Vanishing Tides (Lonely Hearts) 2

To reach her house it would take eight hours. For some time she could drive and then her dad could. "Seven hours more," thought Red. They had already collected Almond’s luggage from his hostel. The moment he had been waiting for passed and he didn’t even live it. Instead he was struggling in his sleep against the horrid visions that haunted him every time he shut his eyes. It was the side effect of possessing the power of manipulating air and life as well. Red asked Takshak, a strange knot forming in her gut, "Should I... should I take his pulse, dad?" Takshak nodded as he concentrated on the slightly busy road. She looked at him, sleeping, just as she had been taught inspection, labored breathing. She felt his pulse, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5...42. Only 42 in a minute! That was low and thready and disappointing. She told her father to do something about it or go to a hospital. He answered her as if he knew that was coming, "His immune system will take much longer time to kick in than yours..." Red asked him quizzically, "Why is that?" He answered, "He used his power against his will and so his elements don’t co-operate. It’s probably because ever since the hostel authorities came to know about his powers they started using him and it was not once with his will." Takshak was feeling angry and the tension in his neck spelled that. The life of warriors was controlled by their urge to clobber any mortal who threatened them and the fact that they were mortal to mortals and warrior to warriors. It was neither the fault of warriors nor the mortals. Red was recalling the past few hours in a haze. She was gazing outside Almond’s window when she felt him stir, "Al, Al..." she called out and Takshak looked in the front mirror to check. Almond was looking tense in spite of his unconscious state. His breathing quickened and he was trying to voice something, he couldn’t. Red understandably alarmed exclaimed, "Dad! He’s having a panic attack. Dad...!" The car raced past the electric poles and the glimmering trees in the late afternoon. Almond’s condition was going from bad to worse. He was unable to control it. He opened his eyes but he couldn’t see anything. It was all a sunny haze. "Red! Calm him down..." Red looked at her father and said, "But how?" Takshak exclaimed, "Anyhow!" Red tried to get him relaxed, "Al... are you listening? Wake up..." Almond held his head and whispered, "Leave me alone for some time; it’ll ... vanish... soon." Red held his hand for some time and let go when he fell asleep once again. After two more hours, by the time the sun started setting, Red was exhausted from being awake and Almond slept more peacefully this time. Takshak was wearing out and so the car seemed to be slow. Red asked her father to allow her to drive. After a bit of initial hesitation he allowed her. She drove a bit recklessly but that was her way of course. She turned on the air conditioner and asked in general, "Should I put on some music?" Takshak who was sitting on her right said, "Ask your friend, not me." Red asked him, "Al! Hey Al! Wanna listen to some music?" Almond looked up and said, "Um... sure. Could I have some water?" Takshak passed him the plastic bottle and a box of chips. He ignored the chips but gulped down grateful amounts of water.

Almond thought about his friends. What about his belongings? What had happened at the hospital after he passed out? He decided to ask these to Red or to Takshak later on. Red saw that he was spaced out, she wanted to talk to him like they used to before. How he used to listen to her problems, never disclosing his own. Her hands started feeling heavy and she was not able to prevent the bumps or speed breakers. Takshak asked her, "What’s wrong honey? Unable to concentrate on your driving?" Red knew he was going to talk her into leaving the driver’s seat. One more bump and the car groaned. She replied, "No, it’s not that. Just can’t see the road ahead clearly." Almond let out a hurt sound and Takshak immediately turned to see. He had hit his head on the front seat the same place he had got hurt earlier. "Red, you look tired. Sit back and relax, just four hours more. Move to the back seat and catch some sleep," Takshak told her gently. She agreed and they stopped the car for a minute so that Red could move in the back seat. Almond shifted to the left to allow Red to sit with more space. Red gave him a thankful smile and settled down. Almond looked at her, so composed, an icon of friendship and love, his first best and (he hoped) last best friend. Yes, he liked her. Not knowing the rules of friendship or the laws of love and that a fine line differentiated these two elements. Almond shook his head and started smiling with a strange type of feeling in his throat. He was glad to have come along with these two. He would have a family now and more friends. Things would go well not like the past few years. His expression changed from happiness to one of anger. Incredulous doctors trying to save their nose by using a young boy’s strength. And every time he did not co-operate they threatened him. Threats that he would fail, he won’t be allowed to go out with the others and last and the worst – they asked him to disconnect with people. How lonely had he been the day he heard that he had no one in the world to rescue him out of that hell. The feeling of all the hope extinguished, gone with the tears that fell off his burning eyes. The many times he tried to commit suicide, end his existence. And it was not because people were being hurt but because he couldn’t see his body and energy fail him every time he tried to stand up without support a week after the soul transfer. How would he live if it went on in such a pitiful way? Had no one any mercy on him? Who was to blame? Almond felt surrounded by a gradually thickening fog. Things started getting hazy again. Anger dictated his expressions; his tendency to self destruct urging him to hurt himself took over as he started looking dazed again. His hand reached his forehead, the point where it hurt the most. A shooting pain like the one when he had tried to bang his head to death, travelled through him. A teasing, lingering pain. Red saw him through this and went on looking curiously. "Does it hurt?" She asked him. No response. She shifted closer and poked him in the arm, "Al... Does it hurt really badly? Do you want a painkiller?" Almond rudely shook off her hand making her feel like crying, he said, "Leave me alone..." it wasn’t him who spoke it was a voice with an echo, a dangerous edge to it. Takshak screeched the car to a halt and came to Almond’s side; He held Almond’s head and spoke to him firmly but gently, "Stop it. You are harming yourself. Things have changed. I do not ask you to forget the past because it can’t be done. Think about the present and the nice time you’ll have with all of us. Your lovely room is waiting to hold you. So, for now relax. Don’t hurt yourself. You’re safe now. Lie and sleep. NOW". Red knew Takshak could talk to a person who was losing his head and calm him down. Something that was far from what Red could do. She saw his body ease slowly as the tension left him. Takshak informed Red as she watched over him, "He is going to collapse in a minute or two. Let him sleep for the next one hour not more than that lest he goes into the past again. I’ll be stopping at Stars hotel and get something to eat for all of us. What do you want?" Red knew Takshak was tense and that she should be helpful, "I’d like one pizza with chicken topping and another with mushroom topping, for Almond." Red looked at a fallen tree in the field nearby. She looked at Almond; he swayed a bit and fell sideways in an awkward angle because of Red sitting there. She shifted more towards the window so that he could straighten a bit with his head in her lap. Every now and then she felt him move his hand so she held his hand and with the other hand patted his shoulder softly. Takshak switched on the C.D. player and played a soothing song Red liked. With the beats Red looked on outside in the darkening sky, unconsciously stroking Almond’s really long hair. She too fell asleep resting over his shoulder.

Takshak glanced at the sleeping duo, he wanted to lose himself in the breeze but he knew a job was on hand, considering his rumbling stomach. He shook his head and continued driving. Another five minutes and they would reach the hotel. In Red’s language he had already started the cephalic phase of gastric digestion. He laughed at himself and looked lovingly at his daughter in the mirror. He could see some lights near the corner. Takshak gently woke up Red and told her that he would be going to get dinner and asked her to try and wake up Almond. She sleepily nodded and yawned as she saw Takshak leave. When she bent to get the water bottle she felt a tug at her hand and realised Almond was in her lap. After taking a sip from the bottle she said to him, "Al! Wake up. Al... Wake up, hellllloooo..." Almond opened his eyes slightly and replied, "What’s up, love? I mean Red?" Clearly embarrassed he promptly looked outside and said to her in a voice Red had longed to hear, "Thanks... for being there for me." Red smiled and stroked his hair once again as she saw him smile secretly too.