Ishq-e-Watan

Chapter 3- The Journey Has Begun

CHAPTER 3

THE JOURNEY HAS BEGUN

"Antarctica", Sid said.

"Asia", Monami said, hopping on a stone.

He hummed. "Amritsar."

"Ranchi."

"India."

She pouted. "Mujhe India bolna tha." She sighed. "Amsterdam."

Koel shook her head in disbelief, huffing slightly from the effort. She wasn't usually an eavesdropper but they weren't exactly quiet while playing. They were playing Atlas while on a trek? Seriously?

A yelp drew her attention. She paused, like almost everyone, finding a woman on the ground clutching her elbow. Sanjana hopped back to her, crossing her arms.

"Ae dada", she said. "Chinti jitni chot mein aanson bhi nikal gayo?"

Monami- as she had overheard her name from the other man, Sid- hopped back to her. "M-M-Main d-dekhoon?" She asked meekly. "D-D-Doctor hoon." Koel's eyebrows furrowed slightly. Why was she stuttering? She wasn't stuttering when she was talking to Sid.

Sanjana nodded, stepping back. Monami knelt down, inspecting her. "Bata, na", the woman said. "Suman ji ka haath toh nahi toot gaya?"

"Nahi", she answered. "S-Sprain bh-bhi n-nahi hai." She reached behind herself into the small bag she was carrying, grabbing a water bottle. She dumped a little water on it. "A-Academy j-jaakar d-disinfectant se cl-clean kar dungi. But n-nothing to w-worry about. Z-Zyaada ch-chot nahi hai."

"Chalo sab", Sanjana called. She walked down comfortably to the front, as if she was walking on a road and not hopping around in the thick of the jungle. Koel shook her head slightly, walking after them. Monami ran up ahead from her as well, falling in step easily with Sid.

'Yeh Sanjana ma'am toh theek hai par yeh Monami Sid aise kaise tehel rahe hain jaise bageecha ho? Ek mujhe hi yeh mushkil lag raha hai kya?' She thought, eyeing them. She glanced behind herself at the stumbling recruits. One of them slipped, faceplanting on a mercifully soft patch of mud. She winced in sympathy. 'Nahi. Main theek hi kar rahi hoon. At least abhi tak muh ke bal toh nahi giri hoon.'

Sanju glanced behind herself over 2 and a half hours in, letting some of the cadets take the lead. It was a straight trail from there and the jungle was thinning. It shouldn't be a problem. She wanted to see some of them hanging upside down after they walk into Karan's trap.

Her gaze fell on the girl Karan had sorted out, easily walking in the front of the group. What was her name? She eyed her. What was so special about her that she caught Karan Shergill's eye? She was very pretty, Sanju acknowledged. A small smirk played on her lips. Did Karan have a crush on her?

"Karan Sir ji, aapki waali toh sabse aage nikal gayo", she said into the com.

His head snapped up. Say what now? His eyes narrowed. Faizi laughed, shaking his head. "Waapas Bundelkhand jaana hai, Sanju? Ticket karwaa doon?" He asked, holding the intercom close to his mouth.

"Sorry, Sir ji."

Faizi chuckled. "Waise, tumne itna interest liya kyun us mein? Haath chodh hi nahi rahe the uska. Pasand aa gayi hai kya tumhe wo?" He gasped dramatically. "Does Karan Shergill have a crush?"

"Bakwaas mat kar. Koi crush vrush nahi hai. Ameerzaadi hai. Papa ki Pari types. Sapphire ka pendant pehen kar aayi thi. Casually kaun pehnta hai sapphire ka pendant? Seedha khade hone ki tameez nahi. Dhang se chalne ki tameez nahi. Scarf dekha tune uska? Bechne jao toh kisi ke ghar mein mahine ka raashan aa jayega." He rolled his eyes. "Bade baap ki bidgi aulaad hogi yeh."