Sojourn : mahabharata's era

PROLOGUE

"For you and I were never meant to be together." He said with a pale expression, his face was impassive but his eyes were something else to say they had an ocean full of emotions as if they could cry out all of the poetries in the world, all those stories and tales of love ever told but only if he knew the math of words as Shakespeare. And he didn't. We stood motionless for a wink, gradually he took his steps back soon disappearing into a haze. I was still there hoping he would return. He didn't.

A loud sound rang into my ear making me tremble and panic, I instantly opened my eyes processing the situation I was in. The curtains swang along the breeze leisurely, shaft of sunlight pierced through the little gaps in the window i could hear the chirping of the birds, which was very rare in Delhi.

"Oof—what was this dream about," I said to myself clueless about the dream I had, getting up from the bed I rushed into the bathroom as already being late for school I didn't want punishments early morning.

"Mumma—" I called out. Walking down the stairs I saw nobody around the lobby. The house was as still this morning, there wasn't any moment. I scoured around the cabinets in the kitchen, to bring out Tea and sugar.

"Mumma—" I called out once again, but there wasn't any answer.

I strolled around the rooms, one was occupied by my brother and the other by Papa, I didn't bother them. Seeing no response from my mom I came into her office which was mostly locked, but that morning it wasn't.

"Mumma—" I said again, standing at the entrance I peeked inside having a little glance at the surroundings. The room looked more thriller than any movie with a mess of papers scattered upon the table with maps and statistics around. The curtains were unfurled which gave room for sun rays. There was a cup of coffee that stood on the side table. It meant she went early today. Turning back to return I saw something odd in the room.

A side table with light on. I went to switch off the lights, seeing the drawers were open too.

"Why was she in so much hurry ?" I said closing the wooden drawer. But something caught my attention, it was a box. A strange wooden box. Coated all over with dust, budds coming out of it and spider webs all around as if excavated from Harappan civilization.

"What in the world is this—" I said. Dusting it off. There was something else in the drawer too.

A map.

"Now we playing treasure hunt ?" I asserted opening it. It was the map of Himachal Pradesh. With three huge circles, upon Kasol district getting smaller by a place marked in Kasol, Pari Tibba. And tinier by something called Malana.

"Nihira—" I heard a voice and my heart almost jutted out. And a shudder ran through my spine. "OH MY GOD-" I swore. It was my father who stood at the door.

"You scared me!" I said keeping all of them inside and getting out of there.

"What were you doing inside? You know you are not supposed to go and touch those objects." Said Papa.

"I'm sorry— I was just searching for mumma and I-I didn't find-" before I could complete my sentence he spoke.

"Okay okay, now go you're already late." He replied.

"Oh shit," I answered back and ran towards my room.

* * *

The school was almost over, but we were stopped to go out because there was this stupid announcement to make and I wanted to go home early. "Ugghh-why aren't they letting us go," I said making a fist out of anger.

"Students I know you all are excited to know, so we are organizing an educational trip to Kasol Himachal Pradesh from the 15th of August to the 25th of August. For classes 11th and 12th Interested Students can give their names to their class teachers by 1st August." Sir announced.