The clouds that had accumulated over Santa Cruz burst open at 2.15 p.m. Clouds fell on top of clouds and a huge blast was heard in the sky. In an area of about ten to fifteen kilometres, the rainwater poured in huge volumes, as though an angel had overturned a lake on top of the city.

Kalyan, Thane, Mumbra, Badlapur, Borivali, Malad, Andheri, Santa Cruz, Bandra, Kurla, Sion, Ghatkopar, Dharavi, Choona Bhatti, Dadar and other areas were flooded. Around 3000 people had lost their lives, and no one knew about them. The corporation, the media and the welfare organizations could have never imagined that the death toll would be so high. All means of communication and transport had snapped. All were disconnected. On the other hand, the Mithi River had turned into a well of death. This well of death had already pulled 500 souls inside it like a magnetic force and had eliminated them. The widely expanded seashore around the city had turned into Koh-e-Nida, a mountain in epics which attracted people and erased their existence like a brutal assassinator.

Asrar and Hina sat on a huge rock. Small, brown crabs were crawling around it. Their presence scared the crabs away. Ten or twelve snails were smelling them from the cracks in the rocks. There were larger rocks ahead which had enough spaces between them so that one could stand there. Asrar looked at the glistening, clean and transparent water below. He said, ‘Let’s go further down.’ Hina smiled. They carefully stepped down. They stood between two rocks and madly and passionately kissed each other. This madness was coupled with the passion and madness of love. This madness had freed them from the worries of time and place. They looked at each other’s faces in detail. It is said that when carefree love, liberated from the worries of time and place, dwells in the retina, it makes one see the complete face of the beloved. Their lips were as red as burning coal. Their eyes looked infinitely attractive in the dim light. There was musk in Hina’s heart that burst open at that moment. She could feel the fragrance spread within her. It was difficult for her to veil that smell.

‘Let’s go a little further. Someone might come here,’ Hina said.