The Sixteenth Birth

12. The Story Begins

I won't say anything....

Happy reading!

--------------------------------

*Abhay's POV*

I walk past the trees going after Ritz. She is a fast runner. I've followed her so far. I'm sighing and looking around to find the place Ritz has brought me to. My footsteps are noiseless. I don't want her to know that she has a stalker, well the real reason is that I don't want to hide in those thorny bushes.

She stops in front of an enlarged gate and stands there. Ritz then pushes it open with all her strength and walks in. I think of going further but my intuition says that going in will make things worse. I wait for about five minutes outside the gate. Meanwhile, I learn a mansion or palace is there.

Palace?

The air knocks out of me when I realize what really is going on. But before I could do anything Ritz comes out from there. Ritz moves towards a road that leads out of the forest. This girl is adventurous. She will get what she wants. I wish to stop her but my mind warns me not to.

My dumb cell rings at the very moment and Ritz is now alarmed and suspecting that she is not alone. She turns around and makes me dive under the trees' leaves. She then tries to negotiate about what made the sound of crushing of leaves but leaves it.

Satisfaction crosses her face once she thinks that there is no one after her and again starts her mission. Then even I do the same. I follow her towards the road but my phone vibrates this time and shows my mother calling. Until I look up, Ritz is out of my sight.

*Ritz's POV*

I knock at the miniature house's door. My brain is still signalling that someone is following me but my mind is too anxious to think about it. I knock on the door again and it opens revealing a not so old lady about the age of late forties or early fifties, she meets my gaze and takes a step towards me. She is in a wrinkled kurta and very loose trousers. She doesn't seem to know English.

"Kya hua? Kuch kam hai? [What happened? Is there something?]" The lady's rash voice catches my attention.

"Ma'am I don't know Hindi. Do you mind speaking English with me?"

"Oh...accha... [Oh...right...] But did you know-" She suddenly leaves her sentence incomplete. What is the problem with these people, never completing their words? I feel irritated but at the same time relieved that the lady knows my medium of communication.

"Hello ma'am. You were saying something." I ask her politely because the arrogance on her face shows that she is a not-so-good women.

"Where did you get that book from?" Cool she is quite fluent.

"From the. . .ah. . . nearby. . . ah. . . .palace. . ." I utter.

"You went there?"

"Yup!" I crisp.

"Oh. But why did you come here?" she asks with her deep voice.

"Umm. . . .I am curious to know what's in this." I betoken the fatty book and raise my eyebrows to show understanding.

"Why shall I tell you?" This women is making things difficult.

"Because you know the language in this, right?" I cheer in hope. Better say yes lady, I walked from all over the woods to meet you.

"Yes, girl but why do you want to know?" She interrogates again. So many questions. Can't this go any faster?

"Because. . . . I am curious."