A Heart That Bleeds

Chapter One

Thank you to each one of you for selecting this story. A virtual hug from my side to you all.

So now let's begin the emotional journey of Manik and Nandini. Keep your tissues handy as you all will need it soon ;)

Flashback and the character's monologue will be italicised!

Inline comments are welcomed ❤️

A storm causes destruction that time heals but the storm brewing in the heart remains unhealed for years to come!

On a stormy snowy night when there wasn't a single soul traversing the path that would remain populated in normal days, twenty five year old, Nandini Murthy, chose the narrow path that would help her reach her destination sooner. She hadn't expected a snowstorm at this moment but living in the Himalayas she knew such things would come on your way univited.

Clutching her dupatta and the shopping bag to her bosoms she paced up lighting the torch she always carried with her whenever she went to the local bazar. It was quiet early, just eight o' clock, but the storm made it look like midnight with no one to give her company along the lonely stretch.

The crooked oak branches reached out to her as if to make some companionship but the one who avoided the company of humans how could someone expect that she would accept the offer of these mute friends. Avoiding them, she marched towards the road that wounded up the hill and levelled out at the top.

It was a wild night, wind moaning, trees lashing themselves in a frenzy and the thick snow covering the road in no time. Loneliness stretched ahead of her, a loneliness of the heart and a physical loneliness as well.

She crossed the bend alongside the stream and there in the streak of lightening she found a boy clinging to a deodar tree. It was weird to find someone in the forest at this time especially in the whirling snow. Stories of spirits came to her mind and her heart thumped hard. But pretending some boldness she raised her torch at the figure. The light beams focussing on the tall figure showed that the boy was scribbling something on the tree. Stepping towards the boy, she found him scribbling the letters M × N on the tree trunk with the help of a pebble.

"What are you doing here when you should be at home?" She dared to ask.

The boy was startled due to the sudden intrusion of a stranger. He turned and looked up to her. Observing his frame Nandini thought he was hardly seventeen.

"This was her favourite tree amongst all. Everyday she used to come here and we used to play hide and seek in this area and she always used to hide behind this tree." He remembered the memories with a tinge of melancholy in his voice.

"Did you guys break up?" Nandini asked hugging her sweater.

"No she died two days ago in an accident!" He said blankly. Nandini's eyes welled up hearing the sad news.

"I'm sorry! How old was she? What was her name?" She asked with a lump in her throat.

"Her name was Nandini and she was just fifteen!"

The boy answered and returned to what he was doing. Nandini gasped hearing the name. Why did girls named Nandini meet the same fate? Of course this was a different case unlike hers but still those Nandinis never received the share of true love!

"What's your name boy?" She asked swallowing the lump in her throat.

"Manik!" He said giving a finishing touch to the letters M×N on the trunk brushing aside the snow.

What a coincidence!

This Manik and Nandini both were victims of an emotion that's named love by the masses except this Manik was a stark contrast to the Manik she had loved.