One cold November night

It was a cold November night. But the boy wasn't wearing a sweater or a muffler. He was racing his bike towards the bus-station without fearing of the cold. His brain was blank like the bare sky without stars. He arrived and he saw the last bus of that night still standing on the platform no.1. His heart beat was at its peak. He was searching for his father. He raced and stopped his bike near the bus in a flash. He looked at each and every window from outside the bus but his father was nowhere. He went to the other side to search. Again he looked at each window and was disappointed again. He took a deep breath and released it in a sigh. His eyes were almost wet. He wanted to climb the stair of the bus and want to look inside, but he didn't have that much strength to climb the steps. He came to his bike, leaned, and took support of seat. He was thinking what to tell his mom. He was thinking what if he'd never be able to see his father's face again. He was thinking what if mom collapsed. He was numb.

There was a window which was still closed, But the boy has lost all hope to see his father again. But suddenly his father opened that window from inside the bus. His father was siting there. Right there beside the window. The Boy's eye lit up. He sobbed. He tried to scream but couldn't. He just raised his hand and waved it in the air. His father was looking at him but he turned away his gaze like he didn't notice anything. The Boy stopped waving. He thought his father was annoyed with him and trying to behave like he was unknown. But that's not the truth. Something struck to the boy. He screamed to him. “DAD. It's me". Father looked at him with wide eyes. Suddenly father started to cry like a small baby. The Boy was trying to hold his tears back. His father was drunk. That's why he didn't recognize his own son at first sight and turned away his face. Both were looking at each other but neither one knew what to say. Father was still crying and the passengers were looking at him. The Boy hated those stares of the passengers. But he couldn't do anything.

Then the driver arrived and geared up the bus. Father didn't want to go away from his own son but he didn't get off the bus. The Bus started to rush on the road. The Road was dark and only the headlights of the bus was lighting it up. The Boy pushed keys of his bike in the ignition hole and started it. He was following the bus. His father was holding his head out of the window and waving his hand. He was signaling his son to hold his hand. The Boy refused. He said "I'm on the bike. I'll fall down". Father was pleading like he would die if the boy would not hand-shake with him. It was a cold night, but son and father were not aware of it. The Bus was gaining acceleration. But boy didn't want to disappoint his father's wish. He changed the gear and put the bike in 5th. He touched his father’s hand with his right hand. The Bike was running in parallel with the bus and the boy was controlling it well with only his left hand. Father didn't want to leave his son's hand. He said “Take care of your mother and sister". Son: "I will." Father started to cry more heavily. Boy told him to stop crying and he'll take care of his mother. Father's eyes were red because of wine. All the passengers were looking to this idiotic drama, but they didn't know the pain of father and son.

Son retarded the speed of his bike as he saw a big obstacle. It was a lid of drainage. Both hands were separated now. Boy screamed: “you take care, papa". Father replied with more tears only. Still father's hand was out of the window. He again wanted to hold his son's hand, but bus was running too fast. Boy: "I’m going home now. Mom is waiting for me. She'll worry if I don't reach her soon." Father: "Tell her to take care". Son: "I will". Boy was feeling pain deep inside. The pain which he couldn't describe. He wanted to hug his father but he couldn't. He wanted to weep his tears but he couldn't. He wanted to get back with his father but he couldn't. He was feeling the pain like a hell.

Now the bus was moving towards the highway. It was the end of that small town. Boy's home was in a different direction from that tri-cross road. Boy stopped his bike. Father was signaling him to continue riding and following him, but boy chose not to go far now. Boy stopped his bike. He was crying. He didn't want to let his father go away. The bus driver was in hurry because he had to travel a lot, So he accelerated the bus even more. Boy was feeling cold on his cheek due to tears. His father's head was still outside the window. Still his father was waving his hand. Slowly, slowly it faded away and now boy only could see the red back lights of the bus. Then those red lights started to flicker from far away and just disappeared. The dark highway and silence surrounded the boy. He looked up to the sky. He wanted to curse the god but he couldn't. He just closed both eyes and rode the bike towards the home where his mom was waiting for him. "I let my father go. Now he can live his life peacefully and we will live ours." Boy told to his mom. Boy was feeling pain but didn't show. His mother was looking at his eyes. She didn't speak. She wanted to hug her son and wanted to cry, but she just turned her face and got back to her work in the kitchen. It was mid night by then. Boy was lying in his bed. He was crying. Mother was lying in her bed. She was crying.