiful, just like you, little sister.'

'I am not little anymore. I am capable of looking after myself. Don't worry about me, alright?'

'You are my little sister; I will always worry about you.'

'In that case, think of this as an extension of me.'

'I don't understand, Mayeen.'

'You can't stay with us forever. And I know you miss us. If you keep this with you, it will be like I am there with you. That way, you won't ever be alone.'

'I won't ever be alone?'

'No. You won't. Our bond won't let that happen. I promise.'

'Our bond?'