Ace of Hearts

3 - Anguished Hearts

Note: All the conversations in Dwapara yuga are in Sanskrit unless specified.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The loud boom of the rumbling thunder cut through the air subduing the drumming of rain on the asbestos sheet laid down to shelter the locomotives. However, that monsoon day four pair of little feet replaced the four wheels of the car. Standing outside the house, hiding from view the toes of four little boys bore their weight allowing them to peek through a window.

The sight of the living room was enough incentive for them to run back home with their tail between their legs but the gnawing guilt of leaving their friend alone inside to deal with the nine year old girl rooted them in their place. Shivering more due to fear than the cold, the boys watched the older girl march forward with balled fists and an expression that did justice to her soaring rage.

Stopping an inch away from her mother, the girl raised her toes mimicking the boys and glared at her mother, their noses barely touching. Her mother's stern eyes stared back at her reflecting her disappointment in her daughter. The girl, however, brushed it aside surprising every occupant of the room but she did not care. She would appease her mother later.

"Apologize to the boy right now Tusharika." boomed her mother's voice.

"I WILL NOT. He deserved what he got."

The boy in question stood a few feet away cradling his broken nose wincing as the blood seeped through the gaps of his fingers dripping to the floor. At few feet's distance away from him, stood a little girl of five with her eyes flickering constantly between her mother and sister.

"Violence is not the answer Tusha. Apologize. NOW." reverberated her mother's voice.

"Did you even listen to what he said? He eve teased Avishi that -"

"I don't care. You don't hit people. If he teased Avishi, she will handle it. You should not have stepped in."

"Maa. It's okay. I will apologize." said the little girl wishing for the argument to end.

"No Avi. No one will apologize to him." scolded her sister earning a glare from their mother.

"Maa. He told that Avishi is not my sister and that we picked her off the road where she was abandoned. He deserved what he got. Avishi is and will always be my sister. How dare he claim otherwise." Tusha's voice raised an octave at the end as she directed her glare to her victim.

"Let this be a lesson for you and your stupid little friends hanging on our window sill outside. Don't mess with me or my sister ever again. Next time it won't be just your nose that will be broken."

"That's enough. Go to your room both of you. Don't come out till you're called." her mother sighed knowing her daughter would never apologize for protecting her little sister.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 "Hey little A!" called out a voice bringing Sadaf out of her memory and making her realize that her legs took her to meet the very person she was thinking about.

"Here to pick up your sister's stuff?" continued the voice freezing her in her spot.

It was not unusual for the museum staff to find Avishi marching straight towards the staff's cabins. Every once in a while, when Tusharika went on expeditions, Avishi turned up to collect her sister's belongings and brightened the atmosphere by her gesticulated talks about the latest advancements of her adventurous life. The museum personnel adored her sheer innocence and ever lasting glee.