I carried on

Chapter 2

Next morning, I woke up. I had bruises from previous day. I couldn't walk properly. I started my day as usual with feeding the animals and then my family. Sometimes this thought occupied my mind for hours that why was I the sibling who faced all the hardships? Was it because I was older? Or was it because I was a girl? Why was I hated? I never asked to be born then why was i treated that way? Well, nothing's going to happen because It was my fate. I coudn''t waste my time thinking about it but no matter how much I tried I couldn't stop thinking about it and even if I succeeded, the thoughts came flooding back when I saw my parents' behaviour with Zalan. He was treated like a prince. Always in Amma's lap, on Abba's shoulders, always kissed and hugged as if he was the most precious thing on planet.

I had to drop Zalan to school that day. Abba had to find new work. He was fired from his old job due to his temper issues. I held Zalan's bag and we left the house. School was 3 miles away. There weren't any transport options in those years We had to travel on foot. The valley of Kashmir was a beautiful one.The weather was cold but the beauty of nature was admirable. With its lush green grassy meadows to snow-capped mountains,from sparkling ponds to thick forests, with starry and cloudy skies at night to purplish dusks, everything made you wonder of the God Almighty who could create such magnificent scenes.

After travelling about 1 mile, we stopped for a five minute break, Zalan was feeling cold. I didn't want him to catch cold. A lot of childern were already sick. 'He shouldn't be sick. Abba can't afford to pay for a doctor's appointment and the medicine.' I thought and gave him my warm woolen shawl. It was freezing. It snowed again the previous night. Zalan had a jacket and a sweater on along with his shirt and not to mention, my shawl which was now wrapped around him. He looked like a tiny potato with legs. I laughed when I imagined a potato running around. "Why're you laughing?" he asked. "Nothing. Let's move now." We started walking again. I couldn't walk properly now due to pain and now the freezing temperature. I just had a single layer of clothing. Half way there, Zalan demanded to be carried to school as he was tired of walking. "I can't carry you Zalan. I'm already carrying your bag and this basket of tomatoes which Amma asked me to bring back home.I'm really cold." I said.

"I'll tell Amma and you'll get beaten again."

"You're not a kid anymore. Do you want your friends to call you a big baby?"

"They won't. I'll be respected like an emperor of the ancient times who used to travel on his slave's shoulders. Now carry me."

I sighed and picked him up. All the weight I was carrying and the steep path made me stumble many times. At last, we reached to our destination and I gave him his bag pack and went back home with a tomato basket in my hands. The apples trees were loaded with snow which made its branches bow down as if a king was standing infront of it. The red apples appeared as if they were wearing white dresses like a bride standing at the altar. The beauty of that morning captivated me and i forgot about my inner demons.