Khwaab

first encounter pt2

I wake up to a sharp pain in my leg, which one? can't tell.

"Maa, she woke up", a high-pitched voice squeals. I squint my eyes open. A low groan escapes my lips.

"Shhh," i hear another voice, calmer than the girl's. Not sure who it came from.

I open my eyes with a little difficulty, well, less than every day waking up before school. i press my head harshly to stop this annoying over-sarcastic voice.

"Aahhh," I yelp the moment I open my eyes, faces looking at me all together, They are so blurry I can't make out any information, regardless of them being so close.

I blink to clear my vision as I try to get up. "no, beta, don't try to get up." A soothing motherly voice reaches my ears before her visual could. I nod slightly, adjusting onto the creaking cot.

What the heck have I gotten myself into? I look at everyone one by one before my eyes linger on this man, looks somewhere around my age. He is staring at me with no emotions. Mother seems to notice our little eye contact and introduces him. "He is my son, Dev"

"Hii" I mutter, greeting him. earning a nod in return.

"You were hurt, beta. My son treated your wounds for now, could you tell us about yourself? Like who you are and where you are from so we can help you go back home" an elderly man similar to who walked to me earlier says. i am presuming he is the father.

i look at the little girl instead of answering him "she is anaya, my daughter"

"hiiii" i smile painfully at her excited greeting. i guess that shrill voice earlier belongs her.

before i can say anything else i see the a bowl with broken edges with darkish brown liquid in it. i shrink my nose when i realise what it is

why are mothers so obsessed with kadhas? but only this time is was dev holding it infront of me. no words exchanged. just holding it in front of me in a shafe distance so that if i move it doesnt spill. i look at him. Taking in his features. Thick eyebrows, sharp eyes. Cheeks?toned?. Lips? Well not sure. This room doesnt have light it's a hut, only light we get is from creaks on walls and door and a window? covered with a plastic piece? yeah maybe. funny how i notice this just now. my focus lands back on his face when he silently usher to the bowl with his eyes. i tilt my head slightly confused for a while before taking the bowl from his hand.

As i drink kadha, my mind plays the moment back and i realise i was staring at him for too long for it to be just decent. I look around abruptly to see if anybody else noticed. but surprisingly none of them are here. neither the girl...anaya?

"careful"

i nod.

"so dev? what do you do?" i ask as my eyes fix on his, I was never this bold before, even man passing by used to make me uncomfortable for some reason.

"i work on fields, daily wage worker" his soft voice reaches my ear

"ohh, nice" i don't look away from him, wanting him continue the convo. i am bad at continuing conversations, but i can shamelessly start them.

he takes the empty bowl from my hand and walk away. i sat on that cot with my back hunched cause how do i sit properly here? its sinking in the middle where i am sitting. he comes back again and sit on floor beside the cot. "you didnt reply" he makes a statement that took me good 2 minutes to figure out what he meant

"lavanya, i live in that new colony at some distance from here"

"vinayak?"

"yes"

he nods before getting up. i try to get up too. "dont, Sit or lie down. Get yourself comfortable. i will reach out to the colony you mentioned and they will inform your family." and with that he walks away.

i lay back thinking of him. as my eyes land on anaya with a clay pot filled with water in her head. her mother helps her with keeping it down in the kitchen. i can see it from here. they have no curtains no walls between rooms. it's a long ground floored with cow dunk and walls.

"didi?"

i look at her from ceiling that is covered with dried branches and leaves

"hmm?"

"do you need water?"

"no, i am good" i give her a small smile.

she looks at me. as if wanting to say something. and before i can urge her to speak her mind. i here my parents voice

"lavanya" my mother runs in with tears flowing.

"maa, i am fine" i say with a hiss as i sqeeze me in her embrace, that makes her pull away a bit. and then she starts cursing my brother. i am sure he is one moment away from being beaten for leaving me.

"i dont know how will i even get ride of this debt, thank you so much for saving my baby" she cries joining her hands in front of anaya's mother.