ASTRA

CH-1 A New Place

11:53 a.m., 13th March

I have reached my destination; this is probably one of the most secluded areas of Dehradun and this is surely what I wanted in my house. The hustle and bustle of the city is beyond my ability to bear with. The rustic environment here actually suits my state of mind, this is what I had been looking for in the past few months. In fact, the few houses here, though are occupied but the people don't really seem to make any noise. As I entered the borders of this old rural area, all I found was an old man smoking the age old Uttarakhandi hookah; apart from the eerie beauty of this forest covered area when my glances would occasionally fall on some two three houses here. Once or twice while driving I felt that there were some animals staring at me through the bushes but that doesn't bother me, they taught us how to deal with a sudden attack in the army. Army! army was the only thing I ever looked for in my life, huh! but just like my parents, my fate snatched that too from me. Only one year, I had completed just a year in the army, but this shoulder injury has left me with nothing in life except for a pension on which I plan to live the rest of my life in this area, away from every 'great' thing in cities. Well, this house here was not very costly and now that I am here, I probably know why.
Now what are my plans? So, the first thing I need to do, leaving this diary aside is to cook something for me. I have emptied all my luggage from the car and l have obviously brought plenty of groceries so the best thing I can think of is cooking some dal rice.

9:00 p.m., 13th March

I was lying on the bed after lunch thinking about the incident three months ago. When the bullet hit me , I knew it wouldn't end well, I knew that probably I would have to go through a shoulder transplant, each time I winced with pain, it was not just something physical but it seemed to take me away from the only dream I had in my life, probably something I couldn't imagine my life without. After the transplant, as my retirement came close, closer came the end of my very life, but I am here surviving for no reason. There was a loud thud at the door, and it positively shook me as I got off the bed and ran towards the door. There was a lady probably in her thirties, with fear and anxiety clearly written on her face. I looked at her with a puzzled expression, "ma'am there is a doorbell here you don't need to beat the door so loudly."

"I....I rang the doorbell, but you didn't respond.... whatever, leave it... there... there... we need help... please! please!" she begged and started weeping.

"ma'am please calm down, what is the problem, how can I help?"

"My son, he is very little, my husband's not at home, he has locked himself in the room, I can't break the door alone, please help, I have heard army people are very strong, break the door or whatever, he is crying, he is very little... please."

"Okay, okay ma'am, please take me there, and please stop crying...lets go" she started running like mad in a direction, not very fast though, we soon reached an old house, completely worn out, she took me to a door and to say that I was shocked would be an understatement.