Crack Of Dawn

Chapter 12

"I will find father." The girl of  fifteen was determined but her mother didn't want her to leave. She feared her little girl would get tangled in the mess of sorcery and witchcraft that was worlds apart from her current life.

Aadav, her brother who just turned eighteen, stayed up in his room the whole week ever since there was no information about father. He was not ready to sit with the rest of his family as he cared about not breaking down in front of them as he was supposed to be strong.

Kashvi smiled at Srishti. "You can find Ayush but now go call your brother for lunch."

Dikshita denied. "Don't give her hope, mother."

Srishti rolled her eyes. "I will find father."

"Enough, Sri. You are not going anywhere." Dikshita made it clear and firm.

She ran upstairs and knocked on her brother's door but he just replied. "I will have my food later." She thought that he overtook all that was happening to be his mistake. He somehow ended up blaming himself when things went wrong.

Her mother had already enrolled in the school of sorcery and occult where she could learn and work. Kashvi agreed to it during lunch. "May be you need to keep your mind out of all this family twists. So go... I will take care of kids."

After lunch, Dikshita was busy packing and Kashvi had went to meet Sanvi to make her join the journey.

Aadav had come down slowly like a soft pawed cat to have lunch. Srishti jumped in front of him immediately. "Mom is leaving." 

"Me too." He whispered. "I want to do something big in life. And since mother and father is no longer staying with us..."

Srishti pulled him to a hug. "Can you please stay by me?"

"I will leave in the evening. Do not let anyone know." He caressed her hair. "Okay?"

She hid back her tears. "Will you come back soon?"

He smiled and took his lunch to his room as she went back yard to sit by the river. 

"Don't think too much." Aadav smiled like her father. "I will come back or I will at least write to you, okay?"

She denied holding on to his hand as he had came to bid farewell.

***

Adya and Srishti was already walking to the village in the valley. She smiled at her pathetic times. She felt so close to seeing her brother again. She was finally retrieving hope of finding her brother. He was so near, always shadowing her. But was it really him?

For first two years after he left, letters were regular from him; only if she had known he lived just behind their house. 

Sometimes she even thought that her brother left because her mother failed to comfort him. Confront him. Make him believe in himself of conquering greater things.  

***

He slowly let go off her as he kissed her forehead. "Bye."

He walked down the lane through the front yard and she ran back to her bed, pressing her face on to the pillow so that no one could hear her sob. She had seen her family scatter on to their separate paths and she did nothing but allow them to go away from her. Helpless was she then.

The house shook once Dikshita found out that Aadav had left home without a proper reason. His only reason was that he wanted to do something by himself, to become self reliant on his dreams. To prove his mother that even false dreams were worth trying for.

Sanvi had come with her luggage to leave that night. Adya had also accompanied her mother.

Srishti  could only whisper. "Brother will come back. Father too. I will bring them back."

"How will you? You did nothing when they were going now how are you going to bring them back. At least you could stop your brother." Dikshita broke down, "Why is it those of our family walking away. Why?"

"They didn't abandon you." Sanvi assured. "They will get back."

"I will find them. I know they will come back. We will sit  together for food breaks together. We will sit by the river ." Srishti cried wanting to ease her pain. "We will—"

"Go to bed now." Dikshita screamed.

Kashvi hugged Srishti. "Don't lose hope, my dear." She whispered. "They will come back for you."

"What is the need of hoping when you know that this hope would leave you with no hope... when you know in the inside that there is no chance of being like in the past?" Dikshita was angry. She took her bags as she left the home with displeasure. Dissatisfied. 

Disowning her family.

***

Her life was a mess and she restrained herself from expecting a lot from her life. 

They heard the sound of the train that was pulled over at the station and it felt like the land was rumbling. It did distract Srishti who heard Adya. "Why don't we get a cart? I can't walk any more silently, you are too lost with yourself. I need a company, maybe I could chat with the coachman, if we take a cart."

Srishti was brought back. "Oh! I am sorry... I was just..." Adya was already walking fast. 

"There is a little junction near. We are getting on a carriage from there." Adya marked without turning behind.

***
The Sun looked like a ripened red fruit, as it was ready to lend its area to the Moon that was slowly appearing.

The little stalls with clothed roofs stood orderly in rows. Handmade households, manuscripts, textiles, accessories and every necessary things was for sale in that small market. The food stalls stood separate but attracted everyone with the smell. 

Adya was already asking for cream buns and a cup of milk tea. She called up, "Come over. What do you want?"

Srishti shrugged, "Anything will do."

"Then try this..." A bold yet gentle sound greeted her.

Srishti was new to the market place but the voice felt familiar.

A lad was smiling at her. He wore lose brown trousers that matched his cowboy-hat and muddied boots. His shirt was beautifully stitched with an attractive pocket that was embroidered. A knitted piece of cloth peeped out of the pocket, wanting to introduce itself. 

"And we meet again..." He shook hands with Srishti while Adya blinked at the two. 

He offered her a plate of the street food that was made of the traditional recipe of the locals. It was crispy balls of various cooked vegetables that was dipped in sauces tasting sweet, sour and spicy at the same time. It felt like a treat to the taste buds.

Adya waited till the scene of teaching Srishti to have the food got over and then left her cup at the stall as she rolled up her sleeves and turned to the boy rudely. "And mister, who are you to interfere between us?"

Surya_SK