The Shadow Blossoms~ Saaya Malar

Chapter 1

As Saritha and Anusha stepped into the humid air outside Chennai airport, Saritha trailed behind, wheeling their luggage while Anusha stormed ahead, her frustration already apparent. Saritha tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, watching as Anusha's animated conversation with the woman behind the counter escalated.

"Saritha!" Anusha called, gesturing wildly for her to come over. Saritha hurried, lugging the bags awkwardly behind her.

"They're saying there's no Uber that goes that far," Anusha huffed, throwing her hands in the air like it was the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard.

Saritha frowned. "What do you mean, no Uber?"

"The village you're talking about isn't even on our map," the woman behind the counter droned, looking as bored as humanly possible. "We can only arrange an Uber to the nearest bus stop or hotel."

Anusha scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Unbelievable," she muttered, clearly ready to unleash a rant, but Saritha placed a hand on her arm, shaking her head gently.

"Arguing won't get us anywhere, Anu. Didn't we pack one of my grandfather's letters?" Saritha began rummaging through her handbag, pulling out random items—boarding passes, snack wrappers, notebooks. 

Finally, with a triumphant grin, she pulled out an old yellowed letter. "Here! Sivagangai district."

Anusha snatched the letter, marched back to the counter, and waved it at the woman.

 "Sivagangai. Can we get a taxi or Uber there?"

The woman pursed her lips, shooting Anusha a disdainful look. "Do you not understand? No one takes an Uber to a village like that."

Behind the counter, a man overheard the conversation and chimed in. "Menaga, what's going on?" he asked, noticing the tension.

"They want to Uber all the way to Sivagangai," she muttered under her breath in Tamil. "They come here acting all high and mighty with their foreign airs."

Saritha and Anusha exchanged a glance, catching the insult in her words.

Anusha's eyes narrowed. "We *are* British citizens, thank you very much," she retorted in perfect Tamil, her tone as icy as it could get. Saritha winced, tugging Anusha's arm gently. "Anu, not worth it. Let's go."

Anusha grudgingly allowed herself to be pulled away, muttering under her breath about Menaga's attitude. As they exited the airport, they were instantly swarmed by a chaotic mob of taxi drivers, auto-rickshaw drivers, and travel agents, all shouting over one another.

"Where to, madam? Five-star Chola Hotel nearby? Or Leela Palace?" A short, plump man rushed forward, eyeing their luggage.

"Sivagangai," Saritha replied simply, trying to avoid making eye contact with the aggressive crowd.The man blinked in surprise. "Sivagangai? Madam, no Uber or taxi will go that far. Best I can do is take you to Egmore station. From there, you can catch a train."

"Train?" Anusha shook her head, clearly disbelieving. "We're not taking a train! We need a car or Uber."The man's face softened, pitying them as if they were clueless tourists. "Madam, it's an eight-hour journey. Your best options are the bus or train. Uber can't help you with that."
Saritha nudged Anusha gently. "Anu, maybe we should take the train or bus. We'll blend in better that way."

Anusha sighed dramatically, clearly not thrilled by the idea. "And what about our luggage? How are we supposed to guard all these bags on a train?"

The man, sensing an opportunity, interjected again. "Madam, there's an AC coach, very comfortable. Or I can arrange an AC bus if you prefer."

Saritha and Anusha exchanged a silent look of agreement. "Fine, the bus," Saritha said, and the man grinned widely, his betel-stained teeth on full display. He quickly arranged their tickets, loaded their luggage, and drove them to the nearest city bus stop.