Late night, boats and the rainy season.
I make a list of things I love.

I look at you and think of adding you to it. “Maybe not” I convince myself.
It’s 11 pm and we’re waiting for the last boat back home. Headphones plugged in for both of us. I wonder what you’re listening to.

We hop on our ride. You take your seat and I’m right behind you. Our boat leaves the jetty soon after.

I put my headphones down and focus on the motor revving. I take a deep breath and I can smell the rain in the air. There’s enough clouds in the sky for the moon to play hide and seek. We’re almost halfway through. And that’s when moonlight illuminates our surroundings.

You catch me staring at you. Somehow I can’t hear the engines anymore. I think of calling out to you but you look away & I do the same.
And maybe that’s what you do. You let silence take over.

Silence strikes like a hurricane.

But this one, I beg to calm the chaos in my heart.

You start singing a song. And I’ve never heard you sing. I close my eyes and try to carve your voice in my memories. The boat starts rocking a bit and you suddenly stop singing. I know you’re afraid that we might sink.

But you see, I can’t sink any further.

So instead I think of writing; another absurd story about us.

And in my writings, we’re safe.
In my writings, I’ll keep you safe.

…………………………
Silence | August 16
Foy’s Lake, Chattogram