A BRIDGE ACROSS FOREVER

2. IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME

1812,4th JUNE,PANDHER KINGDOM,SECRET LABORATORY ,NEAR DAWN

Johan sighed and stretched.This was the third night in a row he hadn't slept.But this project was so exciting,he simply couldn't resist.He knew he was neglecting his duties as a father,and not giving enough time to Siddharth and Abhayendra as he should have.A soft smile played on his lips.Though he loved both his sons equally,he has a special place in his heart for his younger son,Abhayendra.He had taken in the little orphan boy under his responsible care,when Abhayendra had lost his parents at the tender age of five.The king of Pandher,Marharaja Adhiraj,had allowed Abhayendra to work at the stables when he was older,and impressed by his riding skills,had allowed him to teach his daughter,the princess of Pandher,Maithili,the art of horse-riding.Siddharth also worked for the king,doing small odd jobs for him at the royal palace.Johan was grateful that the king had been so kind and generous to him and his two sons,and if he could give him the time-machine,he would consider it as a sort of paying his debt towards the king.With the time-machine,the Pandher Kingdom could become the most powerful kingdom in the world.He got up from the chair he was sitting.He would take a little rest,and then he would resume work.He was currently facing a, block regarding the working of the machine and maybe a little fresh air would help to clear it.But when he left,he forgot to lock the door.

4th JUNE,2012,PARADISE POINT,DEHRADOON

Piya walked up the gentle sloping ground that led to Paradise Point,one of the most picturesque places in Dehradoon(NOTE:THIS PLACE IS FICTIONAL,I HAVE NO IDEA WHETHER ANY SUCH PLACE EXISTS).She had often come here with her mother when she was younger,and those were one of her more cherished memories.Her mother had bought a cottage near this place when she had been alive and it was he only thing she had inherited from her mother,the last remaining symbol of her mother's existence on this earth.She wondered what would happen to the cottage now,as she reached the topmost part of the ground.She could see a mountainous river roaring beneath,its waves crashing against the sharp,jagged rocks,glittering slightly,as the first faint sunrays fell on them.Maybe the cottage would fall in ruins after she was gone,she thought,as she stared down at the river that would soon swallow her.Or maybe her father and stepmother would take that away too.After all,what would be so surprising in that?They had taken away everything,she thought,as she put one foot in the air,swaying on one feet,the wind blowing on the dried tears on her cheeks.And now she had to give away her dreams,her life too.Well,maybe,that wouldn't be so bad,she thought, faint smile reaching her lips;maybe it would take her where her mother was.I am coming to u Mama,she thought,as she lifted her other feet off the ground,surrendering to gravity completely.

4th JUNE,1812,PANDHER KINGDOM,SECRET LABORATORY,NEAR DAWN

Abhayendra looked around carefully,making sure that no one was around,he slipped through the narrow crevice in between two stones,and set off through the rocky corridor beyond,feeling his way through the dark with the help of walls.He knew he was sneaking into his father's workplace,but he couldn't help it.His father was so secretive these days;it ignited his curiosity.He would just have a look,he promised himself,and then he would slip out again.He smiled,thinking how angry princess Maithili would be if she knew he was actually sneaking in here.His smile widened,his blue eyes shining with love even in the dark,as he recalled their parting conversation

"Tomorrow,as the clock strikes twelve,we shall meet again.Right here",whispered as he gently pressed a kiss on her forehead.

She had nodded,as she moved back,although their was that cute pout on her face he so loved."Yes,Abhayendra.I shall not come to the stables today.Some visitors of the Pandher Kingdom are coming from the nearby Shah Kingdom,and as the princess,I shall have to stay by my father and mother and receive them.But you can come to the palace,Abhayendra. Otherwise,it will be a whole day before I see and talk to you again."

Abhayendra gave a soothing smile."You shall be surrounded by people at the royal palace,my princess.i will not be able to talk to you there,you know that very well."

Maithili sighed."But your brother goes there.I see him more than I see you,Abhayendra."

Abhayendra smiled."Close your eyes and you will always see me in your heart,Maithili."

Maithili's face broke into a glowing smile making her look evn more beautiful."I will be waiting for you here tmorrow,Abhayendra."

He gave her a smile,showing his cute dimples,as she slipped on her veil,so that the palace guards would not see her face and would mistake her for one of the maidens who stayed with the princess.Abhayendra watched her walk away towards the palace,as the eastern horizon started to lighten with the first lights of the day.

Abhayendra came out of his thoughts as he reached the wooden door leading to the cave which was his father's workplace.It was not locked luckily;he could see the light of the lantern coming through the gap.He pushed the door wider open and walked inside.He had been here before.He knew his father had the mind of a genius.Often,on the king's orders he would invent things which made life in the Pandher Kingdom much earsier.No wonder this was one of the most powerful knigdoms in Northern India.But this weird machine,with the strange glow,he had definitely not seen.His jaw dropped at the sheer look of it.

"Wow,this must be Father's new project",he muttered to himself,staring at it."Wonder what it is."

He walked towards it,his eyes fixed on the strange blue glow of the machine,but he did not notice the abandoned banana peel lying on the floor.He slipped on it,which hurled him straight into the machine.He threw out his hands to support himself,and it landed on the place where the buttons were.With a whooshing sound,the machine turned on,and before he could make sense of what was happening,before he could even catch his breath,he felt a strange vacuum force pulling him into nowhere,and he felt colours and sounds rushing past him,as he hurtled towards the unknown.Johan had stepped inside just to see his favourite son disappear from in front of the time machine.With a sinking heart,realization of what had happened dawned on him.