Life and Afterlife

​He could not come to his senses until the doctors came and told him that Ananya was out of danger. ​“Doctor how is she. Is everything alright?”
  ​“You are the one who admitted her here right. She was severely affected by hypothermia if it was not for you to admit her at the right time. She would have been gone already. However with life support she just has two more days to live. Do you know about her parents we have to discuss it with them.” ​“What are you saying doctor? Is there anything I could do to help her?” ​“Nothing is in our hands young man. We can only pray for her. Did you inform this to her parents?” ​“I have already informed about his to her parents doctor. They are on their way. They would be here by noon.” ​“Be strong young man. She should gain conscious by tomorrow.” ​Varun was shattered into pieces and does not know what to do. Tears were rolling from his eyes. He was just sitting there like a statue looking at her through out the day until her parents arrived. ​“That is the thing with grown men. Grown men too cry but for only two reasons when they miss the only person they love and the only person they love whose life is in danger.” ​“Ananya, I want you to wake up. I know that you would only be conscious by tomorrow. I just don’t know how to say this and if it is the right time to say this to you. I love you Ananya, you were the only person who made my life beautiful. This one whole week I just don’t know how it went, it was just beautiful. The best days I ever get to experience. Thank you for all this time Ananya. I don’t know if this is the right time to say this to you. But this is the only time I have left with you Ananya. I love you… I love you from the bottom of my heart.” ​Varun took her hands, hold it cried and cried like a child. There is nothing he could do rather than just crying for her. ​Varun waited for Ananya’s parents all day long but they could not come sooner due to bad weather so he waited… waited… waited and finally fell asleep right besides her holding her hands. ​Finally Ananya’s parents arrived at the evening at hospital they saw her condition. They went to Varun and woke him up. He told everything that had happened from the moment she came. ​Ananya’s parents could not control their tears but they were so thankful for Varun for saving their daughter’s life not once but twice. ​“Thank you so much son. It would have been hard without you being by her side. Thank you for saving our daughter’s life.” ​“It is okay. But the doctors are saying that it is hard for her to live past two days. How did this happen to her? She told me something but I had a hesitation to ask her about everything that she was trying to forget. If it is okay for you then you can tell me. If not I can understand.” ​“Nothing like that son. You are the one who saved our daughter’s life not once but twice. We will tell everything to you.” ​They told the whole story to him, he was just shattered and did not know what to say. While he was consoling Ananya’s parents, the doctors said that they wanted to meet them and discuss about Ananya’s health. ​The doctors explained about how bad her health was and said that it is even hard for her to live past two days. We should be making her live her life rather than just keeping her here. Because either way she is going to leave us all soon. ​They did not know what to do. They waited until Ananya gain her consciousness. But Varun could not look her in the eyes at this condition. He ran to the cliff with tears coming down from his eyes the next day, the day when Ananya is going to gain consciousness and is the same day when she is going to leave this world. ​The next day Ananya gained her consciousness and opened her eyes. ​“Mom… Dad… What are you doing here? How did you come here?” ​“Varun called us as you were serious Ananya. This is why I said that I will come with you. Why did you go alone? What if Varun was not there? You would have been dead there without no one noticing.” ​“Varun… Where is he mom?” ​“He…” ​“What happened mom? Where is he?” ​“He could not see you in the eyes at the last moments Ananya. So he left the place. We don’t know where he went.” ​“I know where he would be mom. I just need to go out from here.” ​“No you are not going out from here. Without life support, it is hard for you to sustain Ananya. So no.” ​“Just ask the doctor once mom. I just can’t die in this bed mom. I want to end my life as I like and at the place I like. It is where Varun is. I know for sure. He should be there at the cliff.” ​Her parents asked the doctor and the doctors accepted her request too but on one condition that she should have her oxygen all the time or else it would be harder to save her. ​She took a taxi to the cliff and fortunately Varun was standing there, in the cliff looking at the photos Varun and Ananya took together. ​“Hey… Varun…” ​She could not speak fluently. She was so tired so Varun asked her to sit on the bench and asked her, why did she arrived at the place at this condition. ​“Why did you come here Ananya? You should be in the hospital and that is safer for you.” ​“I don’t care about my safety Varun. However I am going to die. Why did you leave me alone at the hospital?” ​“I could not see you at the situation you were at Ananya. I could not control myself. I would have cried in front of you which would make you weak too. That is why Ananya, I left the place. I would rather live in an imaginary world with your memories rather than seeing you die Ananya.” ​“But what about me? I wanted to see you for one last time and die in your arms.” ​Ananya asked Varun to take her to the corner of the cliff where she used to spend most of her life. ​“Varun… Can you take me to the corner please?” ​“Sure Ananya. If that makes you happy I will do it.” ​They both went to the corner and looked at the most beautiful view covered in mist, green scenery and mountains with a little sun shine. The view was just great. They both wanted this day to never end. If it would have been possible they would even create a time loop to live in that day again and again. ​“Thank you for all this one whole week Varun.” ​“I have to thank you Ananya for showing me the most beautiful places and for being with me the whole time.” ​Ananya removed her oxygen pipe and kissed Varun in the lips and took his oxygen as a source of living. ​The kiss was so beautiful, Varun did not know what to say. The place was just beautiful with them being at the place. ​Then they both blushed and looked both of them in their eyes and said, “I love you…” ​Then they talked and talked and talked until it was sun set. The sun set was so beautiful to watch from the cliff. They kissed each other again and said I love you. ​It was one of the best days they had in a last couple of days. ​After that they slept on the grass on the cliff and looked at the stars and the moon. ​It was like the afterlife as it was so beautiful to watch. They hold their hands tight and looked at the stars and talked about the week they spent together. ​It was so magical like it was straight out of a happy ending story but the sad ending lying after that is too hard to digest. ​They took a last photo together and talked. ​“Thank you for this day Varun. It would have so hard for me without all these days. Now I need more time to so that I can spend more time with you but I know that it is not going to happen. Thank you Varun…” ​“I should thank you Ananya for making my life so beautiful. I had not smiled in the last couple of days. You are the one who made me laugh and gave me the best of the best moments in my life.” ​“But it is all going to come to an end Varun.” ​“Don’t say like that Ananya. I don’t believe that you are leaving me. You will always be with me throughout my life from the memories we had together.” ​“I love you Varun… If it was not for you I would have not been this much happier in my last couple of days.” ​“I love you too Ananya. This moment will always be in my heart and I will never forget you Ananya.” ​Ananya points out a star and asks Varun to think that star as herself when he misses her. ​“You see that star Varun. That one is me. Whenever you feel like missing me, look at that star and think that I am that star.” ​After saying that she says, “I love you” to Varun, kisses him in the lips and dies at the cliff. ​Varun’s eyes was filled with tears he tried giving her CPR and bringing her back to life but could not and realizes that she is gone and closes her eyes. ​“Though it was just a week with you and me together. But I will never forget these days and you Ananya. Thank you for coming into my life.” ​Then Varun takes her to the hospital and gave her to her parents. ​They were broken too but Varun was broken more when compared to her parents. So they consoled Varun and the next day her body was taken to her house and her final rights were finished. ​After that Varun asks Ananya’s parents for her ash and told them the thing they talked about. ​Ananya told Varun that she was unable to visit Andaman and Lakshadweep islands and it was one of her last wishes that she was not granted. ​Her parents accepted as it was the final wish of her daughter. ​Though Varun said that he would manage but her parents insisted him to take the money for travel as there were no one left for them. ​After a long conversation Varun finally accepted to take up the money and go to the islands with Ananya’s ash. ​But the ash was not allowed in the flight so he had to take up the hard route which was through sea through a cruise boat. It took him a whole week to visit those two places but it was nothing when compared to the last wishes of Ananya before her demise. ​He took her ash to the favourite place which she wanted to visit such as beaches and volcanoes. ​There was no doubt that the beaches on both the places are just paradise to human eyes. The clear waters and white sand makes them the most beautiful place on earth. But the only regret Varun had was Ananya not being there. Still taking her ash to those places felt like Ananya was with him. ​Everyone was mocking at him for doing stuff like this but he knew that Ananya was with him throughout the journey. ​He spent most of the nights at the beaches in the moon light with Ananya’s ash besides him. It was so magical for him. ​Everything was great right from the mud volcanoes to limestone caves, treks, rainforests, the waterfalls, natural sand bars and even an active volcano. ​​It was so beautiful. For most of the places he had to sneak in the ash pot of Ananya as it was illegal to do that. But that did not stop him from doing that because everything is fair in love and war. ​​After a week he went to the Ananya’s house to meet her parents and give them her ash pot to finish her final rights. ​​He gave the ash pot to her parents. ​​Though there was a hesitation to give it to her parents rather than keeping it. But her parents believed it was essential for her afterlife so he decided to give it. ​​After that he was broken and did not know what to do, he became alone again. Though there was the star of Ananya which he used to look at when he felt lonely but it could be seen in the night. In the morning it was just him and her memories. ​​He started getting into depression again like he used to be before but it was Ananya’s words which saved him from that still she was not there. ​​So he started to write which got him out of depression and got her to life through his words. The book was published and soon became a big hit. It was stated as the best book of the year and won several awards. ​​Ananya’s parents were happy too to see her daughter living through his words. ​​But the awards were not a big deal he just wanted Ananya to be in his memories through his words. ​​He even got a movie offer but he refused. However the company which was ready to produce his movie found Ananya’s parents and convinced them to ask Varun to make a film about this. ​​They refused the offer in the beginning but thought that it would bring Ananya back to her life. More than just seeing her through the words they get to see her through their eyes. ​​They convinced Varun and eventually he accepted the offer by the company but on one condition that the movie will be directed only by him and as it is in the book. No commercial element will be added and nothing would be changed. ​​The company accepted the offer and after several auditions to find the perfect cast to make the film. ​​The movie started its pre-production and was said to be completed within a year. The movie had to be made at a high budget as the shooting has to be done all over India. ​​Everyone was in a shock as it was high budget film for a debutant director and everyone thought that he would lose. But he had faith in himself and the producer believed that Varun could do this. ​​Finally, the movie was released on 19th of May, the day Ananya left this earth. ​​Ananya’s parents and the whole fan following of his book was waiting for the movie. ​​The movie started and Varun was waiting outside to know the result. The role of Varun was done by himself as he was unable to find a relevant one. He was waiting for the result eagerly. He even composed his own music as he could not find the same feeling he felt for her anywhere. ​​After three hours the whole theatre was silent and everyone was on tears. ​​The film was over and everyone felt like it was real and appreciated Varun. Ananya’s parents could not believe that it was a film as it was so real. ​​Ananya’s parents thanked Varun for bringing her back to life through this movie. Everyone was astonished as it was the best movie by a debutant actor, music director and director. ​​The movie then became the greatest hits of all time and was dubbed later and released as Pan India film. After a month it was released worldwide and was recognised as the best film. The movie went on to win several awards for best story, best music, best actor, best director, best art and best editing. It was the biggest sensation of that time. ​​Varun did not give any statement rather he ran to the terrace to look at the star of Ananya and thanked her for bringing the best out of him and making him a successful one. ​​“Thank you so much Ananya. I love you…” he shouted at the terrace seeing the star and stood there with tears rolling out of his eyes. ​​Later he became the best director, actor, writer and music director. He got everything in his life except Ananya. ​​Meanwhile Ananya was in the afterlife living her life with Srinath in the cliff recreating their last day again and again. ​​“It took you so long to be here Ananya. I have been waiting for you for a long time.” ​​“Srinath… It was my dream and now I get to live this day forever.” ​​This is how the unexpected journey of two lives met at some point and changed their lives forever. ​​“Is it fate or destiny that is responsible for their lives taking a turn?” ​​“There are no full stops in a love story, there will only be commas.” ​​“Everyone’s life will be changed at some point. We just have to wait for the right moment though it is a sad turn or a happy turn. The ending is in our hands we should decide how we are going to take past our lives into the future. Like two sides of a coin, life and afterlife contains both happiness and sadness. Think about it.”

Chapter end