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Today I'm about to
recount a strange incident which took place with me a few years back
when I had visited Simla during my summer vacation.
"One fine morning I was strolling near the rest house I was staying
in. It was a good day. Everything was so fresh and cold. The sun shined
warmly. Its warm rays helped me to elude the morning chill. Birds of
unusual colors were flying all over the place. Some of them were
migratory and some native. It was like paradise on earth. the sloppy
hills were wholly covered with the evergreen coniferous trees. Dense fog
prevented me from seeing the peak of the mountains. As I was busy
admiring nature's beauty, I happened to notice a vague pink object under
a tree at a distance. It was a cloth. But yes, there was something
wrapped in that cloth. I moved towards the thing. As I reached closer to
it, I found that it was a small girl! She must be about 13 years of age.
She was lying unconscious. Her face was pale , hands and feet numb and
cold. I lifted her and took her to the rest house and rested her near
the fire place. She was extremely light weighted. Few moments later she
started moving and opened her eyes. She got up startled.
"where am I?" asked the little thing.
"don't worry dear. You are alright"
"but I don't want to be alright! I want to… I want to die!!!
Please let me go! Please!"
"but why? What's the matter??? Where are your parents??" I
asked a number of questions in a breath.
"can I trust you bhai jaan?"
"sure beta. But first tell me what's your sweet name?"
"Sabah"
"that's a very nice name. Now tell me where do you live and why do
you want to die?"
"actually bhai jaan I used to live with my aunt in Bombay. I was
there for studies. My parents were here in Shimla. This summer vacation
I wanted to see my parents. This was the first time I was coming over
here because after my birth itself I was sent to my aunt. The day I
arrived here, just a few minutes later we were informed that my elder
brother, who was 25 and married, had died in a car accident! This
shocked my mom. And she blamed me for all this. She said that I had
brought bad luck to their place. It was because of me that my mom lost
her beloved son. I couldn't bear all this and decided to commit suicide.
So I ran out of the house late night yesterday. But as I was running, I
tripped and fell. Due to weakness I couldn't bear the pain and fainted.
And after that all I know is I'm here."
"oh I see. But you see you shouldn't have run from your house. Come
I'll take you back to your house. Your parents must be extremely
worried"
"no! please don't! I don't want to go to that horrible place!"
"look, if you wont go there then what else will you do?"
she was silent for a while.
"ok I will go. But not now. Tomorrow morning."
"promise?" I asked unsurely.
"promise!" she said with a smile
Her face was glowing now. |
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After
lunch I took her out for a walk. She was a very sweet girl. All the way
long, we kept talking and laughing. I even made a soft corner in my
heart for her.
"which class are you in?" I asked her while walking.
" in 7th std"
"which school?"
" St. Xavier's School, Bombay"
" how many brothers and sisters are you in all?"
" we were only two. But now.." she started crying.
"ohh.. come on. This is fate. Your brother's death wasn't because
of you at all. It's all nature's play dear." I tried to console her
but she kept weeping.
"no! no! I am bewitched. I know. I'm an omen of bad luck!"
" no beta. Please don't cry or I wont talk to you."
"ok bhai jaan. But promise me one thing. You wont tell my parents
about me trying to commit suicide ok?"
" I promise you dear" I said smiling.
" ok bhai jaan. You've asked me everything about myself. So now
tell me bout yourself."
" hmmm what do you want to know, beta?"
"ok let's start with… oooh I didn't even ask your name!"
" ha ha ha.. ok my name is Naveed. I've come here from Delhi and
I'm a student of 11th std."
" oh ok" she smiled
Soon time passed and both of us came back home I mean the rest house.
She appeared to be tired and slept soon after dinner. I kept staring her
innocent face. the moon looked pale in front of her. Her face was as
clean as her heart. Few moments later I too was found asleep.
The next morning I woke up refreshed. Warm rays of the sun entered the
room through the window. As I turned my head to have a look at Sabah, I
was amazed to find the bed empty. I got down from the bed and searched
her all over. She was to be found nowhere. I searched for her up and
down without any good. As I was to close the window, my eyes fell on a
piece of paper on the table. I advanced towards the paper and picked it
up. It read,
Dear bhai jaan naveed,
Thanks a lot for the one-more-day life you granted me. It was indeed the
happiest day of my life. As I had decided, that is, to leave this world,
so I am leaving this place to a far off one. A place where no one can
reach me. Please don't try to search me because by the time you'll get
this letter, I will have had reached my niche. Once again thanks for all
you've done for me. I do not want to burden you any more. Please absolve
me if I did any wrong.
Yours one-day sister,
Sabah.
I was traumatized. My eyes were soon filled with tears. the last words
"one-day-sister" shook me wholly. I stood there motionless
with her last words in my hands. She had committed suicide." |