She was the ultimate beauty in his eyes! Her large kohl lined dreamy eyes, the curling eye lashes, beautifully arched eye brows, a sharp nose prettified by small sparkling nose pin, slightly sulking pink lips, creamy whiteness of her heart-shaped face crowned by a halo of black wavy hair falling to her waist- all held him transfixed. He gradually absorbed her slender build demurely clothed in pale pink chiffon knee length dress and her dainty feet encased in open sandals. There was an aura of mesmerizing exquisiteness around her. Arjun's heart was palpitating! He must have stared at her unblinkingly for many moments. The girl, who had just crossed her teens noticed Arjun's stare! She smiled slightly! Late previous evening during the College dance party she had been introduced to Arjun by a common friend. Not that they could meet and talk at any length! That morning she was waiting in the bus stop to go to college and Arjun had stopped his motor bike at the side, finding her waiting. Their eyes meeting, he waved at her and after a few seconds hesitation, she reciprocated. He said "Ruchika... want to go to College?" She smiled again "I am sure you are also going there. Why not?" Both of them rode to the College! Months passed by. Ruchika and Arjun met often shared their smiles and tears, their hopes and disappointments, their inner most thoughts....! That Sunday morning it was raining! They had already made their plans the day earlier, to go to the stretch of the forest about 50 kms away from the city- towards northeast. The rain didn't deter them. They rode through rain; it was becoming lighter... through the deserted roads... and reached the edge of the forest! By that time the rain had totally stopped. Sun was beginning to shine in its full glory. The forest looked intense green, washed in rain... sun rays penetrating through leaves and branches reflecting golden light around, reaching ground in hide and seeks patterns revealing small rivulets of water running in various directions... Chirping of birds and other creatures were audible in varying volumes! They stood there absorbing the bounty of the nature. "Let's go in and have fun!" Arjun said... took hold of Ruchika's hand and started walking. Once inside, they walked carefully, still hand in hand. About hour and half later, they stopped short at the edge of a small pond surrounded by shrubs and growth so dense that the water was virtually hidden. Ruchika said "Oh my God! I was about to fall in” Arjun peered through the undergrowth, "water is curiously yellow in colour... the foliage touching the water seemed to have shrivelled all around... can smell something funny... " Strangely there was total silence there. No chirping of birds or other noises of creatures could be heard. The sat down on a large rock, put their backpacks down and looked around. It was mid afternoon and getting very warm. The dazzling sunlight, filtering through the foliage in various patterns was mirroring the tranquil water. Arjun got up and said,"Ruchika let me find some dry woods around so that we can light a small fire and heat our picnic lunch". Ruchika waited alone, feeling slightly uncomfortable, the strange silence and the peculiar smell emitting from the pond disturbed her! All of a sudden out of corner of her eyes she saw a cloud of smog moving towards her across the pond. Before she could realise, it had enveloped her! As her world turned into dirty white, she started to feel an intense pain in her face, her eyes started burning in a way she had never felt before, her hair and scalp seemed to be on fire......! She screamed in agony "Arjun..... save me.... I am burning......." She got up blindly staggering to get away from that lethal cloud! Arjun was not far away, hearing her desperate cries; dropping a few dry sticks he ran towards her. While running thoughts crossed his mind, "what could be the problem... there are no wild animals in this forest... then what"? He yet again noticed a peculiar smell floating in the wind hitting his face. He then recognised the smell... acid!! How? In a flash he remembered his Chemistry Professor's words a few days ago in the class. "You guys must have heard of acid rains happening in many parts of the world. This is caused by chemical reaction that begins when compounds like sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released in air mixing and reacting with water, oxygen, and other chemicals. They may accumulate to form acid ponds. Generally these are mild but there is every possibility of having strong acid rains or ponds which may seriously harm not only environment but also endanger humans.... There could be such ponds near our city...." Arjun's doubts became reality when he saw Ruchika lying on the ground where he had left her, wildly turning and twisting with her hands clawing her face... crying loudly! It was a heart touching sight! There were slight whiff of acidic smog around her; getting dispersed due to increasing wind... Arjun knelt beside Ruchika... saw with horror that her face, hairs... were slowly wrinkling as if acid had been thrown at her face! Her closed eyes were beginning to swell!! Something had to be done immediately! He looked around in panic.... he needed plenty of fresh water to wash her face, eyes...but there was nothing around, except the pond which his sixth sense said was the cause of it all! Suddenly he remembered the drinking water flask. He snatched it up and tried to wash her face! Gradually she became motionless, the welcome unconsciousness enveloped her! Arjun called up help from his mobile. Ruchika remained in the hospital for more than two months. Her wounds created by acidic fog, a freak of nature never heard before, were healing. But her tantalizing loveliness had faded away! She had gone into deep manic depression, often crying by herself, inconsolable... moving towards suicidal tendencies!! During this period Arjun remained entirely supportive of her grief... his emotions towards her swelled ... notwithstanding her loveliness turning into a dream of past... he wanted her as he had never wanted before! He held her hand, "Ruchika... I love you ... don't worry, these accidents do happen... I am yours... always...I will marry you as soon as you get fully well...." Ruchika with her eyes filled with tears turned away, "No Arjun ... you loved me because of my beauty, now it is gone... you are sympathising... but you will never love me now or for ever..." Arjun had denied vehemently, tried reasoning with her ... this went on for many days... That night Arjun got a call from Ruchika. She had healed gone home. "Will you come and meet me in next half an hour in the adjoining park of my house?" Arjun was waiting in the park with tense expectation, sitting on a bench below a lamp, its yellow illumination covering only that area! May be she would accept him! He saw her coming! She had a white coloured dupatta covering her head and face! Arjun got up, took hold of her hand and made her sit on the bench alongside him. "Tell me Ruchika" he said gently. She didn't reply. Silently she lifted her dupatta. The yellow luminosity lighted her face; she with all her tantalising beauty ... the gorgeous girl all adored... was looking at him. Arjun could barely whisper, "what is this Ruchika?” She took his hand in hers, "I am not Ruchika ... her twin sister of whom she. had never mentioned to anybody... Ruchika sent me to you..." Arjun moved away, "I only want my Ruchika....!”
