In A New City <Part - 2>

Part 2 - Around the corner...

<Please read my previous story with the same title part 1 to connect with this part....>

With all my gears on, I was all set to explore the new world awaiting me. Overloaded with the heavy jacket and the new boots, my first few steps must have looked like an astronaut doing a moonwalk. I was placing my steps carefully on the fresh snow so that I dont fall and get embarrassed. Within a few minutes, I got accustomed and was able to walk properly.

A few steps further, there was an intersection. One was leading to a park where the local kids were playing with the fresh snow. The other path which was a little deserted was leading to a bridge. I looked at both sides and decided to explore the one less crowded.

The beauty of being new to any place, you have a lot of things to do and a lot of things to explore. Moving around a new neighbourhood, without a valid network has its own charm. You can enjoy the walk without getting disturbed by phone calls. No WhatsApp buzz, messages nor any untimely office calls can bother you. I somehow liked this feeling, though I am a kind of phone addict. It felt like I am back in the '90s where no one tracks you based on a GPS. Though this state of mine is just for 1-2 days, after which I need to have a valid SIM and get back to the network zone.

 While thinking of all these, I reached the start of the bridge. These bridges here are not like what we have in India and each bridge I have seen here so far is an architectural beauty. This bridge was also a well-maintained walking bridge, painted red in colour with lamp posts at each end of the bridge. Moreover, it was decorated with hanging pots with bright yellow flowers hanging down the railing. The complete view was so mesmerizing, that I got lost for a few seconds. After a moment I took out my mobile and started taking pictures. Each angel looked awesome and each snap was picture perfect. I planned to upload a few of them on insta once I am back in my apartment. At the end of the bridge, there was a small seating area with some fixed benches and bleachers. The lamp post near to those benches had started glowing by then to indicate it's time for sundown. I looked back to find about my whereabouts and could still locate my apartment which is just a few lanes away. Without a Google map, I didn't feel right to wander further in this new place and hence decided to relax some time on one of those benches.

I moved to one of the benches near the railing. Moved my eyes up to check the weather to find out the sky turning dark and the shining stars indicated there may not be further snowfall in the evening. The heap of fresh snow around the lamppost had started glittering by then with the reflection of light. From a distance, It felt like shimmering gold dust. I got up and went straight towards the snow heap to have a feel of it. To have a better feel of the first snow of the season, I took out my gloves and took some snow from the heap. At first, the snow dissolved due to the warmness of my hands which was just out of the gloves. If reflection I threw the snow-turned-water and after realizing what just happened, I started laughing. Sometimes spending time with self can be much more relaxing. I carefully took the next ounce of snow and this time was able to hold it for a longer time. They were as smooth as sand, flowing out of my hands whenever I was trying to hold them tight to create an iceball. Like a kid, I was engrossed in playing with the snow and making small iceballs. While holding some more snow, I moved towards the bridge railing. This time I wanted to have a look at the small cannel that was passing under it. I bent down, to find the water was crystal clear and was literally mirroring the sky. Everything there was so peaceful and calming. I kept gazing at it for a few more minutes and got lost in its silence. Maybe I got lost in some parallel thoughts while my eyes were glued to the flowing water.

A sudden buzz in my phone got me back to my real self. I was shocked at how my phone could ring without a network. A few seconds later I realised that I was in a free wifi zone and my phone got connected to that automatically. My phone screen was flashing a WhatsApp call from a known person.

I took a pause for a moment, to decide whether to pick the call or not. The moment just before was so perfect where I was lost in the beauty of this new town, and now this call is interrupting my small "me time" and trying to pull me back to the same world. The same world where I have a lot of feelings to bury. I preferred not to answer the call and continued with my neighbourhood exploration. 

The phone rang for the 2nd time, and this time without thinking further I put it on silent and continued gazing at the water.

A sudden voice from the back broke the momentum with a question "Are you not going to pick my call, Sachi ? ".

I froze. I was not expecting this voice, at this place, at this time. I was not at all expecting him to be standing behind me at this very moment. I was not having the courage to turn back and face him. Like the numb lamp post, I kept staring at the water. I could only feel the sense of him coming closer, crossing me and then moving towards my left. Further, I felt he stood a meter away from me while leaning on the railing and face towards me. In the cold evening of -3°C, I started sweating. I closed my eyes swiftly to pray god to turn this whole thing into a dream or make it my illusion.

Seconds later I opened my eyes with the hope that my prayer was answered. I slowly turned towards my left, only to find out he is still standing there at the same spot, facing me and looking at my face constantly.

Maybe he was reading my face.......