The rays of the sun danced with the waters of the sea, but there was no one to see this slow waltz.  The crowd was busy listening to the new best-selling author. The session had ended sometime back but the crowd was not willing to let him go.  Someone wanted to ask him a question about writing and then there were others who wanted to talk to him about his new book.

Suddenly a high-pitched scream broke the spell, ‘Look! There is a man walking on water!’

Some of them turned to look at the young girl who was pointing at the sea. Yes, there was something moving in the water but the glare of the sun made it difficult to see it clearly. ‘It is probably some air balloon or a small boat,’ one of boys whispered to his friends.

The author who was busy reading his book aloud, looked up and saw everyone staring at the sea.

He  too looked at the sea and froze. ‘Oh no! Not again,’ he whispered. ‘Don’t do this to me, please!’

By now a huge crowd had gathered to see a figure who seemed to be walking on the water.

He ran to the beach and started shouting. ‘Nancy, please don’t do this. Not this time! Please come back.’

The figure froze for a second before it screamed and started running towards him. The crowd could now make out the outline of a young woman dressed in a shimmering gown.

He opened his arms and whispered, ‘Whatever you want Nancy! I am tired of staying away from you! Just come to me.’

The girl cannoned into his arms. They saw him smiling tenderly at her.  She looked around and clicked her fingers. Both of them disappeared in a streak of lightening.

The next morning’s news headlines read – ‘A Publicity Gimmick? Famous Mystery Writer Goes Missing At The Literary Retreat’.

                                      -Inspired from a conversation with the well-known writer Ms. Namita Gokhale

– To be continued…

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