Isha stood quietly, lost in thought, as Raj, feeling a bit more composed, approached her. He asked, “Are you ready to give up on us?”
Isha shook her head, saying, “Absolutely not, but convincing my parents has been a struggle for years. I’m exhausted from seeing you disrespected by them. It pains me to be a burden in your life like this. It’s not your fault that you’re an orphan. You have so much to offer me, and most importantly, you love me.”
Raj responded, “It’s alright; we’ll fight for our love. I believe we can make it work. I’m willing to endure any insults if it means being with you. I’ll wait as long as it takes for us to be together.”
Isha smiled, feeling reassured. “Raj, let’s take the boat and head home; it’s getting late. Look, there’s only one boat available.”
Shyam, the boat sailor, found himself in a familiar routine on yet another night. He stood by the riverbank, hoping for a few last-minute customers to join him for the final trip of the evening, eager to earn a little extra before heading home. After nearly half an hour of waiting, two figures approached him. Raj inquired, "Are you willing to take us across the river?
"Absolutely! I've been waiting for someone to hop on board," Shyam replied. "I live on the other side, and it feels bad to make the last journey empty-handed.
Raj raised an eyebrow and said, “Just checking—are you sure you’re sober enough to navigate? You look a bit seasoned.”
With a playful grin, Shyam assured him, “Trust me, I’ve been at this long enough to avoid any blunders. You’re in good hands with me.”
Isha chimed in, “Alright then, let’s get going. We don’t want to be out here too late.”
Before stepping onto the boat, Isha turned to Raj and said, “You don’t need to worry; I’ll make sure to make us together. How about we sit at opposite ends today? I could give some solitude to myself.” She added playfully, “Don’t be scared of being alone.”
Raj responded with a smile, “Of course, take your space. I won’t be afraid with you, my lifesaver, right here.” He chuckled as he spoke. They settled at opposite ends of the boat, while Shyam was already positioned in the middle, waiting for them. They went up to sit on the ends of the boat separately.
Shyam sets off with his boat, glancing at the stunning sky above as he begins to sing, "What is life? What is death? All the mysteries lie in the river bed. Can only be known when written in faith."
Isha takes a piece of paper, a brush, and some colors from her bag, ready to capture the essence of the night. As she begins to paint, her thoughts swirl around her mind: "This somber night I find myself in deserves to be portrayed without my presence. Why should I insert myself into a scene where the clouds are shrouding the luminous full moon? The bushes stand still, untouched by the wind's gentle caress. The waves lie quiet, as if trapped in some prison stillness. And the birds? They are nowhere to be seen on any branches tonight. But can I really fault them? They must be experiencing the same heaviness that weighs on me." With that, she immerses herself in her painting.
Meanwhile, Shyam’s singing continues, " See what you wish through your eyes. Different vision leads to different night skies. Don’t you know, the nature is telling you lies?"
On the other end, Raj pulled out a piece of paper and a pen from his pocket, eager to capture the moment. "What a night this is! I can't praise her enough. The full moon shines brightly, peeking through those envious clouds. The bushes seem calm, no longer swaying to the wind's howls. Perhaps they've made peace. The waves, too, are no longer raging against the shore. Even the birds have turned in early tonight. It’s perfect! Maybe tonight is the night I should take my chance." Just as he set the paper down, placing the pen on top, he rummaged through his pocket to find something else. Suddenly, the splash of Isha jumping into the river broke the stillness. The unexpected noise startled him so much that he tried to rise but ended up tumbling into the water instead. Shyam, caught in a whirlwind of confusion and fear, found it impossible to help. Searching for anything in the dark waters at that hour was a daunting task. He found himself just caught in the situation of two people dying unwillingly.
The following morning, during the police investigation, both bodies were discovered. Police had confiscated the boat and found two pieces of paper on either side of it. When questioned, Shyam stated, "I was just singing, Sir, while gazing at the sky. I have no idea how it all unfolded. I’m certain one of them jumped, and the other screamed in fright, slipping into the river. I truly didn’t do anything, Sir, please believe me. I couldn’t see in that dark, otherwise, I would have definitely helped them."
The police, unable to uncover any further leads in their investigation, decided to send the painting along with the note for analysis to gain insight into the victims' emotional state. A week later, the interpretation report revealed, "The artist likely fell after experiencing a fright, as the painting, though detailed and skillfully executed, remains unfinished. The absence of figures on the boat, aside from the sailor, suggests it was still in the process of creation. Conversely, the note was completed, ending with a wish that hints at a possible intention of suicide.”
They tried but are still untold.