To change the subject, he had asked, “You have a scooter, don’t you? Why don’t you ride that?”
“I’m really scared of riding, Hari…”
“You don’t know how to ride a scooter, but you certainly know how to talk.”
He had laughed, and she had pouted at the other end. The memory still warmed his heart.
It had been only two days since they had exchanged their engagement rings, having understood each other and decided to marry. She had told him that she would be returning to work after her leave that day.
Now the bike ahead was approaching a large bridge. Sathya was leaning slightly forward on the pillion seat, apparently doing something. What was she doing? He could not understand.
A little later, amid the roar of the bike, he heard the faint notification tone of a message on his phone. Something made him stop at the side of the road and read it.
“Hari, I left the office and am travelling with a friend for some work… We are going via the bridge. For some reason, I suddenly feel scared. Will you come and take me home? Please answer when I call you. If you feel that something is wrong, help me.”
After reading the message, Hari’s state of mind was impossible to describe. He started his bike again and rode at an incredible speed. There she was. He had caught up with his Sathya. He slowed down and followed them.
“My dear, don’t be afraid. I’m here,” he kept saying silently to himself. He did not even have time to send her a message. So he sent the words through his thoughts, which he imagined were travelling faster than the wind or the internet, and hoped that they would reach her.
After travelling a little farther, the rider stopped at the side of the middle section of the bridge, got down, and walked ahead while calling to Sathya.
Apart from the road used by vehicles, the bridge had a section where people could stand. At the same time, Sathya took out her phone, called Hari, and then put the phone inside her bag.
Hari stopped his bike about ten feet away and watched them from a short distance. He put his phone to his ear.
Looking around, he noticed a few isolated people at wide intervals, some smoking alone, others simply enjoying the solitude. The road was not crowded with people, yet vehicles passed through it quickly. He realised that it was a place where dangerous acts could easily go unnoticed.
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