AUTHOR

15TH FEBRUARY, 2025.

The woods are dark, so much dark that only the moonlight was the source of light in this blind darkness. She is running, the bare, bruised footsteps on the grasses making sounds of her reach. The run continues, she can feel the footsteps behind her. Her footsteps were rapid, unsettled, unmatched, stumbling. She is far enough but unaware where she is going or if she is running in a full circle, but the footsteps behind her were slow, matched, patient, as if the person knows the prey can't free herself.

The run continues, she knows she is far away..or she is just running. Fear gripping her heart, the new born fear is just getting more reckless. Her feet are bare, hurting, bleeding and she stumbled on something leathery. Due her fast and rapid run and the sudden outer unexpected break made her fall on the ground hard and harsh. She fell on her stomach and face to the ground and the sound... "hissssssss......hissssssss", it's a snake. The sound made her heart beat faster, she knows very well on which she stepped and stumbled upon and then, in the next moment she felt a sharp sting on her ankle, it was too painful, raw that in seconds tears streaming from her eyes, rolling down on her cheeks, her feet were already hurt and bare, and the sting became a more painful, harsh, feel on her body. She can feel the footsteps from earlier are now sounding more clear that means the person is coming closer. What can she do in this position? The person and the snake are both one step away from pushing her close to her death. Now she can feel the shift on ground, meaning the snake's body is coming closer to her face, she tilted her head up and the predator is near her face, she sees it's skin shining under the soft glow of moonlight, making it more deadly, intimidating and evil. The bite was about to swallow her life, she shut her eyes tightly knowing well that it's her end but then a sound.

"THUD!!!!!!!!!"

The sound of the bullet echoed in the sleeping woods, awaking the whole night. She opened her eyes after gaining the courage to gather. The snake was lying lifeless on the grass, the blood on the grass and on the ground glistening under the Moonlight. And then a figure knelt on his knees, it's a giant shadow, muscular, he is wearing all black, but fitted on his skin, making his figure prominent and well chiselled. She was still laying on the cool grass, she lift her face up to see his face, but he is wearing mask starting from her nose, only his majestic baby blue eyes are visible.

～☯～

RINI

God fucking knows! What the hell is happening with me? I am just laying on the grass, unable to move because of the unbearable pain gripping my ankle, which is killing me already. The snake was about to bite me. But now is laying lifeless on the grass and this man knelt before me. GOD! Maybe the snake was better! The easy and fast death, animals doest tortures the kill directly, and humans they, I mean we, we are evil, torturing other is our entertainment, but this man is psycho, and now this bastard is playing, no, smudging the lifeless body of the snake with the barrel of his gun.

Fuck! but his eyes are on me! is he going to kill me? and then he leaned down to my face, his breathe through his fucking mask is falling on my slightly parted, trembling lips, and then....

"Splashhhhhhh" of cold water and the sound of my alarm.

I woke up in a jolt. I sat up like a scale. My eyes wide open, I am panting heavy, the water dripping from my hair, forehead to my chin. I tilted my head up, and my younger sister Sonia, is standing with a small empty bucket. I am glaring at her. Fuck this sister's! If I would have slept between ma and papa since childhood, this miss-happening would have existed.

"WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT?", I yelled at her, frustration evident in my voice.

"KYUN? NORMAL INSAN KI TARHA NEENDH SE MUJHE NAHI UTHA SAKTI?", I yelled again.

(Why? Can't you wake me up from sleep like a normal person?).

"uske liye tujhe neendh se normal time pe uthna parega, dopeher ke 2 baje hai,(2 p.m.)or......", she paused then kept the bucket down on the floor and sat beside me frowning and she spoke.

(For that you will have to wake up from sleep at normal time, it's already 2 p.m. and...)

"or neendh main...... moan.. kyu kar rahi thi?", she asked and at last gave a smirk.

(And why were you moaning in your sleep?)

My eyes widened, I choked in the air. I was moaning, hell no! I was hurt in my dream and the mewling sound I might have made subconsciously and that resulted sounding like moans. But if I try to make her understand she will surely think I am lying or trailing off. Better to keep her in a cliffhanger.

"kuch nahi! Ja kam kar, ja apne kamre main." I said and she left after giving a dramatic sigh. She knows I am not going to tell now ecause every time after I wake up from sleep my mood remains the worst, maybe not worse but not in a mood to banter with anyone.

(nothing! go and do your work, go back to your room).

After 5 minutes of sitting blank I slid from the bed and stood up and went to my almirah. I took my t-shirt and house wear pants and was about to head to my bathroom, when someone knocked on the door, I turned to find our house help, Sakshi aunty, she is my motherly age and very sweet and loyal to us. We smiled at each other and said good morning to each-other and then she entered and started fixing and changing my messed and drenched bed. And I went inside the bathroom and shut the door after me. I discarded my clothes and kept in the nearby empty bucket in the bathroom, and turned on the shower, and of-course adjusting the shower temperature and I am relaxed now under the mist and water. And now all I could think about was that DREAM! That fucking dream.

"Heee, Shivji! har bar aise sapne kyu dikkate ho? or to or ek sapna bar bar, jab se mera accident huya tha 4 saal pehele! KYUUUU???????" I said a little bit loud...because I am frustrated

(OH, Lord Shiva! Why do such dreams bother you every time? And what's more, a dream again and again, since my accident 4 years ago! Why?????????)

After 30 more minutes I came out of the bathroom, in my t-shirt and casual pants and then did all my lotion and face cream routine and went downstairs. It's already 2:45 p.m. now! Well ma and papa knows I study till late night 3 to 4 a.m. most of the time. So they don't interrupt my sleep. I am lucky because I have them as parents indeed!

I came downstairs went to living room, my dad only in pyjama, swaying his waist and somewhat dancing and singing something on his own and cooking, stirring something in pan, my mom is chopping vegetables on dining table, on chair and watching her serials in her phone, my younger brother, Rudra is sitting on sofa and doing his school homework and my sister doing her nail arts on her left hand nails

and our T.V. it is just on, and the naptol in the cable line is on. No-one is watching T.V.! WOW! WHAT A SCENE!

I sat beside my brother and just watched his maths and then I took my laptop from the table and started doing my work! And then our doorbell rang!

Ding Dong......

We all turned to see. Our local post man of our area.

"Rini Sehegal ka ghar yeh hai?" He asked.

(Is this Ms. Rini Sehegal house?)

"Haan ji yeh hi hai. Main uski ma hoon!" My mom said and stood and went to the door

(yes, it is. I am her mother!)

"Ek letter aya hai, Rini ke liye" He said and handed the letter to ma. I stood up and went to the door, and signed where he asked me to sign. We thanked him then he left.

(A letter came for her)

I took the letter from ma and we all sat on the sofa in a circle. Papa also came from the kitchen and sat with us. I opened the letter. My eyes widened. I have a letter from St. Paul University of New York! I finally got admission

in this university and I screamed and popped on the sofa.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Kya hua, ma?" My papa asked me, his voice concerned and amused. Yes my papa call me 'ma' lovingly since I was born.

(What happened, ma?) (ma means mother is Hindi)

"Papa..papa..St. Paul University se letter, I mean... admission letter hai. I am selected", Now we all are gone mad in joy.

(Papa! I am selected for St.Paul University. They had send the letter)

"I can't believe didi, you did it finally! on the first attempt". Sonia giggled and hugged me tightly. Same Rudra did.

"Meri bacchi ne kitni mehenat ki hai! Ab bas tera or ek sapna.. space scientist baneka pura hojaye " Ma said caressing my head..

(My child worked so hard for this. Now just your another dream gets fulfilled to become a space scientist )

"Ma! ab tu dur chalijaiyegi to aise apna khayal kaise rakhegi?" Papa said his smile was genuine but sad too, he is happy. I know he is happier than me and may be the happiest person today on earth but I know getting apart from me is too damn tough for him. This fact he can't digest so quickly.

(Ma! now you will go far away and how will you take care of yourself?)

I went to him and hugged him tightly.

～☯～

Then after lunch and two hours of family's never ending gossip. I walked back upstairs to my room. I entered my room and closed my door behind me.

I walked to my bed and lay down on my stomach, tucking a pillow under my elbows to support. I grabbed my phone and unlocked it.

Numerous messages from my friends group. Actually my BEST BEST FRIENDS, since childhood. And they are Saksham Rajput, Kabir Singhania and Aishi Chowdhary.

Me, Kabir, Shaksham and Aishi are childhood best friends. We four grew up together here in India, Mumbai as neighbours and in the same school and classmates. After 10th. Kabir, karan and Aishi were transferred to a high school in New York. I was about to go too, but due to my grandpa, Akshay Sehegals death, I wasn't able to go. I completed 11th and 12th in Mumbai and 1st year of college as a space science student, now that I received a transfer invitation from New York's, St. Paul University as a second year student. Where my best friends are already waiting for her.

YES!!! MY ALL FRIENDS ARE ALREADY IN THAT COLLEGE.

Well nevertheless. I opened my What'sApp chat group "Indo-Slayers Squad." Yeah, a bit of a weird name. Me, Aishi and Shaksham weren't ready for this name but Kabir wanted. That headache of our group.

INDO-SLAYERS SQUAD

Kabir
So, Sab zinda hai? Is duniya main hai???
(

So, everyone is alive? Still in this world???)

Aishi
Bhaukiye! Kamine ji.
(Bark! Creep.)

Kabir
Apna real name bar bar kyu
yaad dilati hai, Aishi?
(Why do you always keep reminding
your real name, Aishi?)

Saksham
Have you gone crazy? Or this is the wound
in the mind of both of you since childhood??

Kabir
Ok, let's drop this topic. Do you know
when Rini is coming? I have heard that she has
got the transfer letter!

Aishi
Haiiii? Kab? Mujhe kyu nahi pata?
Waise kab arahi hai Rini?
(What?? When? Why don't I know?
By the way, when is Rini coming?)

Saksham
Pata toh tab hoga na jab boriwali station
ke luggages ki sara din tum dono neendh
kam or college main zayada guzaroge!
(You will know it only when both of you
spend most of the day in college instead
of sleeping like the luggage at Borivali station!)

Aishi
Shut up. And why are you asking
like this? Rini is in the group. Ask directly.

Kabir
Ha. Rini tujhe mila kya transfer invitation?
Or mila hai toh kab arahi hai?
(Yes. Rini, did you get the transfer invitation?
And if you have got it, then when are you coming?)

Aishi
Naya, matlab 2nd year ka session,
March se shuru hoga! Kab ayegi?
(The new session, i.e. 2nd year
The session will start in March!
When will you come?)

Saksham
Duniya main hai? Rini? Reply deeee!!!
(Are you in this world? Rini? Reply!!!)

Rini(Me)

Yes! I am alive! I am here!

And I am coming to New York in two days!

Aishi
Finally ab last three year hum
Chaar saath main
(Finally now for the last three years
we are together.)

Kabir
It will be a lot of fun. By the way, Rini. Your
grandfather has a 2 BHK apartment in
the same building as the other three of us?

Rini(Me)

Hai. Dadu ka aparment hai. 15th floor pe.

(yeah, It is Dadu's apartment. On the 15th floor.)

Saksham
Well that's a good thing.
My house and Kabir's one
is on the 14th floor.

Aishi
Or meri 15th floor pe hi tere sath.
(And mine with you on same, 15th floor.)

Rini(Me)

Acchi bat hai.

(It's a good thing.)

Saksham
Rini tu jab parso aayegi.
So do these four days you stay in Aishi's
apartment. We will have to buy furniture
or decorations for your apartment, we will
also have to set it up. Help Cardege.

Aishi
Better, Rukjana do ya jitne bhi din lage.
(Better, stay for two or however many days it takes.)

Kabir
Or main airport pe lene ajauga.
(And I will pick you up at the airport.)

Rini(Me)

Thank you guys. And I am bringing a lot

for everyone. All your families will send things.

Okay, bye now. I also have to do some packing.

Byeeeeee!!

Kabir
Sayonaraa duao main yaad rakh na
(Bye, Don't forget about me.)

Aishi

Chalooo Bye. Mere dewanno
(Byee!!. my crazy fans.)

Saksham

Alvidaaaaa!!!!
(Byee!!)

After all this dramatic chat. I turned my phone off and started packing! I'll take only my essential books and clothes for now. Later ma will courier my all other things. She said already that she'll do it the same day when I leave. About two hours later the packing was finally done. I glanced at the clock its three-thirty P.M. now.

I stepped out of my room and walked upstairs and then stepped on the terrace. The cool breeze relaxes my body. I started strolling here and there. Then I stopped at a point. Leaning my back against the railing. I started scrolling through my phone on the social page of St. Paul University.

It's a vast college. I just can't wait any more. To meet my three souls.

Everything is settled. I have my own apartment there. Because my grandpa worked in New York for two years when I was in fifth standard. And before his demise he legally made me owner of that apartment. Papa already transferred three lakhs in my account. I told him not to yet. After a few more minutes I walked back inside.

～☯～

Next day.

Finally today is the day. I am going to leave my family for the next four to five years. Kabir, Aishi and Saksham's families already handed me a few things for them. After all emotional and cryings

I finally did my boarding. And went inside the Airport.

At 12:30 P.M. I sat on the plane and the plan took off. It was a long journey, the flight was about fifteen hours and twenty minutes. The plane landed in New York at 6:30 AM the next morning (local time). I came out of the airport and searched for bastard kabir. I reached the area where cars were waiting. And from behind someone threw something on my head. GOD, it was heavy. It fell on the ground, A Basketball. Of Course it's him, jerk kabir. I had a gut feeling. I turned around to see while rubbing my head where he hit me, yeah it's him, Jerk kabir.

He is wearing a black tee and sweatpants. Huh? Sweatpants? At the airport? God his hair! Doesn't he baths? He is grinning like an idiot, who he is!

He walked to me and I continued glaring at him. Why did he hit me this morning? And how can anyone be this energetic at mornings?????

"Why did you hit me???" I asked still rubbing my head.

"You should have catched, so......" He trailed of grinningly, he shrugged bending down to pick up the ball.

"Not my fault! Your fault!!" He completed, the audacity this Jerk have!

For few secs of my glare and his grin continued and then we both laughed! He pulled me in his ams. We hugged.

Kabir Singhania can give you a headache and never a heartache! He is the light of our group. We pulled away. God! He really doesn't baths!

"How are you????? And I am fine and handsome as always." He said.

"But not fresh!" I taunt. "I am good! Now lets go. I am starving." We walked to his car with my luggages, he placed it inside the car. Then after settling ourselves too in our seats. We drove off.

I am finally here in New York. New city, new country. But my friends are here. And next four years gonna be blast with my three souls but terribly missing my family too.

Let's see what's next to come.

Hello Guys so here is the first chapter.

I know nothing yet there in it.

but soon there will be.

Do comment, vote ⭐ and Share

I'll try for the next chapter soon!

Till then bye sweet cheeks ❤️🥰🥰🥰

Byeeeeeeeee 👋👋👋👋👋👋👋