Vanishing Tides 14 (Together Forever)
This is the end of "Vanishing Tides". Thank you for reading my first complete novel. Hope you liked it.
TOGETHER FOREVER (THE END):
Almond jogged along the Zane River. He recalled how Tess and Zhi had drowned in that river. That was almost five years back. He pushed out the hair from his eyes. The barber had trimmed his hair the previous day. It had taken hours to smooth out all that hair which reached his waist. He had braided it and gone for his daily walk. It was perhaps the only time in the day when he didn't have body guards around. Sherry and Cleo were desperate for Red to return so they could have an official engagement ceremony. Zhi and Tess were still in the first year of their college lives. Tess was in the same class as Carlon. Zhi was in the same college but a different branch. Carlon took his time in telling Tess about his feelings but tell he did. Almond had prepared his bag, to travel to the world where he was born, where his Queen was, where Red was. He had visited her three times before. He wanted to contact her more often, but being the king of such a massive empire wasn't exactly the most leisurely thing around. That afternoon he crossed the vanishing tides and laid flowers in memory of the first house he could call his own. The flame mansion had perished soon after the war, and all the teammates had moved on. Almond caught the luxury bus to Red's place. She lived in a beautifully spacious apartment near the hospital in which she worked. Dr. Red Simon. She had wanted to change Simon to Ato some time ago but then she would have to leave her studies, something she wasn't willing to do. And so, it had remained, Red Simon.
Red stood in the elevator with her colleague Charlotte. She looked at Red suspiciously, Red said meekly, "What?" Charlotte lifted a well shaped eyebrow and replied, "Are you sure you are fine?" Red said in a tired voice, "Three more hours to go. I'll go through, don't worry, I'm fine." Charlotte said teasingly, "Missing your boyfriend, are you?" Red blushed and said, "He isn't my boyfriend! He's my best friend." She continued in her teasing tone, "What was his name...?" Red rolled her eyes as a nurse glanced towards them and chided, "Are you nuts? Let's save the conversation for the café," Charlotte said brightly, "Ah! Yes, Almond nut. Why not hazel nut or maybe walnut?" She giggled as Red too exhausted to laugh gave a weak smile. After checking on a burns victim, Red walked towards the ladies' common room. She had been feeling giddy and sick that whole week. Her nightmares were leading to panic attacks and she always woke up with blood vomiting. Her fear of the truth being exposed did not allow her to see a doctor. What would she say? 'Hey Doc! I guess I am sick because I have been living on half a soul since five years'. Unless she reached her kingdom there was no way she could have her soul back. Almond would have to transmit part of his soul regularly for her to have a complete soul. She felt her eyesight dimming. Why was this happening during the day time? She flailed for a grip on the bed near her. But her hands slipped and she fell down unconscious on the floor. Charlotte's younger sister who was an intern in the same place saw her drop down. Alarmed she rushed to her and asked a nurse to call a senior doctor.
Red opened her eyes and tugged at her hand, it had an intravenous drip attached. Charlotte was sitting next to her, casually reading a newspaper. She saw Red stir and stood up to check on her. Red asked as she approached, "What happened, Charlotte?" She stroked her head and said, "Something is not quite right with your immune system, you know? You were out cold for four hours; my sister went home so I'm going to give you a drop home." Red filled with gratitude for both the sisters said, "Thanks, I can drive back home." Charlotte said expressively, "You are running a high temperature. The doctor said he would like to have you here under observation but I received an urgent call from some unknown number asking your whereabouts. I was a bit rude, so say sorry to that person. He just had to deliver some papers to you. He's outside your door, waiting from the past three hours...." Red thought, 'I wonder who it could be, duh! Don't tell me it's that love crazy intern again'. She probably thought of Jonathan an intern who had a huge crush on her. Shrugging she got in her car on the passenger side. She did have a fever and she wasn't in a shape to drive a car. She felt so drained of energy and hope. She wanted to go to her kingdom more than anything. The trauma of seeing patients in really bad shape was getting to her. It happened to quite a few of the young doctors in the emergency ward. Before long, her building came up. Charlotte left her car and her in the building and after receiving a pompous thanks from Red caught a bus home. Red dragged herself along the stairs, the damned elevator wasn't working. She reached her floor and saw a shadowy figure sitting on the steps. She said politely, still her voice seemed like a ragged whisper, "Excuse me, and were you the one looking for me? Sorry for making you wait so long...." Her voice trailed off as her legs buckled under her. she groaned, "Should have stayed at the hospital." She heard a voice she had been longing to hear, "What's wrong, Red?" Red looked up and crying fell into his open arms saying, "Al! Why did you take so long to come this time?" He hugged her as if there wasn't going to be another time and said, "You are burning, Red? Are you with me, Red? Red?" She'd fallen asleep then and there. He carried her into the house and waited for her to wake up so he could tell her the one thing he wanted to - he wasn't going to leave without her this time.
TWO YEARS LATER:
Red stood on her toes and hugged Almond. It was going to be the most memorable day of her life. Her dream was coming true. Sherry cradled her infant softly and said pleasantly, "Red, you excited?" Red adjusted her tiara and said, "Sure thing! Cleo was asking for you some time ago, did you meet up with him?" Sherry nodded positively and said, "We have a little something planned for you both. Hope you will like it!"
There were thousands of guests, all looking their best. Red was glowing as she walked down the aisle with Tess as the flower girl and some little bride's maid. The wedding was a beautiful affair. Red waited for Sherry and Cleo's surprise. Her eyes filled with tears when she saw Takshak and his wife walk towards them along with the previous King and Queen. Though they appeared ethereal the chance to communicate with them seemed good enough for tears of happiness to flow free. Almond looked at his bride- his first friend, best friend... for life.
And thus ends the story of VANISHING TIDES, together forever.
DEDICATED TO:
My monozygotic twin Shivali Srivastava...
My evergreen best friend Kanimozhi...
And my inspirational best friend Madhumitha.
THANK YOU
Almond jogged along the Zane River. He recalled how Tess and Zhi had drowned in that river. That was almost five years back. He pushed out the hair from his eyes. The barber had trimmed his hair the previous day. It had taken hours to smooth out all that hair which reached his waist. He had braided it and gone for his daily walk. It was perhaps the only time in the day when he didn't have body guards around. Sherry and Cleo were desperate for Red to return so they could have an official engagement ceremony. Zhi and Tess were still in the first year of their college lives. Tess was in the same class as Carlon. Zhi was in the same college but a different branch. Carlon took his time in telling Tess about his feelings but tell he did. Almond had prepared his bag, to travel to the world where he was born, where his Queen was, where Red was. He had visited her three times before. He wanted to contact her more often, but being the king of such a massive empire wasn't exactly the most leisurely thing around. That afternoon he crossed the vanishing tides and laid flowers in memory of the first house he could call his own. The flame mansion had perished soon after the war, and all the teammates had moved on. Almond caught the luxury bus to Red's place. She lived in a beautifully spacious apartment near the hospital in which she worked. Dr. Red Simon. She had wanted to change Simon to Ato some time ago but then she would have to leave her studies, something she wasn't willing to do. And so, it had remained, Red Simon.
Red stood in the elevator with her colleague Charlotte. She looked at Red suspiciously, Red said meekly, "What?" Charlotte lifted a well shaped eyebrow and replied, "Are you sure you are fine?" Red said in a tired voice, "Three more hours to go. I'll go through, don't worry, I'm fine." Charlotte said teasingly, "Missing your boyfriend, are you?" Red blushed and said, "He isn't my boyfriend! He's my best friend." She continued in her teasing tone, "What was his name...?" Red rolled her eyes as a nurse glanced towards them and chided, "Are you nuts? Let's save the conversation for the café," Charlotte said brightly, "Ah! Yes, Almond nut. Why not hazel nut or maybe walnut?" She giggled as Red too exhausted to laugh gave a weak smile. After checking on a burns victim, Red walked towards the ladies' common room. She had been feeling giddy and sick that whole week. Her nightmares were leading to panic attacks and she always woke up with blood vomiting. Her fear of the truth being exposed did not allow her to see a doctor. What would she say? 'Hey Doc! I guess I am sick because I have been living on half a soul since five years'. Unless she reached her kingdom there was no way she could have her soul back. Almond would have to transmit part of his soul regularly for her to have a complete soul. She felt her eyesight dimming. Why was this happening during the day time? She flailed for a grip on the bed near her. But her hands slipped and she fell down unconscious on the floor. Charlotte's younger sister who was an intern in the same place saw her drop down. Alarmed she rushed to her and asked a nurse to call a senior doctor.
Red opened her eyes and tugged at her hand, it had an intravenous drip attached. Charlotte was sitting next to her, casually reading a newspaper. She saw Red stir and stood up to check on her. Red asked as she approached, "What happened, Charlotte?" She stroked her head and said, "Something is not quite right with your immune system, you know? You were out cold for four hours; my sister went home so I'm going to give you a drop home." Red filled with gratitude for both the sisters said, "Thanks, I can drive back home." Charlotte said expressively, "You are running a high temperature. The doctor said he would like to have you here under observation but I received an urgent call from some unknown number asking your whereabouts. I was a bit rude, so say sorry to that person. He just had to deliver some papers to you. He's outside your door, waiting from the past three hours...." Red thought, 'I wonder who it could be, duh! Don't tell me it's that love crazy intern again'. She probably thought of Jonathan an intern who had a huge crush on her. Shrugging she got in her car on the passenger side. She did have a fever and she wasn't in a shape to drive a car. She felt so drained of energy and hope. She wanted to go to her kingdom more than anything. The trauma of seeing patients in really bad shape was getting to her. It happened to quite a few of the young doctors in the emergency ward. Before long, her building came up. Charlotte left her car and her in the building and after receiving a pompous thanks from Red caught a bus home. Red dragged herself along the stairs, the damned elevator wasn't working. She reached her floor and saw a shadowy figure sitting on the steps. She said politely, still her voice seemed like a ragged whisper, "Excuse me, and were you the one looking for me? Sorry for making you wait so long...." Her voice trailed off as her legs buckled under her. she groaned, "Should have stayed at the hospital." She heard a voice she had been longing to hear, "What's wrong, Red?" Red looked up and crying fell into his open arms saying, "Al! Why did you take so long to come this time?" He hugged her as if there wasn't going to be another time and said, "You are burning, Red? Are you with me, Red? Red?" She'd fallen asleep then and there. He carried her into the house and waited for her to wake up so he could tell her the one thing he wanted to - he wasn't going to leave without her this time.
TWO YEARS LATER:
Red stood on her toes and hugged Almond. It was going to be the most memorable day of her life. Her dream was coming true. Sherry cradled her infant softly and said pleasantly, "Red, you excited?" Red adjusted her tiara and said, "Sure thing! Cleo was asking for you some time ago, did you meet up with him?" Sherry nodded positively and said, "We have a little something planned for you both. Hope you will like it!"
There were thousands of guests, all looking their best. Red was glowing as she walked down the aisle with Tess as the flower girl and some little bride's maid. The wedding was a beautiful affair. Red waited for Sherry and Cleo's surprise. Her eyes filled with tears when she saw Takshak and his wife walk towards them along with the previous King and Queen. Though they appeared ethereal the chance to communicate with them seemed good enough for tears of happiness to flow free. Almond looked at his bride- his first friend, best friend... for life.
And thus ends the story of VANISHING TIDES, together forever.
DEDICATED TO:
My monozygotic twin Shivali Srivastava...
My evergreen best friend Kanimozhi...
And my inspirational best friend Madhumitha.
THANK YOU
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