Little Jiya's steps echoed softly in the corridors of the orphanage, her heart heavy with boredom. Searching for her friend Reema, she moved forth, only to find Reema's absence in the room. Curiosity filled, Jiya followed the hushed murmur of voices, where Reema and a nurse engaged in a hushed conversation. She quickly hid behind a curtain close by to them, eavesdropping to their conversation.
“I wish that little princess was not an orphan,” Reema's voice carried a mix of longing and sadness. The nurse's response, “Yeah. What can we even do. God's will, by the way I heard another boy from city hospital will be coming soon because his parents were killed. People say that his father is alive so police force is searching for him till then they decided to keep him here,” painted a sad picture of the new arrival's circumstances.
Reema's concern deepened, her words heavy with emotion, “I am sad to hear it, but we don't have any wards in the boy's section even though we have pretty lot in the girl's.” The nurse's concerning reply, “Yes, they gonna put the boy in a girl's room, once they confirm about the father they will arrange a room for him I think. I really feel pity of these children,” resonated with empathy for the children's plight.
As the conversation shifted back to lighter topics, Little Jiya's thoughts lingered on the impending arrival of the boy, a wave of worry washing over her young heart. Little Jiya's heart raced with concern for the boy as she hurried back to her room, her dress catching on an edge, causing her to stumble and cry out in pain. Hearing her distress, Reema rushed to her side, lifting her gently. Jiya winced as she felt a small injury on her knee, prompting Reema to lead her to the room and tend to her wound with ointment.
Seizing the moment, Jiya mustered the courage to inquire about the boy, “Reema, I overheard you mistakenly talking to that nurse of the boy's section when I thought to call you, am sorry for that.” Reema's kind gesture, placing her palm on Jiya's cheek with a warm smile, reassured Jiya as she continued applying the ointment.
Encouraged, Jiya pressed on, “If I deserve to know, Reema, can you please tell me more about the boy? I wanna know. When is he coming?” Reema met Jiya's gaze, sharing details as she tended to the wound, “He is a boy from Canada, the family came for a visit and was robbed. They killed his parents as they say but often people say his father is still alive. But they found his mother's body, they are searching for his father. The boy was hidden for safety. Now that the boy had to stay somewhere, they are sending him here. He must be on his way now. Oh yeah, he is a year elder than you. That nurse said he was here when he was small to meet his aunt who was working here. She is currently in Korea. But they say he was a baby then. He was left in this room till his mom and dad were done speaking with his aunt, and was taken away.”
Tears welled up in Jiya's eyes, her heart heavy with empathy for the boy's plight. She wiped her tears, offering a silent prayer for the boy's father to be found, Jiya's eyes welled up with tears as she whispered softly to Reema, “I lost my parents. But I don't want to lose you, Reema. I want to stay with you. I don't wanna go anywhere.” She clung tightly to the memory of their bond, seeking solace in the warmth of their connection. The next morning, Jiya awoke to find Reema absent from her room, leaving some sort of worry in her heart. Anxious and impatient, Jiya inquired about Reema's whereabouts, only to discover that she had gone to another orphanage, leaving Jiya in the care of Father Mali. Throughout the day, Jiya's eyes remained fixed on the doorstep, her anticipation growing as Reema's absence prolonged, each passing moment deepening her sense of yearning and loneliness.
Jiya's heart raced as she hurried to Father Mali's cabin in the thought that she could find Reema there as she usually spends her time there, where he instructed her to organize a few books on the last shelf. Lost in her thoughts of Reema, Jiya absentmindedly agreed, then seized the opportunity to check on her beloved friend once Father Mali left the room. However, the fat lady's stern warning about Father Mali's temper and the consequences of delaying his work jolted Jiya back to reality. With a sense of urgency, Jiya carefully placed the books on the shelf, her mind preoccupied with thoughts of Reema's return that night. As the hours passed, Jiya's eyes frequently checking on to the clock, counting down the moments until nightfall. After completing her task, she rushed to change her dusty clothes, eager for Reema's arrival. Within a few minutes father mali arrived, he went to his cabin and called out Ms. Louis. He said, “Ms. luu, we've got an offer, we'll have to give 5 girls and 2 boys from here to an old man's orphanage, he's ready to pay the required sum. And he says he'll treat only the girls for free and the boys would require salary. So i find it an interesting deal. Arrange 5 girls and 2 boys immediately! ” Ms. Louis went further arranging for documents and selecting children.
As Mr. Malik rose from his chair, his gaze fixed on the last shelf in search of a important notebook, Jiya's heart raced with worry for Reema. Determined to uncover any information about her friend, Jiya's mind reminded her about the landline in Mr. Malik's room. With cautious steps, she made her way to the room, hoping to reach Reema. The ringing phone echoed in the silent room until Mr. Mali's booming voice shattered the stillness, calling out for Jiya. Despite her urgency to connect with Reema, Jiya hesitated, torn between the call and Mr. Mali's summons.
The second call from Mr. Mali made Jiya to abandon the phone, fleeing the room in a rush. Confronted by Mr. Mali's frustration, Jiya's heart sank as he questioned her about the misplaced books. “Why are the books in the last before shelf? I instructed you to place them on the last shelf! Where was your attention?” His stern words vibrated in the air, leaving Jiya feeling frightened. Pleading for forgiveness and promising not to repeat her mistake, Jiya's words fell on deaf ears as Mr. Mali, in his anger, directed Ms. Louis to include Jiya in the list of the seven children. Despite the depth and consequences of the situation, Jiya chose to walk away, masking the weight of Mr. Mali's decision with a facade of indifference.
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MAZE : The key to love
Teen FictionA triangular love story in which a boy falls for a girl who has her heart surrendered for another boy, dive into the story as to find out how their life take turns as they get introduced to their fate.
