THE EQUILIBRIUM: Prologue

“Please don’t ask me to choose, for it would be like making a choice between breathing and heart beating. Both ways I would lose my life!” Sophie pleaded.

I had a strange dream. I found myself walking on a spindly rope tied against two poles at a notable distance. My feet were trying to grip the thin lock of thread coiled together. As I moved further, the rope shook with enough vibrancy to disturb my offset. It was strange, I had never even practiced once in this skillful movement, but my feet were confident in assuring to get me through.

With even a single shake from the meager base my entire body tilted to one side and then swayed to the other. As the movement turned violent, my fists coiled itself much strongly on a long stick that it held firmly in it. But the stick treacherously didn't help much in supporting me. Instead, it was annoyingly distracting as I realized the weight was heavy for me to hold and the pressure it enforced on my arms was disturbing my stabilization.

My concentration was splitting from the rope to the long stick and I was finding hard to maintain the balance. My eyes accessed the cause of the pressure on the stick that held a good amount of weight on both of its ends. I focused on its length at the right side and found Dave holding it and the left end bore Alec as its counterbalance. They both were tied on the extreme ends of the stick that I gripped tightly and relied completely on my judgement of equilibrium to get us all through the large void we were hanging on while my feet trying hard to balance our weight on a thin rope!!!

THE EQUILIBRIUM: Prologue 2

 

“Dave, I think the airlines lost my baggage.” I thought in my mind, slightly panicked.

“No, sweetheart, have patience it’s coming.” Dave smirked finding my panic really funny. The belt moved with all kinds of suitcases and bags of different sizes and colors at the Delhi airport.

“Here it is. See, I told you it won’t go anywhere.”

I dragged the suitcase, pretending to be doing it all alone, but Dave was picking the major weight.

Traveling with my angel was truly an experience. I didn't need to talk aloud and his voice was not audible to any human ear, except me. Aunt Anna had booked two tickets so that the seat next to me could be blocked for him in the airline. It was a relief to see him and hear him forever. The whole way, I held his hand and we talked about a lot of things. My uneasiness of traveling was taken care by his presence only. His warmth kept me comfortable and relaxed. I had never felt this way earlier. It was as if I had finally found my incomplete part.

We walked hand in hand towards the gate where Alec was waiting for me a midst the crowd. His curious eyes found me and he waved desperately. His medium height, around 5’11”, and lean built made him look like a boy. His dark black eyes and dusky skin with jet black hair, was a complete contrast to Dave.

As we came closer, I realized the two most important men in my life were like day and night. On one hand, Dave beamed like the glorious morning sun; and on the other hand, Alec looked innocent like the midnight moon.

Alec ran to reach me and hugged me tightly. As I returned his embrace, I saw Dave pacing a few steps away from us, respecting our privacy. But I grabbed his hand to keep him closer to me. He looked at me confused and I smiled at him.

“Don’t forget, you are the most important part of my life.” I conveyed him in my mind. He smiled like a small child, who had found his love among strangers. Now I knew my decision to never let him go was right.

We headed towards the exit, when Alec started showering me with his questions, “How’s Aunt Anna? Was your visit fruitful? How was Angelston and New Castle?”

I looked at him confused and just murmured, “It was great.” He nodded and went to get the car from the parking. I waited at the exit door.

“New Castle? What’s the story, Dave?” I thought.

“We had to find a way to keep him in the dark.” He answered. “So, Anna told him that you were going to New Castle with her, for her treatment and there would be no phones there, so you would email him time and then.” He grinned.

“But I didn't mail him even once.” I was confused.

“But Claire did.” He smirked. “She’s purely indebted to Anna, for her help to her family. Anna told her to email Alec on your behalf.” He spoke with an obvious look on his face.

“And all the way, I was wondering Alec would be mad at me for not calling him for the past fifteen days.” I thought and then, smiled at him. “You really saved my life from the most dangerous thing- Alec’s anger.”

He laughed. “It’s my duty to protect you, ma’am.”

I smiled, relieved and felt excited for the life waiting for me with completeness and satisfaction. The life truly meaningful and worth living, with my Angel!!!!

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