Am I Dreaming!?✔(only sample)

2.The Big Leopard!

Netra's PoV

I was so busy watching BBC series of sir David Attenborough! I am huge fan of him! I am a nature lover! Human hater! I am an animal lover too and I love how nature has evolved except for humans!

I often think that the world will be a better place if not for humans! I have even think of some meteors strike out the human race from earth! I hate humans for all the destructions we have done to earth! I hate humans for destroying the habitat of animals and putting them at the brink of extinction!

Ok enough of human hates! I love animals in their natural habitat! Since it's saturday, there is no school. The documentary was about wild dogs who live in packs with a leader called Alpha! How they organise and obey their leader! How they hunt for the whole pack!

"Netra! Come here!" Paati called me from the garden.

I paused the documentary on Netflix and went to her.

"Yes paati! I was busy learning about wild dogs!"

"Come and take a look!" she said looking in the ground.

"What's that? Is that a..." I stopped in horror!

"Yes Netra! That's a paw print of Leopard!" she said.

OMG! That was so huge! So those green eyes were that of a leopard's! Paati was right about getting in the house!

"What do we do now Paati?"

"We call the animal rescue to capture it!"

"No!"

"They don't belong here Netra! It must be lost here. Besides it's very dangerous for people here!"

She is right. A leopard in the neighborhood is dangerous. Paati went in and called the animal rescue. A tall man came in to our house bearing the id of animal rescue services.

"Hi mam! We got a call!" he said.

"Yes! We called to inform you about the possible leopard appearance!" I said.

"Oh interesting! Where is your grandma?" he asked me.

"She is behind, in our garden! Hey wait, you know her? How?" I ran behind him.

I followed him through the back door that leads out, to see Paati. She was looking at the sky. I can see she is scared.

"Mam!" he called.

"Yes Shamid! Come!" my Paati said. Ok! So they both know each other!

"Look at the paw print! Netra saw green eyes behind the tree in the woods yesterday night. I found these prints in the morning." she told him.

"You know what it is right?" Shamid asked her.

"Yes! Yes a leopard!" she said.

"Oh yes! Brilliant!" he said.

"It must be migrated from Himachal! Because of these foggy days, it must be lost!"

"May be! We will look out for it! With the size of the paws, the animal should be atleast 5ft tall. He is huge! Meanwhile shall I set up an electrical fence for your garden?" he asked.

"What? Are you really from animal rescue? You are talking about killing an animal!" I burst out to him.

"Sorry Miss! You are mistaken. The fence will just keep the animal out of your house. It wont kill it!"

"No thank you! I know the leopard won't harm us!" I said.

"Netra! Get in! Bring us Tea!" Paati sent me in!

Ugh! He went away after a thorough examination for pee and poop and paw prints! There is no evidence for the scene of hunt! Why was the leopard here? Was he really lost!?

I may sound stupid! But I believe I have a connection with the wild and woods! I went for a walk in the woods in the noon after lunch.

I walked along a stream of water behind our home. I looked for paw prints! A 5ft tall leopard!? He must be almost my height! I am 5'4". He is definitely huge for a leopard. I saw paw prints leading inside the woods! I followed it and to my surprise, the paw prints stopped at a point and nothing more!

May be the water and loose soil erased them! I found foot prints! I followed it! Who gets in at this part of woods? When I followed, I saw a jeep! That's Shamid and his crew!

"Netra! What are you doing here? It's dangerous!" he caught me peeking.

"Um... I was just strolling!"

"You can't do this at the woods! Get back home!" he ordered. What is he? He cant order me around.

"I can! And I don't want to take orders from you!" I revolted.

He looked at me and sighed. He picked up his phone and started talking to someone. I went near the jeep to see another young man hearing something with the receptors.

"Do you pick up something?" I asked him.

"Not yet. You?"

"Oh! I am Netra! I live near by."

"Tamil? Great! I am Santhosh. I am assistant to Shamid sir."

"Oh! Is he always this grumpy?" I asked him in a low voice.

"Haha! At times! Yes!"

"Netra! How many times do I have to warn you about the dangers lurking in the woods?" my Paati was here? Shit!

"Paati! How did you come here?"

"I came with Sharon half way and by walk! You are troubling me at this old age!" she is angry.

"So it's you who asked her to come?" I turned to Shamid.

"Talk politely to elders! He is of your dad's age!" my paati said.

"I am fine Paati! I just came in to see if I can find something!"

"You are behaving so insane. You need to learn to be subtle. You are always out of place!" she yelled at me.

Out of nowhere, a fat squirrel fell from the top of the tree near us.

"Squeak! " it sounded in pain.

"Oops! Shhh! It's ok little fella! Hold on!" I knelt down and picked him up. He didn't squirm when I touched him. I gave him a pat and lifted him up.

"Let me see if he is hurt." Santhosh came forward. The squirrel jumped from my hand and ran to the nearest tree in a jiffy! He is fine!

"All right! Let's go Paati! Aaahhh! I think I sprained my leg! It hurts Paati!" I told her.

Shamid and Paati shared looks before she started walking along with me. I have never known of Shamid anytime before. But it looks like my paati knows him for so long now!

"How long did you know Mr.Shamid Paati?" I asked her limping along with her.

"I have known him for long enough to trust him with my life. He is your dad's friend. He was out of Punjab so long. He has just came back! Right in time!" she said looking far away!

"Oh!" I should probably apologize for my behavior to him. He must have said that with concern on me just like Paati.

"Paati did you see how the squirrel stayed calm with me and jumped out when Santhosh tried to touch it?" I asked her overwhelmed!

"I did! As I always say, nature has it's own language to communicate with us! Little critters trust you! That's your gift Netra!"

"Right! They trust me! But I think you are wrong! Not just little critters Paati! Every animal trust me! I feel no fear to face even a leopard!"

"Netra!" she sounded loud in warning.

"No more strolling in the woods until Shamid tells it's safe!" she added.

"Ok!" I trailed off!

Paati's memories are the only thing that is keeping me going! The more I get away from Khilchi, the more I feel I move away from her memories. I try hard to get all of her memories back in the fast moving train!