"This dress won't suit me" Arjun pouted. Siddharth was busy packing his luggage. He turned back and found Arjun standing in front of the mirror. Siddharth laughed. It was a day before his journey to his hometown.

"It's your uniform man"

"Whatever. I'm looking like a jocker. Right anna? Say the truth"

"Well..yeah almost."

"Whattttttt" Arjun yelled. Siddharth laughed.

"You said it first"

Arjun scratched his head. Siddharth zipped his luggage's and fell on the bed. He took the letter from his pocket and read  again.

"Letter for Anjali?"

Siddharth nodded and he smiled.

"Atleast this time ask for her phone number"

Siddharth laughed.

"Anyway you wanted me to give something to aira right. What's that?"

Arjun smiled. He went near his wardrobe and took out a huge box from that. Siddharth widened his eyes.

"What's This?"

"Nothing. But something special"He blushed. Siddharth chuckled.

Siddharth took the box from him and zipped it with the other luggage's. Then he turned to Arjun.

"My heart is not allowing to go leaving you here" Siddharth said.

"Anna I'm not a school going kid. Stop seeing me like that"

Siddharth smiled and patted his cheeks.

"Oh my god. Look at the time. I better go now" Arjun said in a hurry. He came back to Siddharth and gave him a big salute. Siddharth laughed.

"What was that?"

"I felt like" Arjun smiled. He took his cap and hurried.

"Arjun?"

He turned back to Siddharth.

"Take care"

Arjun smiled and nodded. He went down. From the window he saw Arjun getting into the big vanity with hundreds of other soldier's. The car zoomed out of his sight. He came back to his room. And made sure that everything is packed. He came downstairs. The dormitory was all silent. Everybody else had left. Siddharth was alone there. He walked outside. To the hills.

45 minutes later he reached the post office. He left his letter inside the letter box. A satisfaction crept over him. On the way he bought 2 shirts for him , a pink coloured saree for his beloved , he wondered whether she would wear saree now. He couldn't believe that she would have grown up like him. He smiled to himself. He brought a shirt for Arjun too.
He stopped near a stall to have his breakfast. Just then his eyes fell on the Latest News Flash.

" Terror Attack in the Border"

" 41 Indian soldiers died. 3 of  them in Serious Condition"

"Attack took place during the indian campaign"

The food almost struck in his throat. His hands started shivering.

He ran through the silent road as fast as he can. Police van , press  and ambulances rushed towards the border.  He took one of the vanity. His heart beat more than the speeding vehicle.

The sight broke his heart into pieces. He saw the shattered area , filled in a pool of blood. His hands and legs started shivering. He rushed towards the place. He broke the "DON'T CROSS" strap and rushed inside.

"Siddharth" a voice came from behind. He turned back and saw Dhruv.

"Don't go inside"he shouted. Dhruv had a broken voice. Siddharth came to him.

"Wheres Arjun?"

"Siddharth listen.."

"Wheres Arjun Dhruv? What happened over here? How you people become this careless" he screamed. Tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Siddharth...we didn't expect this..but.."

Before he completes He rushed inside and searched for Arjun like mad. He saw his colleagues , lifeless. His limbs felt weak. He searched Arjun. Everywhere. He couldn't find him.

"Arjun is not here" Dhruv said. Siddharth turned to him.

"Wheres he?"

"He's admitted in the hospital. When the blast took place he saved a mother and her child from death."

"Wheres he Dhruv. I want to meet him" he said in a broken voice. Dhruv nodded
.
.
.
Yells and cries perked into his ears. Everything for those men who shed their lives for their country. Siddharth cursed himself for Arjuns condition. Dhruv lead him to the ICU and he saw him almost lifeless. He took heavy steps towards him. He touched his forehead. Arjun winced in pain. Tears rolled down his cheeks. His body shivered.

"Ar..jun.." he called with difficultly. Arjun struggled to open his eyes and look at him. Siddharth held his swollen arms.

"An..naa"

Siddharth closed his eyes tightly.

"You'll..be fine..you'll be fine..."he kept saying.

"Aii..ra..my kids..i..I want to..see..them..Anna..they.." he struggled to utter every word.

"You'll be fine Arjun. I won't let anything happen to you"

Arjun smiled faintly.

"An..na....you.." His voice dropped. Siddharth raised his head and looked at him. His hands loosened

"Arjun... Arjun..look at me"he said.

The doctors rushed inside to check him. It was too late.

"Sorry. We tried our maximum. We couldn't save" the doctor said.

Siddharth stood numb. He looked at his lifeless body. Images of Arjun , his smile  , his laugh , his salute flashed before him. He patted his cheeks.

"Arjun..No.... please" he shouted as he took his lifeless body in his hands And hugged him tightly, keeping him closer to his heart.

"You can't go..I should have died instead. I killed you. Arjun.i killed you" Siddharth yelled looking up. Dhruv took him away from Arjun.

"I killed him Dhruv. I killed him"

He hugged Dhruv tightly. Tears found his way. He cried hardly. Feeling guilty thinking about the poor soul who was ready to share his happiness and sorrows with him.

He died. For his nation.

*****

♡ Nila ♡