"Not here. Not even here."
I got in the car and moved to another location.
"Not even here."
I looked everywhere around but couldn't find a trace of her. Suddenly, it started raining. I got into the car before it poured all over me. I hope she is at a safe spot. Or else, it might be dangerous for her.
I looked at my phone. There was still no response to my calls. I looked at the messages, but there was no reply to those either.
"Please be safe, Samayra."
I hoped as I desperately closed my eyes.
My forehead was shrieking with an intense headache. I tried to look for her in every place, but there were no clues of her being anywhere. It had already been more than an hour of finding her. Could it be that she was okay and her girlfriend had forgiven her? But still, if it was like that, then why wasn't there any response?
I looked at my phone as I remembered the time I was at home and found her pendant.
"Hello."
"Sorry, Miraj. I guess tonight you have to handle everything on your own."
"Wait, what happened?"
"I have to solve a problem."
After disconnecting the call with Miraj, I looked at her pendant again. It reminded me of the time when it got stuck in my locket and I was trying to untangle it. That moment when I was so close to her—that was a really intense feeling for me. As I tried to take it out, for a second, my eyes met with hers. I was so flustered at that moment; my heartbeat raised. I guess she didn't notice it. In fact, the whole time, she was sitting still, not responding in any way. I wondered what she was looking at or what she was wondering. As I untangled it, she was smiling in a flustered manner. I didn't know what had happened to her or why she had reacted like that, but looking at her gave me a sense of comfort.
I don't know why, but every time I was with her, it really felt good.
"I guess I shall make one call at least."
I smiled before looking at my phone. I knew what she had said, but it might be okay—she could forgive me for once. And on top of everything, she even had to come back to get this pendant back. I shall tell her. I took my phone and called her, but there was no response.
I got a little bit sad, looking at my phone again and again. I decided to drop a message.
*Sent*
Maybe I could get a reply in a little time. But I didn't. Already half an hour had passed since my last call and I hadn't heard anything from her. I sat down and my legs couldn't stop shaking up and down. Tension was rising in my head. I asked myself, Is everything really okay? I didn't know about it, but what I could do was try once more. I took my phone and called her multiple times, but there was no response.
When I was about to give up, I finally heard a voice. I thought it was her. In a desperate and angry tone, I asked,
"Where are you, and why weren't you answering me?"
But I was wrong; it was the AI voice. I again lost my hope the moment I heard the words:
'The number you have dialled is switched off. Please try again later.'
My eyes shook at the call. I couldn't think straight. Why could her phone be switched off? I ran to my room and desperately wore my jacket. Running down in a hurry, I tried finding my car keys.
"Where is it? Where is it?"
I just saw them a while ago and now I can't find them. When you need something, you will never be able to find it. I looked with so much hurry that I threw everything here and there without even knowing. In all the ruckus, I finally found it—it was all along right in front of my eyes. As I took them, I saw lightning.
*Thunder**Thunder*
I just hoped she was not in any trouble for the time being. I took an umbrella just in case and left the home. As I drove my car, I looked at my phone again and again.
"Just wait, Samayra. I will find you."
[Dylan snaps back as he remembers he still needs to find Samayra.]
I started to remember all the places that could be left or the places that I might have forgotten. But nothing was coming to my mind. Think carefully—what could be missing?
I first drove to the doll museum, the place where there might be the highest chances of finding her, but she was not there. After that, I went to the café, but there were also no clues of her.
"Where could you be?"
I took my phone and again tried to call her, but she was not picking up. It was still telling me that her phone was switched off. I then drove to the market, but she was not there. After looking at all the places, I was slowly losing hope.
It was all happening just like the last time. The only difference was that, at that moment, I found her, but this time I didn't know where to look anymore. I was so sad that no words came out of my mouth.
Suddenly, I saw something and stopped the car. I came out in desperation and saw someone—a woman—walking on the footbridge. I was very happy after finding her. I was only able to see her from the back, but the clothes she was wearing were the same as hers. I screamed in desperation.
"Samayra, Stop!"
But she didn't listen. I ran towards her and tried to call out her name again and again, but she was not looking at me. I wasn't able to understand what was happening. I tried to find the start of the staircase to climb up there.
"Where? Where? There it is."
As I got to the main area, I ran up and saw that she was about to get off on the other side. I ran with full force. You have to stop, please stop now. I got to the other end, but she had already climbed down. Why isn't she listening to me? Does she not want to see me or what? Is it really Samayra, or am I running behind somebody else? I have to get to her to find the answer.
As I started walking down, my foot slipped, and I fell down the stairs.
*Thung**Thud*
"Ouchh, Ouchhh, Ouchhh."
I stood up and looked around. I could see her going on the footpath in front of me. I tried to get up, but I was seriously injured in my back. Not only that, I looked at my left hand and it was in too much pain from the fall. I still gotta get her, no matter how it is.
I stood up and walked in pain. My left hand wasn't able to let me run. I held it with my other hand and walked towards her. Yes, I am so close to her—just a little bit more, just a bit. I came up to her and put my hand on her shoulder.
"Samayra."
She turned around, and what I saw disappointed me. It wasn't Samayra. It was someone else.
"Who are you?"
She looked at me in a confused manner.
"Are you trying to find someone?"
I looked at her, and I was not able to believe my eyes. She was wearing the same clothes as Samayra, but she was some other person. I looked at the ground with sadness.
"I am sorry. Sorry for disturbing you."
I turned around and left. She kept on calling me, but I didn't turn back at the sound of her voice.
I got into my car and drove. Where are you? Why is everything happening like this? Why am I not able to find you? If you are okay, please tell me. If you are not, then still tell me. I want your safety more than anything right now.
I was in so much anger that I didn't even look at the speed at which I was going. I was at more than 80km/hr. I didn't listen to anything and drove without even thinking about what was coming.
*Honk**Honk*
The sidecars honked at me. I didn't stop for that and just drove without any fear. Suddenly, a truck came in front of me. It honked crazily to get me to pull aside. At the last moment, when we were about to crash, the light from the headlights of the truck blinded my face. I snapped back and suddenly turned the car. Because it was raining so much, the car slipped aggressively and crashed.
*Slip*
*Screech*
My head bumped into the steering wheel. It was hurting too much. As I wiped my head, I saw blood dripping from one side of my forehead. I didn't know if it was severe or not, but that was not something I had time to think about.
I looked out of the window. The rain was getting heavier and heavier with every minute; not only that, but the wind was also storming. I looked around and realized I was at the river's bridge. The river was also flowing in an aggressive manner. I didn't even realize when I had gotten here. My car was crashed into the poles of the bridge. The headlights were gone, its bonnet was twisted in a gruesome manner, and the speedometer was broken. How did that happen? I realized that if I had been a little bit faster than this, I could have broken the bars and literally fallen into the river with my car. The thought of falling sent a chill down my spine. I didn't know if the engine was still working or not, since it had crashed so badly.
I turned the keys and the engine responded. I was so thankful that at least it was still working. But one thing came into my mind, and I didn't even know what to do.
"Hey."
"…."
"Hey, Hey."
In a black void with nothing to see, everything was just fading like it was never meant to be close to me. A boy walked up to me.
"Why are you like this right now? You knew it was like this."
He tried to call out to me, but I didn't respond. I was sitting with my hands folded around my legs. With my head shoved down between them, I was not able to look up. That kid called me again.
"Just get up and live your life. Like you were living until now."
"….."
"Geez, what will happen to you?"
He turned around and sighed in a repulsive manner.
"You are always gonna be alone in yourself, then why push it?"
As he moved, I grabbed his hand. He looked at me in confusion. I didn't stand up, nor did I look into his eyes. I just glared down before attempting anything.
"You think nothing will change, right?"
"…."
"I guess you are correct. You know what? Nothing will change until I cut myself from you."
As I said those words, I looked at him in anger and held his throat firmly.
"If it all has to end, then it has to be like this."
I choked him brutally, trying to take his life away. Suddenly, a voice poured into my ears. A familiar desperate cry.
"NO."
I snapped back into reality and saw myself crying. I was crying in agony. Without any second thought, I was about to do something that shouldn't have happened. I looked out and, in a moment, I stopped.
I saw a figure across the bridge. As I looked at her walking, I got out of my car and jumped across the road toward the other side. Hoping for her, I hurried over there.
*Sob**Sob*
As she wiped her tears, I looked at her with intense focus. This time it was her. I have found you, Samayra.
I walked towards her slowly before calling her name. In the moment of silence, I saw her walking with trembling feet.
"Sam."
I spoke to her, but she didn't respond. She was walking with bare feet, her clothes all rumpled over in the rain, wearing a dull expression that showed she couldn't think of what to do. I stepped in front of her. I held her by her shoulders, looking at her in desperation, but she wasn't looking at me.
"Sam, listen to me."
She kept looking at the ground, showing no signs of being in her senses. She looked like someone who didn't have the will to live. I again tried to call her.
"Samayra."
This time she looked at me. Her eyes being empty and her face lowered, she tried to smile, showing there was nothing wrong—but it was clear she was not okay.
"Dylan, what a surprise."
She said to me in a dead, happy manner.
"Sam, you….."
"Why are you here?"
She cut off my words and asked me in a serious manner.
"I told you to leave me on my own, and you are still here."
"I remember what you said."
"Then what are you doing here again?"
"Because I care about you."
"Care, care, care. Care this, Care that. Samayra, I care about you, that's why we hung out together. Samayra, I cared about you, that's why I came here in this heavy rain just to take you back."
She said to me, repeating my potential words in a mocking tone, looking at me in an angry manner.
I stood silent as she said everything to me.
"Aren't you tired of this?"
She sighed as she said it.
"What do I even mean to you?"
"You are my friend, Samayra."
She laughed, a hollow, broken sound.
"Friend, really? No one comes this far for a friend."
"...."
"And if I were your friend, then you could have listened to me and left me to myself. It's my life, why do you even bother so much?"
"Oh really? Just look at yourself!"
My anger was building up, and after her words about leaving her on her own, I raged out.
"I left you on your own, and then what happened? You are here on this rainy night, all wet! You can't really handle yourself for a second, and yet you tell me to leave you alone!"
"So you also think I am a burden."
She smiled while saying those words.Looking at her like this, I realized what a mistake I had just made. She was already broken, and I had just yelled at her so harshly.
"Look, that's not what I meant."
"Just don't show me your face again, Dylan. Just go from here."
She walked past me, and I didn't move a bit. Looking at the ground, I was regretting everything that I had said. I shouldn't have said that, I shouldn't have said that—this was the only thing going through my head.
As I snapped my head up, I saw my car from a distance. I saw Samayra walking slowly, and then suddenly, my eyes stopped on something. I saw a black figure a short distance away.
Somebody was looking at Samayra. Hidden at one side of the bridge, it was waiting for her to cross. I didn't know what would happen after she crossed the bridge, but I knew whoever it was, they were no savior to her. I had to stop Samayra before anything bad happens.
I walked towards her, looking at her full length, and I grabbed her wrist.
"Listen, Sam, I…"
*Slap*
My senses went silent for a bit. I was not able to process what had just happened. As I grabbed her wrist, Samayra had turned around and slapped me so hard that my mind couldn't think of anything.
She looked at me, tears filling her eyes and anger on her face as she said,
"Don't you dare touch me."
I didn't react. I laid a hand on my cheek and watched her walk away. But as she walked, she suddenly tripped and collapsed. I caught her in my arms as she fell toward the ground.
Touching her made me realize she was burning up. Despite the cold rain, her whole body was aching and burning with fever. I shouted her name, but she didn't say anything. Her body trembled violently. Her eyes rolled back, closing as her head slumped against my shoulder.
"SAM! SAM!"