AN UNTOLD STORY
CHAPTER
1
Hanna is watching the
birds singing in her garden, “she is around thirty, a beautiful specimen of God’s creation” . Slim and
slender, medium statured around five feet six inches immaculately dressed,
smiling face with golden brown hair flowing onto her back.
I have known Hanna since graduation. She has
always been a versatile person both at professional and home grounds, now is
actively working for women’s cause in New York.
Mary, ‘there is
convocation ceremony, am invited as a Chief Guest I will
be addressing the audience and also be addressing about my present project’,
said Hanna.
Great news indeed
madam, ‘it makes me proud’.
Saying this, Hanna gets
busy while drowned in her future thoughts. She is keen to figure out what has
future in store for her. She feels confident to step ahead, make others see how
she has grown with times.
The college was bustling
with activity, the officials were busy with arrangements. The hall was buzzing
up now; the visitors had started pouring in. The announcement was brief. Hanna
was directed to her place by one of the escort on duty. She was greeted by
others there. Hanna settled herself in
her seat and glanced at the program list. Her flight of imagination was obstructed when
a handsome man just moves in and gets seated next to her.
------
All through the
ceremony Hanna avoids conversation with him. As Hanna’s name is called aloud
the crowd cheered aloud. ‘But the man hid his emotions, back somewhere, wanted
to know more about the lady sitting next to him’. Out of courtesy he greeted Hanna, and she pleasingly
accepted it.
May I introduce myself
said the man, ‘I am Stephens, have come
to watch the ceremony, my cousin Derry will be getting his degree here’. ‘Nice
to see a college gathering again.’
‘Yes, it is like ‘back to good old days’.
Hanna added
Are you the Alumni?’
Your way of talking makes me feel so.
Yes, said Stephens. ‘I
graduated in 1993 from same place that is why came here again’.
You said, ‘1993 batch,
which course?’
‘Bachelor’s in
Journalism’.
What a co incidence Mr….
Stephens?
I have passed the same
year, didn’t see you in any of the classes, and was yours a distant learning?’
‘I was enrolled as regular, had to skip some
classes due to urgent work.
‘Okay’.
The announcement by the
time brought the life inside the hall to bustling activity. The ceremony took three hours to conclude.
Stephens now knew Hanna
as a social activist with a huge number of fan following. Before leaving the premises,
wanted to know more about her.
‘Will she spare her
little time so that I could know her well’? Stephens hammered
his brain.
Hanna understood him
well and gave a visiting card, saying
‘I have a job at Associate Press, New York, I am
an editor there.’
‘Sounds grand’.
‘You have been at the press for quite a long time I suppose’.
Yes, ‘more than seven
years, it is where I also started growing as an activist,
Mr. Stephens , ‘may I
know a little about you too’.
Presently serving in army,
hope this much will do.
Yes, enough to know
about a man.
Stephens , ‘if not
occupied’ , ‘ can join us at the party’.
‘Will try , if possible
,by the way where is the celebration?’
‘Chef’s Table, at
Brooklyn Fare, 431W. 37th street’, said Hanna.
Alright
Stephens reached Chef’s Table Brooklyn Fare,
it was throbbing up with festivity. The environment was wrapped up in a
symphony of Japanese-reminiscent hospitality. Stephens shows up there and
joins. Hanna introduces him to her friends (very little she knew about him).
It was by midnight that
Hanna declared to go back home. She bade goodbye to all her friends, walked to
the parking lot.
She found Stephens
waiting. What’s up! Why didn’t you
leave?
‘Hope all is good’
‘Yep, no problem, but …
wanted to know when can we meet again’?
Only this, ‘you are so
simple, I loved your style, will meet tomorrow then
Near German Enclave, 86th
street, a river flows by its side, a lone
stand point over the bridge.’ ‘Will catch up there’.
Hope, ‘you understood Stephens.’
Alright , see you then.
Back home Hanna felt
something amiss .She found herself strange and restless. She couldn’t sleep. All the night she was tossing on the
bed. Whenever she tried to close her
eyes she found Stephens standing in front of her. She realized that it is her
love for Stephens. These small formal meetings slowly inched into love dates.
Both were now seen at the lone stand point over the bridge, immersed in love.
The passersby could now recognize them from a far away distance too.
CHAPTER 2
(It was the evening multitude of crowd had gathered at the beach
to enjoy the fun and frolic. The air
seemed festive. People were heard singing and dancing, enjoying every bit of
time. Hanna hurried back to be again there at the meeting point the lone stand
point facing the sea. She checked her watch and noticed the crawling time, soon
the twilight would be about to fall, the beachcombers would be packing back and
making their way to the homes. Restless she was, but tries to comfort herself
and to be a bit normal, started scribbling something on the railing when she
heard the footsteps nearing her. Hanna lifts her head up finds Stephens
standing there by her side. (Quickly she ran and hugs him tightly).
You are again late dear, “Were you so
occupied”?
Oh no! Hanna, ‘ it was
not all that’ , ‘ had some visitors at
my place’. ‘Will tell you details
later’. Come on, ‘let’s go for a cup of coffee’
Really!
I too was wanting for that.
It seems a serene place. ‘The city’s noise
seems to fade away here’, ‘am really
happy ’.
‘This is the most
awaited meeting that I was looking for’, said Stephens
What is that, ‘will you
tell me too’?
‘It‘s about you and me,’ quoth Stephens
am ‘here to ‘ confide
something’. Believe me dear,’I have come today to clear myself, my deeds and
doings’.
‘You are indispensable’. This you know better. I wish, ‘these days never to end’. But…
Look- I am planning to-
What-? You feel the
same as me, said Hanna
‘And I find it quiet right to say something’ “ right now”
‘I feel, ‘it is high
time,’
‘we should better think
about getting married’. suggested Hanna
‘It is nearly one and a half years by now’
‘Showing each other up,
‘it is becoming tiresome.’
‘Hmm…yes… you say it
right’. (losing all the night’s charm), Stephens whispered
‘ you
show no interest in what I say’ , I
don’t believe,
Where are you? You know
I mean , ‘where are your thoughts hovering’?
‘Is there something’, ‘
you really don’t want’?
‘I…er… Hanna …
‘I love you and want … to be with you…
forever…
‘but…
but…getting married
…this time ‘ is just impossible’.
‘Now I understand you
better,’ this is what ‘ you were planning to say’?
‘This is where you have
made me stand’? O! on a slippery ground.
‘I cannot believe’, what
you have all said.
Why? All of a sudden,
this change?
It seems, ‘ fishy’, is it Betrayal…or if not
‘ simply confide with
me’.
I see , you are ‘
yourself not happy’
‘your eyes speak of pain’.‘ Let me hold your hand’, said Stephens
‘let my guts speak’.
‘What has happened’? Anxious Hanna said
‘What is troubling you’?
Speak up fast , ‘or I
will die’.
‘You know Hanna , ‘I am
not the right man for you’
‘My life is not my own’
‘I cannot think of
bringing troubles for you’
‘Do not get hurt…..’ I
am …not a cheat, ‘have been entrusted with a duty’
‘ am on a mission’,
‘ hid this truth’…‘ due to some reasons’.
cannot say more
‘ you must be thinking, ‘ why I befriended
you then,’
‘ It is your
love that had made me speechless, ’said
Stephens
‘couldn’t gather the
strength to tell you ,’ but….
‘That you don’t want
me’, fired Hanna
‘You want to break those memories off…
I know…
‘I know all men are
like that’
what a gullible
creature am I?
No dear…
‘it is not that’
‘I have some
responsibilities some secretive tasks that I cannot speak’
‘have to leave this
station urgently’ .
‘ And cannot ask even a
day’s leave’.
‘Don’t know how long
the stay would be.’
‘You have cheated me, Hanna replied.’ I know, ‘you
are not speaking the truth’.
You want me to be left like this on this half
traversed road.
I will not forgive
you…I will never forgive you….I hate you.
‘Goodbye Hanna Good bye’,
said Stephens, he hurries to the door, closes it with a loud metallic thud and
runs ahead to board a bus.
CHAPTER
3
Hanna is thoughtful,
purely immersed in her past , thinking about her meeting and the co incidence
of falling in love at first sight. This place stands witness to the whole
events that took place simultaneously one after the other. The breeze lulling
by made her feel the presence of Stephen’s soft touch, those dark eyes talking
to her as if would never leave her side. Hanna gets drifted to her sweet
imagination spell where she again remembers the first date, the anxiety the
nervousness and the hidden excitement which she really wanted not to show to
anyone. Hanna just wakes out of her
reverie and looks again at the rolling waves. The gloom had by now taken a
great hold of her. She misses Stephens a
lot. She remembers again that fateful day
when all of a sudden Stephens announces that he is now going back and cannot
say when he will return.
It had been nearly two years by now, since
then, Hanna had not heard anything about him .Life had shown her different
phases. She was now working as the Chief Editor for New York Times. Professionally
she had grown leaps and bounds, her rise in career had made many jealous of
her. She by now had more rivals than friends.
As an activist, she had
seen the world with a broader outlook. She had seen unfair relationships and
their catastrophic ends. Hanna was able to console the people in distress and
find them a better path to lead their lives, but when it came on her own life
to reflect, she was dumbstruck, totally in confusion, how could she not smell the foul game Stephens was playing with
her. She was torn between her doubts and firm trust. She was really not able to
understand why Stephens left her all of a sudden. If, he had earlier told how
transient his stay was, she could have controlled herself in a much better way.
Suddenly she leaps and catches
hold of her side bag, quickly boards her car and rushes to her office.
‘There must be some new
arrivals by now’, Hanna said to herself.
‘At two I will lead the
delegation at Times square’, Hope Sarah must have jotted the agenda too, and
with this she dialled a call to Sarah for confirmation.
Yes, ‘Madam have
briefed all in the meeting,’ ‘the points are there at your table to view,’
quipped Sarah
Is there any new
arrival? , asked Hanna
Yes, ‘there is a
sensational news covered by Robert’ , ‘need your assistance on that’, replied
Sarah.
‘Will be reaching within
fifteen minutes. Be ready with the news
stuff’.
Hanna reaches her
office on the twenty seventh floor, her room was well lit, She felt good
looking at Sarah .
Good to see you madam,
Here is the news.’ ‘With
this she handed over some photo clips to Hanna’, Will call Robert to explain.
Hanna glanced casually
at the images, tried to sequence them and…to her surprise sees--- a vague picture
of a handcuffed prisoner. Bewildered see tries to see more images to recognise
who the man is ?
Her heart was throbbing
very fast, as it had already affirmed her, the presence of Stephens.
O God! ‘How can this be possible’?
‘How on earth this
could ever happen’.
‘How could I not gather
any news about him’?
‘Got Captured’, ‘where’,
I know not,
‘Where is he’?
He had told every bit
of truth, ‘I was a fool, did not want to hear what he was saying, Hanna talked
to her inner self.
Pondering a little,
Hanna rushed to Robert’s cabin, ‘Be quick, ‘I need to know from where you got these
pictures’.
Ma’am , a passer by gave me early this morning,
He said to give you these , had further said that will come with more information after three
days.
Didn’t you ask his name
or anything, shouted Hanna.
No, ‘as all happened in
a quick succession’, but ‘I am sure the man will come’.
CHAPTER
4
Hanna reached late at night;
the same feeling of restlessness was again overpowering her. She couldn’t
sleep. It was Stephens again in her life…this time as a prisoner, no one knows
where.
A strong disgust wanted
to hold her mind and soul, she removed that unpleasant thought, found that she
still loved him a lot.
The next day, by seven
she was in her office, figuring those pictures at different angles .Hoping for
the news to arrive.
Two days passed, no
news came as such, she was hopeless knew only a miracle could help, It was
eight in the evening, Hanna thought of leaving her office, no sooner had she
made her way to the entrance, met a man, who told her that he had come to meet
Robert and to hand him over some piece of information, urgently’.
‘I cannot wait, some
people are there after my life’, begged he. ‘Hold this and give to Robert’.
With this he ran away
as fast as he could. Hanna could only see him calling for a taxi.
Hanna goes back inside
her cabin, opens the package, finds a letter addressed to her from Stephens for
help.
Dear Hanna
The day I left you, I was myself very much
perturbed. I was sent on a secret
mission to Afghanistan the next day. I had lost all my contacts as we were at war
with the enemy. I had a hope that after this war gets over I will meet you and fulfil
all those promises at my end, but, you know, no one can predict what is next in
store. I am unfortunately caught by the rebels here, and somehow a local was
able to send pictures of my captivity, Hope you must have seen them by now.
Waiting to meet you
soon
Yours Stephens
Reading the letter
Hanna’s eyes were filled with tears. She could now understand what was all
that. Why Stephens had denied. Wiping her tears back she becomes a lady in
action, promptly she arranges a meeting with the Home Secretary on the issue.
Without waiting for others, she drafted the news, and sent it for publication
too.
The whole area throbbed
with action. The government promptly sent a troupe to fight the rebels there.
It took six days for the army to take things under control. Search for the men
began late at night on the seventh day.
Inside one of the
bunkers a small feasible hideout Stephens imagined his life ahead. He was excited
to know about the prompt action taken by the government to save their lives.
Anytime help was about to reach them. He was picturing Hanna in front of his
eyes, he felt a great respect for her and was thinking about the moments of
their final re union .
‘Just then, as a spark
of a light something came like a thunder, a sudden bombardment, dust clouds
erupted as high as sky . The bunker
which was throbbing with life a few minutes earlier seemed still, there was no movement reported.
Later, the search party
found two men badly injured and were immediately rushed to the hospital. Stephens
was found lying in a pool of blood,
nearby lay his half open wallet with a picture of his beloved.