THE MAN HELP - By Ocean Singh

The Man Help

BY OCEAN SINGH

-- CHAPTERS --

1. A TIMELESS BOND

2. SWEET LITTLE DOLLY

3. THE STRING

4. NOTHING NORMAL

5. HELPING THE EVIL

6. WHOLE TEN YEARS

7. MAYBE SOMETHING RIGHT

8. A BIG POSSIBLE HOPE

9. JUST A FRIEND

10. WHERE ARE WE HEADED?

11. THE STEPS

12. A LITTLE CRIME

13. A LUCK LIKE FOR A CHILD

14. UNWANTED CHASE

15. A LITTLE DISAPPOINTMENT

16. FEW GOOD THINGS

17. A LITTLE MORE WAIT

18. TOGETHER FOR EACH - OTHER

19. GIFTS AND WISHES

20. MOVING A BIT FASTER

21. AN EXPAND

22. THE LOOP

23. OUT OF THE LOOP

24. A LOOP IN A LOOP

25. CONFESSION

- CHAPTER 1 -

A TIMELESS BOND

It's the year of 2000, on a June evening, Kritika, a young girl of fourteen and her friend Gautam, of the same age, are hiding from their parents and sitting on the terrace of their building like every other day. They are playing characters as a couple and enjoying their conversation and roles in their game of dolls.

Kritika and Gautam, are friends since childhood, from the time they were toddlers. Living on the same ground floor of the similar building, from years now, their families are known to each other. But despite of being good neighbours, the parents had their differences and could never make their relation into a friendship. But when Kritika and Gautam, came into their families, the parents were unable to avoid the time-to-time presence of each other.

Years later, when the children turn older, their friendship started to grow stronger and letting their parents to worry. It left the parents, to ask the children to stay at home and not spent any time with the other child. The children somehow managed the separation but after every three - four days, they had to meet each - other as they were best friends. Knowing the fact of their parents' relationship, they started to meet for at least an hour or two, hiding the truth of their whereabouts with their parents. The terrace was the perfect place. It was on the eleventh level of the building and anyone from the ground floor, hardly thought to go there, if not necessary. And on the week or occasional holidays, these two used to spend half of the day on the terrace, playing with the other children of the building and around.

Just like the holiday schedule, the children played their games and by the evening, these two were left. It's the last week of their school vacation and they knew, they won't be getting as much time as they are, once the school days starts. They're spending the time with each other with the same thought. And entering the phase of their teenage, now they have started to feel more reasons to stay together. Most of the times, not even the other children were invited at the first place or requested to stay longer to play together in a group.

Talking about their interests, thoughts, likes and dislikes, daily happenings at home, their wishes and future plans too maybe, Kritika and Gautam spent a timeless bond.

The sun started to set, and just a few minutes before the dusk, Kritikas' mother comes on the terrace and find these two together. She scolds Kritika, grabbing her hand and yells a few words to Gautam too. Walking to the door for downstairs, she keeps on scolding Kritika and Kritika.., silently keeps walking with her. Stepping into the door, her mother once again yells to Gautam and tells him to go his home and then she again continues yelling on Kritika. Gautam, after a few minutes, gets up and leave the terrace and head to his home.

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