Lifeless

DUTY!

She was lost in her thoughts when heard someone calling her "naazo didi"

She turned and gasped!

Sana: fumbling.....sh....sh....shobi?

Sid woke up at her voice and sat upright....turning in the direction in which sana was looking. He saw a young and tall boy hardly in his teens wearing a while shalwar kurta with a lean body and clean shaven face with a fair complexion....standing there astonished, overwhelmed....his eyes welling up and were not leaving the sight of Sana's face! The boy rushed towards her and encircled his arms around her neck hugging her tightly as if he never wants to let go off her! Sidharth was confused but before he could react he saw Sana reciprocating to his hug and sobbing in his arms! The boy couldn't control himself either and was shedding tears while stroking Sana's hair! Soon her sobs changed into audible cries and the boy kept on pacifying her

Shobi: bas bhi karo didi....mera naya kurta hai sara geela hojayega aapke ansuon se!

Sana: chuckled amid her sobs and lightly hit him....tu kabhi nahi sudhrega na?

Shobi: kabhi nahi! (smiling amid his tears).....but aap kahan chale gaye thay didi?? Maine kitna dhoonda aapko....dhaai saal didi....aapko meri yaad nahi aai?

She smiled and lowered her eyes....unable to answer his questions!

Shobi: but koi na ab aap ghar aagaye ho na! ab sabko pata chal jayega k....

Sana: mai ghar nahi aarahi

Shobi: confused...kya?? Q??

Sana: main nahi jana chahti us jagah wapas

Shobi: sighed....jana toh aap chahte ho dii....you are a terrible liar!...plz aise mat karo at least hamare SSG k liye hi wapas chalo

Sana: wohh tree house? (with her shimmering teary eyes)...wohh abhi tak hai??

Shobi: of course! Hamare hiding spot ko kuch hone dunga mai?

She chukled

Shobi: aapki aur ginni ki bht yaad aati hai di! Wohh toh shayad kabhi aayegi nahi...aap hi wapas chalo!

She didn't know what to say....deep down she really wanted to go back to her place....wanted to be in her mother's room...sit quietly...cherish her memories....her sweet memories but was unable to say all this...she was fighting her thoughts when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder! She turned and found Sidharth blinking his eyes in assurance smiling at her and being his courage as always!

                                                                            ************

They were standing in front of Sana's house! She looked at Sidharth with her worried face

Sid: go inside...mai bahar hi hun (with an assuring look)

She sighed and slowly opened the door!

The place was dark....she switched on the lights and found the whole place being a mess! Nothing was organized...every furniture was covered with a thick layer of dust....as if nobody was bothered to clean all the mess up! She was walking and stumbled on an alcohol bottle...she picked it up....sighed at the fact that her father is still into all this and quietly kept it on a nearby table! She walked towards her room and unlocked the door! Her room wasn't clean either! She opened her cupboard and took a box out of it! She was happy that the box was still there! she hid it from her father! The box had her mother's belongings and she knew that he wouldn't want her to miss anything related to her mother!