Abhir woke up early in the morning and looked out of the window. He saw a big city with tall buildings and busy roads. He felt excited and curious. He wanted to explore this new place. He had come to Mumbai with his Abhi.
Abhir quickly got ready and ran outside. He saw his father cooking breakfast for him while reading a file. He hugged him and said,
Abhir- "Good Morning Papa, can I go outside and play?"
Abhi smiled and said,
Abhi- "Sure, beta, but be careful and don't go too far. I'll be done in an hour. And don't talk to strangers, okay?"
Abhir nodded and said,
Abhir - "Okay, papa. Bye. Love you."
Abhi kissed his forehead and said,
Abhi- "Love you too, beta. Have fun."
Abhir ran out of the building and saw a park across the street. He crossed the road carefully and entered the park. He saw many people jogging, cycling, playing, and chatting. He also saw many animals, like birds, squirrels, and dogs. He loved dogs. He wished he had one. He saw a brown dog with a black collar near a bench. He walked towards it and said,
Abhir- "Hi, doggy. What's your name?"
The dog looked at him and wagged its tail. It seemed friendly. Abhir reached out his hand to pet it, but the dog suddenly ran away. Abhir was surprised and disappointed. He decided to follow the dog. He ran after it, calling out,
Abhir-"Doggy, wait. Come back. Let's play."
The dog ran faster and faster, and Abhir chased it. He didn't notice where he was going. He ran past the park, past the shops, past the cars, and past the people. He was so focused on the dog that he didn't see a stone on the pavement. He tripped over it and fell down. He scraped his knees and felt a sharp pain. He started to cry.
He looked around and realized that he was lost. He didn't know where he was or how to get back to the building. He felt scared and alone. He wished his papa was here. He wished his mumma was here. But his mumma was gone. She had become an angel who always stayed with him but never showed up. He missed her so much.
He cried louder and louder, because of the pain and scared being alone. He didn't see the lady who was watching him from a distance. She had seen him running after the dog and falling down. She felt the pain he was feeling and decided to help him. She walked towards him and said,
Lady- "Hey, little boy. Are you okay?"
Abhir looked up and saw a young woman with long black hair and brown eyes. She wore a yellow dress and a blue dupatta. She smiled at him and said,
Lady- "Don't cry, sweetie. It's okay. I'm here to help you."
Abhir sniffed and said,
Abhir- "Who are you? Where is my papa?"
Anaira- "My name is Anaira. I live nearby. Your papa is not here, but I can help you find him. But first, let me see your knees. They look hurt."
She took out a small first aid kit from her purse and knelt down beside him. She gently cleaned his wounds and applied some antiseptic cream and bandages.
Anaira- "There, that's better. Does it still hurt?"
Abhir - "A little bit."
Anaira- "Don't worry, it will heal soon. You're a brave boy. Do you want me to tell you a story to distract you from the pain?"
Abhir nodded and said
Abhir- "Yes, please."
Anaira- "Okay, let me think. How about a story about a prince and a princess?"
