MaNan-Deceiving Veils {Chapter-2 on Page 3}

Loved!

She was loved her entire life, though it consisted mere 20 autumns till that time. Mild, she liked it mild; getting pampered by sunshine after mild cold night. Like all those songs she had written, her life was nothing less than reverie. She believed that Life is beautiful. She had reasons. Maybe she was wired that way or it was all she had seen till that date. 10 out of those 20 sublime years, all she had seen was beauty of one kind; Love around, respect and warmth of people. Her people, people who had seen her with love and respect all these year. She could not get enough of the fact that her father was one kind leader. 'Nandini', the day her father named her, she had limned the truest meaning of this word. A world knitted so lovely, a world weaved so thick...

Perfect! Isn't it?

But there are sugar coatings, mirages and deceiving veils; Veils covering ugliest of realities. Grassy paths have swathe beside. It's just they hardly get noticed in garden full of roses.

Daughter of a Minister whom she thinks of as great leader, a place she thinks of as one of happiest regions, a joy she thinks of as absolute concord, it was all about to change. Her home was about to turn into war-zone. Deceiving veils around, was she about to lift one?

She liked it mild, and here a volcano was about to erupt.

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Nandini's life was about to change. A girl who hadn't learned about the cruel side of life. What would happen when she would be left alone in this jungle to survive. All the privileges taken away, all the love turning into abhorrence; this journey would not be accompanied by friends.

Stay tuned. ;)

"Hello Mrs. Murthy," an old man wished mother as soon as they entered the boundary of town hall. Consecutive 7th day of welfare meeting headed by wife of minister in this hour of dark, Nandini was more than happy to accompany her mother. After all, her mother had taken this big responsibility to put a mask of placid. Even Nandini wouldn't have known if she hadn't known her mother too well. Walking beside her, seeing those eyes around; eyes full of fear, hope and questions, even she shivered many a times. People would look down as soon as she would look deep into their eyes but she did see ire in them.

"We stand together in this hour of need. We stand united as this is our biggest strength," mother concluded her speech and hall got filled with extol. Why all of this sounded so shallow? She wondered. Her mother clutched her hand and started walking towards exit. Her mother dragged her while she was busy reading her people's eyes. She was scared. Yes, she was. There was something in those eyes which made her soul shiver.

As soon as they got out, something hit her mother's head and she flinched. Blood was oozing out of her forehead. "Mother, are you alright?" Nandini asked quivering. Before she could register anything further, she and her mother were being dragged towards car by guards and there was stampede around. Screeches pierced through her ears and tears rolled down her cheeks.

She looked at her mother who was trying to cover her even when she was in immense pain herself. Their car started to move and she could see bricks, burning bottles and ashes coming towards them. She closed her eyes. A few hit their car and glass was all over seat. She looked at her mother who was equally baffled. Those screaming faces around full of rage, didn't she know them? Her own people!

Reaching their mansion, first thing she did was dressing her mother's wound. "Nandini, I am fine," her Mother told her for nth time. Nandini looked into her eyes and Mrs. Murthy looked away. Nandini held her hand and asked,"When would father return, Mother? " Her Mother had no answer. Her recorded lies had become useless on Nandini. She won't buy them and Mrs. Murthy knew it.

"Ma'm...," a panicked maid cut their conversation. "What happened, Samantha?" Mother asked. "Ma'm, we are under attack. They are here," she answered.

In no time, both of them were taken out of their mansion. Nandini looked at her home from back seat. It was on fire. She saw masked men pointing towards their car and she shivered. "Hurry up," she asked driver. Mother asked guard where they would be taken to.
"Refugee camp?" Mother almost shouted on him. "What's the issue, mother? Nandini asked. Her mother looked terrified. She fumbled as soon as she tried to answer a perplexed Nandini. "Honey, I am not sure if it is a good idea to go there," she could manage to utter. Nandini sighed and said,"we would be just fine there, After all it's our people there."

Rest of journey was quiet. Nandini could tell how her mother was getting anxious with each mile they covered. She looked outside and tried to find answers. Answers which her mother won't give and she doesn't know how to know. Frozen cold mountains, her eyes followed endless view. She rubbed her forearms as temperature was dropping with each passing moment.

"Are we there yet?" Nandini asked driver. Few more miles, she sighed listening an equal cold answer. Her mother clutched her hand and Nandini looked at her. She looked ummm, she could not word it properly. She looked cold. "What it is,mother? Nandini asked. Mrs. Murthy looked at her and kept quiet.

"Promise me something."
Nandini turned completely towards her mother. She was attentive.
"Promise me, if ever anything happened to me; you would survive," Mrs. Murthy uttered. Nandini's forehead had formed fine lines till the moment. "What are you...,"
"I don't know why I am saying all this, Nandini," Mrs. Murthy said cutting Nandini off in between. "Just remember, you have to survive, " she added looking firmly into her eyes.
Nandini looked away. She didn't know anything anymore. She didn't realize when tears rolled down her cheeks. She wiped them away before her mother could notice them. Her nostrils caught some fine smell. Maybe they were there. Their car took the muddy down way and she looked numbers of tents as far as she could see.

Her palms were getting sweaty. Her mother held her hand tightly as soon as they started walking towards a big gate. Men in uniform were escorting them. Nandini could feel strange vibe around. Yes, she was nervous. Girl who never stepped out in public except for annual day when she would walk beside her minister father, was walking muddy way. She was about to enter an area she had never been to.

As soon as they crossed the last fence, she saw numerous eyes on her. There she stood in front of people holding her mother's hand, she sighed one last time and started walking. Those eyes looked eerie as she looked in them while they made a way for them. They sought answers. A Few parting to give them a way, a few blocking them, Nandini looked up immediately. She for sure was shocked seeing this side of fence. She looked at her mother who had her eyes gazing ground.

Started as a feeling, grown into a word; she heard a mob speaking in next few seconds and they stood deaf, perplexed and still.

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Love
Aditi