I posted yesterday as well, so don't miss that chapter. I'm hoping to post the next chapter soon too - have already begun to write. 

Warning, this is an emotional one. 

Please share your thoughts, and hit the star button if you're excited for more. ❣️

October, 1950

Bondita hadn't made it far. In fact, she'd just departed behind the trees when the chaos ensued. 

The men had come back to the shack where Sachet was standing guard. As soon as she heard their loud footsteps near the shack, she froze behind the trees, her heart thumping hard for her Pati Babu. 

Bondita managed to peek from behind the trees and breathed a sigh of relief to see that Anirudh had gone back inside. At least he wasn't visible. 

"They aren't there!" one of the men yelled, "They must have gone the other way."

"No, I've already checked that direction. They aren't there," Sachet's voice said.

Bondita wondered why the men were trusting Sachet so easily. 

"How can we trust you?" one of the men sneered. "We should check that way, since we've checked everywhere else." 

"I'm telling you, I went there already! You're wasting your time!" Sachet informed. 

Suddenly, they started to make a beeline toward the forest where she was hidden, not heeding his advice. The footsteps were coming quickly - they were running. 

If she didn't get out of here, they'd catch her in less than a minute.

Her heart started to beat fast, and Bondita was about to turn and run. 

However, before they could reach the trees where she was... 

Her Rakshak Babu stepped in. 

As he always did. 

Anirudh wobbled as he stepped out of the shack, the wound on his back bleeding freshly again. 

He was very tired. He had no energy. It was like the last bit of energy he could manifest was coming out at this point. 

"I'm right here," Anirudh said, his voice loud enough so they could hear, but still quiet... full of exhaustion. Bondita could hear him too, and it made her heart pain with sorrow. "Bondita's already left the country. You won't be able to find her."

"N... no, Pati Babu, what are you doing?" Bondita cried, shaking her head, tears filling her eyes. 

Nobody could hear her, but she could hear them very well. 

"He's still alive?" one of the man's voices hissed angrily, and the footsteps barged towards Anirudh and Sachet. 

Bondita's heart dropped.

"Sachet... go," Anirudh told him, sounding tired. 

"D - Dada," Sachet cried. 

"Go... fast... they only want me. Don't make them hurt you too," Anirudh managed to say. 

Bondita knew he was sending Sachet to her. Sending Sachet so that he could protect her.

She squeezed her eyes shut and made it back towards the opening where Anirudh was. The men had their backs to her. 

Anirudh caught her eye, and he shook his head ever so slightly, as if reminding her of the Gurudakshina he asked for. 

Bondita's lips trembled. 

Anirudh started to laugh, still sounding exhausted, "You tried so hard to find my Bondita. But she... she left already." 

Sachet whispered, "Dada..."

Anirudh shot him a glare, and Sachet finally nodded, running away - towards Bondita. 

"Finish him off quickly," one of the men yelled at his team of five. "Why's he still alive?"

"We stabbed him in the right spot - he should have died by now," another man hissed back. 

"You don't know the power of love," Anirudh said with a smile, a glint in his eyes, "The power that someone has when they're determined enough for you." 

"Barrister Babu is speaking in riddles!" the man yelled. "Kill him for good!" 

"Didi," Sachet's voice said when he caught up to Bondita who was standing by the tree line. "We have to go." 

Bondita looked at Sachet, her heart pumping blood quickly. "Pati Babu," Bondita cried. "We have to save -" 

"Didi you know it too that the damage is already done. He's only hanging on to determination and hope now...he - he won't survive regardless," Sachet whispered. "Take this opportunity to go. Like he wants you to." 

On the other side, Anirudh used all his strength to push one of the men back violently - triggering them. 

"He's angering them," Sachet gasped, and he gently wrapped his arm around Bondita's back to guide her. "Come on Didi. You can't witness this." 

Bondita cried, "Why... why Pati Babu?"

"You know better than me." 

Bondita nodded tearfully, "He w - wants to anger them so much that they... they m - murder him brutally a - and then we - we get more time to run away." 

"HOW DARE YOU?" the man who got pushed screamed, and he took out his sharp knife. 

Before Bondita could scream, Sachet pressed his hand against Bondita's mouth. Her eyes grew wide as she saw the man plunge the knife into Anirudh's stomach, making him fall to his knees. 

Then she lost consciousness, falling against Sachet. 

Perhaps... she had to go to her Pati Babu in another form. 

https://youtu.be/tQsS_MLZl3c

Talwaron pe sar vaar diye, angaaron mein jism jalaya hai
Tab jaake kahin humne sar pe yeh kesari rang sajaya hai

We've put our heads on the swords and burnt our bodies in the fire
Only after all that we've adorned this saffron color on our head

He lived for revolution. 

He lived to bring a change. 

And today, Anirudh could die knowing he followed his heart until the end. Today, Anirudh could die knowing that he fulfilled everything he believed he was supposed to do. 

Ae meri zameen afsos nahi joh tere liye sau dard sahe
Mehfooz rahe teri aan sada chahe jaan meri yeh rahe na rahe

O my motherland, I don't mind all the pain that I've beared for you
Your honour must remain intact whether I live or not

Anirudh fell to his knees, his eyes rolling back after he got stabbed. Was it pain he felt? Or was it pleasure? Pleasure for being able to save his Bondita?

A smile reached his lips. 

Ae meri zameen mehboob meri, meri nas nas mein tera ishq bahe
Pheeka na pade kabhi rang tera jismon se nikal ke khoon kahe

O my motherland, you're my beloved and your love flows in my veins
Every drop of my blood says that your colour should never fade

His home, his motherland, his country. 

Revolution may have been his first love. 

However, Bondita had become the one who gave his revolution direction. She had been the one who had become his revolution and gave it a new meaning, gave it depth. 

Bondita was his Motherland. She was his fire. 

Teri mitti mein mil jawan
Gul banke main khil jawan
Itni si hai dil ki aarzu
Teri nadiyon mein beh jawan
Tere kheton mein lehrawan
Itni si hai dil ki aarzu

I'll turn into ashes and mix with your soil, o motherland
I'll bloom like a flower, o motherland
This is the only desire of my heart
I'll flow in your rivers, o motherland
I'll sway in your fields, o motherland
This is the only desire of my heart

Anirudh's breaths got fainter, as one of the men grabbed him from behind, and another man stabbed him once again right below his chest. 

His eyes naturally squeezed shut, dizzy, coughing with the low energy he had left. Blood poured out of his mouth now. 

Perhaps his lung was punctured. 

He couldn't tell. 

Because he felt pain everywhere... but also happiness. 

Happiness that he could perform one final act for his Bondita and their baby.  

Sarson se bhare khaliyan mere jahan jhoomke bhangda paa na saka
Aabad rahe woh gaanv mera jahan lautke vapas ja na saka
Ho watna ve mere watna ve tera mera pyar nirala tha
Qurbaan hua teri asmat pe main kitna naseebon wala tha

I wasn't able to dance forever in my green fields
May my village where I wasn't able to return, always remain prosperous
O my country, our love is unique
I'm very fortunate that I was able to sacrifice myself for you

He wasn't able to return to his family, to his hometown. He wouldn't be able to see his three children again. 

But they would be well taken care of, and he was happy to know that he'd left them behind with the best that he could have provided for them. 

Perhaps... one day in another life, he could return to Tulsipur. 

Perhaps... one day in another life, he could meet his children again. 

Perhaps... one day in another life, he could meet his family members again... and his long-lost brother Batuk who he loved dearly. 

Perhaps... one day in another life he could make amends with his beloved brother, who had been just as much his baby as Bondita was. 

Teri mitti mein mil jawan
Gul banke main khil jawan
Itni si hai dil ki aarzu
Teri nadiyon mein beh jawan
Tere kheton mein lehrawan
Itni si hai dil ki aarzu

I'll turn into ashes and mix with your soil, o motherland
I'll bloom like a flower, o motherland
This is the only desire of my heart
I'll flow in your rivers, o motherland
I'll sway in your fields, o motherland
This is the only desire of my heart

But until then... it was time to sleep. 

It was time to rest. 

Anirudh felt another lunge - this time straight into his heart. He couldn't feel the pain anymore, it was like he was losing all consciousness of his body. 

He saw Bondita's image in front of his closed eyes. 

She was more beautiful than ever today. Ethereal, like a celestial being. 

She came from the heavens to take him. 

She had really come to take him to her abode. 

The most stunning smile was on her lips as she extended her hand out, as if beckoning him to take it and come with her. 

Anirudh, with blood dripping down his lips, his teeth stained red, and a smile so big like he was the happiest man on the planet, extended his hand out, shaking. 

"B - B -" he couldn't form the words. It hurt to speak. He was barely breathing.  

He couldn't even feel the next stab that was buried into his body. 

Ho Heer meri tu hasti rahe teri aankh ghadi bhar nam na ho
Main marta tha jis mukhde pe kabhi uska ujala kam na ho
Ho maayi meri kya fikar tujhe kyun aankh se dariya behta hai
Tu kehti thi tera chand hoon main aur chand hamesha rehta hai

O my beloved, may you always smile and may you never have tears in your eyes
May the glow of the face that I was crazy for never decrease
O my mother, why do you worry and why do you have tears in your eyes
You used to call me your moon and the moon will remain forever

That beautiful Bondita of his with the divine smile... one more divine than he had ever seen before today, had come to take him. 

"Don't be afraid my child," her soft voice murmured in the canals of his ears. 

He couldn't see her anymore - she was a blur. He could just hear her faint murmurs. The most soothing and welcoming murmurs he had heard in his entire life.

I just want to disappear into your arms... his mind's voice said. 

"Why my arms? Let me absorb you into myself... and let's travel the space between spaces together, until it's time for you to return to the world," her ethereal voice vibrated into the faintness that was left of him.

Now the men had also let go of him - done with what they needed to do, and he fell flat, face against the floor, his skin mixing with the mud. 

The mud of Earth. His mother Earth. 

"It's time for you to leave this body behind now. It's not going to serve you any longer," Bondita's ethereal voice whispered. "Let go of this thread you have to your body... and let's go on a new journey ahead." 

New journey with my Bondita? 

The idea was exciting, even in his unconscious state. 

She continued, "The new journey will take us to further destinations with new experiences. New lessons, new territories, and new depths."

Her words soothingly blew into his canals, "My love, you've served this world very well. Now give the Universe the chance to serve you."

Her angelic whisper continued, "You need another body for this... one that is suitable for your next journey."

Anirudh felt his consciousness leave slowly while listening to her peaceful lullaby, as his astral self emerged out... and he took Bondita's hand. 

Anywhere his Goddess took him, he would go. 

This feeling felt familiar. Almost like she had led him to many journeys like this before. 

Have we done this before? He wondered. 

The blur of her being gave him a faint smile. 

Over and over again my dear. This isn't the first, nor is it the last time you've come here. 

Teri mitti mein mil jawan
Gul banke main khil jawan
Itni si hai dil ki aarzu
Teri nadiyon mein beh jawan
Teri fasalon mein lehrawan
Itni si hai dil ki aarzu

I'll turn into ashes and mix with your soil, o motherland
I'll bloom like a flower, o motherland
This is the only desire of my heart
I'll flow in your rivers, o motherland
I'll sway in your fields, o motherland
This is the only desire of my heart

Insects started to crawl on his body, ants climbing over his face, as he took his last breath. 

"So... ham...."

The sound of his final breaths mingled with the frequency of nature and his existence was submerged into the ether.

He had come from this Earth, and back to the Earth he had gone... 

He belonged to this world. 

The ants, the insects, the plants were his family. 

They had rights to his body, just like he had rights to his Mother Earth while he was alive. 

Now his Mother had rights to his body. 

Just like the circle of life went; it was another beautiful tale of karma. The relationship between a planet and its pilgrim. 

Anirudh's body rested on the ground, a final symbol of the man who existed on this very soil. The man who fought for revolution and who lived and loved with all his heart...

Now that man's story had become history. 

A memory. 

A man who once existed and was once known as Anirudh Roy Choudhary. 

He was only a tale of the past now.

--

This made me cry as I wrote it... I'm sorry. I love you all. ❣️

Any thoughts about the chapter?

Please press the star button and share your comments. It motivates me to write more. 

I'm starting the next chapter now so that I won't have to leave you all on an emotional note.