THE WATER WAS FRESH AND GLISTENING at the surface like diamonds as the sunlight fell on it. Yes, it’s Yamuna River. The long stretch along the border of Haryana was fabulous to take a look at. People thronged to play in the white-yellowish sand on the shore. It was plastic-free and you couldn’t see a single stain in the river. It was as pure as ambrosia. You didn’t need any aqua filters to make it clean and free from germs. 

If you drink the water directly from it your health will improve certainly. Even the doctors had told in some interviews that it had some healing powers which none can deny. People still have believed that by taking a sabbatical bath in this river, you can be free from sin. You could understand the invaluable role it is playing to enhance everyone’s life.  

“Hey, how do you feel today?” Trout asked the Katla fish. 

“What are you talking about? I always feel excellent. I think I am the happiest person in the world,” Katla said firmly. Her small mouth was frisked in and out and its tiny eyes throbbed with strong pulses. She was just two years old but looked beautiful with swaying finest fins, she had solid bones in the center, and her flesh was soft and aromatic. Her skin was shone like silver and had nice ears (they call it lateral lines) to hear anything happening around the river. 

Trout fell in love with her from the moment he had seen her in the giant net thrown by the fishermen. She was panting to breathe as her small mouth gasped for air while she struck in the net. She was such a kid at that time and couldn’t even know how to escape by flapping her fins. Her head felt dizzy andshe knew that she wasn’t going to live anymore. Her eyes were closed and the blood weakly had passed through her thin veins.  Oh God, why did you choose me to live such a short life? You would have refused me to take birth in the world instead, she thought at the final seconds of her death trap. She wasn’t angered with God, but she didn’t like to live shortly and die.  If humans can live ninety years why not we deserve to live at least five years, she thought and cried. It was just before the mighty fisherman pulled the net into the boat, the Trout jumped like a real hero and caught the mouth of the Katla and drew her inside the river. The frothing bubbles came out of her small mouth as she coughed and shuddered in the water. She didn’t know what was happening around her, it was like God had heard her thoughts and given her life back. She tried to open her eyes to look at the fellow who saved her, but she was too weak to even breathe herself. Trout carried her on his back and came to his resting place which was the bottom of the river and it was surrounded by small pebbles and green algae. Trout carefully laid her on the small rock and plucked some herbs to feed her, he thought she didn’t eat anything from the morning. But she refused to eat as shook her head gently, but she thanked immensely for saving her from the calamitous trap. She was all right again and able to dart through the water like a whale with enthusiasm. 

That’s how they got to know each other and fell in love deeply.  

“Really? I thought you are yelling at me these days because you are pregnantand I was the reason for it,” the Trout said. 

Katla came close to him and bumped at his stomach, Trout almost collapsed, but he knew her weight was increased substantially after she got pregnant. He smiled instead of burping with anger. 

“Hey, don’t smile at me. You fool,” she said. Her tiny eyes were moistened. She sulked her face and turned her head at the other side.  

Trout slowly swam towards her and nudged her stomach with his pouted mouth. She jerked away. He came again close to her, this time he kissed on her cheek and drew away fearing she might beat him with her caudal fin. But she didn’t. She stayed silently there, immovable. For a second Trout was frightened of what had happened to her. His blood pumped faster as he came close to her again, his heartbeat boomed in the river melodramatically.

“Katla, forgive me if I told you something to irritate you. 

But don’t avoid speaking with me, dear,” Trout said. 

She couldn’t resist herself anymore. She guffawed as her fishy eyes turned big. Her face blossomed and turned pinkish. She just wanted to know how much this idiot loved her. 

After a few long seconds of laughing, her eyes poured happy tears which mingled with water. It was her biggest advantage to stay in the water that her cries wouldn’t be noticed by anyone.  

“Youuuuuuuuu…..” Trout said and tried to bump her with his head now. But she escaped from there snaking through the water, her head acted like a sensor to know where he was. When he was closer, she would swim faster to keep distance from himself. Her dorsal fin was swaying like a tree branch would sway to and fro in the storm. She gave forward thrust and invigorating motive force to keep herself away from him, justfor the sake of playing with him. She loved such playful behavior of him.  

“You can’t catch me, my husband. You are a fat fellow, turning like a pig nowadays,” she screamed in the water, still laughing. Her stomach ached. But she didn’t mind it. She had even forgotten the fact that she was pregnant in this joyful mood. She had never thought she would be having such a great partner along with her. She wanted to spend her time like this, playing, cuddling, bumping, and laughing. But God knows if her wishes would become true or not.

“If you call me a pig again, I will call you a tomky,” he said. 

In their world tomky was used to address a person who was pregnant by some passing traveler. Though he didn’t like to address her with this harsh word, he didn’t have another idea to stop her from going away from him. He knew this word would provoke her emotions and she would stay still.

On hearing that word, she stopped laughing because she was angry. Her bones become harder and her eyes were turned hot and burnt the water. She whisked herself far away from him.  

“Hey don’t go there, come back,” the Trout screamed at top of his voice. He knew there were giant sharks who would often come for preying the big fishes. Last time when a horn shark had come, ate thousands of fishes alive. When the Shark had seen the Trout, it had chased after him fiercely. He couldn’t compete with the big Shark and thought he would be swallowed by it. But eventually, a big boat floated upon the water at that time and honked furiously. 

On hearing the noise, the Shark had gone back to her shelter without hurting him. Trout still hadn’t forgotten about this incident.He even shared this terrible incident with Katla, who told him not to leave her and go lurking in the dangerous parts of the river. 

She even warned him that day. But now she was treading through this frightful path, the Trout was helpless and couldn’t put her on hold. She was already crossing the deadly line where the possibility of shark attacks was higher.  

There was no response from her. She was heading straight. She didn’t even turn to look at him. But she slowed down eventually because she couldn’t swim easily with her stout stomach. She felt like she was carrying a heavyweight on her shoulders. But her anger wasn’t a bit reduced on him. She had decided not to talk with him at all. She had never thought he would even think of tomky word to address her. Her blood was frozen like ice cubes when she had heard him tell that. Usually, she was a forgiving type, but not in this matter. 

You could have understood how much she was hurt. It only showed that she loved him a lot, though she was suffering right now. From the moment he had saved her from the fisher’s net trap, she loved him deeply. Not a second, she wanted to leave away from him. She didn’t know why he was behaving insanely today and making her blood boil.  Maybe he was bored of me. Maybe he was thinking I became fatter and he didn’t like to hang on with me. Maybe I became ugly with this potty stomach, several thoughts knocked her brain at the moment. She slowly treaded through the water, which wasn’t cold but warm. The Sun shone brightly today and had slid down to the west now and within a few minutes, its red glow wouldn’t be seen. Thesky was plain blue and very few clouds were spread here and there.  

Now, Trout had seen her swimming tiredly in the water as if she was going to die now. He had seen something big was coming towards her. He couldn’t say what it was. It was a blur and he thought it was some Tuna fish, which wouldn’t harm them. But he had seen a sharp head. His heartbeat skipped twice. He knew it wasn’t Tuna for sure. It was something else. He didn’t want to think a second now, he ran faster and faster. He was screaming after her. But Katla was still not ready to heed his voice. She tried to swim vigorously despite her stomach cramps. 

Her thin bones were frightening to crack, but she swam briskly. Her head was throbbing with hectic pain, but she discarded it. All she had was a pompous ego that she shouldn’t talk with him for hurting her feelings.

“Katla, please hear me. I am sorry and I won't hurt you again. But please come back to me, don’t go there. Shark is coming after you,” he communicated in a thick voice. But Katla wasn’t in a position to look ahead to know there was a dangerous animal coming to eat her. Even if she had seen one she was happy to be killed by it. Her dull head and shabby fins had meant it.

The Shark darted in the water skillfully, smoothly, and at the same time surreptitiously. It didn’t make any noise. Its large mouth wasn’t opened but its giant jaw was twitching to snap open its mouth and get the meat inside. It was very close now.  Katla, open your eyes fully to know the Shark was coming ahead.

Katla’s heart trembled when it had seen a big Shark a few metersdistances. Her brain faded for a second and knew she was dead now. But she wasn’t worried about dying.  It is okay to die than to live with a guy who has started hating me, she thought. Death can only release her from the entanglement of life. She didn’t quiver now. She was still heading towards the Shark, which was gnawing its densely sharp teeth to swallow her up. It was too big like in the shape of a ship. Katla wasn’t cowering to look at this giant creature now. Not a speck of tension crept into her soul.  

“Katla, have you lost your brain or what? Come back, it is going to attack you now,” the Trout shouted. 

The Shark heard him. It was speeding its hunting process and about to swallow the Katla now. No, not yet. There was a hesitation shown in its eyes. Maybe he wasn’t interested to attack a fish that was pregnant or someone who was there to take care of her. It was only a fraction of a second to make a decision. But it had decided quickly. Katla didn’t move an inch when she had seen the Shark coming for her flesh. 

She didn’t ruffle a bit. She wasn’t heeding to Trout’s voice either.  I don’t have anyone to love me. I was cheated. I couldn’t live this nefarious life anymore, her frantic thoughts were almost suffocating her. She stayed there like she was already a dead fish. The Shark’s thick breath was falling on Katla now, she could feel it, but her eyes were closed. The Shark smelled her, and his mouth was opened but not fully, he was circling her. 

He knew the Trout wasn’t having the strength to beat him, even if he dared the Shark was going to taste his blood for sure. 

Nothing cantrouble the giant creature like me, the Shark thought proudly. He felt Katla was beautiful, in fact, he had seen her eyes for a few long seconds, as if he was elevated by her swaying beauty.  

“Shark, please you don’t hurt her. She is my wife. She is pregnant now,” Trout said in a beseeching voice.

The Katla opened her eyes as if she suddenly woke up from a nightmare, “No, he is not my husband. If you wanted to eat me, please do it right now. But you don’t take his words,” she said sullenly. A bout of sharp pain came out of his spine, as the Trout heard this. He felt like crying and beating himself.  Have I done an unforgivable mistake by calling her tomky? No, Katla. Please don’t take me wrong. Please come back to me. I will fall on Shark’s feet to let you free. I am even ready to die to save you. But don’t hurt my feelings by telling him that I was an alien and you didn’t know who I am. I can’t take this. Oh God, can you make her understand how I am feeling now.  

“Trout, I can remember when you had escaped from me last time. But now it is impossible for you to do the same thing again. I am gonna eat you alive if you claim her falsely. Why should she lie with me?” Shark said.

“Because we both were fighting each other. But for God’s sake, believe me, I am her husband,” the Trout said, a tear crawled down from his left eye, “I had done a great mistake by calling her idiotically. That’s why she is not happy with me. She came here without knowing where she was traveling to. I think you can understand my pain,” the Trout said.His voice was choking and halting in between.  

The Shark groaned. His sharp and burly teeth were waiting to tear their flesh, but somehow it had stopped. The Shark would never think a second time when he had something to prey upon readily in front of him. But now it wasn’t in a hurry.  

“Once I decided to assault someone, I had never turned back. 

I am not interested in your stories. 

I am not a lover boy to have sympathy and compassion to understand these all things. You know I am the king of fisheries. I can’t step back from here without tasting the flesh of your woman. I mean your wife,” the Shark said. It was a kind of mockery. 

“No Shark, please don’t kill her. Take me if you wanted,” the Trout said.

“I don’t want to taste the blood of a man who shed a tear. 

I know you are a weak soul,” the Shark said and nudged his protruded face on Katla. A pleasant shiver crept down his throat as he looked at her libidinously. His ravenous front teeth scratched the small mouth of Katla, who didn’t move an inch. Her eyes were fully closed and swallowing the drops of river water like she was parched under the scorching sun. Her breath was hard and difficult, and her stout stomach was clenched tighter. She was only worried because her small children in her womb had to die now. She had asked them to forgive her for killing them due to her unwillingness to stay in the world. She was deprived of any feelings now. Not a second she had wanted to look at the Trout, fearing she might embrace him if she had seen him weep for her.  No, he can’t stop me from dying. But she wanted to hear that he wouldtell her finally I love you. Those words were enough for her to rest peacefully. Her ears were waiting to hear such pleasing words.  Trout, would you be able to grab her feelings? 

“Damn it, if you don’t leave from here, I will knock you down with my fists,” the Trout said to Shark.

On hearing his roaring words, the Shark simply twinkled his left eye and kissed Katla. It had even licked her small pink tongue, “You can’t even shake a tiny muscle in my body,” he said proudly. His enlarged mouth moved up and down as laughed at him.

The Trout jumped and dashed him in between big eyes with his pouted mouth. But the Shark felt like an ant passed over its skin. He wanted to chuckle again. But he didn’t. Instead, he clutched the Katla with his front incisors. She could feel the sharp incisors were pressing down on her and her fragile bones were almost crushing as he exerted more pressure.  

“Nooooooo…….no………please don’t kill her. I won’t beat you. Please leave her alive,” Trout said. He was moving left and right with gnawing emotions. He was restless and enervated, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t going to fight with him to release her.  

“She is yummy. I can’t leave her just like that. I haven’t had good food for the past two days. I am feeling hungry now. I am sorry dude,” the Shark said. The giant teeth further pressing down, tearing slightly the stomach of Katla, who knew her children were frenzied and crying inside her womb. There were five little fishes, and she knew each and every movement of them distinctly. But she couldn’t sense the movement of the third little fish, which would always juggle between others. She was frightened if that little fish was already dead. Herheart grew with agonizing pain as she thought about it. 

“You devil. Hell of a bastard, let free her. She is my love and my life. You can’t just tear her like that. I know I didn’t have the strength to beat a heavy person like you. But please understand my feelings. She is my wife and she is carrying children,” the Trout said. 

His voice quivering like someone was shaking him.  

The Shark shrugged her pectoral fin and took a deep breath, “I didn’t see your wife is worrying a bit about you. I think she loves my big tummy and she is eager to shed her life for my hunger,” he said and averted his big eyes at Katla and continued, “what do you say, my dear woman? Do you want to live with this useless fellow or happy to become a toast of mine?”

Katla tried to speak but her voice was muffled like you are talking inside the swimming pool and bubbles frothing up. But her stomach was bulging in and out as she gasped for breath.

“See Trout, this girl doesn’t have any interest to hang on with you. You better get out of here. Otherwise, I will toss you on the shore with a flick of my tail, got it?” the Shark said.

“Katla at least speak now. Tell him that I love you very much. I can’t live without you. Speak….speak….open your mouth,” the Trout said. 

Now Katla was trapped under the roof of the Shark’s mouth, she felt like she had been smothered inside a dark and deadly cavern. She slicked and slid down on the Shark’s large tongue. She was holding her nerves tightly just not to fall into the big throat which looked like an endless pit. On hearing the magical and energizing words of her husband,Katla’s body sizzled as if a high electric current passed through her spine.  

She was screaming from inside, “Dear, forgive me for letting you suffer. I am a dumb woman and didn’t have a brain for leaving you in the lurch. I don’t know if two of our children are already dead inside my womb. I am feeling terrified here. Come and save me and our remaining little fishes.”

“Oh, that’s great to hear back from you,” the Shark said and grinned at the Trout. “Your wife is asking you to save her. Will you?”

Trout couldn’t hear, but he knew she was calling after him. 

An enormous and splitting energy sprouted inside his body as he thought of saving her.  Is there a way to save her from this indomitable and intimidating creature? No, it wasn’t possible.  The Trout was drained of ideas and he couldn’t find a single way to save his wife and children, let alone kill the fiercest Shark. He leaped with a long stride and pummeled on his protruded face, a scrunching pain shoot on the Shark’s head. The Shark hadn’t imagined such a force from this weak fellow. He was stunned for a second. He stepped back, but not in fear. He knew that he had a huge body to knock him down like a heavy-weight champion in a first blow. But his confidence was shadowed by the Trout’s overwhelming enthusiasm. What the fucking power these words I love you have in it, he thought and suddenly hurtled like a rocket over the Trout. 

It was an unexpected hit, but Trout was ready to take such stunts from the ruthless Shark, who was groaning like a devil shown in ugly thriller films. A snotty yellowish liquid leaked out of its nose, it was the synonym for its billowing anger. The Shark was roaringwith vehemence to shear off the Trout’s head. But fortunately, Katla was safe inside his mouth, even though she was sliding up and down whenever the Shark shook his big mouth to attack the Trout. Katla felt she would have had hands like a human to protect her children and feel them through her gingerly touch, but it was only a vain thought. She had prayed and prayed and prayed that God should help the Trout to save himself from the fiercest attack of the Shark.  

“Wow, you have some guts buddy. I like it, you know,” the Shark said, as ground its teeth. 

His huge eyes were hot as the midday sun. 

“I will kill you if you won’t release Katla from your mouth,” the Trout screamed.

The Shark laughed like a Ravana, he stared at Trout as chewed something inside his mouth. No, the Katla was fine. The monstrous Shark was just acting.  

“Hah, she tastes like a roasted pig. Did you ever………….” Before the Shark had finished the sentence, the Trout grabbed a small spear from the bottom of the river and pierced it at the bottom of Shark’s body. The shark could feel the stingy pain under his body (close to pelvic fin) but didn’t know what had happened to him. He couldn’t guess where the Trout hid suddenly. His eyes were still razor-sharp and scanned in every direction.  

“Where the hell are you? Come to face me, you little snotty bug?” he boomed. 

Even the sound inside the water was heard like it was amplified with 5.1 Dolby speakers.  

He was panicked when he had seen the red color mixed in water. 

What the fuck it was? Was something colorful? Are the humans are celebrating holy in the water? the Shark thought blindly. His teasing pain was unabated and continued its delirium. He almost faintedwhen he had come to know that it was his blood.  

“You release her now. Otherwise, I will rip off your innards,” the Trout said.

“You can’t do that. I am a thousand times bigger than you. You must be joking,” the Shark said, he was still able to bring a smile to his face. It appeared ghastly and hideous and brutal. He flipped his broad tongue as the Katla fell under the gooey saliva of his tongue. It was like thick and viscous matter and she found it was difficult to get out of here. 

She tried to pull over the tongue but it was weighing heavy and she had lost her courage because she couldn’t lift a few centimeters. It was like the roof of the house was suddenly collapsed and fallen on your head. 

But Katla continued screaming, she thought her vehement cries would be heard by the Trout. As death inched closer to her, she was wished to live longer with the Trout. Her adrenaline was pumping like an old engine and she was distraught and faithless spirit now. 

“Oh Ghosh, why are you fighting with small creatures like us? Stop attacking. Why don’t you prove your mettle and muscle power by fighting with someone as big as you?” the Trout said. He dropped down the spear which he had clenched in between his teeth, he knew killing such a giant creature was only going to happen in his dream, how many times he had tried to pierce him, it wouldn’t destroy him and the Ravana Shark would come back and fight with him again and again.  Oh God, why did you create such helpless and small creatures like us? Only to be torn and eaten by these deranging animals? Why such partiality in your creation? Why you didn’t give us the specialpowers to combat with such valiant creatures at difficult times and win against them? I’m just a poor and deprived soul and didn’t even have an ounce of stamina to challenge him? he thought and fumed.

“You are cursed people. You are born to be defeated by me,” the Shark said and grinned.

“Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo,” the Trout’s blood furiously struck his heart as he rose and punched on the Shark’s stomach, as his stomach cracked. The Trout didn’t know how he got enormous energy to hit him like that. He knew all the power was within him. It was only his lack of belief that was making him think he was a low creature. The power he had within was like the booming thunderstorm buried in his gut and suddenly got through his veins and ravaged the people who confront him. The Shark’s stomach split into two like the dried wood crack after it was axed. The many swallowed fishes had come out of its barrel-like stomach and fell in the water, gasping for breath and coughing. 

Maybe thousands of fishes came now. 

The Shark’s body twisted and spun like it was dancing in the river, but his eyes were screaming. He groaned as opened his mouth fully and shook his head as if he wanted to swallow them all again. But he didn’t. The thrashing energy in his blood was getting drained now. You could see there was a sudden drop of charge in his eyes, it was subdued and telling others that he was lost in the battle by the single fierce stroke that came from the Trout. He was still wondering how this poor guy had got such bashing potential all of a sudden. 

No, he couldn’t able to think it properly. He was falling to death. His mouth was slowly closing.  

The Troutwas screaming, “Katla, get out now. The Shark is dying. Jump out of his mouth immediately,” he said.

The Katla was hearing his yapping, but it was an interminable experience to get out of that slick saliva of the Giant Shark. She was trying to climb up the tongue but it was a vain attempt. Each time when she tried to jump, she was slid back and fell into the trap again and again. She almost gave up. She thought living again with the Trout was only a distant dream. She didn’t know if her little children were still alive in her womb.  Maybe two are alive, no, only one.  She couldn’t reason it. She wished not a single little fish had died. But what was the need to think of their health unless until she couldn’t get out of this enervating, excruciating, and strangling cavern mouth? Her breathing was faltering but she wasn’t dead. She knew it was something because she had done some good karma earlier that she was still breathing. Otherwise, it was impossible to even think of living under a tunnel where even air won’t sneak in.

“Oh God, this is my final try, if I couldn’t climb up the tongue, I am ready to die,” Katla said, closing her eyes and muttered. 

The Trout was deeply worried because there were only a few centimeters of a small gap in Shark’s mouth now, he was whisking left and right in front of Shark to know if Katla was peeking out through this thin gap. 

Even thousands of fishes that were saved earlier were swirling around them to know what was going on here. 

They didn’t aware that the Trout was looking for his wife. He wasn’t in a position to reveal this matter to them now while he was in a deplorable state. 

Thefishes were wanted to thank him immensely for saving their life, but they couldn’t find the right time to shake hands with him. Theirs wasn’t an exaggerating feeling than the Trout’s humongous suffering. The Katla took a deep breath, which was still a daunting task for her, and gathered all the miraculous power to save her own life. 

Her body heaved up and thrust forward as she had closed her eyes. She had fallen now, but where? She didn’t know. She thought she had fallen in the sticky smell of saliva under the Shark’s thick tongue again. No, Katla you made it this time, congratulations! What an effort to jump like an athlete. Her heart tossed up and down and tears spurt through her both eyes on knowing that she had made it.  No, it wasn’t done yet Katla. You have to come out of this giant mouth, to see and hug your hubby. C’mon get up now.  She did. 

She could smell the Trout was very close to her. Her heart jumped in the pool of happiness mercifully, oh what a tremendous feeling it was to see him again. Her joy was limitless and overflowing. She knew the wreaking creature was about to die. Not a single cell stirred inside in the Shark now. But if he had closed his mouth, that’s it, her struggle would have no meaning. She was ready to combat again. She tried to sneak out of his mouth, but she was struck between the sharp and pudgy teeth again, oh God it created a tear in her stomach again. It formed a blister. But it was fine because it was not gouged deep to hurt her little fishes. She tried to come out again. This time her head poked out first. Her eyes scanned around the place tosee her husband. She was sure he was there, waiting desperately to meet her.  Oh God, he was here, right there in front of me. 

He must be a good and honest and merciful husband to save me after giving him so many troubles because of my useless wit and blaming character.  Oh, how lovely to see him again, waiting to embrace me. 

You are my humble partner, do you forgive a dumb girl like me? Yes, you do.  

“Katla, slowly. Don’t hurt your stomach, climb out slowly,” the Trout said. His eyes were shedding lots of tears now. He didn’t want to measure it.  

She pushed hard this time. The mouth of the Shark was about to close. If Katla stayed a few more seconds inside the mouth, she damn had to give up her life for sure. She squeezed her body through the thin hole, she felt like her bones were crushing. 

Her caudal fin was throbbing at the back. The Trout came close to her and anxiously waited for her arrival like a mother would worry about her child’s birth during delivery. He was brushing her face, he felt like kissing her, but it wasn’t the time to do this. He couldn’t rest a second, agitation cooked up in his eyes, his heart pulsating like a blow on the anvil. It was thudding and skidding. Here her stomach was shown a bit. Yes, it was coming closer to her freedom. But it wasn’t yet finished. She was wriggling through the narrow space. You could see the Shark’s eyes were closed now, he was dead, but he was still panting like an old man. Maybe it was acting as if he wanted to attack them again in ambush. Who knows what was in the Shark’s mind.  

“Deeeaaaaaaaar,” Katla was trying to say, but her words weren’taudible. It felt like the words had been distraught and fragile and skinless. The Trout knew she was calling him, oh how good it was to hear such words from her.  My dear wife come out very fast, I couldn’t able to see the wreaking pain you are carrying through now.  

“Yeah, sweetheart, just like that. Hmm, slid down, you made it, yes,” the Trout said. 

The audience fishes were peering at her now. They had caught the same fever the Trout had these many hours. All were shrouded around Katla like angels had come to meet a fascinating person and to bless her. Oh, what a moment it was.  

“I am coming……” that’s all Katla can muster to say now. 

She pushed hard now as muttered his name. Oh God, she plopped into the water, she couldn’t see anyone because her eyes were dizzying and whirling. She had lost some blood as she drew out of the Shark’s big canine teeth which tore the back of her body. But she was going to be all right. When she got into the water she felt like she had returned to her finest shelter. She can breathe now without difficulty, but still, she couldn’t able to swim efficiently. The Trout had helped her to paddle. The Shark was dead and falling to the bottom of the river. The water smelled of blood now. It was like a furious battleground, bloodshed was everywhere. 

The fishes which were saved by the Trout were relieved, even though they felt bad for what had happened to Katla. But they didn’t want to disturb them anymore by staying close to them now. They wanted to give them freedom, so they left the place.

After few minutes, Katla felt a calmness and deep serenity in her soul, as she had opened her eyes and hadseen the Trout. Her mouth quivered while she looked at him, she couldn’t speak a word. She thought he would beat her for behaving like an idiot, but he didn’t. Instead, he embraced her and kissed her all over her face and body.  

“Never leave me, alone dear,” the Trout said. “I can’t live without you a second.”

A tear jumped out of her left eye as she looked at him cheerfully but with a guilty heart, “I am sorry my dear hubby. I don’t let you suffer anymore. I have given you more troubles than you would have imagined,” she said with a touch of a smile. Her face was pale after these adventurous events, but her charisma hadn’t left her at all. She was still a beautiful queen to him.  

“I feared you were chewed by the Shark, thank God you are alive,” he said, took a deep breath. 

“I won’t leave you to live a peaceful life, my murky husband,” she said softly, but in a sweetened voice. They looked at each other, beaming.

“This is why I love you, dear. The wittiness plus the glamor you have is exceptional. I think I am very lucky to get such a wonderful life partner,” he said. There was a concern and caring in his brisk but calm voice. He had meant it. He knew it was the moment to show all that he had in his heart. He hadn’t said these things earlier, but it was the right time to pour his love on her. Now only he understood that it doesn’t matter how much you love your partner, but you should always reveal all the glory to the person concerned time and again. 

Then only they can know that there is a person there to take care of them all the time. Itwas the kind of healthy malt that definitely need for them to run their life smoothly without much friction and clamor. That doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be any trivial fights in between them, but care must be taken. Enjoy life selflessly, but at the same time carefully. Oh, how many days it had taken him to learn such harmonious lessons. He found the freedom in his heart now. Now he knew how to live an enchanting and amorous and elevating life.  

They started kissing passionately.  

                                                                      ***