A wrong Right Turn

The night was young. And so was she.

A street - full of emptiness - welcomed here, as she turned left; deviating from her daily and routine path of reaching home. As she started walking on the passageway, only think she could think of was to reach somewhere early. She wasn't expecting anything out of ordinary, not today. As she started walking, her immediate reaction was caution. Old harmless buildings to her right and left were stationary and tall enough to make her feel rather insignificant.

Something wasn't right that night. Not a bit. She could totally feel that for the very first time. Something was settling heavily on her, surrounding her; something totally invisible yet powerful; like all the superlative forces of the universe. She felt an immense sense of restlessness pounding inside her heart, and that alone made her nervous about her being there on the street. 

The street was merely broader than three yards. At this hour of the night, there were no visible activities or movements. The only exit was couple of hundred yards at her twelve. As she walked, she could see no shadow of herself. The only source of light were some intermittent and tiny lamps, studded at various elevations, emitting white and pale yellow light; and their reflection from the water stagnant in between the spaces of impervious stone paving.

For first ten yards, she did not realize a thing. The next twenty; she started feeling less unwary and more prudent. The next five yards and she already declared her instincts guilty for this perilous situation. From there, every yard was like a hundred times longer, and the rest of the path; thousands of yards longer.

And it happened. Out of nowhere.

She saw a humanly figure coming 'out of nowhere'  (from the back door of a building) just a few 'hundred yards' ahead of her. This - as she found it - was unworthy of any surprise; may be adding more to her misery. She felt an incongruous mixture of emotions running through her small body; along with an astounding level of curiosity. He appeared in front of her, blocking the white streak of light which followed him from the exit point of the building. He took a few steps on the streets, felt someone's presence, and simply stopped moving after he almost saw her amidst all the darkness around. She figured now; why she felt something wasn't right that night.

He started walking, as she hesitantly approached him on the way, almost next to her. She did not so much as flinched, as she felt his presence harmless, although she rarely trusted her own emotions and gut. He was walking by her side; at distance far enough to be called too close. He filled the air around her with a strong yet strange sense of security, which she had never ever felt in her entire life. They did not make any sound or an effort to strike a conversation. As if, he silently asked for a permission to be along, and she did not deny;of course telepathically. They walked, and with the every single step they walked, she became more and more intrigued about him, but was too afraid to ask. The silence had perfectly and comfortably enveloped them, and no one bothered to change that. She strangely felt, the reminder of 'thousands of yards' were never sufficient.

After spending a brief passage of time together - so to speak - they reached the end of the street, where there was a main tar road, giving them options to choose their path. They chose their own, in different direction. A passionate exchange of emotions through a stares, or a fleeting glimpse. She couldn't speak on his behalf, or figure out his version of the story. With a healthy smile on his face and gratitude, he made his way with stolen glances. And she made her way too, of course in her own path she chose for her. She walked with a strong aroma of his presence with her, someone she never ever had. Something changed. Something had changed inside her.

- Asthir