Under the Moonlight

In the midst of a desolate landscape, where the heavens wept, a malevolent figure hurled him mercilessly into the mire, ensnaring Niloy's anguished cries in the unforgiving clutches of solitude. Desperate pleas for salvation echoed through the desolation, but there was no benevolent ear to heed his torment.

With a vice-like grip, the malefactor seized Niloy's trembling hand, attempting to impose his sinister desires with an unrelenting force. A valiant urge to eject his assailant surged within Niloy, but the chains of his oppressor's might proved unyielding. The tormentor's relentless assault continued unabated, a tempest of malevolence unleashed upon an innocent soul.

Suddenly, a serendipitous providence granted Niloy an unexpected lifeline. His desperate fingers grazed a rugged stone nestled by his side, an instrument of liberation from his cruel fate. With determination etched in his very soul, he wielded the stone, striking his oppressor's cranium with a resounding thud. Left reeling and disoriented, the antagonist clutched his throbbing head and unleashed a primal scream.

In a fleeting moment of opportunity, Niloy summoned the last remnants of his strength and repelled his assailant, fleeing with every ounce of breath left in his aching lungs. Through the darkness, he clawed his way out of the abyss, emerging from the chasm to the world above. His tormentor's enraged voice reverberated in the distance, a venomous oath carried by the unforgiving wind.

Emerging from the depths of his harrowing ordeal, Niloy's gaze alighted upon a silhouette—a lone figure pacing beside the languid waters of the Ping River, amidst the veil of a tempestuous night. His frame exuded strength, his shoulders broad and his stature commanding, standing at a formidable height of six feet.

Clad in a gossamer-thin white shirt, it molded to his sinewy form, revealing the contours of his sculpted back and trim waist. The rain, a relentless companion, rendered the fabric translucent, offering fleeting glimpses of his athletic physique as he moved with effortless grace through the deluge. Each droplet traced the lines of his toned body, a testament to his vitality amidst the storm.

Though shrouded in darkness, a solitary street lamp cast a feeble light upon his visage, illuminating his striking features. His jawline, etched in determination, lent an air of rugged charm to his countenance. His hair, tousled yet elegant, bore the weight of the rain, framing his face in damp tendrils as he wandered the desolate riverside path.

Amid the storm's fury, Nil stood illuminated by flashes of lightning, his features etched with desperation. With chiseled cheekbones and piercing eyes, he cried out for help, his voice carried by the howling wind to a figure nearly a few meters away. Despite the distance, his urgency was unmistakable, fear and determination evident in his body language. As the scoundrel approached, Niloy ran towards the figure, shouting, "Stranger!" repeatedly, his breath growing heavy with each call. Yet, the figure remained unfazed, continuing forward.

"Heyy, Strangerrrr..."

''Strangerr...stranger...''

Echoes of his desperate cries reverberated through the desolate void, but the Stranger remained unmoved.

Unbeknownst to Nil, the Stranger shuffled ever closer, an enigmatic presence veiled in mystery. Driven by a primal instinct, Niloy reached out to him without a second thought, attempting to grasp a lifeline in the abyss. His trembling fingers brushed the Stranger's shoulder, only to meet a harsh rebuff as his hand was swiftly dismissed. In his unsteady plight, Niloy teetered on the precipice of an unforgiving fall, his salvation hanging by a thread.

Desperation compelled him to seize the Stranger's collar, a desperate grasp at salvation, but their fates were inextricably entwined. Together, they tumbled into the depths of the Ping River, the tempestuous rain above intensifying the dread of the moment.

A solitary witness, their malevolent tormentor, fled in terror, leaving behind a realm fraught with wakeful waters and the relentless, unforgiving downpour.

Niloy found himself in a precarious situation, engulfed in the tumultuous waters of the Ping River. Despite his lack of swimming skills, he clung desperately to Stranger, feeling the urge to hold on tighter with each passing moment. As the rain cascaded down around them, their gazes locked, Niloy kept looking at Stranger's wet face glistening under the lights, his chiseled jawline accentuated by droplets of water clinging to his smooth skin. His dark eyes sparkled with intensity, their depth magnified by the moisture, while his lips, slightly parted. Niloy couldn't help but notice the striking handsomeness of the stranger.

Their closeness in the midst of the storm stirred something within Niloy, his heart pounding against his chest as he struggled for breath. The cold water sent shivers through his entire body, but even amidst the chaos, he couldn't tear his gaze away from the mesmerizing stranger. It was as if time stood still.

His unwavering gaze fixed upon the figure before him, a peculiar occurrence jolted him from his thoughts. Abruptly, the gentle brush of his eyelashes against his cheeks interrupted his contemplation. Without warning, he found himself ensconced in the sturdy hold of a stranger.

"Hey, wake up," the stranger's voice, smooth as silk but possessing a crispness in its timbre, cut through the silence. Brushing his fingers lightly against Niloy's skin, resembling polished gold in the faint light, the stranger's command was firm yet gentle.

But Niloy remained unresponsive, his silence casting a shadow of unease over Stranger. Cradling Niloy with care, Stranger navigated the treacherous waters, eventually guiding them to the river's edge, where he gently laid him on the ground. Rain stopped. There, Nil lay in a deep, unsettling slumber, disconnected from the world.

Desperation and worry drove Stranger to rub Niloy's cold palms and press gently on his abdomen, yet Nil continued to dwell in the realm of unconsciousness. In a courageous and compassionate act, Stranger made the difficult decision to offer life-giving breath through mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Gazing upon Niloy's face, its delicate oval contours, long and lustrous eyelashes, and lips reminiscent of soft rose petals, Stranger couldn't help but ponder the origins of this stranger he had met. He leaned in, his breath slowly bridging the gap, granting Niloy the precious gift of life, as the boundary between their lives blurred in that intimate, life-saving moment.

Suddenly, Niloy found himself jolted awake, his eyes widening in shock at the unexpected kiss. Reacting swiftly, he smacked Stranger, who met his furious gaze with a hint of anger.

Without uttering a word, Stranger forcefully pressed on, leaving Niloy in his wake. As Niloy processed the situation, he realized that Stranger had acted out of a desire to protect him. Overcome by this realization, he cried out,

"Strangerrrr...wait..."

''What's your name?''

He embarked on a path of contrition, trailing behind Stranger, who continued to forge ahead. With each step, Nil began to speak,

"I'm sorry, Stranger. I never meant to cause harm, especially to those who saved me. But the sequence of events and your unexpected kiss... it led me to misunderstand your intentions."

The word 'intentions' hung in the air, causing Stranger to halt his steps and turn to Niloy, his tone a fusion of anger and civility,

"Do I appear to you as someone with malicious intent?"

Their eyes met, and a hint of amusement touched Stranger's expression as he responded,

"No."

With their misunderstanding cleared, they continued their journey through the rain-soaked, muddy fields, two strangers united by a shared, albeit peculiar, experience, their path illuminated by the pale glow of the half-moon on that midnight journey.