The maze of life

PART 2

(29th June, 2018)

Dear Anne,

We have purchased a small house near Lajpat Nagar. This location was selected by brother because the hospital is within a stone’s reach from here. The hospital, in which we have to admit mother, is easily accessible, reliable and cheaper than the rest.

Let me give a description about my house though there is not much to talk about.

A staircase leads from the main road to the first floor- where our house is. To the left of the entrance, is a hallway and a kitchen attached to it and besides that, a washroom. In the hallway we have put all the furniture which we brought from the village and we have arranged the utensils in the kitchen. It took us barely two hours (because there were less things to arrange) of working in a team to make it an ideal place, after which we drank lassi, opened the window and relaxed in the hallway.

It was revitalising making me feel that if we perceive life from a different angle, it suddenly seems unique and wonderful and that happiness could be found in the smallest of things. There is a very large window in the hallway, facing the street, from where a picturesque view can be obtained. The house seems a little vacant but it is just the sort of place I love to reside in and I truly feel thankful to god about this.

Actually, mother says that we bought it but I know that father had to take a loan from bank. Mother’s and father’s spirit are much cast down because of the debt they are in. Mother personally believes that the expenses would be reclaimed soon but father blames mother for this. He never deliberates that if we don’t take a wise step, mother would leave us and that it is necessary to cure this deadly disease so that I can at least perceive the motherly charm till the day death will take your body, God will take your soul and our heart will hold the memories. That day she’ll sleep peacefully forever to reborn and wake up in a new world as a new person and would see a brand new sunshine.

For ages and ages I can write about her, only I know that I shouldn’t for writing about her makes me feel that someday those merry memories would vanish and new, but incomplete memories would be made; someday I’ll put my hand forward to embrace her, but it would pass through that illusion; someday when I’ll get hurt I would cry out for her, but my calls would be suppressed by a defeaning silence; someday I’ll wait for her to come and read a bedtime story, but I would have to sleep in solitude; someday, when I’ll get a scolding from father I would run to her for protection but it would prove to be a wild goose chase; someday my heart would play hide and seek and would seek for those old memories, those remarkable moments, those loving sunshine, those caring nights ad at last but not the least, it would madly seek for that motherly love which would have been lost to sight. I don’t want that someday to come ever on my life.

Now, back to the scene; in that hum that followed, I saw a walnut- faced lady from the window, just outside the premises who captivated me by her glamorous looks. She was clad in fashionable attire and wore invaluable jewels.

It wasn’t an accustomed action for me to encounter people with a charming grace and wearing gorgeous outfits, so I was invariably stunned and more than willing to get a closer look at her dress which was stiff with embroidery and at her jewellery which was strewn with precious pearls and encrusted with fragile gemstones.

The only feature that deteriorated her charm were her dark circles, beneath her spectacular eyes, and wrinkles which were more or less conspicuous; that dullness couldn’t be restored with excessive make up too.

Yours, Ridhi

(1st July, 2018)

Dear Anne,

Brother always had a keen desire to know about BSF. So, half sure that his plea would be heeded, brother insisted, “Father, tomorrow is the last day for the BSF fair nearby our house. Please take us there. You will, won’t you?” I, too, implored.

“We’ll see to it” father said. He was also eager to spend a day with us and remain distant from all frets for a day, but the work he had upon his shoulders wouldn’t allow him. Somehow he could manage, if he really wanted to go.

In a few hours, it came the time to sleep. Sleep is crucial to feel refreshed after the struggles you do and the hardships you face in that day. It is a saying that each time we go to sleep, we die. And the next morning when we wake up, we are reborn.

Everyone had slept undisturbed that night, whereas I could not. I kept wondering about the next day and in the excitement, couldn’t sleep.

One more hour passed. Still I was conscious and was now becoming bothered and annoyed of not being able to sleep. On the contrary, brother turned to the other side and shut her eyes. It seemed that he was in a deep sleep.

Poor I lay, tossing and turning on my bed; anxieties filled in my brain made me feel restless. I whispered in my elder brother’s ear, “Prakash bhai! Are you awake?” He gradually rubbed his eyes and tried to open them to get a clear view.

“What happened?”

“I cannot sleep” I said irritably.

“Drink some water, you’ll feel better. Now let me sleep, please” Brother opined and shut his eyes again.

At once, I got to my feet and walked to the kitchen. I poured some water into the glass and drank it. Then I went to the washroom and afterwards straight to bed.

Diverse thoughts came to my mind- terrible, miserable and happy ones too. Two hours later, anyhow I slept.

Within half an hour, I was aroused from sleep. A nightmare provoked my perpetual state of fear. I had seen myself in a meadow walking with my family with relish, when suddenly there was a noise of firing. Three gun shots had got penetrated in father, mother and brother’s body. I saw that straight away they had perished. After this scenario I had been awake and was not able to control her terror thinking that it would come true. I thanked God that it was merely a nightmare.

After resolving that I would get water to drench my throat, which had got dry because of the fright, I headed towards the kitchen. The switchboard was near somewhere. Just when I moved my hand to touch the switch, I hit something and that something shrieked. At first, it seemed as if it were an object because it had a solid texture. But it couldn’t be a thing for a thing would not scream. Whatever it was, it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. “Take it easy” I muttered to myself.

Lights were turned on. Nobody was to be seen beside me. I was amidst thoughts. “Let it go. It was nothing, just NOTHING!” I assured myself that sometimes we tend to feel or see things which aren’t actually there.

Afterwards I was in a deep sleep too.

Time passed without my realising that it did. Just when I saw something hanging on the wall, I rose and got to my feet with a startled expression on my visage. It was an alarm clock with its smallest hand striking five and the longer hand striking twelve, which obviously meant that it was five o’clock. It could not have been morning. Reason, I had slept nearly at four o’clock and it was a longish sleep too.

I prayed to God to make it a dream, only it wasn’t. I convinced myself that it wasn’t a nightmare this time.

Not having time to confirm the time from another clock or watch, I urgently opened the door and initiated the hunt for my family members. I wasn’t oblivious to the fact that my brother wasn’t either in his bunk or in the washroom attached to our room.

I kept summoning them, opening doors of every single room, and yet nobody could be seen. It was a wild goose chase.

Exasperating, I sat down on the sofa. It was five o’clock and too late to wake up, I thought. “Why didn’t either of them wake me up?” I questioned herself but in vain.

Idea of calling my father didn’t enter my panicked brain. The only thought that came was to go outside and search for them there. There was a ghost of a chance that they would be sitting on the benches and enjoying the sunshine and the cool breeze blowing there.

Opening the door by pressing the knob, I made an unsuccessful attempt and when it didn’t open, I pushed it by my legs. Locked I was in my own house!

Now that my loneliness was minding me, I called father after pondering. I couldn’t contact mother because she didn’t possess a phone. So I dialled father’s number.

“Hello dad...” although I desperately wanted to ask a hundred questions like – ‘Where are you?’, ‘Why didn’t you wake me up?’, ‘Why did you lock me?’ I only muttered this much.

Dead silence spoke in my ear. I, while putting down the telephone, realised that the phone was dead and that I could not share my solitude with anyone. I was overwhelmed by that eerie atmosphere. Sun was setting down and the sky would soon become dreary and gloomy enough to make me feel dreadful.

To alter my scaring mood, I switched on the radio, which we had brought from the village, just for recreation. However, I wasn’t finding thrill at all.

Deliberately, I pressed the red button on it. The radio was switched off and whoa! With that had switched off the lights of the whole house. Subconsciously, I let out a squeal. Of course, I hadn’t managed to turn the radio and the lights off simultaneously. Just a coincidence!

Blindly walking towards the window and stumbling over things, I peeped out of the house by pushing the drape aside.

Fortunately, I could see a street light not too far away. Unfortunately it wasn’t a glowing one, rather it was a flickering light which flickered for a few seconds and then turned off too.

I started cursing my fate. Neither I could contact anyone as the phone was not working, nor I could seek anyone’s assistance from outside, no matter how much I shouted.

I had a feeling akin to the feeling pets have when they are left on their own and are locked inside their own house. I felt agitated and indecisive of what to do next.

Meanwhile, I could hear footsteps just outside. I was able to see little because the bright light from a torch was making my eyes dazzle.

The footsteps neared. I shuddered to think who it could have been at that point of time, but let the thought of strangers shove off when my eyes could perceive the figures of known people. Those were my adorable mother, my father and my brother.

Filled with contentment on hearing that the door was pushed ajar, I sprinted to the door. I thought that how much she had felt their absence.

My first impulse was to hug mother and the second was to ask the question that I was inquisitively asking myself without getting any accurate answer. “Where were you?” I said.

“I am sorry, sweetheart” mother said, patting my head.

“Me too” Brother apologised.

“Wait, but why?” I asked, unaware of what was happening. At that point of time I was in the dark.

“You know that today was the closing day of BSF fair. The time was also till five o’clock. I had told mom and dad that you couldn’t sleep comfortably last night. So we decided not to disturb your sleep and didn’t wake you up.”

“So you went to the fair without me?” I barged in.

“Well, yes” mother spoke up, her eyes showing regret. But I knew how merry and amused she must have been. I had missed visiting the fair just because I could not sleep well?

“But don’t worry. We have brought two chocolates for you. We’d hoped that you would have a craving to eat these assorted chocolates. We were right, weren’t we?” mother said.

“Yeah,” I managed to smile. Though in the previous night, my sleep was disturbed, and though I had missed going to the fair, I had got something rather than getting nothing. Those were the delicious chocolates which I get rarely. It’s true that hard beginnings make a good ending. I could’ve despised my family for leaving me in the house; instead a feeling of satisfaction was there when I got those chocolates. Everything you desire cannot happen. If you change your attitude and start finding happiness in small things, such as chocolates, then definitely you can remain cheerful and when you are cheery then surely you can achieve what you long or yearn for and aspire in life.

Yours Ridhi

(5th July, 2018)

Dear Anne,

Today, I happened to set foot outside my house in the evening when I saw a boy and a girl of about the same age, walking casually. Wearing headphones in their ears, they were coming towards me in a stylised gait.

“Have a look at her dirty clothes, so old-fashioned. So poor!” she whispered in the boy’s ear and I presumed that her silly whispers were intended to hurt my feelings. Both of them gave me a disgusting look, glowed with attitude and went off. Their annoying looks really disgusted me.

In the night, we had our dinner early, so, I went outside. I stood still singing a doleful thing out on that drearily dark night where a depressive and an oppressive wind blew. My hands were tightly clasped while my lips issued a song sparkling with desolate cries.

Whilst I disclosed the feelings that sadness stirred, I noticed a stout gentleman, who was perpetually half glancing behind me. The moon shone upon him and as he stood there erect, he disclosed a terrifying spectacle. The bizarre man found me an unexpectedly, interesting object of study. I assumed that it was not in the personal appearance of mine that the interest lay, for there were dozens of prettier faces, but in my voice which darted his keen glance.

On that gloomy night, fright went shivers down my spine besides my face being contorted with real fear. I was inexpressibly scared to have in front of me a formidable man who produced a wide grin. The wicked gentleman put his hand inside his trouser’s pocket while my heart lost a beat for it could have been anything like a gun. Gloom yearned to reside inside me, but he was defeated by my saviour, courage, when I sighted that the empty hand, just like it went in, came out.

Affrighted by his feet which gradually were approaching me, I made an attempt to step back but it proved futile as his came too close to mine.

At that time a growing feeling of discomfort had been creeping over me forcing me to run into my house with deadly, inconceivable terror clutching at my heart.

The sensation of being followed was confirmed when that gentleman made an unanticipated appearance at my house.

“I am invariably pleased to hear such soothing song coming from those tender lips” he said in a husky voice, looking at me, eyeing his sidewise over the top of one spectacle glass.

“Who are you?” father interrogated, half astonished, half suspicious.

“Who I am is not a matter of concern, rather I want to give this talented girl a chance.”

“What chance?” father’s curiosity was aroused.

“First may I have the honour of knowing the name of her school?” he said.

“She doesn’t go to school. Tell me what you want?” father said and waited to hear an appropriate answer.

“Oh my!” the well dressed gentleman exclaimed. “Don’t worry about that. I can sponsor her to study two years at school.” My perception about him modified when he spoke these unexpected, fruitful words. Suddenly I could spot the best side of his. He, all of a sudden, looked altruistic, gentle and unknowingly kind. It was then that I realised that some people indeed have big hearts.

“But what can you give me in return?” The man’s inquisitive gaze met mine and he could see the willingness in me to go to school.

“In return, I’ll work in house daily.” mother immediately answered.

“Without any fail?”

“Certainly”

“All right then. You can start from Wednesday.”

It was Saturday today and just four days for me to go the school.

Hats off to mother for showing her willingness to compromise her life for my better future.

Envisioning myself going to school made me jump with delight. My happiness had no bounds. Now I was inexpressibly delightful.

Subsequently, all the adults had a nice talk.

Yours, Ridhi

(10th July, 2018)

Dear Anne,

It is mother’s first day for work and my first day to go to school.

The atmosphere was saturated with the winds of change that blew there. My tiny feet, which had always walked on the coarse platform of life, could witness walking on a new, obscure platform.

My school is one of the best schools in the city. It’s building comprises four storeys. My class-room lies on the ground floor, situated only at a little distance from the principal’s office.

Besides having spacious verandahs on two sides, it has two doors which ensure cross ventilation. In one of the walls there is also a large window.

Moreover, my classroom is quite spacious. It is airy and well-ventilated. It has three ceiling fans in it which are sufficient for all the students sitting on twenty chairs and desks which are installed in the room. There is also a noiseless desert cooler installed in one corner of the room.

I introspected my classmates today and discovered that my class-room is a mixed fare for different kinds of students.

In the class there is Sunaina, who is just the sort of girl everyone would crave to befriend She is no doubt a charming girl!

Then there is Nikhil’s incurable chattering, Sonia who grumbles and is frequently unkind, Maria who has a cheerful disposition and Mohit who listens to each individual with rapt attention.

Twins, namely Shivani and Shikha are timid, frail creatures, just the types that Sonia would pick on to boast to and persuade to do wrong. I looked at their pale faces and felt sorry for them.

The careless fellow, Maria always forgets his stuff. When she cares to talk, she talks well; but the cloud of caring for nothing, which overshadows her with such a fatal darkness, is very rarely pierced by the light within her.

I blinked my eyes when I saw my class teacher. Her looks aroused my suspicion. It took me a few minutes of musing to remember that it was the same luxurious figure I had seen outside my house. Not at all that she is over-anxious about the improvement of her class, or about the degree of attention with which we listened to her or the success which might eventually crown her labours. Her teaching is, as the class call it, ‘subjective’. It is to benefit herself, and not others. In other words, she is a learned egotist.

Yours Ridhi

(13th July, 2018)

Dear Anne,

Early today, an alarming event took place. As usual, I went to the ground during the break. When the bell rang, I came back and seated myself. The teacher moved into the class in her stylised gait.

She tucked her brown hair behind her ears and initiated to teach.

However, a boy served as a distraction. Panic stricken, he walked to the teacher and demanded to inspect everyone’s bag to find his lunch box which he said, had been missing from the beginning of the day.

Alas! Some minutes before I could fully take it in, it was found inside my very own bag. I didn’t do it! I was hundred percent sure that somebody must have played a prank on me.

The pulse of criticism was humming in my head.

I just could hear castigating voices screaming, “You are a thief!”

Despite my best efforts to prove my innocence, they kept shouting.

The hum in my head grew, edging dangerously close to becoming a headache.

“For god’s sake, believe me. I’m not a thief!” for the umpteenth time, I protested, but in vain. The whole classroom was clouded over with protests against me, dominating my protests. I was held a thief.

I let out a squeal in my heart. Having no one to hear my cries, they were suppressed into sobs.

Only I know how it feels to sit in the eerie classroom and having wicked faces grinning at you every now and then. At last, the bell rang and I sprinted to home. My eyes foraged for mother to share my sorrow, and there she was.

I told mother what had transpired and finally let myself a sliver of relief after being stressed so much.

“You know that you have not stolen anything then why should you grieve solely because they called you something? Why should you ever give importance to the nasty words of those who don’t even matter in your life? Why should you lose hope knowing that every cloud has a silver lining? One day you’ll become a great singer, and they’ll have their jaws dropped!” mother consoled me and helped me come out of the cave of sorrows and despair.

Opening the large window, she sat down. A ray of hope touched my heart and instilled in me a craving to become a great person.

I changed my clothes and walked towards the direction of my bedroom. My long, red skirt was drifting behind me as I carried myself pass the room where brother was standing. I opened the door to my bedroom and entered, letting the door shut behind me. I threw myself on the fluffy bed, thinking hard about today’s experience. Most of the energy was gone and by the time I hit the pillow, I immediately fell into sleep. Time passed without my realisation.

A sharp knock on the door broke my slumber, startled me and made me leap out of my soft, cosy bed. I flung the bed sheets off me just before Prakash bhai entered the room, dressed in sombre clothes.

“Do you want to accompany me to the park?”

“Why not!” I replied back, gradually rubbing my eyes.

“Are you liking this place?” brother asked, his eyes wandering for the old, village memories.

“Very much so”

“But life’s somewhat tedious here, isn’t it?”

“No doubt, it is”

“Are you liking the crowd?”

“Not likely”

“Same with me,” he smiled softly.

“Would you mind if I go?”

“Where?”

“Where the bodies meet different bodies, where souls meet different souls, where the soil meets a different soil, where the earth meets a different earth, but where the lands meet the same boundary.”

“So you are going in the army?” I personally felt that such a long description wasn’t required.

“Precisely”

For a moment, there was complete silence. I was pondering about the effects that his absence would cause in my life, however, there was nothing much that I could figure out.

“When are you leaving us?” I asked.

“Tomorrow morning”

“Tomorrow? Isn’t it too soon?”

“It is, but I feel that tomorrow morning would be full of opportunities and optimism for me.” Brother looked confident and rather ambitious, like he had always aspired to join the Indian army. He was taking the first step towards creating an improved future by developing the ability to create it. His decision to serve his nation made me feel proud of him.

The beautiful cocktail- blue shade of the sky was now beginning to darken into gravel-grey. Large pillows of clouds were forming, blotting out the gold colour of the sun. The sky had become tar- black and large clouds were moving towards me. A tinkling sound resonated in my ears as the first pearls of rain dropped onto the leaves. People, who could be sighted, ran for cover outside and umbrellas were opened as the clouds spat out their beads of water.

It was bliss to watch the pitter patter of the rain in the summers, which was making the melancholy dryness wet. Brother and I walked on the reclusive path which riveted us to tread on it, not afraid of being wet. Missing were those companions with whom I used to dance in the rain, as gracefully as a peacock. It was today that I apprehended that the village life was far more captivating than this new world.

Yours, Ridhi

(16th July, 2018)

Dear Diary,

In the break time, I sat on a familiar bench, pondering, when Sonia and her disciples came over to me.

“It looks as if she has come from a world where fashion doesn’t exist. Just look at her hair!”

“Oh yes, so oily and sticky” the twins said in unison.

Sonia took my food and threw it under the bench. This was enough to congregate a gathering. She had tried to take out my rubber band, when a hand opposed it.

“You manner less creature, she is a new girl. What impression are you framing on her?” Sunaina said. Her rosy lips shined on her bisque skin. The emerald eyes and the luxuriant, auburn hair she posses were a sight to behold. “Haven’t your parents taught you to respect food? Look at her she is holding back tears in her eyes” I had been admiring Sunaina’s beauty when I realised that she was talking about me. I looked up and we had an eye contact. . Friendly sensations went through my body. I felt, for the first time, that I wasn’t alone in school and there was somebody with me for my support.

“You have nothing to do with her. Stay out of this.” Sonia bellowed.

“Yes, yes. Stay out of this” her slaves reiterated.

“Why should I stay out of this. After all, she is our classmate.” Sunaina said, grittily, melting my heart.

Sonia and her gang backed up at once.

“Thank you.... your support was a huge thing for me. Had you not been there, I couldn’t have envisaged what the outcome would be.” I said, turning to Sunaina.

“It was my duty” she beamed and we walked back to the class.

Dear Anne,

Today’s games period was one of my worst memories, and perhaps one of my best memories.

In a line, we moved to the basketball court to see sir waiting and holding the basketball.

“Divide in three groups” sir instructed. We did as we were told.

Ungratefully, Sonia and I were in the same team.

The players spread out and moved freely in the court; the whistle blew.

“Pass me the ball,” Mohit, who was in the opposite team, shouted as he ran.

He ran towards the basket, dribbling the ball; Shikha snatched the ball from him with vigorous efforts, resulting in the fall of Mohit.

Shikha passed the ball to Sonia, who found herself been enclosed by the opponents. The ball was passed over to me. Having the fear that someone would snatch it from me, I gave a blind pass.

Karan’s hands received the basketball, he dribbled it and did a basket.

I thought it was normal in a game, but I proved to be wrong for Sonia rushed to me and gave me a big blow.

“Don’t you know how to play, idiot?” she growled at me.

“You’re good for nothing, you thief!” she continued to speak bluntly.

I thought that I would have to face more condemnation if I want to become a singer. Then, I would have put up with much more humiliation and insults than to steadfastly pursue my dreams.

I was ready for more criticism but not insult.

“Really, beggars don’t know how to play.”

I wished to slap her on the face but my morals wouldn’t let me do so. I kept my mouth shut, but inside my heart, a volcano was erupting, desirous of destroying all the criticisers from the planet.

“Don’t you have any manners how to speak to new people. She may be poor, but she’s not a beggar.” Sunaina interrupted

Sonia grinned and left the scene.

In the break, I met Sunaina again. She smiled benevolently at me and I immediately returned that smile.

Sitting beside me, she said, “Would you like to be my best friend?”

I narrowed my eyes at her with suspicion.

I asked inquisitively, “Do you really want to be my friend?”

“Oh, yes”

“Are you sure because I don’t possess a beautiful look?”

“No problem!”

“Nor I possess great intelligence”

“No problem”

“Nor I possess a beautiful house.”

“No problem. At least you possess a beautiful and innocent heart and that holds hundred percent more value for me.”

“Yeah” I glowed with pleasure. This is how I got my first new friend.

In the afternoon when I returned to home, I found mother hunched up in her garden chair, wiping off her tears. I got to know from father that brother had already left, leaving mother in grave thoughts.

Yours dearly, Ridhi

(20th July, 2018)

Dear Anne,

The day started habitually. In the morning the first period was Science. In the science periods, I usually have many difficulties. But due to the bad temperament of my science teacher, I don’t ask my queries. Rather I ask my adorable partner, Sunaina, to clear my doubts, who is relatively better. We went to the break together and noticed a shiny, vibrant ball lying on the floor.

Just as we touched the ball, something weird happened; an uncanny incident took place. You probably would be thinking if we were dwindling, getting trapped inside the ball or if the ball had disappeared.

Apparently, the ball hadn’t disappeared but we had.

The most astonishing thing ever happened to any other creature living... we disappeared. Less possibility was there that we were alive and even if we were, we wouldn’t have any clue how to return back to home.

Thank goodness! We were alive! We were lying on the surface of a planet. The atmosphere of the place was full of a foggy gas still we were able to breathe because Sunaina and I were wearing breathing gears (we didn’t know how we got them). The air had patches of poisonous gases that appeared blue in colour, creating a peril for anyone who was not wearing oxygen masks. Autumn seemed the constant season there though there weren’t sufficient trees, and so the landscape looked a little desertic with no water bodies in sight. Though there were ruins of buildings in some areas. It was evident that someone had lived there, maybe a few years ago.

“No, no. It can’t be!” I exclaimed, with a startled look on my face. “Sunaina wake up. It looks as if we are in space!”

She was awake and was bewildered just like me. Indeed, we were in space and were wondering how we got there and how we got their masks.

“Hello! Is anyone there?” Sunaina’s voice echoed. I asked again, still there was no response.

Then I tried, and there came a strong, bold voice saying yes. It was difficult to tell where it came from as it eventually echoed. This reply could have been of anyone – an alien, a giant animal or even a monster.

At last the speaker cropped up in front of us. Wearing a black robe and a red cape, there stood an eccentric man. He was a white -faced humanoid and looked rather old. The conspicuous dark circles and wrinkles on his visage looked more or less hideous. His shoulders were hefty and broad, he had an oblong face and he held a stick in his hand. Not only his nose was big, long and pointed , but also he had sharp ears.

Sunaina was more scared than I, despite of being of the same age. Her legs were shaking with fear and her hands were trembling. I gathered some courage and asked the man who he was. My voice seemed to shiver as I said.

“My name is Zuto. I live here alone on this planet. Where have you come from and how did you get here?” the man said.

“Well, if we will tell, you would laugh at our narration.”

“I won’t” he confirmed us.

“Then listen. We were in our school on Earth, we touched a shiny ball and got transported here.” we told him.

Zuto didn’t laugh or make peculiar faces, but he listened with interest. Then he told us that some cases like ours have happened before too. People found ways to come there and they died because they couldn’t adapt themselves.

“Long time ago,” Zuto added. “There lived a lot of people like me and there was a lot of vegetation. As time passed, most of the people died of aging and illness. After so many deaths there came one day when I was left alone here. I still don’t know if it is just my luck or a sign of good health. Thereafter, people started coming here from Earth and many other planets. The outcome was death for all. So I advice you must return to your home. Or else, the conclusion will be the same for you.”

Sunaina was becoming terrified of his talks and so was becoming I. Zuto talked of nothing else except warnings and threats, though he said all that for the benefit of us. We then asked him if he had a house like us. He told us that he lived in a cave that was not too far and we decided to go with him.

We followed his footsteps, unacquainted of where we were going. The platform seemed rough as we moved looking all around. Nothing was in sight before we saw a cave which appeared to be half kilometre away from where we were. But we travelled the distance quite fast.

On reaching his cave we looked around us and were shocked and stunned. “Um...Zuto, you didn’t tell us that there is a volcano near your cave that seems to erupt soon,” said Sunaina in a cold sweat. The cave was enclosed by volcanoes out of which one was going to erupt anytime. What would happen if the children and Zuto were unsuccessful in saving their lives. “May I tell you now that there are hundreds of them on this planet. And I forgot to tell you that many people like me have died due to these too,” he informed us.

Jaws dropped! We watched his face with our mouth wide open. Nothing could help us from dying, thought I. A feeling of dumb despair seemed to spread on our faces. We asked what we were going to do. When Zuto said that he had a solution to this problem, our faces lit up with hope. “I have two pairs of jumping shoes of unprecedented value, one is mine and the other pair is of my wife who died of old age. I am too old to jump, so you can take mine also. These shoes will take you to the nearest planet if you are determined to do so. Remember one thing-

Jump as high as you can, feel the breeze of the sky

Jump from one planet to another, have courage and jump so high

The one who is not determined, will fall down and he’ll die.”

I and Sunaina requested him to give us the shoes. Zuto went hastily to his cave and brought two sets of shoes. We wore the shoes. The shoes didn’t fit properly in our tiny, bare feet as the shoes were slightly larger.

“Hey Zuto. Aren’t you coming with us? We cannot leave you here to strive for food and die. Your species are will become extinct if we abandon you. Please do come with us” I pleaded. I could not bear the thought of Zuto, the sole person who saved our life, being killed. Without him we couldn’t envision where we would have been. How can I leave him there; anything could happen to him.

“No, you go. It was my good fortune that I didn’t die. I shouldn’t have lived for so long; I should have gone with my people to heaven. It wouldn’t make any difference if I go to them now. As for you, you must return to your planet as soon as possible otherwise new problems will arise. But don’t worry, by overcoming difficulties you will gain strength and maturity. If you face any difficulty, don’t focus on it, rather focus on God because nothing stands in the way of his power; and just believe you can do.”

My friend and I wished Zuto farewell, tied up our laces and left his cave. We were highly strung to jump, but this was our last chance at best.

Eventually the volcano, far away, erupted and flames and clouds of smoke and fire soared into the air.

The hot, red lava drew closer to us, destructing everything that came into its way. I shouted to Sunaina to jump. I held his hand in hers tightly, with all her strength and jumped high in the sky. I shut up her eyes for I dared to see where we were going. It seemed like magic- jumping from one planet to the other.

“I just can’t do it!” Sunaina lost hope when she saw the universe under her feet. I was unable to keep her mind on it and her hand slipped from mine.

“NO!” I screamed in my loudest pitch just when my close friend fell down. What could be worse than this.

I landed on another planet safely, that had been very far from the previous one. I did not anticipate this kind of trouble and was feeling blue at that time with tears rolling down from my filmy eyes. I started crying for my friend and blaming myself for this mishap.

Was Sunaina alive? I thought to myself. A deep fall, like this, would not have let her live. She was ill-fated and was doomed to die. I just hoped it to be the worst nightmare, but it wasn’t. I couldn’t stop myself thinking about her. If ever I found a way back home I wouldn’t be able to go without her and what would I tell to our teachers and parents? Whether I wanted to find a way to go home or to stay there and die, the ultimate decision rested with me.

It was not that I couldn’t live without Sunaina, it was just that I didn’t want to try. Suddenly, I remembered some things I once read in a book – ‘Life moves on and so should you’; and something even more inspiring – ‘things work out best for those who make the best of how things work’. Luckily, I accumulated some courage to return to school without my best chum and get help from others to find her.

Having run hither and thither in all directions, I stood defeated, my cries suppressed into sobs. I again bellowed for Sunaina.

Suddenly my mother appeared in front of me and shouted, “Wake up, Ridhi”

I realised that it was just a thrilling dream of mine. It was morning and time to go to school.

Yours dearly, Ridhi

(21st July,2018)

Dear Anne,

Yesterday, I may have bored you with the very, very and very long description of my dream, but that was necessary in order to realise the importance of a true friend. I was thinking how in the progress of time we had become such close friends that she had started to come in my dreams and how even in dreams, I was crying at her loss. That dream did no good that to explain the most reality- I am really fond of her.

I hate a crowd of acquaintances, I hate the casual, jocular sort of friend. I call friends those for whom I have an affection, for whom no sacrifice is too great; and because I have not a multitude of them, I value this one. She is a necessity of my life. We’re like two souls in one body. Such is our friendship!

But I promise you that I won’t bore you with such trivial things ever again.

Yours Ridhi