Ishq Kinara[Love Ashore] Complete

40. Life as it comes

January 2022

The familiar black gate in the lane of Jauhar was right in front of her. She stood barefoot but the ground was covered in grass. The sun was there at the horizon and everything around was made of glass, the sun rays were reflecting over the surface and brightening everything some more. It was surreal, so telling how out of the world this whole setting was.

She was rooted to her spot. Clad in a long gown with her hair in a loose braid. She looked at herself in one of the mirrors in the street.

It seemed like she had just been off the stage.

The door to the house rattled. She flinched but turned towards it. The familiarity of it was like a homecoming. She held the doorknob in her hand and tried savouring the feel of it. Pushing the door open, she stood in the narrow hallway.

It was as they've left it.

She took a step forward. The fabric of her gown was trailing behind her. Could she ever come home like this? Head to toe in her theater stage glory. But she wasn't hiding. There was no fear in her heart. No fear to be seen, to be spotted and to be banished.

She could hear voices. The dining area and the lounge were silent, not a single person in the sight but she knew there were people around. Happy murmuring and concealed laughter could be heard. She could hear it. So clear. Like the glass the buildings around were made of. But this house was the same. Same as she had left it. The door of her room was right there at the end of the hallway. And she realized the happy whispers were coming from there only. Not only that, voices, clear as she got nearer.

Her parents' and then another voice. As if they were waiting for her.

She stood outside and contemplated opening the door when she heard the faint click. No one came out but the creak started getting wider. The room was illuminated in a strange way. There was so much light but it didn't blind her. It was reaching her in waves and seemed to make her float.

And then she saw someone coming out of that room. A hand was extended. She recognized it. How could she ever forget it?

She felt her eyes prickling. Not with the moisture of pain. But with tears of happiness. And then she raised her own hand to grip the one that she should've never left.

Her fingers had barely made contact with the palm when the hand got lost and in a whirlwind everything else started spinning as well.

And she screamed.

With a start, Elaf got up. Her breathing was heavy. She immediately looked around and on finding herself in her bed, she sighed. Relief was filling her every pore.

It was just a dream.

Like many she had had over the years.

Her hand touched her face moving the stray locks away to see clear. Her heart rate was slowing down as she got relaxed. Picking up the glass of water from the table, she took two sips then put it back.

She sat there on her bed. Her blanket was haphazardly covering her torso. It was the starting week of January and these were the coldest days of the season. Elaf glanced at her phone.

Only five minutes for her alarm to go off. She sighed. She couldn't go back to sleep now. Opening her phone, she turned the alarm off and putting on her cardigan, got out of the bed.

That was a weird dream. Far from even the tiniest semblance of reality. But they say we see in dreams what we can't have in reality and that's what the dream was about.