SHORT STORY - VI

  

              THE MISTAKE…

 

He had brought a bunch of freshly cut pink roses for her. It was her favorite color. The woods where he had come to meet her was also her favorite place. Liam, a man in his late thirties, offered her the bunch of those beautiful roses which she couldn’t really refuse……..

Liam couldn’t control his tears and he slumped on the ground, crashing down on his knees and weeping loudly. It was the same place where she, Aria, his beloved girlfriend, was buried 10 years ago, by him. He could still feel the same sorrow and regret that he felt 10 years ago. He was totally angry at himself for killing the wrong person, for killing his own girlfriend, by mistake!

10 years ago.

  Aria’s friend had totally exploited Liam at his workplace. So out of rage he went and killed her as she was sleeping at night. But the next day he met her back at the office. He was shocked. She lived alone in her house so who was the person he had killed? Frightened, Liam immediately went to her house and sneaked in, like the previous night. The body still on the bed, wrapped messily under the sheets was untouched and was in the same way Liam had left it. In the darkness of the night he had failed to see the person he had killed. And now he was trembling out of fear even to see her face. He was afraid that if anyone comes to know about this he may get caught. He sat there sobbing and regretting what he had done. The only thing that came across his mind was to tell about this incident to Aria and seek her help. So he dialed her number immediately. As soon as he called her, her phone started ringing in the same room. And then for the first time he noticed the hand of the dead body which tucked out of the sheets, on which dangled Aria’s favorite bracelet. He stood there frozen. He could not believe it. He had killed his own girlfriend. Hence, out of fear, guilt, and anger, he buried her body in the woods and left the town forever.

 

Present day

 Every year on this day, Liam followed the same ritual. After mourning for about 2 to 3 hours, he kissed the ground and left.

It was almost 11:30 am when he exited the woods. Every day since the incident took place, he was dying out of guilt. He had stopped enjoying his life and always remained alone. He cursed himself for doing this greatest sin. He started heading towards his car staring blankly towards the road, lost in his own thoughts. And then suddenly something made him stop. Someone was standing in front of him. He shrugged away the tears which had welled up his eyes and looked straight towards the face of the person.

It was her. It was Aria. Ten years later, there she was. Standing in front of him. He could not believe his eyes. She was crying, “Liam...?” was all she could utter.

He froze. He knew his happiness knew no bounds, but this was not all. There was only one thing which came across his mind, only one important question, ‘Whom did I bury that day?’

-      Shreya Mahabal.