All the festivities are over. Everything ended on a good note. Everyone is back to their normal, daily life....
In these three weeks, Shera and JK became a lot closer to each other. Shera was very curious to know about the things outside her small world. She would always pester him with a lot of questions, like a curious little four year old kid. JK would also answer all her questions with a lot of patience. Their bond somehow grew stronger.
They would always accompany each other in every thing they would do. They would go together for hunting, fishing, or for any other chore. They would eat together, go on walks to the lake or waterfalls, they would play with the kids and teach them stuff and back in the evening they would sit together and watch the sunset on the shore. Back when JK was not there, Shera didn't even bother looking at the sunset. She always felt it was something regular and nothing special. But now she felt it was different and never missed to watch it. Every moment spent together became a precious memory even if it was something very basic, normal.
They started building a liking for each other even without realising it. All the tribal people observed their each and every movements. Even when JK was not with her, all Shera could do was talk about him. The way they used to always stick to each other, their gestures towards one another. They definitely felt the love around the air surrounding them but Shera or JK never openly spoke about it. Tribals did try to question them indirectly, subtly without actually bringing out the topic but both of their answers made it question their observation skills. Those people feared to ask the question directly because they didn't wanted to plant any ideas in the heads of these two.
One afternoon, after lunch, Shera had to go to the forest to bring an essential herb for one of the family. They had requested her to fetch it as fast as possible. JK was busy with some other work. She didn't have time to wait for him so she went alone. It's not like she was afraid, but going there alone felt boring and she loved his company. She felt dejected but she had to help her people. After she comes back, she has all the time in the world to spend with him. With that thought, she decided to finish the task soon and left towards the forest.
After a while, she returned with the herbs in her hand, walking joyfully, the thought of meeting JK exciting her. She went to the hut of the family that had asked her to get the herb. But to her surprise nobody was in the hut, it was empty. She called out their names but no response. She decided to leave the herb somewhere where they would notice it. She left the hut and walked towards her hut. She was thirsty. She decided to quench her thirst first and then go look for JK. In her hut, she couldn't find her father as well. During the afternoons, her father usually takes a nap unless there is some urgent work. She assumed it might be something important. She drank the water from the pot. Now that she was satisfied, she left in search of JK.
Humming a song on her way, she noticed that the usually crowded parts near the huts seemed to be eerily quiet which was very unusual. She would have atleast heard the ladies having their usual afternoon meetings here and there, complaining about their husbands or kids or the weather, or drying seafood to prepare snacks or the noise of the kids playing around, easily digesting their meals and not caring about the scorching sun. But now, there was no one, which seemed a little suspicious.
Now she was starting to feel that something is wrong. Something is seriously wrong for all the people to disappear in the broad daylight. She briskly walked towards their meeting place thinking there might be an emergency gathering and she might have missed it. Once she reached there, she saw no one. Now panicking a little, she made her way to the Goddess assuming everyone might be there and went to that place but again the same thing. It happens that everyone has miraculously disappeared. Now the final stop she decided was to go to the sea shore. Now she ran towards the sea shore.
Once she was out of the forest line and could feel the beach sand below her feet, she noticed all her people surrounded in a crowded way. Now a little relieved that she found everyone she walked towards them, making sure not to trip or slide. It was a little difficult though because of the sand but she was used to it.
Even though it was a relief that she found them, she was still a little suspicious as to why they were all near the beach at this time of the hour. Maybe they have found a big catch?? Or some unusual sea creature and were studying it?? Or maybe there's some invasion from outsiders?? She remembered the time when people had surrounded the exact way when she had showed them JK lying on the shore half dead.
Once she was at the back of the crowd, she couldn't see much. She elbowed her way into the crowd to get to the front and see what was the matter. Once people felt her nudging them, they made way for her. Within sometime she was in the front of the crowd and the mystery unfolded in front of her eyes.
Her father, the Chieftain was standing next to her with his men and opposite of her was JK. It was something regular but this time, he was not alone. Behind him were four large men. Standing on all the four corners, surrounding JK, as a protection. They were ducked in all black, not sure how they will be able to survive the scorching heat. They were wearing sunglasses to protect their eyes from the heat. Their physique was intimidating.
A little farther to her right stood a black helicopter, it's blades on the top and the on the tail part rotating, signifying that it was ready to leave but it's waiting for people.
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Shera was having a hard time trying to figure out the situation in front of her. Her heart was beating rapidly. She was not sure if it was because of all the running or because of the fear. She was expecting this someday, based on the stories she had heard in the last three weeks but she was surprised and disappointed that it was this soon. Too soon.
Just then, JK took slow steps towards Shera and stood in front of her.....
