The Hand.

Demons. Ghosts. Witches. Entities. I was never scared of these things ever since childhood. Probably because my grandmother would often tell me stories before going to bed that would make me stronger and less of a coward unlike other girls of my age. But of course, I am human and I had to be afraid of something or the other. Exams, my mischief, my tuition teacher, my father and so many such things I was afraid of. At times I would be afraid of not knowing what I am afraid of. But then every night as I went to sleep with my grandmother, she would hold my hand and sleep. That would give me courage to face my tomorrow, until one day she left us. That night I just couldn't sleep. I was scared. I was helpless and felt a huge vacuum. After a few nights of sleeping with my parents, I had to go back and sleep in my room. The bed felt so empty. There were nights I would just wake up in the middle of the night and cry.

A night before the result of my exams, I was super scared. Unlike every time, this time I didn't have my granny. I slept on the edge of the bed. I was swinging my hand below the bed. A hand gently held my hand from below the bed. I was terrified. It felt soft and warm. It somehow just made me feel better. Instead of getting scared I just loved it. I felt as if it was my granny's hand. I wanted to look down. But I was afraid that I might lose her again. So I just held it. I held it every night. It just gave me hope and courage to face my tomorrow. I never looked down. It sounds scary I know but sometimes the scariest things make you strong.

I got married. I was scared again. Scared of the responsibilities, expectations and like always scared about tomorrow. I would try to find her hand below the bed I slept with my husband. But I would never get it. One night I was deeply missing my family and had to prepare lunch for in laws for the first time the next day all the thoughts just made me feel afraid and depressed. I went to the end of the bed and aimlessly searched for the hand. Suddenly I was pulled back and a hand just held me really tight. It was my husband. I felt comfort and warmth. He held my hand and I slept peacefully. I had found it.

A Chiuu Chiuu Love Story.

She looked at me. Flipped her pretty eyelids and smiled at me. Oh how lovely it was. I was so excited. After a month of stalking her she looked at me. I had a big crush on her since the day she flipped her wings in the first rain last month. I felt everything was in slow motion. Her lovely silky hair and light brown eyes blew me off. She said "Chiuu Chiuu Chiuu" I said "Chiieeeu" She called me at five thirty at the recently built structure which people call the mobile network tower.

There used to be a lovely banyan tree there. But they cut it off and built this huge structure. Anyways, I spiked my hair with my wings after taking a dip in the water which overflows after filling up the water tank. I took a slow flight so that it doesnt mess up my hair. She was sitting. Oh how pretty she looked. I sat next to her took a deep breath and told her everything. She blushed and came close to me. I kept my wing on her shoulder. She said, 'Chiiuu Chiuu Chiiuuu Chi'. I was so thrilled to hear that. I finally had a girlfriend. We hugged each other and decided to meet at the same place at the same time everyday.

We met everyday. Chatted a lot. She shared all her thoughts and feelings just like I did. She had a sweet voice. We spoke about our future and how we were going to spend our lives with each other. We left after the sunset. It was a beautiful view from the top of the tower. Everything was just so perfect.

Then one evening. She left before the sunset. She said she had an headache since morning. But as she took her flight she started falling downwards. I flew as fast as I could. Took her in my arms. But her eyes were closed. Tears rolled down through my eyes. And as we came down the sun setted.My love was in my arms. Dead. I didn't know how.

But as I started thinking about it I realised that my mother had warned me to go near the tower. The radiations it transmitted were dangerous.I can never forgive the humans for this tremendous loss. But then I realized she wasn't sitting alone all these days. I was there too. And you know what that means.

I flew towards the tower again. And sat there. Waited. Waited for my chance to meet her again. Waited to relive life with my love. I started feeling giddy. I started flying. My vision blurred. And I fell down. My wings touched something soft. I couldn't see anything. But my heart said it was her. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes,spiked my hair and got ready to meet her again.

Jeena Hai Toh Vatt Se.

I came back from my school and saw my mama sitting and having laddus. I had a special place for him in my heart. I quickly kept my bag in my shelf and sat with him to have Laddus with him. The famous Laddu maker in our Shirgaon village , my mother,came outside and asked the most cliched question, "How was school today beta? What happened today?" Saying this she kept two glasses of my favourite nimbu soda.

The condensed chilled water on the glass made me feel cool. And as soon as I was going to take the glass, my mama stopped me. "Aaj se thandi aur tel vaali cheeje sab band. Gale ka khyyaal rakhna hai" he said keeping my glass down. "Matlab?" I asked. "Tum Mere saath Mumbai aa rahe ho. Mujhe tumhe tayyar karna hai. " he said."Koi competition hai?" I asked."Kuch aisa hi samjo" he said. My family was proud that I learnt English and was very fluent in it. I had represented my village at the state level and had won the silver medal in an elecoution competition. I had even taught it to my mother. She talks to me in English most of the time.I packed my bag. Bided goodbye to my family and left.

Our train stopped at dadar. We got down and went walking towards an empty open land. It was huge. My mama said 'Yahan tum apni tayyari karogey. Jitna jor se bol sakte ho utna jor se bolo" he said. And then he gave me a speech to read and recite which was quite strange. Within twenty minutes I knew the speech by heart. I spoke it as loudly as possible. He said "Chalo" .

We came back to dadar. I asked him why was I selling pens and wallets in the speech. He gave me some pens and wallets and asked me to climb in the first class and sell them. " Par aapne toh kahan ki ye competition keylie hai?"
" Yeh ek tarah ki competition hi toh hai. Jeeneki competition. Yahan sirf ek hi medal hota hai. Paisaa. "

I felt goosebumps on my hand and I climbed up the train. I started delivering my speech (rather selling the products.) People started staring at me. One of them even took their phone and started recording me. Maybe they liked my speech. Maybe they liked my diction. Maybe they saw a boy selling a product in the train in Fluent English for the first time. I sold about 5 pens and 3 wallets. I didn't know what to do next. I got down at Andheri.
Took a train back to dadar. Sold a few pens and wallets in it. People were impressed by my English maybe. 
I couldn't find my mama.
I searched for him everywhere. I felt lonely. All  I had was some money some pens and wallets. That money could take me back home.
But I bought more pens with it. Sold them. I felt like a business man.

But,I didn't want to be in that competition. I didn't want to live on an vadapav every day. Even if I did well in the job and progressed a lot compared to other Sellers, I didn't want to  skip my education. I deserved better. I could rather launch a new pen brand and sell it in the market than selling like this.

Thoughts were fizzing in my mind as fast as the trains passing by.I took the final sip of my cutting chaai and went to the ticket counter and said  " Shirgaon, First Class AC"

The Good Night Story.

It was 2 am. I was reading my novel as usual. And at every emotional moment in the book I'd stare out of my window, imagining it. All the houses had their light shut. And as I was about to look back into my book the light in my exacxtly opposite window got switched on. It was Ruby aunty's house. She was a very sweet lady. One of the most kindest persons you'd ever find. I had a special corner for her since I was small. Her husband was a known drunkard. I had heard stories of him hitting Ruby aunty brutaly. I wondered why would anyone else be awake at 2 am except an insomnia patient like me? I kept staring at the window.
Nothing happened.
I flipped the page of my book. Looked back at the window. Dilip uncle had pointed a gun towards.aunt Ruby. My jaws had dropped down. I didn't know what to do.Just as Dilip uncle was gonna see towards me, I crouched down. I was frightened. I heard a gunshot.

I froze for a moment. There was silence. I went back to my position. But then the curtains were closed.

Strange thoughts ran through my mind. I was clueless. The next thing I remember, I was on my stairs. I went down. Entered the neighbouring building. The watchman was asleep. I woke him up "Aye Helloo. Uth jaao" I said. "Jee saabjee."Kuch awaaj.suni? " I asked. He didn't have any expression on his face.  "Sote raho tumlog. Chalo ab aao mere saath. " I said.

I took him with me to  ruby aunty's house. I rung the bell. My heartbeat had started sounding louder than before.
I heard the door opened. And it was Ruby aunty. Phew! What a relief. "Oh rahul" she said." Is there anything son? " she asked."Is everything alright aunty?
Is Dilip uncle.."
She interrupted,"He's not home yet. Must be drunk, lying somewhere on the road. Anyways, good you came. I had to give you something" She went inside. Came out in a litlle while. The watchman was yawning. She handed a bottle of sleeping pills. "Take this. It helped me a lot. Take it for a few days. The system will then be normal after a few days" she said."okay aunty. I'll try it. Thank you. Good night and sorry to disturb you." I said. "Oh it's all right son. Good bye." she waved.
I went down with the watchman. Warned him not to sleep. I came back home.

I was fed up of my insomniaa. I just wanted to get rid of it. I didn't think of any doctors prescription. I just took the tablets and swallowed them. I began to feel dizzy. And I slept. Yes. Yes I slept.

Next.morning my sister woke me up." Get uppp. Ruby aunty was murdered yesterday." she said. "Whaaat?" I exclaimed getting up. "Yes, Dilip uncle did it. He's been sent to the custody." She said. "But the watchman.." I asked. She interrupted, " how do you know about the watchman? He was murdered too." I was speechless.She continued, "And out of all this bad news the good news is that you finally slept. How did you sleep?" I just looked at the sleeping pills bottle which was lying next to me. And kept looking at it.

Saau Rupayaa.

He took me out from his locker. I had been there since ages. I was given by his aunty as a gift on his birthday ten years back. He put me in his wallet and the rest of the bunch in his bag. He sat in a taxi. I was handed over to the taxi driver. He took a passenger. The passenger was in hurry. In the hurry, the driver broke the signal and was caught by the police. I was handed over to the police. The police had a severe cough. Thus he went to the doctor to get him checked up. I was given to the doctor. The doctor was a very kind and generous person. He used to donate a lot. As he was walking home , he met a beggar. He donated me to him. The beggar was so happy. He had the biggest smile on his face. It was after many days that the beggar and his family had a wholesome dinner. I was given to the VadaPav man. Yeah, for them VadaPav is a wholesome food. That night I was with the VadaPav man. Next day the Vasooli gang came to pick me up. They took me to the mantri of that area. I am here. In the ceiling of his house. Hidden. On the whole journey I met different sorts of people. All of them used me differently. It's all on my use. I am the most powerful object ever made. I can help people as well as destroy them. I can give an extra seat for education. I can make unfair things fair or fair things unfair. People love me and want me. But it's better you stay away from me. Don't find happiness in me. For that happiness lasts for a very short time and can convert to sorrow anytime.

Rickshaw.

Let him sit! Oh God this man! That boy was looking very tired. We could have dropped him. His destination was on our way. Wait. That old lady wants us to leave her somewhere. She's shouting my name. Let's take her for gods sake! Aree! What's your problem? Don't you want to earn today. Why did you stop now, suddenly? Just because she's a good looking lady? Why didn't you pick the old woman then? Why are you so partial and choosy? Its your job. You need to transport these people. They must be in emergency. Why do you go in gaps between cars even if you know that the others are gonna get stuck. Don't you realize how bad it is to spit on the road? Because of people like you, my name is getting spoilt. Please, please stop doing this. Listen, they are calling out my name. Pick and Help them. For we are here for their service and we must do our duty without any hesitation.

Haati.

"Kuch Do Na! Khaane ko!", I beg on streets for food and money for my master who is begging along with me. He gets food everyday, but doesn't bother to give me some. He does give me sometimes, but quite rare. But it's now a habit. I have been with him since 50 years in this concrete jungle, begging. Sometimes he takes me to weddings. I'm an attraction there. But I'm tired of this life now. In the hot summer I feel dehydrated sometimes." But if you need to survive, you need to beg. "That's what my master has taught me. I don't remember where I stayed before I met my master. But I'm sure, there was a pond and many trees all around. I get them in my dreams, sometimes. I just wonder when I'll get to see it in reality. But till then, I need to be here, to help this poor guy. For God has sent me here for this purpose.