The girl in the woods

Chapter I

"Damn," Anupam's mother said in disgust.

The bus went bad. The bus conductor said that they could not go today. The clouds had covered the sky and it was about to rain. Also the night was on the way. They had to find a shelter for the night stay.

Anupam and his mother were relieved when they found a hotel in that remote village. Actually it was not a remote village: it was only eight kilometres away from its nearest town, Kohima.

The hotel was not too big. It had around ten rooms. The surroundings were surrounded by small shops. The hotel was old. The walls were cracked and the doors of some rooms were broken. But it was good for a night.

They entered in their room and arranged the things. Anupam had gone for a bathe and his mother was on the bed. She was just thinking. Since the death of Anupam's father she started to live shyly. She did not talk much but she had good relationship with her neighbours. Many people used to praise her voice and the style of talking. But she did not care much of the praises.

After sometime someone knocked at the door. It must be a servant. Anupam's mother opened the door. He was a tall man, with a formal dress and a small notebook in his hands.

"Good evening madam, you need anything?" he said.

"No, just something for evening snacks," she said.

"Okay. I'll send it to you," the person said, "By the way, from where you are?"

"Guwahati," Anupam's mother replied.

"That's a long journey."

"Yeah," she said, "It's for the bus. It went bad. They said that the bus would not go today. That's why we came here."

"We?"

"My son and I."

She was not feeling good to talk, not because she was tired but also because the man was tall and she found it difficult to look at his face.

"I think you'll have to stay here for tomorrow also."

"Why?"

"There is a 'chakka bandh' tomorrow," the man said, "Call in this number if there is an emergency." He gave her a slip and went.

Anupam came from the bathroom.

"We've to stay here for tomorrow," his mother said, "There is an off."

"Really? It's good. Tomorrow I'll go out to explore this place. This place is strange and...Amazing," Anupam said.

Anupam had not been in a hilly area before. He saw the hills in the internet but not in real. He wanted to explore those hills a lot. He was just thirteen but the signs of adolescence had started to appear. His interests changes often. Sometimes in nature and sometimes in stories. His fair-complexioned face had nothing to do with him. He did not care much of the qualities he possess. It was in the winter vacation when his mother took him for a trip so as to make him come out from the grief of the death of his father.