Lost and found.
798 Words
It was a day in the rainy season. Water flowed all over the ponds, rivers, canals, and paddy fields.
Anna, a pregnant young lady, was waiting for her two children to come from school. As time passed, she became impatient.
the children from the neighborhood have already reached their homes.
She started walking towards the school inquiring about her children from local villagers.
No one had seen her two boys named John and Joby.
It was raining heavily. Still, she did not carry the umbrella as she became so desperate as time went by.
Some villagers accompanied her to search for the boys.
They started jumping in the nearby ponds and wells in search of boys. Some divers dived in the river. All efforts went fruitless.
Her husband arrived in the last bus after work. It was night. Some of the villagers told fake stories about the event. Some said they had drowned in the pond while they washed their lunch boxes. Some said that some rag pickers took them away.
By hearing these stories Ann became more uncomfortable and started crying loudly.
Many villagers assembled in their homes in that dark and rainy night. Chandran Master, a teacher in the same school had come forward and consoled the mother and assured her that we would bring the children somehow.
He enquired her husband about his sister who was staying in a nearby village. He confirmed that his elder sister is staying in the next village and he gave her address to Chandran Master.
Chandran master with a few of the villagers, set out to the next village. They reached the house of his elder sister at midnight. Everyone was deep asleep. Chandran Sir knocked on the door several times. At last one person opened the door. He lit the light and saw some strangers standing in front of him. He asked them " What do you want?" Chandran master replied " We wanted to check two boys John and Joby are here"
He told them " Yes, they are sleeping now."
Chandran sir said that these children had been missing since last evening and they searched all over in the village including ponds and wells."
The person who opened the door alerted the entire household and all were awake and astonished as these boys told them that they had come to Aunt's house to invite Aunt to their home to attend their labored mother. They shook the children who were asleep and woke them.
When they were awakened Aunt asked them whether their parents had asked them to bring their Aunt to their home.
John said" I heard Papa was speaking Mom about bringing Aunt to take care of our mother during her labor. We thought to help him and came here with the help of a boy who was staying near your home.
All of them understood the mistake made by the boys.But they did not scold them as they were six years old and eight years boys.
Chandran Master asked permission to take them back home at that time in the dark night as their mother was in a serious condition and he promised her to bring her children that day herself.
They permitted them to take the boys back home.Chandran Master had taken John on his shoulder and one of his colleagues had taken Joju on his shoulder and set out on their journey to their village in that cold dark rainy village. They could hear the voices of frogs and insects as they were walking through the narrow bunds of already waterlogged paddy fields.
It was really scary. One person in the front had led them with a natural torch made out of dried coconut leaves. If anyone slips and falls on the waterlogged field it would be very thought hem to get them out of it.
But luckily, the crossed the fields safely and reached their village.
When they arrived at the boys home, they saw that Anna was lying unconscious among the broken pieces of framed picture Jesus. Her husband told them that she had become insane and picked all the pictures on their altar and destroyed them.. Finally, she became unconscious.
Chandran master asked them to bring some water. he sprinkled water on her face. She opened her eyes.Chandran Master took the boys in front of her. Seeing their beloveds, she clasped them and started crying. The people howling surrounding her were also crying.
She took the boys in her lap and asked them " Will you leave your Mom ?" Both the children replied: "No Mom. We will take care of you throughout our life."
Anna stood up and washed her face which became half fresh. She thanked Chandran master and the villagers and bowed before them with gratitude.
- Writer
