The Gazebo.

Her elbows were resting on Gazebo’s sill. It was a lovely orange morning. Bell sleeves of her white night gown were floating in warm summer air and strands of her wavy hair were covering her face. Suddenly, a distant creak echoed in her ears and she turned around. She saw someone in the wooden corridor. She was fiddling with her long sleeves and waiting or the face to come closer. ‘Who could it be?’ she thought curiously raising her eyebrows. After some time, the face was clear. But she didn’t recognize him. He was a total stranger. She waited for him to come and speak, but he came and passed her by without uttering a single word. She turned around and looked at him, stunned. He was standing exactly where she was couple of moments ago. She went to him, now standing side by side asked, ‘Who are you?’ He smiled without looking at her and said softly ‘I see you here everyday and today, I couldn’t resist coming. I want to see the magic, the miracle that you witness here in this Gazebo daily.’ She was still looking at him, after thinking a bit she said ‘Magic, Miracle? No way, there isn’t anything as such, I mean I come here daily and I have never seen anything magical here.’ She turned around and scanned the place quickly.’ No, nothing miraculous here, Nothing at all. What made you think so?’
He still wasn’t looking at her, spoke in a very soft and soothing voice’ Are you sure? Because, I see a miracle here everyday, and today, this place has turned even more magical. Tell me, are you the only one who knows about this miraculous Gazebo?’ She turned back at him, irritated now; spoke in a high voice which still sounded soft ‘what are you talking about? There isn’t anything magical or miraculous here. I know this place more than anyone else on earth! And I don’t know any magic. So, Mr. Whomsoever you are, will you finish your baseless, pointless, senseless story now?’ She spoke in a single breath. For the first time after his unusual arrival, he looked her in the eyes. His smile was still on his lips and his face was very calm and soothing. He gripped her shoulders gently ‘Lady, what’s wrong? Why are you so disturbed? Well, you obviously know the magic I’m talking about. You make it happen here, everyday. You know about it, how can you deny this fact when you witness it daily?’ He said.
Her lips pursed, she shrugged. Signaling him she didn’t understand a thing. ‘Ah, let me explain you. Everyday in the morning you come here. Don’t you?’ she nodded. He continued ‘and everyday when you come, you have drops of tears rolling down your cheeks. Your face looks terribly sad. But after some time, when I look at you again, I see you smiling, blooming. Sad grunts changes into lovely songs. Isn’t this magic? This Gazebo makes people happy. It shoos our sadness off. Makes our wishes come true. Isn’t it?’ she let go his hand off her shoulders. Avoiding eye contact she said ‘you have been stalking me? You were keeping a watch over me so that you can make fun of my tears? I know the likes of you. But I’m a hard nut to crack. Listen carefully; there is no magic in here. No miracles nothing! This Gazebo doesn’t make your wishes come true. I cry, because I feel like it and I smile because I want to. Gazebo doesn’t do anything! Yes! I do make wishes; stupid silly wishes which I know won’t come true ever! I ask for someone who exists in the fairytales and not in real. I know he’d never come but I still wish. And my wish hasn’t ever come true.’
She sat down slowly and there were tears in the corner of her eyes. She spoke again ‘please go away! I beg you, I don’t need anyone. Go! Please.’
He smiled again. Bent down and whispered in her ear ‘do you really want me to leave? Yesterday you were sobbing and calling out my name, saying you want me to come to take all your pains away. And today, you want me to go? Are you sure, Pavi?’
She looked at him stunned ‘To you? I used to call my angel not yo…’ and before she could finish her sentence everything faded to black she heard a faint whisper ‘I’m waiting, answer me, Pavi.’
Suddenly everything turned dark. And the next moment everything was bright. She removed her blanket, wore her slippers and ran towards the Gazebo in her white night gown…