Shadowed Heartbreak
Shadowed Heartbreak
by SleepyArcher
"What?"
That was about the only word that she could utter. It was possibly the only word a person could utter when their fiancé breaks up with them just a month before the wedding. Or, perhaps they could say something else but for shy, introvert Aasha this one word was the only she could. The only other thing she could do was to stare blankly at his face.
Devaj stared at his fiancée with a hint of irritation in his eyes. This was what he disliked about her the most. This blank stare with near to zero words. It was hard to understand what the hell she was even feeling. Even at this heartbreaking news, her face held zero emotions, like a fucking robot. He muttered as such before continuing in an indifferent tone, "I am not going to continue with this marriage. Let's break up without much fuss."
"Without much fuss?" Aasha repeated in a stupor. How could a couple break up without much fuss when the wedding of the said couple is in a month?
Devaj looked at her impatiently,"Have you turned into an idiot? There wouldn't be any fuss because the wedding was going to be a civil one. As long as neither of us makes any trouble, the breakup will go smoothly."
Having said his part, he checked the time on his phone and stood up before picking up his jacket. He then headed out of the café with a last sentence thrown at Aasha, "I will G-pay my portion of the bill."
His now ex-fiancée sat there in abject shock with two cups on the table in front of her, one empty and the other half-full.
***
'One step at a time, let's just focus on that', she kept telling herself in her mind as she walked towards her home. Right now, she couldn't focus on much. It was better to concentrate on the simpler things. Because, if Aasha had to think about what Devaj had said and done today then it would take only a second for her to break down completely. The heartbreak, the fea- 'No, don't go there,' she reminded herself harshly, 'Don't even think about it. It's much more important to reach home now.'
Aasha took a deep breath, wrapped her stole around her head, put the end inside her jacket and zipped up the jacket to its end. She then thrust her hands inside her pockets to stave off the cold and refocused her attention on her steps. The sky was darkening quickly owing to the cold season and the chill setting in the air more prominently. The weather forecast had promised a particularly low temperature for that night. It was better to be home.
The street lights hadn't turned on yet, the grey light of the afternoon sky providing faint illumination. A layer of fog remained, disrupting the very little light that was available. The street was empty save for a stray cat sleeping on the branch of a tree. On any other day, Aasha would have stopped to coo at it and perhaps snap a picture for IG, annoying the cat in the process. But, today she couldn't muster the energy to do anything but go home. Plus, a faint sense of unease churned in her gut. The eerie atmosphere added to it.
Focused as she was on her steps in her hurry to get home and keep the events of the afternoon out of mind, she didn't manage to react in time when twigs made up of pure darkness clasped tightly over her mouth and feet. Before her hands managed to attempt freeing her mouth, she was dragged by her feet into the shadows of the alleys.
A figure cloaked in a dark grey overcoat watched from the ambiguity of shadows. The cat opened its blue eyes once and went back to sleep.
***
Author's Note: This is the third one. After this one, I'm kinda stuck. Hopefully, inspiration will hit me soon.
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