first of all sorry everyone. I know i am super late but i have been running really busy and since this story is very very imp, i cudnt have managed to give you all a shitty update. The only reason i cud update today is because tmrw is a Sunday. So be ready for irregular updates from now on, at least till oct, but i will try to sneak in and give updates. Till then enjoy thisCHAPTER 14
Aunt Nyonika called us in and we went inside to know what she wanted to convey to us. " I am so glad you came to meet me Nandini and i am so sorry that we hid all this from you for so long...you remind me so much of Sharon...but i called you in to tell you both to leave now. It's almost night and the way back home is not so very safe, its rather dangerous and i dont want my niece and Aryaman to fall into trouble, ok." I loved when she said i reminded her of her sister, i dont know why but i felt connected with that and i liked it. " Will it be okay if i stay with you today.I really dont feel like going back home and sleeping alone, family could be a nice change i guess." I spoke my heart but it seems that Nyonika Aunt was not expecting this. She gave me a huge smile and replied in her honey coated tone," Of course dear, this house belongs to you as well and i guess even i can enjoy some family time for a change." We looked at each other with a smile when Aryaman replied," Then i think i should b going. Be ready Nandini, training starts pretty early, plus its your first day!" Aryaman's statement made me feel butterflies in my stomach. I was going to meet people like me tomorrow. All of this still seemed like a dream to me. Nodding him a yes i hugged him while he bid us adieu.
It had been hours since Aryaman had left, Nyonika Aunt took out an old photo album of her childhood to show me my mother's pictures. No doubt Nyonika Aunt was right, i looked exactly like my mother. We both were do-eyed with pouty lips. We had long tresses. My adoptive Mom looked absolutely different. It was weird how i never noticed this before. She had small eyes while mine were big, she had chubby cheeks while i was skinny. She was pale white while i was wheatish. The only thing that didnt match with any of my parents was my eye colour, after all they changed colour, yet another disability i believe was unique to me. I was caressing my mother's picture when something struck me. "Aunt, what is your macula?" She looked at me with a smile," What do you think?" There was something about her smile, she smiled as if i should have known her macula by now. " I dont know!!" I stated as a matter fact. " I dear can read your mind, and control your decisions." I was shocked on hearing that, no doubt she read my mind this morning, it was not just a guess!!!! She laughed at my thoughts, probably she read them. It was rather a scary power, something like, you will always have this feeling that you are not alone, that someone knows what you are thinking, it was dangerous and i tried to mentally block my thoughts. Privacy was my biggest need and i could have never compromised that with anything. "What about my mother? Like my real mother." I specified and asked her. She took in a deep breath and looking forward answered me," Nobody knows dear. Your mother was a clever and smart lady, nobody ever saw her using her macula. Some suspected even if she had one. More than that, she was the first person i met who could actually block her thoughts around me." This was a new information for me," So you trying to say that there are hunters without any powers?" She slightly nodded to my questions," Yes dear, there are, but those individuals are too powerful with their flames. But you see this is not very well appreciated in our society. A hunter without a macula is considered biologically defected, they are considered as low castes." I looked at her, a tingling sensation passed through me," What if i dont get a macula...i mean i remember yesterday when i made fire and Aryaman was trying to reach me and i dont know why, i saw Abhimanue dragging him away from him stating that my flames were too intense, that he cannot handle so much of power." I wasnt sure if this was something to be happy about or to be sad about. I mean, now i really wanted to have a macula of my own." See dear, these are stories, nobody knows what is the truth is, so for now leave all this." I tried to ply on what Nyonika Aunt said but i just couldnt set my head off it," What about my father? What was his macula?" I asked rather enthusiastically, i still had a hope but it seemed like my question botherd Aunt Nyonika, she then probably reading my doubts smiled a faked smile and replied," Your father was a human dear, he had no macula." Now this was strange, why would my mother marry a human. Chucking all the thoughts i ate my dinner and went to bed early, tomorrow was a new day.
It had only been few weeks and my life took a 360 degree turn. I shifted to Dhanaulty, made friends, had a crush on Aryaman and ended up kissing his rival, became the most popular girl of the school for strange reasons, made fire, realised that i was not human and now had a doubt if i was a low caste of this society. And not to forget, my real mom was no more and one who brought me up was her friend who could make wind according to Aunt Nyonika, and i had absolutely little or no information about my father. And here i was riding into the woods to get trained in making fire. Aryman had reached pretty early and it was still 6 in the morning and we were heading deep inside the woods. Every step made my heart beats thump harder." Chill Nandini!!! Nobody is going to eat you ok!" Well honestly Aryaman's words made no difference this time. We reached a hill top and looked down. I saw hundreds of children training, i gulped down my saliva and followed Aryaman. " Nandini!!!! Finally you are here, i am so excited about all this, we are gonna have so much fun." I heard Mukti screaming and running towards me. It was nice meeting her, she was a sweetheart. She was accompanied by Abhimanie who checked if i was alright and i answered with a smile. I noticed Soha and Madhayam standing together at one corner whispering something to each other. " So miss Nandini is here finally," I turned my head to meet a new face of a man. He seemed in his mid 20's and was kind of intriguing. I was still trying to recogise him when Aryaman spoke," Nandini, he is our trainer, TK, Trilok Chuarasiya." I passed a smile to him and he replied with the same,"How do you know who i am?" I asked him with curioity,"Who doesnt know you miss?" He replied rather coolly but it disturbed me,"And why is that so?" He gave me a look and went away, i was already hating him for doing this, Aryaman poked me to follow him and i did the same.He whistled and every student came back and made a crowd around him," Students, please welcome a new hunter in our camp, Miss Nandini...daughter of Sharon Cole." It was rather disturbing when as soon as he took my name every single child out there gasped and then all of them started whispering to themselves, they were talking about me, and judging me."I expect you all to welcome her and help her whenever she needs you dismiss now!!" I was already hating this camp now, people gossiping about me was the last thing that i wanted right now and maybe now i understood what my adoptive mother meant when she told me that change was the only truth of my life and my memories the only dreams that i possess, and that maybe now the only way out was believing in myself...
