The Endgame - Part 2

He is 29 years old. Faded blue shirt. Faded blue Jeans. Lean. Long hair. Expressive eyes. A chiseled jawline. A handsome guy.

And he's just been saved by the hand of god.

The sky opens up with the light of the day as he makes his way away from the bridge. He has a black mask on. There is a virus eating the planet. His heart is light as he walks the 5 miles to the animal shelter. And his heart also dreads at meeting with Tanya, his German shepherd. How do you make peace with someone you have deserted?

He passes a Coffee shop, a rich aroma of fresh brew in the air. He is tempted but then shakes his head. Tanya first. He reaches the animal shelter. It's 8.30 am. He knows it doesn't open before 11 am. He waits patiently on the steps. He has a closer look at the jacket given to him by Hagrid.

It’s well-worn and scruffy at the edges. He puts his hands in the right pocket of the jacket and finds a ring. It looks like platinum but then it isn't like anything found on this planet. He slips it on the fourth finger of his right hand. And gets hit by a blast of  raw energy.

The Armor of god. He knows he will never take it off. Ever.

The owner of the dog shelter is not surprised to see him. She looks at him and says quietly 'Something told me you are a keeper. And keepers don't desert no one. And she needs you'. The 29 year old looks at her and nods, unable to find the words.

He goes to the kennel where Tanya is kept. A bowl of food and water is kept inside. Both are untouched. Tanya is lying on the floor, her brown fur matted with dust and a distant look in her eyes. He removes his mask and says softly. 'Hi sweetie, I am back'...Tanya’s ears perk up and she gets up. She looks at him.  And then walks away to a corner of the kennel and looks away. He feels a dread in his heart. 'I know Tanya. I am so sorry'. She’s not interested. What do you do with someone who has slowly switched off for weeks, grown distant and finally abandoned you? And now he comes back when he pleases.

The lyrics of a timeless song floats in the air - It sure took a long time to miss me... A long time for you to come around.... A long time to find what was wrong.. Sure took a long long time.

He doesn't say anything. Just kneels down and put his hands around her neck and buries his face in the warm fur. And cries. 'I just wanted to die. I am sorry I didn't think of what would happen to you. I got saved by Hagrid today...I got my second shot at life'.

It takes a full week of love to get her back. They are not BFFs for nothing.

The days go by. For the first time, since the car wreck three years back, he's sleeping well. Tanya has noticed the radiant change in him and loves him like never before. In the nights, he sits on the rocks on the sea shore and keeps looking at the heavens. Something tells him it’s not yet the time to go back home to his folks and friends yet.

One night, he is jolted out of his sleep. A voice in his head says urgently. 'The bridge. Same place. Be there in 20 min'.

Hagrid!!!

He looks at his watch. It's 3.45 am. He picks up a pair of crumpled jeans from the floor and slips them on as fast as he can. He stuffs his mask in his back pocket and urgently calls out - 'Tanya, let’s go', and he's out of the door. He doesn't bother about shoes and starts running barefoot, slowly at first and then picks up pace. Tanya is right next to him. It's a good two mile run and by the time they arrive at the bridge, he’s drenched in sweat and short on breath.

The long bridge is a magnificent structure. All steel and suspension wires. The halogen lamps throw lights over the road. He slips in the shadows of the sidewalk and quickly walks towards where he last met Hagrid. He looks at his watch. It’s 4.02 am. It's a clear night, a million stars in the skies and there's a light breeze blowing.

He sees a figure on the other side of the ledge, both hands gripping the railing and about to let go. There is a sinking feeling of Deja Vu. He steps forward.

Hey!

The figure turns back to look at him, eyes full of torment. She is around 25, very pretty, five foot four, silky hair touching the shoulders, a pale skin that sun rays are not very kind to.  She is wearing a white shirt, teal blue jeans. The eyes are perceptive and glimmer of intelligence. There are laugh lines around the mouth. There is a stubborn icy streak about her that tells him loud and clear, with this one - life is either her way or the highway.

50% Savage. 50% Sweetheart.

He grips the railing with both his hands, about 10 feet away and looks at her and says "You jump and I jump too. Remember the Titanic!". The girl stares at him wide eyed. He continues 'Everyone dies some day... But it's not your time today.  And mind you, I specialize in rescuing lost souls.  And let me tell you, I am a strong swimmer.  With and against the tide. So there!

And under his breath he mutters "Hagrid, you have to help me here, I can't swim to save my life! I would probably reach the bottom before she does”!! The skies chuckle.

She looks at him. His hair and the black Tee are damp from the night sprint, his breathing still heavy due to the exertion, the faded blue jeans, the bare feet, the hands gripping the railing with the little finger curved up slightly, the ring on the fourth finger of his right hand, and the large expressive eyes which tells a story of pain. And she sees Tanya sitting next to him, and the bond between them.

She doesn't ask him what he's doing there at this unearthly hour.

'Want to talk about it'? He asks her gently. She looks at him and then looks away at the distant horizon over the sea. There's faint lights from a ship passing through the night.  'My life's shallow. Everyone wants to own me but no one wants to know me. I am just wearing a fake mask for the world and I am tired of it.'

'No one really loves me for what I am'. 

He looks at her and smiles. 'Something tells me that's just about to change. I promise you I'll never let you be alone again. You'll never be unhappy again, I'll look out for you. I promise you'. She looks at him for a long time. And then smiles back. It’s a beautiful smile.

Something has just irrevocably shifted in his destiny. Life has come to a full circle from the car wreck. He touches his ring, looks at the skies and asks softly ‘Hagrid, did you send me to save her, or did you send her to save me’?

A million stars suddenly sparkle brightly and twin bolts of lightning rips across the cloudless sky in response.