THE ESSENCE (PART -2, Contd...)

Next morning 6.30 Nisha turned out in Denims, Jacket and Aviators. She looked stunning. A proper observation would reveal that she was wearing a black Ganji beneath the jacket. But Akash was too busy observing her loosely tied hair, to make a note of her attire.

‘She was perhaps sporting the shades to avoid displaying her tiredness from yesterday nights adventure she had’ was the thought that came to Akash mind and he even wanted to ask, but realised the stupidness and instead asked, 

‘ How was you stay’?

‘’Fun’ its basically fun here in these mountains’, She replied.

Fun was something that had eluded Akash all his life, He was a virgin, he thought lamely that she might be referring to that fun, so he was completely clueless to the fun she was hinting at, but he reverted his thought back to dignity and simply said

‘Yes indeed it is’

‘All preparation done’? Nisha enquired, she wanted to be sure. though Nisha had loved mountains, but she still had fear for them, her past was responsible for that. The Arunachal pradesh incident had haunted her badly. 

‘Yes, all done, if you are willing we can start right now’ replied Akash

He is so well organised, so punctual, thought Nisha.

Suddenly Aman emerged, he looked tired, his eyes sleepless.

‘Hey Aman hope you are enjoying’, enquired Akash.

‘Well actually it ‘fun’ here’, Aman replied.

Again ‘fun’, Akash thought desolately, but could just smiled in response.

‘We should be moving’, Nisha said to Aman.

‘Oh yes you guys should, its going to be long journey’ Aman responded immediately.

‘Well then’ Nisha said and hugged Aman.

They bade the final Adieu and set forth for the journey, Akash and Nisha were carrying backpacks, which contained all equipments, Akash and Nisha both knew they could encounter anything in the wild. They had to be prepared for such eventualities. This part of ghat was adjoining the national park. Dense canopy formed a great camoflouge for a lot of predators. Leopards in Mammals and Viper snakes in Reptiles were the most dangerous and ruthless predators here. But a lot of species in the ghats were still not explored and identified, their existence to the world was still unknown, Nisha was hoping desperately to document some such species. Ghats were a great biodiversity spot, they had to be preserved, this documentary was surely going to be beneficial in that respect. 

Through the mountains the journey was exhilaratingly scenic, Akash was still in the dilemma, he was now doubting his own integrity, he was scared of himself, he knew he could be so primitive so wild in these conditions.

‘She should have not been alone with me’ he thought.

He would weather the external storm to protect her, but how would he weather the internal one.

For Nisha the trek was also partly about conquering her own fear of unknown wild again, and now for Akash it became a trek about conquering his self, by winning over his darker thoughts.

Initially they didn't speak much, Akash didn't want to sound too pushy and desperate. But Nisha initiated short spell of conversation, asking for information regarding the terrain and again they fell silent. When eventually Nisha asked out of desperation.

‘You are always a man of few words, or you find me uninteresting’?

 Akash was Ahead of her, he smiled, she didn't knew what interest she had generated in him.

‘Well on the contrary, I thought you are a girl of few words, you may find my talks uninteresting’

‘Never, you are rather an impressive personality, there is surely a lot to learn from you’, She said. ‘on top of that you are charming, I am seeking you attention’, She wanted to say but stayed silent. She was really trying to seek his attention, his presence was surely influential.

‘Well again, on the contrary, you have a lot of stuff stored inside you, rather you teach me some photography, that will help me have diversified portfolio, you are an acclaimed phottographer’, Akash countered trying to suppress the embarrassment he had felt after her praise.

‘Why do you need photos when you have these photos at your permanent disposal’? Nisha Asked childishly.

‘Somethings are not always with you’, Akash continued rather innocently to not make her question sound too childish.

‘Like’? She further probed

‘Like you’, he wanted to tell but instead he said, ‘like other places, I visit, people I meet’, He said stressing the last part.

‘People deserve to be captured in memories, not in photos’, She said sensing his stress and engaging the conversation further.

‘No, to be frank, I dont think, people need to be captured in memories’, Akash countered.

‘Why’, She sounded shocked.

To that Akash turned back immediately, looked into her eyes, shades were there, but his stare pierced through them, there was a pregnant pause, silence fell, Nisha felt her breathe stop.

‘Because they deserve to be captured in heart’, He didn't knew what had led him to do this, from where he had got this courage, he kept staring, sound of distant stream was now discernible, none of them wavered their eyelids, “virgin” he thought looking into her eyes, and suddenly turned back to continue walking.

Nisha was shockedd, How had she MISSED it??? HOW???? She KNEW him, and KNew him very CLOSELY. She was ELATED, Rejuvenated, But Disappointed that it took so much time for her to recognise him. 

IT ALL CAME FLASHING BACK TO HER MIND.

3 YEARS BACK: ARUNACHAL PRADESH…..THE EASTERN HIAMLAYAS AND BRAMHAPUTRA BASIN

To be continued....