"You once told us something," Ananthu continued after a grave silence, the sea breeze whipping around them. "A story about a train journey, I think you remember that."
Emerald just nodded.
"So what is your view? That is inside the train, or you got dumb enough to gaze at the outside?"
"The tale was simple," Emerald explained, maintaining his calm. "A psychological story used to tell society what's better at certain times: when you ride a train, you'll keep enjoying the view outside, not knowing what's inside. The view you see outside will be shorter than you could ever imagine; sometimes you don't even see it completely. Inside, there will be a family, students, working-class adults, and so many other people, and each of them will have different tales to tell. The story tells you to view your heart and understand what you're looking for. But I choose to differ from it. I choose to see the mountain that will never disappear even if the journey ends."
Ananthu was grinning over it as Emerald finished. "What about your mother, us, family dreams? What about them?" Ananthu blasted, his anger returning.
"You thought I just accepted everything? Nah. I'm doing this because I ain't got nothing left to do. I'm choosing this path for my family's safety."
"Will we ever meet?"
"If God is willing to, maybe."
Ananthu looked over his shoulder, likely in the direction Eva had been. "She's beautiful, you know, but I see a closed heart, wanting to be touched and cracked down."
"Eva is not the princess. She's merely an ally, and more of a friend as you are, Tendulkar."
"So you're a vampire that's gonna be a king."
"The king part is too much, you know."
"Well, well, we were grateful for the finances you did for us."
"Don't sweat it, man."
"But, you could have at least bought me some estates. You know how rich guys do that for their friends."
"Even if you lick my foot, like hell I'd ever do that."
Ananthu smirked, going for the low blow. "Are you virgin by any chance?"
"What do you think I am?" Emerald got frustrated, his composure finally cracking.
"Oh, come on, like a child as always."
"The sea is shallow, you know."
"Great information, but I'm leaving."
"Too soon."
"If I stay here any longer, you're just gonna feed me all those psychological nonsense."
"Me, nah, never."
"Well, whatever, I'm leaving, got a life to catch up." As Ananthu started to walk away, Emerald called out: "If it were you, what would you have done?"
Ananthu turned around, the wind pushing his hair back. "You were the man who said, 'Being human is being alive, choosing the immortality is a curse.'"
"Your answer."
"I would love to die lying on a bed as my grandkids and children say their memories of me, more than seeing my own blood—" Ananthu started to fade away from the picture. As he left, he yelled at Emerald from afar: "Does time let you forget about us?"
"It can change me, but not our times together, my friend," Emerald replied, his voice carried by the wind.
After Ananthu left, Eva emerged from the shadows of the nearby pine trees.
"Stalking as ever," Emerald asked, turning to her
.
"I'm simply fulfilling my duty as a sacred citizen of my nation," Eva replied, her gaze fixed on the retreating figure of Ananthu.
"Best friend?" Eva asked with a child's curiosity, seeking validation for his connection.
"One of my best friends. We are a group of people who chose to abide by our own ways. Choosing a single friend for my own ideas seemed like a selfish thing, so we gathered to be a pot of ideas and different lives. Thus, we became a group of brothers."
"Aren't you worried?"
"Don't chase him. He ain't gonna start a movement against you people anyway."
"What's the assurance?"
"He's simple, like me."
"Everyone is simple, until they are graced by the limits they are granted with."
"You speak of experience, Eva."
"Why do you think we vampires live in the shadows, without meddling in human affairs?"
"Ohh, you people have history, I guess."
"A living thing always has history, Emerald. As long as it can be told, it certainly keeps on to exist." Eva walked along the shores. The waves kept sweeping her feet as she kept her mind focused on the sky. The moonlight gently reflected off the calm waves, creating a shimmering pathway across the water. The soft sound of the waves lapping against the shore added to the peaceful ambiance, while the sand, illuminated by the pale light, appeared cool and smooth. Dark silhouettes of distant rocks and cliffs were softened by the moon's gentle radiance. The entire scene felt tranquil, as if time had slowed, allowing nature to bask in the quiet beauty of the night.
Emerald kept looking at the view. He thought to himself that this might be the final moments of this life.
"How does he know?" Zinan started to poke around his brain, sharp and suspicious.
"You already know," Emerald replied to him, calm and resigned.
"Why would you tell him? Thought you were a shut-in."
"The dream was too iconic enough that I couldn't keep it to myself."
"Just him?"
"Yah, he was the only guy who knew I had a thing for writing stories."
"Good grief."
Emerald had a great smile on his face, remembering the time he told Ananthu about his dreams.
"Bro, what's that, a new story?" Ananthu asked Emerald as he was pointing out the main points in his notebook.
"Yah, got a new idea."
"Is it good?"
"It's an iconic one."
"Huh, what's it about?"
"You seen that anime that I told you about, the one about a girl vampire and a high school boy spending their night roaming around the city?"
"Yah."
"Something like that." Ananthu gave a look of disappointment. Understanding the air, Emerald explained it a bit. "So it's like mixing an anime and a show?"
"Nah, this thing, it's real."
"How does it is real, bro?"
"Believe me, I have been dreaming about all this." With a side-eye, Ananthu asked, "Day or night?"
"Night, man."
"What are you, a Deva?"
"Who knows, makes me wonder if I'm destined to become like this."
"But you'll lose us."
"Nah, I don't think so."
"What's so sure about it?"
"Remember, I'm the one in charge, so I can bend it however I want to."
"So, how do you want it?"
"I would chose the princess and the crown, and of course I would write down some assets in my friends' names—that way you'll be rich. At last, I will choose to be human rather than being a vampire, though."
"Why? You can be immortal, you know."
"I can be immortal, but being human is being alive. Nothing can beat that feeling. It's special."
As Emerald and Ananthu were discussing it, Nihal asked, "What's you guys blabbering about?"
"Nothing, just some day dreaming by Emerald," Ananthu replied. He left after saying, "Bet it's one heck of a dream." They both were laughing it off.
Emerald just kept his gaze to the end of the sea, as the moon kept dazzling in the seawater. The tides kept rinsing the sins of those who left to the sea for a life—a life of so many ambitions and dreams. Emerald said to himself, as the sea breeze kept the tone low, low enough for him to hear, "I'm what I dreamed to be..."
(To be continued)