The Strange Street to the Wrinkled Memories

Lad in the cloak

Adwait walked in the station and booked two tickets of a cabin to Aahan Mitrapura. He then sat in the waiting lounge as the AM train would arrive only after twenty minutes. The lad in the cloak sat working on the machine, taking it out of his pocket.

At the same time, on the other hand was Shravya lost in thoughts. She suddenly heard someone cough. She looked inside the room through the window and there was Navya reading books. Shravya called out, "Hey there bookworm! Open the front door."
Navya looked out and surprisingly stared at Shravya, smiling. "Hey there! How come you are here? Where is the scholar? Did you fight with him?"
Shravya asked, "Seriously? Open the door!"
Navya went to open the door while Shravya went back round the house to the front yard. Navya opened the door and Shravya got in. "I have knocked your door and you didn't open."
Navya marked, "Oh! I didn't hear it. I was reading the book which was kept for the scholars' session."
"Which book?"
"All the books of the scholars are here for now. These books will be kept back in the library only from the full moon night. Till then it's safe with us in here."
"Where is Sandhya aunt?"
"She will be in the library. Where is the scholar?"
"He is taking tickets."
"For what?"
"We are going to Aahan Mitrapura to know my past. Don't worry! I will come back by the full moon night."
"You have seven more days. No worries!"
"How is Bella?"
"She left to Vidyalaya - ravikiran, three days before."
"I see! So let me go to the library. I want to inform her too before getting in the train cabin."
"Then come!"

Both of the girls walked out of the house to the library. They walked up the steps and got in through the door. There were few students and elders reading and checking on the books. Shravya and Navya scanned the visuals to catch sight of Sandhya. They couldn't find her anywhere infront of them. Suddenly some familiar voice came on, "Searching for something?" The girls turned right to see the producer of the sound. There was Sandhya standing beside the office desk. Shravya walked to her and folded her in a hug. Shravya informed, "I am going to Aahan Mitrapura to find my parents." Sandhya asked, "You are going alone? Isn't the scholar coming with you?"
Shravya smiled, "He is."
Navya whispered, "I have heard people say he is handsome. Is he?"
Suddenly Sandhya heard Navya and so she concluded, " He is a very good and handsome lad by heart. But Shravya, what is his name?"
Shravya mentioned, "Adwait."
Navya marked, "I think it's better you leave for the station soon because I guess the usual train to Aahan Mitrapura would arrive within thirteen minutes and the train would wait only for maximum fifteen minutes."
Shravya nodded and hugged them. Then concluded, "See you soon."
They smiled at her as she walked out of the library.

She walked straight into the railway station. The station had several passengers already waiting for the train and among the crowd, she had been figuring out a lad in the cloak. But there was no one who resembled Adwait. Suddenly she felt her goosebumps as she suddenly heard a sound out of nowhere.
"Searching for someone?"
She immediately turned back and there was the lad in the cloak standing behind her. She smiled and sat on the arm-chair nearby. Shravya asked, "So after nine days when I go back to Aahan Mitrapura what would you do?"
"Hm," he thought, "I... I would... You know... Get back to reading, learning, exploring, travelling, writing and inventing. And what's your plan?"
"I would spend a day with my family..." Shravya sighed, "If I have them."
Adwait smiled, "Ever thought of coming back to here once after meeting the royal family members?"
Shravya denied, "I doubt if I ever should."
Adwait silently nodded.
Shravya marked, "Whatsoever! Would you mind showing me the watch in your pocket?"
Adwait corrected, "It isn't a watch, it's my invention. A time travel machine."
Shravya marked, "Only heard of it, will it work? Why did you make it up?"
Adwait reasoned, "Time flies and so anything could happen. I really doesn't want to change nor the past nor the future but just wants to witness it. Finally, everything is a memory that will last for an eternity as a treasure."
Shravya exclaimed, "Your thoughts and qualities are immortal."
Adwait mentioned, "Thanks."
She marked, "I have never met anyone like you before. Completely different from ordinary."
Adwait answered, "I used to travel to all villages in the train and all books from every nook and cranny of the globe reached into the biggest world of books, that's our library. As I read books from there, I began to explore many new hidden things and so I began writing to express myself. All of my knowledge helped me to bring up my creativity and so I began inventing things. Hence, everyone knows me as one of the scholars and the wizard scientist. No one has seen me, heard me talk nor knows my name, perhaps they only see me as a shadow in the library or in the market wearing this cloak, that's why people call me the lad in the cloak."
Shravya asked, "So even those who got your help haven't seen you?"
Adwait replied, "Very few of them have."
She exclaimed, "I see!"
He went on, "I was making up this time travel machine in my room when you came, knocking and you had asked me so many questions. You asked about my dress, It has been my trademark, you know... Lad in the cloak. And what I had told you about my life, my family is all true. I am a good story teller but I don't bring up real stories."
Shravya gave a short smile, "So you aren't hiding anything?"
He rolled his eyes, "Did you feel so?"
Shravya innocently looked round and then whispered, "Yes... I mean no. I amn't sure, I don't know." Shravya knew he was clearing all her queries because he was counting down for just the full moon night.
He cleared, "I have no one as a friend nor a family and I have been living isolated hence no one comes to visit me rather than Eashan. He had met me many times in the palace and that's how we got to know each other. Other than you only he had been knowing this lad in the cloak. I really hold on to my values, therefore I help everyone who comes in search of comfort to me, just like you. I firstly thought you could help yourself, that's why I asked you to leave, but my heart asked me to stop you and so I did."
Shravya joked, "Usually people obey what mind says, why did you listen to your heart?"
Adwait played on, "Maybe because my heart beat was louder than my mind's command."
Shravya blinked on to a cute and hearty smile.
He verified, "I was left there in that house at the end of the forbidden Medusa street when I was six year old one and I grew alone in there. I am happy the way I am because it was a decision."
Shravya paused, "A decision? Who would decide to leave a little boy only six years of age?"
Adwait had a massive lump growing in his throat. He cleared his throat and swallowed something that he was about to tell Shravya.
The railway station master immediately announced as the subject was put to a break, "Kindly pay attention. The AM train numbered 123987 is arriving on the main platform on time."

The announcement of the arrival of a train caused most of the seats to get vacant and other passengers who were still waiting for their train quickly occupied them. Adwait and Shravya walked with their bags to the air conditioned royal coach and their tickets were checked by the TTE who helped them find their seats in the compartment.

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Surya_SK