SAMSIKA (#1)

CHAPTER 1

CHOWDHURY'S

𝙷𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚔𝚊

Present, 2024.

I tossed from side to side pressing the pillow's sides to both my ears. The loud Aaj Tak music was making my ears bleed. It was piercing my ears clearly despite I have pressed my pillows to my ears so hard that I feel like my ears are printed on pillow. I tossed aggressively trying to sleep but the Aaj Tak's theme was never ending and the news reporter's ear bleeding voice.

I was frustrated.

I sat up on the bed. My window's curtains were still closed and the room was dark however the sun rays still managed to peak through the door's small gaps, from the curtain's gaps. Sun rays were enemies when I wanted to sleep. Aur issi sun rays ki subah subah Puja karne ke liye meri Nani bolti hai. (And my Nani{maternal grandmother} tells me to pray to the sun rays {sun god})

I threw the pillow that I held tightly close to my ears. It hits the floor and lies dead. Well, it was never living. I felt my ears bleed for sure because how much the TV news's sounds was so loud. Despite having my doors closed it was still loud enough to wake someone up. I stand up, stretch a bit. Stride towards the door. When I open the door a wave of nicely smelt breakfast hits my nose as well as the heavy Aaj Tak theme that played again. Must say it was banger nevertheless it was putting my brain and ears on fire.

"NANI!" I shouted. It's no use to shout when your voice just melts due to the news's sounds. I was downstairs now. My room was on the second floor. First floor was a guest room. The ground floor was taken by my Nani and Nanu (Maternal grandfather). When i reached the downstairs I notice my Nanu asleep on the sofa.

I facepalm. 'I wonder how he manages to fall asleep each time with this much sound pollution going around.' I thought. With Kolkata's busy mornings, my Nanu's news and the honks that passed by our house was extremely nerve wrecking for someone with sensitive ears.

I tried to search for the remote however it was not were to found. Annoyed by the sound already. I switched off the TV completely. I breathed a relief. I saw my Nanu make snores. Even the snores sound less traumatic then the TV itself.

I peaked towards the Kitchen and found no one. I wonder where Nani is. I go to the common bathroom that is in the ground floor. I took my tooth brush out from the tooth brush stands and went ahead with my morning routine. Few minutes in I hear Nani's humming voice as well as my Nanu's increased snores.

"Hmmm~" Nani was humming an old Bengali song. She loved to sing and hum whenever she was happy. I knew something was up when she hums. I smile with my foamy brush in my mouth.
"Kothaye Giyechille? (Where were you gone?)" I asked after i spit out the tooth paste foam.

"I was gone to pick flowers." She showed me the little basket she always used to pick flowers with. She had made it herself for me. But I never used it and insisted that she uses it herself because it seemed to suit her more. She was my cottage girl.
APARAJITA CHOWDHURY was a lady that everybody remembered as the soft yet the boldest of them all. She loved flowers and music. Art was her friend. Yet she was bold like the tidal waves. She was the woman aspire to be like. She is my inspiration.