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Short Story Contest 2020-21

The Mountain Jasmines

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It’s been two weeks for now, that I had run on those grassy hills with Aahan. Never had I been so happy and carefree in fifteen years of my life.

I just remember going to camp in Gulmarg Hill station when I was seven years old.

And there it happened, the most traumatic incident of our lives. Mum was lying dead on the bed, with mattress red with blood and lavenders were scattered in every corner of the room. My father, and I were petrified at that scene. My father the head officer of the CBI is used to all these incidents though. But being a loveable husband and a family man, he couldn’t control himself. He knelt down with a thud and threw the hefty reading table on which there were few of his files. Those files let themselves in the air for a second and settled back on the purple carpet which was spread all over the room. Blood stains were everywhere around the bed. It appeared as if there was a drizzle of blood in that place. Being able to accept a situation no more, I fell on the ground insensible right on my father’s toes. I don’t know what happened then later.

I had woken up in a grubby, tar filled store room with bins all around. And I was lying on dusted old thin bedsheet with my father beside me. He sat on the ground with a bottle of water in one hand, which was rough with cuts on fingers and dust all over his palm. His grey formals had blood stains and some deep cuts. Then he turned to me with grief and his teensy black eyes still holding pain and tears. I hugged him at once and wept silently. He hugged me back, I could feel his tears falling on my pale orange sleeveless shirt. He then placed his big palms on my chubby big cheeks and wiped my tears saying “Anya! Mom is always going to be with us.” I nodded my head dismally and sniffed back my tears. We then moved to Delhi as a part of my father’s work.  We started to live there in an apartment probably the largest one in the city. Over there no one cared about the next person. It appeared as if I was lost in a world of aliens. I had no friends to play with. It’s just my Max and me all day. My father was always acquainted with files and investigation. So, he hardly had any time to spare for me.  And that way I grew up enjoying my own company, reading lots of books, about plants. I loved plants right from my childhood. I even grew few herbs and climbers in my room. I watered the plants daily and spend a lot of time staring at them, seeing them grow. Every time I see Max and the plants it seemed as if they’d like to have a conversation with me. I would feel that they want me to talk to them about the world, my opinions, and so on. But my silence must have given them a clue that I’m voiceless. I couldn’t speak right from my birth. But my parents, especially my father never let me feel that it’s my disability, he always told me that I’m just different from the rest and that elevated my confidence every time. But I couldn’t join any normal school like others, even with this confidence or positive spirit. I could have joined in some school for disabled children but I rather preferred staying at home all by myself and self- teaching things, that are taught in school. My father helped me with my subjects whenever he got time.

Slowly, I developed the power of grasping smell of different things, especially of plants. I can identify most of the plants, just by their scent. My cozy small room is always perfumed with natural scents of various flowers and herbs. But to be able to experience the pleasant breeze from the clouds, which frequently visit the valleys and race to the hill tops is something which can only be felt. And no words can ever perfectly explain the feeling when it is experienced. I always longed to visit any of such mountains, stay there and wander all over the grassy hills and enjoy the incredible smells of beauteous flowers over there. But, due to security reasons I never stepped out until it was necessary.

Years passed on, we moved to different places and I kept learning academic stuff and about plants by staying at home. We now reside in Kashmir. It’s a peaceful place with street vendors, various stalls of food and other stuff, including flowers of odoriferous fragrance.

Listening to the pleasant good night songs and enjoying the warm summer night breeze, I didn’t realize when I had fallen asleep. It was 9:30 in the morning when Max woke me up, licking my cheeks and rubbing its fluffy fur against me. Warm, morning summer sunrays had come to wish me good morning. I usually let the window to be open most of the day and allow the natural air inside. The windows and doors shuttered continuously because of the heavy wind gusting towards us. I didn’t know that it’s a warning for me to shut all the possible entrances and stay inside. I had gone out with Max to the grocery store nearby, and in the blink of an eye, I was kidnapped. I tried to defend myself but they were way too strong and bags in both of my hands just added a point for them to get hold of me easily. I was dragged into an old, rusty van, along with Max. I lost one of my shoes. And then I was given some kind of drug which worked within a few seconds. I lay unconscious in a van full of hefty men. They were scarier than the most dangerous plants I had read about.

Max’s weak woof woke me up, but I couldn’t move. I was tied to a huge tree. The largest one I’ve ever seen. I never read about it in any of the books. And I started to feel the teensy, poky grass spread everywhere around, under my deep blue trousers. Thick, black Ants were crawling on my lemon-yellow T-shirt. They were carrying bits of leftovers from kidnapers’ plates to their colonies. It was fun watching them do so until the last ant in their group had disappeared.

The Himalayan mountains might have been restricting excess heat to let in. The place was green and it appeared as if it was spring. I was so happy and excited. I actually lived in that moment! I loved the place very much. I was grateful to them for bringing me here. I was so lost in such a captivating scenery for a while. It felt as if, someone had cast some kind of spell on me. But soon, my hunger pangs broke the spell. I was struggling to free myself from those thick, smudged ropes. Those ropes were hard and all my strength and trials were of no use. Even Max was tied up to the same tree, just like me. I had given up by then and decided to be confident and calm. I had hoped for some help. And guess what? A dusky, scraggy tribal boy was passing by, with a basket of mountain jasmines on his head. He had worn nothing but an underwear, which was patched and two thick metal bangles each, to both his hands and legs. He had some white-coloured stripes drawn on his shoulders, cheeks and chest. His hair was thick and curly and pitch black, just like our store room. He had widened his large brown eyes and stared at me. I struggled to move sideways, signaling him to help me. He put the basket on a not so smooth and small rock which was half buried in the ground, maybe from many decades and slowly stepped towards me. Making sure that those kidnappers were still asleep on the fresh grass and letting his metal bangles make the least possible sound, he finally untied me and had freed me and Max. I smiled at him in a grateful way and he smiled back. His smile was as calm and pleasant as the atmosphere.

He held my hand and had gestured me to come with me. I was reluctant and drew back my hand. He smiled again assuring me that he was of no harm. I looked into his eyes, and I didn’t know what made me feel that those large eyes were the reflection of his righteousness. I then walked with him to his home and Max followed us back.

I had to walk barefoot and carry my shoe and sock all along. I could smell the sweet scent of the mountain jasmines. Even the tribal boy’s body smelt as if he was a jasmine turned to a boy. I got obsessed to its beauty and sweet fragrance. After walking for around 45 minutes through a small forest, which was dense with amazing plants and trees, we had reached our destination. They lived in caves. Those caves were renovated and were comfortable to live in. It was so exciting for me to experience all the new stuff. Being a nature lover, I always longed to explore such places. I was provided with all the basic needs and had been introduced to all of them in his family. The tribal boy who saved me was Aahan.  He always had the never fading smile on his face and I loved it. My silence and hand gestures let them know that I cannot speak. But they were really warm and welcoming, unlike most of the hosts I’ve seen. It was a little awkward for me to stay there with strangers, but I had no choice. Before going to bed, my mind suddenly reminded me of my father. It could be fine until 6 days or so, to stay there and hide from those raiders.  But if my father returned and had found me missing, he would be terrified and break down emotionally. He would never excuse himself for that. So, I had to be back home soon. My sore legs and tired mind pushed all those thoughts aside and had monitored me to sleep. I had fallen asleep in a room full of fireflies. The mattress was comforting than the regular one, though it was all about some leaves and soft dry grass. I had woken up earlier than I usually do, and walked out to see what the rest of them were doing. Aahan was up hours ago and was helping his mum. His father was not seen, so I assumed him to be off with work. Aahan’s mother had seen me and asked me if I wanted to eat. I nodded a yes and embarrassingly sat down for breakfast. And I had been served some fluffy tortillas along with some vegetable along with a large glass of cow milk. They ate their food in banana leaves and it was interesting.

Everything over there was new and thrilling for me. They had helped me get ready and I kind of looked like them, except for my hair. And the loveliest part, the mountain jasmines. Aahan might have noticed my love for jasmines and thus he had presented me with a garland of mountain jasmines. I couldn’t deny such a gift. No sooner he had given me the garland, I placed it around my neck. It was a pretty ornamental thing and had suited me. Aahan had given me a complimentary smile which made me blush. We had gone to almost every part of the mountains and as Aahan was aware of all the plants and vegetation in that mountain, he described about them briefly. Soon we were good friends and liked each other’s company.

As expected, after 6 days, few of my father’s assistants had found me, while I was playing with Aahan. I had to go leaving Aahan and the world I loved, behind. I couldn’t let my father suffer. He neither stopped me nor did he tear but his big, brown eyes casted back his agony and pain. He knew I was helpless. So, he bid me goodbye with a faint smile on his face. Soon Max and I were back to home.

My father hugged me tight and cried like a child. Then he had baked potatoes and served me a creamy soup for dinner. He knew what’s in my head. He knew I miss a special friend. But he remained calm. Even I didn’t talk about it.

After two hot weeks, one afternoon my room was suddenly filled with the aroma of the mountain jasmines. The air was so hot and dense due to the mid summers. I was sweating and to let the air in I had opened the window of my room. It was Aahan and his mother.

They had come there with a basket of mountain jasmines and went along selling those perfumed flowers, and Aahan was probably looking for me.

 

 

Shreya Thokala

I'm Shreya Thokala from Telangana. I'm pursuing my engineering from GNITS, Hyderabad. I'm a literary enthusiast. Writing and reading stories help me escape into an imaginary world . I've been a co-author of 3 anthologies and J.K Rowling and Ruskin Bond are my favorite writers.

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