Rain is me <3 - Dreamer _ (free ereaders .TXT) 📗

my luggage & boarded off.

A wet, slushy fragrance whisked about my nose & I instantly pulled my leg off from the puddle on which I had stepped accidently.

“Oh! The lovely puddle!” I uttered, softly.

I stared at the fresh puddle for a minute & then looked around myself. I felt some nostalgic thing in the air & also in the rain-clean roads of the Mawlynnong Village. The foggy winds embraced my body & made me feel welcome. From the rain-clean roads & small huts to the wild orchids & the dank sky: Everything seemed unchanged in the Mawlynnong Village.

I was just lost in the glorious sight for a moment.

“There’s a large cottage halfway along the village. We can stay there!” I said, softly.

“Okay.” Daddy said, pulling out the entire luggage from the rickshaw.

As we moved to the cottage, my eyes lingered upon everything: the stylish bamboo dustbins, stilt houses, babbling streams & the beautiful Khasi Hills.

I rushed towards the cottage with Feruza. I quickly opened the wooden doors & threw myself on the carpeted floor of the cottage.

“It’s so… refreshing!” I muttered, rolling on the soft carpet made with fresh, water-splashed khus reed.

“You were correct! This village is just like a heaven!” Feruza said, happily.

I nodded.

After sometime, we got up & settled the entire luggage in the cottage. Then, we got fresh in the same old, quaint bathroom.

It felt gorgeous to take a hot shower after an enormously tiresome journey.

Everyone, including Feruza & Imtiyaz went to sleep after getting fresh.

And as always, I wasn’t able to sleep. And how can someone ‘sleep’ when he knows that there are many more interesting things he can do?

I took a water-bottle & ran outside the cottage.

As I walked on the rain-clean roads of the Mawlynnong Village, my dainty nose could smell the North-Eastern fragrance of India.

My eyes got contented as I began to see all those things that were well-cherished in my memories.

Wow! I felt so…amazing!

I began running as my mind reminded me that I was only halfway along the meadow. I sipped some water from the bottle to wet my parched lips while I was running. Several thoughts were getting tangled inside my head as I ran. And finally, my eyes got a faint view of the meadow. I ran even faster & reached at the footsteps of my meadow.

Then, I came to a halt & stood silently to imbibe the divine scene. Incredible! Everything seemed so… intact, untouched, beautiful & pure.

I galloped inside the meadow & inhaled the fresh fragrance of ebony trees & slushy soil.

I felt like if I was back to my home. A puff of wind came across the meadow from the distant hills. The cicadas & magpies were suddenly silent. But, it seemed like if the trees remembered me. They bowed gently in the breeze & beckoned me nearer, welcoming me home. Everything seemed just perfectly same like it was four years ago.

“Wow!” I uttered, taking shelter under an old oak. I brushed my hand against its trunk. It felt so rough, gnarled & whorled.

I felt so peaceful.

Four years ago, I completely had no idea that I’ll come back to this place, that too ‘alone’; without Zoof, Fadila & Haya. Needless to say, I began missing each one of them. But, I know that our fate will bring us back, together.

I sat near the brook to devour the lovely scene with my eyes. And I just sat there, until it was dark & my body began trembling with cold. I turned my steps back to the cottage.

“I’m back!” I said, moving inside the cottage.

“Welcome!” Auntie said through clenched teeth. She was shivering with cold.

I took out a shawl from the luggage-bag & handed it over to her. She smiled & pulled Imtiyaz closer to her.

“At least it’s going to feel warm.” Mom said, switching on a tiny, yellow bulb. Then, I snuggled cozily near daddy & Feruza.

“Is it our dinner?” I questioned, as I saw Feruza eating some macaroni cup- noodles.

“Yeah…” She retorted, “You’ve to cook them by yourself!” “Fine” I got up & poured hot water to my cup-noodles. They were ready in a minute. I again sat down.

“So, what are we gonna do tomorrow?” Feruza grunted.

“What about picnicking in the meadow?” I suggested, “There’s a pretty meadow on the other side of the stream. We can have a pretty good outing there…”

“That’s amazing! I’m ready!” Feruza shouted.

“Alright…We’ll be going there tomorrow!” Daddy said, lying on the carpeted-floor.

After this, everyone went to sleep.

I lied next to Feruza. The chilly winds howled continuously outside. Feruza was freezing until I cupped my arms around her waist. We snuggled inside our warm blanket & slept calmly.

My eyes fluttered open in a patch of bright sunshine that entered the cottage from the wooden window. I got fresh & came out of the cottage.

“Mornings are so… fresh in this village. Aren’t they?” Auntie said, breathing deeply.

“They are.” I smiled.

We got ready for the picnic after having our breakfast.

Mom gathered some water bottles, veggie pastries, chicken rolls & mats & I took my camera & notebook.

“Let’s go!” Uncle said, locking the cottage’s door.

We began walking to the meadow. During this time, daddy pushed off a conversation.

“Do you smoke?” Daddy grinned, staring at uncle. “What?” Uncle blurted. “Do you smoke?” Daddy repeated. “No.” Uncle answered. “It’s true- he does not smoke- neither beedi nor hookah.”Auntie said. “Do you drink?” Daddy asked. “It makes me vomit.” Uncle replied. “Do you take bhang?” Daddy questioned again. “No!” Uncle exclaimed with frustration. “You say you have no vices?” Daddy uttered. “Absolutely!” Uncle yelled. “It’s unnatural. You’re lying.” Daddy muttered.

“Yeah, it’s unnatural- but only for you- because you’re addicted to all these…” He taunted.

“I’m not addicted! Well, these things promote one’s manliness.” Dad sniffed.

“It’s good to stay silent rather than talking to someone who is totally foolish!” Uncle retorted.

“It’s true,” Dad grinned, “I shall stay silent now.”

My daddy was a bit of annoying person & despite being so fun-loving & jolly, my uncle used to get angry pretty soon.

“You’re just worthless.” Uncle tried to end the argument.

“Oh, crap! Then, paying attention to a worthless being is indeed a foolish thing, isn’t it?” Daddy smirked.

“Stop it, guys!” I yelled. Uncle turned his eyes away & dad frowned at him.

On the way, we stopped at a wayside tea shop & ordered six cups of hot tea. The shopkeeper quickly served the steaming hot cups of tea with a few pieces of toasted tea bread. It was quite comforting to drink a warm tea when we were freezing badly with cold. We finally reached at the meadow & the morning had turned crispy & balmy till then.

“It’s so…beautiful!” Feruza laughed, running across the meadow.

I inhaled deeply & spread a lovely mat under the ebony tree. We sat on it.

“I always dreamt of visiting this kind of place. This meadow is so peaceful!” Auntie smiled.

“Yeah…” Uncle sighed.

 

 

I could imagine Zoof, Fadila & Haya around me. Their faces, their voices & their laughter; I missed everything so…badly.

I was just lost in an alley of memories for a few minutes.

“Hila?” Auntie shook my body. “Yeah,” I responded. “Would you like to have lunch now?” Auntie asked. “Sure.” I squealed. Imtiyaz was already asleep on uncle’s lap. Auntie took out a thermos filled with hot tomato soup & some chicken rolls from her bag. “Here it is.” She gave me a chicken roll.

“Thank you.” I grabbed it & stood up.

“Where are you going?” Feruza questioned.

“Exploration.” I laughed.

“Exploration?” She said, getting confused.

“Eh, yes!” I grinned, “I’ll be coming back in sometime.”

“Alright.” Mom uttered. I left.

I began walking.

Over the tiny brook, the golden rays of Sun came through the hosts of leaden rain-clouds.

I sat comfortably on a boulder near the brook. Everything changes every moment. Four years back, this place glittered with life & joy & I’d my Zoof, Haya & Fadila with me.

The soil under my sandals was still slushy; the pebbles were still adorning the brook, the trees were still green & shady and the entire meadow was still strikingly beautiful. But, something inside me felt empty & sad.

Places don’t matters, but the people around you make your trip memorable. I sighed softly & walked further.

Sometimes, I don’t understand whether I should to be sad or happy. I was happy for I was again in Meghalaya, but there were many things that were saddening me. After walking for a few minutes, I stopped at a solitude-filled spot of the meadow. The spot was entirely covered with skyscraper-high trees & darkness.

“Strange!” I couldn’t believe my eyes.

I walked further. I found a mangled chair near a smelly pond at the outer edge of that spot. The place was silent & still, like if someone’s depressed soul roamed across it. I moved near to the chair & tried to sit on it.

#

“Stop!” Someone screamed.

I looked around. No one was there; not even a trace of life.

“Is anybody here?” I uttered.

Something was definitely wrong with that place. I could feel that. The kind of bleakness in the soil & dismal emptiness in the air made me feel that.

I sat on the mangled chair & began staring in the dirty water of that smelly pond. Suddenly, I heard someone rumbling.

“Who’s there?” I muttered.

I glanced behind the trees.

“Is anybody there?” I said. Suddenly, I saw some flimsy figure behind a desolate tree.

“Who are you?” I said. “You’d be afraid.” The flimsy figure replied.

I was bewildered.

“Don’t worry, I won’t be afraid.” I mumbled.

In a moment, a girl walked near to me. She had a shattered body & she wore a long, black skirt & off-white, silken top. Her fragile neck held a gold chain & her face was entirely covered with her nougat-brown hair.

I was kinda afraid. I quickly checked her feet for I felt she might be a ghoul. Ghouls have twisted & elongated feet; my momma had told me once. But, I felt safe to find her feet absolutely perfect.

“Why have you covered your face?” I questioned. “I don’t want to make you afraid.” She muttered.

Her voice seemed familiar & so her body shape & the color of her hair.

“I won’t be afraid.” I said.

“Okay.” Her voice went bleak.

I fixed my gaze over her face, as she began brushing her hair off her face.

“What?” I moaned.

The girl had a terrible face. It was entirely burnt & horribly devastated.

“Allah!” I exclaimed & covered my eyes in shock.

“I said you’d be afraid. I’m sorry…” The girl gasped, hastily covering her face again.

We stood silent for a minute until I realized that I’d done wrong with her.

“No, I’m sorry,” I relented, “Forgive me. I was just shocked for a moment. I’m sorry.”

She stood motionless & her eyes stared up at me. Sparkling black eyes.

“I’m really sorry.” I mumbled.

“You’re Hila, right?” She muttered.

“Yes. But, how do you know my name?” I was shocked, again.

The girl smiled & brushed her hair off her face.

“Who are you?” I asked, getting puzzled.

 

In a moment, I could see her face.

Amid her terribly burned skin, her eyes were nebulous-black, her eyebrows were pencil-thin and she had sparkling teeth. And, she reminded me of someone.

I gazed at her face closely. Those eyes, those eyebrows, those teeth, the shape of her body and the color of her hair, reminded me of someone.

Wait, is she… is she Lail? I thought.  

“Lail,” I mumbled.                                                

She nodded.

The storm clouds rolled creepily across the bleak sky, plunging the entire spot into utter darkness.

“But…” I felt choked. Instantly, tears filled her eyes and began streaming down her scarlet-burned cheeks.

I stood motionless and blank.

 

The ghostly winds whistled in her ear, throwing her long, brown hair in every direction and sent shivers down her spine.

“But, what happened to you, Lail?” I murmured.

“I wish I knew.” She said, trying to wipe her tears.

She walked and sat under a tree, and I sat beside her.

She took a deep breath, and her nostrils were filled up with the minty aroma of the meadow.

Standing up again, she was forced backwards by a gust of wind. It appeared angry and tormented, as it screeched in