The legend of siyaputri

Chapter-1

Sri
It was dark...dark outside and dark in. One could barely make out the outline of the swaying trees in the dim bare starlight .My eyes focussed on a small figurine standing in a corner . Her eyes were overflowing with  tears . She didn't wipe them , nor could I.  She moved forward a step more .

Suddenly in a swift movement , she jumped into the orge a swift river had created a millennia ago . I watched her as she fell . Only watched . Every time she hit against a rock ,a numbing  pain hit her . But not as much as the numbing pain in her heart . She landed finally and hit herself on a boulder which claimed the last share of her life . She lay there on the banks of the river . Dying and smiling....

I woke up in cold sweat realizing it was  just  a  dream . A dream which was so realistic  . A stray dog  howled in the neighbourhood.  There is a Indian superstion that says dogs howl
only when someone is going to die .  My  scientific mind disagreed . But nevertheless a small fear crept across my heart . I pressed my head against my pillow trying to catch some sleep . My efforts failed as the images in my dream kept flicking in my head . Picking up a pillow in half sleep I went to my mom .

" Mumma ?", I  said immediately waking her . Anjana had always been a light sleeper.  "Mumma . A bad nightmare ", I told.  Anjana didn't want to hear it .
"It's ok . Sleep and you'll forget it in the morning  ", Anjana running her fingers through my hair . I did fall asleep . But I never forgot .

The morning song of the koel and the caressing sunlight  woke me up . She slowly turned my head to look at the time .Oh it was 7.25 am . I sat up with a start realizing it was 7.25 am! Only an hour was left to get ready to school . "Mumma why didn't you wake me up . It is 7.25 !Plus it's the first day of class 10 " .

"You were fast asleep and I didn't want to disturb you " , she  replied as she zipped up my lunch bag .  I  quickly completed my morning routines and prayed to God to some how help me get good grades in class 10.  Then eating , I mean swallowing my breakfast , I  took her bicycle and rode to day just as I  did every school day .  I  managed to carry my heavy bag to the 3rd floor where my class was . There were some new faces but first I  noticed my best friend Vani . After a hi and a hi-fi we shared an account of what happened in the holidays with each other . "I went to my cousin's wedding.  Now I miss her a lot ", she told pouting .
" Hmm it's ok dearie I'm still here na ?" , I  told smiling .
Vani was a normal Indian girl , from first looks .  But she had that amazing soothing ability.  I still remembered that we  become friends when Vani helped me to heal a  wound. Both emotional and physical.....

And there's also this latecomer . Avni . She too came and joined in our conversation . A determined personality and her ability to show kindness to those who actually need it made her popular among her friends . 
The day quickly passed as teachers began new lessons .I  was asked by all classmates for choclates for her bygone birthday . I promised to give choclates to them the next day . The next day , I  put on her birthday clothes though it actually wasn't her birthday.  I was in a  really good mood ,whistling.  I  parked the cycle in the usual spot , signed up in the usual logbook and shared a usual chitchat with the security uncle . I went to her class and sat down in my desk  . I sit alone in the desk for two.  As the classes were about to begin I  asked permission to distribute choclates and gave one to the teacher herself . The teacher asked me to fetch the pen from her desk which was just outside the class . I walked out of the class .

I continued to walk until my forehead was slammed by another . "Ouch !",I  cried and my hands moved to my forehead by reflex so I  dropped my choclate box flooding the floor with alphenlebe chocolates.  I  bent to pick them up . So did someone else .  My heart was pounding like it was so unnatural.  I looked up and realised that I  had hit her forehead on this person's.  He put all the choclates inside the box I  was holding .

He was about to move inside when I  stopped him . "Take one ", I  told my voice almost shivering .

" Happy belated birthday ...?",he paused . "Sri",I completed and moved outside the class . Then my eyebrows knit in confusion . How did he know it was my belated.... Quickly I picked up the pen and gave it to the teacher . Then I distributed choclates to all others . The confusion still lingered in my mind . After that I  went to my own place and noticed that the boy had occupied the place beside her . I simply sat down there.  "In all these years ... You haven't changed a bit ..Sri ", he told ,his voice low . My brows relaxed in realisation and my eyes widened a little ."But You have changed so much ...Ish ",I  replied my voice plain and blank .

   My mind was blank . I didn't low if i had to be happy that an old well wisher was back or be angry that the person because of whom my best friend was not by my side was butting  into my life again .

I didn't even turn to my right side where he was sitting I didn't want to . I kept dropping her stationary stuff all day . Suddenly a I dropped a coin she turned to my right where the coin had fallen . It was a 10 rupee coin which make made a jingling sound as it fell . On other days , I would casually toss it back into my box again . But it was today ... Even that single sound drove me back into a whirlpool of memories.