The Accidental Pet ✔️

Chapter 22

The two friends hug each other for a few minutes till Meara lets go and steps back, "WuJi, you will always be my best friend." She says with tears in her eyes.

WuJi nods and wipes tears from his face, "And you Meara will always be my best friend."

The two friends step away from each other as LongMu crouches down next to the human child.

"Thank you, my dear, for helping WuJi. Your heart is pure and beautiful. The Kingdom of Might will forever be grateful to you." LongMu enunciates, kissing the top of Meara's head.

Meara nods but soon after her vision becomes blurt. She holds her heard and sways in the spot.

"Meara!" WuJi exclaims, before going to her side, but LongMu is quicker, she lifts Meara in her arms and whispers something in her ears.

"Mommy, what happened to her?" WuJi asks, panicking.

"Don't worry about her, son. She will be alright." LongMu reassures as water once again floods the long corridor and Meara's body levitates higher and gets engulfed by the blue glowing bubble.

WuJi understands what is happening and with voice heavy with emotion, mutters, "Farewell, my friend."

His eyes follow the glowing bubble as it floats higher and higher, till he can't see it anymore.

*****

When she opens her eyes, she finds herself on her side of the bed with her parents looking at her with looks of concern on their face.

"Meara, you are awake!" Mayura exclaims and takes her precious daughter into her arms.

"What happened, Amma?" Meara asks feeling a little disoriented.

"When you did not return in time for lunch, your Appa went to look for you with Mr. Xavier and they found you lying down unconscious on the beach," Mayura informs.

"Oh, is it... I don't even remember going to the beach today." Meara expresses, before shaking her head, "Amma, I am hungry."

Som and Mayura smile, "Are you feeling alright, sweetheart?" Som asks, ruffling his daughter's hair.

"Yes, Appa. Can we please have fish fingers for lunch?" Meara requests.

"Sure you can, sweetie." Som replies before pinching Meara's cheek playfully and adds, "Do you want to order an extra plate today as well?"

"Aigooo Appa," Meara snorts, pointing at her tummy, "Do you think this here can hold two whole plates of fish fingers?"

"I guess not." Som concurs and the family of three proceed to have lunch.

The next two days pass by in a breeze with Meara spending time with her family on the beach, with occasional trips to the markets to buy souvenirs and popular Goan handicrafts.

Meara does not mention WuJi even once but does spend her time climbing Darakt, though she can't hear the ancient tree anymore.

After trying a few times, Darakt realizes that Meara can't hear him anymore. And though the ancient tree continues to feel grateful towards the kindness the human child had shown towards him, he doesn't try to talk to her anymore.

At the end of two days, the family leave the resort but not before Meara once again hugs the tree and kisses its bark. "Thank you for keeping me company." She mouths, before finally stepping out of the resort where she had befriended a baby dragon and protected an ancient banyan tree.

On the way to the airport, Meara feels her heart grow heavy and tears roll down her cheeks.

"What is the matter, sweetheart?" Som enquires to which Meara shakes her head, "Nothing." She mutters and peeks at her mother who is once again busy reading a novel and begins, "Wandering past racks of windbreakers and a wall of running shoes, I make my way toward the... "

"Meara!" Mayura gasps.

"Yes, Amma?" Meara replies, looking up from the book.

"Meara... you...did you just read this?" Mayura beams, looking bewildered.

Som, who is sitting at the front, turns and questions, "What!?"

Mayura keeps looking at Meara, who blinks a couple of times not understanding why her mother was acting so surprised... After all, all she had done was read a few lines... right?

Then it hit Meara and she blurts out, "Amma, I read it!"

She grabs the book lying on her mother's lap and starts reading... She keeps reading till the end of the page before finally looking up. She gushes, eyes brimming with unshed tears, "Amma... Appa... I can read... I can read. I can really read!"

Som instructs the driver to stop and goes to his daughter who is now crying... shedding tears of joy and mumbling over and over again. "I can read...I can finally read..."

Som and Mayura embrace their daughter and close their eyes thanking powers that be, for bringing happiness to their world.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the depths of the ocean, Queen mother, LongMu whispers, "You are most welcome."

A New Beginning

{Note :- Word Count 803}