The morning rose with birds chirping, causing Hrida 's eyes to open to the blooming sun standing over her, manifesting a brink of hope in her heart. Hrida still had a burning out feeling within her body, she just sighed out loud. Tapish stretched his body and went for a walk around the park.
Hrida could see a few people jogging and trolling there and her mind went somewhere," At this time, my mo-, my mom used to wake me up and prepare my lunchbox which used to be mostly my favorite dishes while my eyes used to refuse waking up but now it seems my eyes have changed their timing to early morning time. Whatever, I'm fine with it, at least now I am living the reality and not some cooked-up lie."
Hrida noticed a water basin where she washed her face in such a way as if trying to wake up from something. Later, she gargled and cleaned her mouth and throat with just water. She rummaged through her backpack and looked inside and discovered many things. A few things wouldn't count as essential but for her, those things did count as important to her heart to keep on moving.
Hrida smiles peeking inside the bag, takes out a crescent moon-shaped badge with the statement 'THE BEST' and mumbles," I am glad that I brought this with me. It can't feed my stomach but it feeds my heart with comforting memories." She pinned the badge on the left side of her torso and disguised her clothing underneath a long shawl while the heat outside was melting her body inside because of the blazing sun. Despite the heat, Hrida kept her shawl close to her body in fear of being caught or recognized as the missing child.
She searched for Tapish throughout the park but couldn't find him anywhere. She didn't rest for a second and kept searching him for hours still her attempt was futile. Her thoughts were running faster than her feet, she couldn't catch her thoughts, tripped on her thoughts, and fell while dark thoughts penetrated her brain. Her shadow turns more pitch-black in shade which goes unnoticed by her and she feels a bone-chilling rush snaking through her spines from behind.
She turned back and no one was there except. Her gaze then caught on a small figure lying flat at a far distance under a large tree. She ran off and sat next to that bruised being under the shade of a tree. She laid him on her lap and rambled in a worried tone," Tapish, what happened to your tail? How did this happen to you? Who put you in such a painful state? "
Tapish groans in pain and only his pain is audible to Hrida's ears and Hrida's tears come out instantly. She examined her tail but the rain didn't stop instead the rain fell harder. Hrida couldn't imagine his pain even though she felt guilty about being responsible for his painful state.
Hrida observed his bruised tail, bleeding from end to mid of his tail and despite that, he didn't complain/ leave her miserable life alone. She washed the blood in the basin while carrying him like a delicate thread and then she dug her hands in her backpack in seek of a piece of cloth to wrap his tail with.
Hrida finally discovered a handkerchief which she tied around his tail but the handkerchief wasn't enough to cover his whole wound. She again glanced inside her backpack and her face shifted to a bit relaxed expression.
Hrida hurried off into the streets with Tapish in her arms like a baby and after walking for awhile, she stood in front of a medical store. She asked for a bandage cloth and ointment for Tapish by exposing his wounds to them and paid by using her pocket money that she had been saving for 2-5 months to buy something special on her own without her parent's help. But she didn't know then that she would later need that money for her survival and necessities.
Hrida was unaware of the price of certain normal things which cost her buying that ointment at an extra price as the shopkeeper fooled her by his impressive acting skills. Yet Hrida was relieved that at least she could afford the help to relieve Tapish's pain.
Hrida sat on the grass under the same tree and placed Tapish on her lap while holding her tail delicately. She hissed in pain when heard his low painful groans. Hrida applied an even amount of ointment on the bruised areas on his tail and wrapped it with a cloth bandage.
She caresses Tapish's back and whispers in a teary tone," I- I am sorry. I- I didn't mean to do this to you. If I had paid more attention to you, then you wouldn't have got hurt.
Here, you were in pain for maybe hours, and there I was sleeping like a donkey without any care. I am sorry. I don't like the sight of you being in pain. I love you, you know that right? You are my real brother and my only real family who knows me more than anyone."
Tapish spat out a playful 'meow' with a wide-eyed innocent look. A small smile forms on her lips, " Yes, even more than Shashi although he is my childhood friend. " In instant seconds, her smile turned upside down, and again raindrops started falling from her eyes. Tapish on the other hand stared at her with a confused gaze, he crawled closer and clings to her stomach. Tapish taps her arms repeatedly like calling her back to him.
Hrida's smile returned with a hint of sadness, which she ignored and cooed, " How cute! You are a caring friend and brother. I am glad you are here with me, otherwise, I don't know how I would have handled all this. Seriously, I can't imagine. Thank you..."
After saying this, she taps Tapish's cute little nose and hugs him. Out of curiosity, she asks him, " How did this happen? Did someone hurt you? Because I feel that this is not a natural accident but rather an intentional harm done by someone. Could you give me any hint or sign? "
Tapish doesn't respond and just gawks at her innocently. She waited for his response patiently, but still, she didn't get any answer even after 5-10 minutes.
Despite his silence, she remains stubborn and asks for any clue and finally, she notices Tapish's flickering like when a candle flickers at fast wind paces. She followed his gaze turning her head back and discovered a white and tall sleek male cat with suspicious eyes, who creeps near and near each second.
Hrida looked back at Tapish, whose posture was of a statue now, so she figured out that this cat might be responsible for his wound and this thought sparked burning anger for this cat.
Her gaze was turned into sharp knives ready to cut whoever tried to mess with them, especially Tapish.
She stretched her legs straight between them and that cat and hissed low," Sorry, but you have to go back from where you came. And I don't want you near my Tapish, who hurt him and is looking to do more harm. So, go silly cat. "
The white cat daringly swept in closer to them and growled with his eyes directed towards Tapish.
Tapish's eyes widen and fear swallows him and he cowers behind. Hrida observed this and felt her anger pacing in her heart and she blocked his view of Tapish and warned him," Go away, stroll somewhere else. Tapish is hurt otherwise he would scare you off already. Now, I am sure you were the one who put Tapish in such a painful state. I said, GO, go before something snaps within me. Run away! "
That white daring cat boldly challenged her by simply laying before them and looking at them with a weird gaze. She noticed his gaze over her, which gave her an uncomfortable feeling and her feet became cold suddenly.
The white cat displayed a creepy grin at Hrida and kept staring at her with a strange gaze that sent off thousands of uncertain dark emotions.
She again felt that same creepy gaze upon her whenever she was alone in despair. She disregarded those thoughts and looked the opposite but that white cat didn't waver and remained in the same position without blinking an eye.
Tapish kept looking back and forth from Hrida's face to the white cat's face. Tapish witnessed her palm rubbing activity and her temple trapped in creases of fearful-like expression and he could sense a dark energy coiling around her and making her prey of his.
Then suddenly her eyes had a lost and trapped kind of expression along with a burning dangerous gaze although there was a flicker of kindness and forgiveness trying to re-surface in her eyes.
At the same time, Hrida sensed uncontrollable burning anger taking over her and all those painful memories of her parent's fake love and Tapish's wound and she can't seem to control herself.
Her mind felt heavy and her hands picked out a large stone and her target with intended harm is to throw the stone towards the white cat.
She ponders, " He bruised Tapish and I will give back his karma. How dare him! "
Tapish saw her hands rising with stone trapped in her fist while her gaze was fixed on that arrogant white cat. Tapish knew this was not her real self but her beast inside taking action.
Tapish jumps forward in front of that white cat before she can throw that stone. Tapish growls loud and hisses at that white cat yet the white cat is unafraid though his gaze flickered for a second.
The white cat snickers and proudly walks opposite direction slowly fading into the distant fog.
Hrida gasps out loud," I was going to hit him. How could I? Even though he caused harm to Tapish still it doesn't give me the right to punish him. How have I become like this?
Tapish, you know, I caused a bruise to a police officer and now I was intending to do the same on that cat. How I have become this dangerous? I-I ", She groans and tosses her hair in irritation and disappointment. Tapish meows softly and coils his tail around her arm, which brings back Hrida to her present self.
Hrida takes a deep inhale of fresh air inside her body bringing the lost warmth back into her heart. Hrida gives out sad sighs and rests against the tree but her mind seems to be in no mood for rest.
Surprisingly, when Tapish snuggled against her arm, her thoughts blurred out and felt warmth embracing her. The tree sang a silent lullaby through which sleep caved into her eyes and before her eyes shut down, she sighted a smile on Tapish's face with one eye staring at her.
The sun was at its peak but the temperature didn't disturb her sleep instead the sweet talks that reached her ears troubled her heart and mind. She woke up when she heard a loud balloon-popping sound behind the tree. Still, her brain tried to ignore the noise and concentrated on falling back to sleep. But something snapped inside her when she heard a statement like ' You are the best parents. I love you ' through a small kid-like voice.
Her mind traveled back into the past, a small glimpse of the past projected in her brain.
Flashback
10-year-old I was dancing like a mad monkey jumping from sofa to couch and then to floor while holding a helicopter toy in her hand, " Zooommmmm… My helicopter has been flying well till now. And within a few minutes, it will land at its destination. My HELICOPTER IS FAST LIKE CHEETAH. It can fly too on its own with the help of a simple remote."
I made my helicopter fly via the remote control, hovering over my parents. My parents were cheering me up," Oh my pretty doll. Our pretty doll knows how to fly and even has her private helicopter. That's good."
My dad asked me," Did you like your birthday gift, Hrida? " I answered in a short breath, " No." Mom stared at me with a questioning gaze and a forced smile on her lips," Hrida dear, What do you mean by 'No'? We bought for you with love but you hurt our feelings."
I corrected her," No, mother. I am sorry, I didn't mean that. I was just building suspense to make you curious. Before Father interrupted, I was going to say I love it. And you are the best parents. I love you. "
Mother replied in an oblivion tone, " WE KNOW THAT WE ARE THE BEST PARENTS. But Hrida, you NEED to also be the best doll."
Hrida returns to the present time when she witnessed that small family showering their child with gifts and sweet words just like her parents. Hrida calls out for Tapish's attention and mumbles in a confident tone," Tapish, did you see that family, they are just like my famil-, I meant my past family. Are all families who shower their kids with sweetness and gifts like this- Fake and delusional? POOR HER. I wish that she doesn't end up like me but the fate is inevitable. And FAMILY like mine are destined to be broken someday. " The small boy stood up and went to grab an ice cream from an ice cream stall nearby them.
Hrida predicts," Tapish, now you will see what I meant. Now the kid is not in the picture and now the filter will fall off and their real self will surface in their faces. Pay attention to them closely but beware of being caught ."
That boy's parents were discussing that boy and they were saying," Reth is so cute. Our boy is so adorable. Our boy thinks we are the best parents but I think he is the best thing that has happened to us. He is like an angel but sometimes he can be troublesome yet he is kind to animals and literally everyone. I hope he remains like this even when he grows up into a fine young man although he will always be our sweet little boy."
After hearing their conversation, she couldn't decipher the situation and rambles," Are they – are they extremely good at acting or, Or they- maybe they knew that we are spying upon them and pretending in front of us. Yes, that's the case, otherwise, my parents wouldn't have showered me with too many gifts and sweet words if they loved me. I am, right? Right, Tapish? "
Tapish silently observed her without giving any reaction and Hrida stammered as her heart felt heavy and clumsy feelings twisting her heart," It can't be.....It can't be, Tapish, you are wrong. I know they are frauds just like my past family. They are not real because they are just an illusion. I know exactly about this situation. I know what is a real family, don't I ? Tapish, say something, please. I- i."
Her words stumbled, tears took over her eyes, her words choked and she started crying out her pain to Tapish and spoke in-between," I used to think that I have the best parents but that was my sweet illusion but that is a sweet reality for that boy. I –I was just some doll in their eyes and not a real person but this boy is lucky that his parents view him as a real person and not some puppet. Tapish, I think they are indeed a real family, but still, I am confused and unfamiliar with the concept of a real family.
But I know one thing for sure, you are my real family and always will be. I will never leave our side and you will also never leave me. Tapish, I can't see this anymore, let's go. Anyway, we have to leave and find another place to stay for a night as the police might catch us if we stay any minute longer, here."
She hung her backpack, stood up, and gave a last angry glance at that real family picture before leaving that park. They had been walking for hours but Hrida didn't find any safe and hidden place for both of them. Tapish did find some places but those places were unfit and too small for her to hide or fit in.
Despite their search, Hrida couldn't ignore the captivation of those pretty big malls and shops displaying their flawless products. Hrida along with Tapish did window shopping inside the malls and spent their afternoon in those malls. She noticed a beautiful headband intertwined with beads and sea shells. She felt the urge to buy that headband and she almost grabbed the headband, but she stopped herself when her brain reminded her that she had only that much money left to survive and spend on necessities. Hrida was utterly upset, her shoulder drooped low as she passed by the street markets.
Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her stomach. She grunted in pain, " I- i-I think I am hungry. Oh, I forgot to eat yesterday and this morning too, I didn't eat anything. Oh God! Tapish, you must have been hungry like me. Let's eat somewhere."
Hrida unzipped the backpack and looked inside the backpack for cat food that she might have brought by mistake. But she didn't find any cat food and she had only stuffed snacks, biscuits, and chips which might last for a week if they eat quite generously.
Hrida gave a handful of biscuits to Tapish and she ate only two biscuits and then resumed their search. Finally, she discovered a place for them hidden from plain sight. It is a narrow alley between two tall buildings where a large dustbin dump and discarded things are dumped.
Before slipping into their cave, her attention diverted towards a bookstall standing diagonally opposite to her. Her feet automatically took her to the bookstall and she couldn't help but gawk at the variety of books. One book caught her attention and without thinking even for a second she bought the book which left her with a minimum amount of money to survive for less than a week.
She waited till the coast became clear. She slipped into the alley when no one was looking at them. She scanned her surroundings and discovered a torn and ripped sofa standing alone in its glory. Hrida sat on the sofa, placed Tapish next to her, read the book title on the book cover, and lay peacefully on her lap.
She read out in a low whisper, " Yuga- The Circle of eras' and she was going to turn the first page but she didn't because she felt pain in her arms and legs and her body was urging for rest again. Hrida felt her body crying for rest and she gave in to rest while ignoring her curiosity to read that book and stuffed it inside the backpack. She closed her eyes and rested her body on the sofa along with Tapish already asleep on her lap.