Prologue
***
...
He never can cross that mighty top!
He's forced to let the piping drop
And we shall see our children stop!"
When, lo, as they reached the mountain-side,
A wondrous portal opened wide,
As if a cavern was suddenly hollowed;
And the Piper advanced and the children followed,
And when all were in to the very last,
The door in the mountain-side shut fast.
...
-The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Robert Browning
***
Ramesh turned to his side for the fifteenth time that night.
Does Babuji think I have influenced the cousins, that I lured them?
He laughed to himself.
Na. Babuji probably thinks I'm too dumb to "lure". He may not trust my character. But he definitely trusts my incapability.
He shut his eyes. 'Have they eaten?'
Lakshmi placed her hand on his arm. 'Probably.'
Ramesh realised he'd thought the last question aloud. He turned to face Lakshmi. He gave her a sad smile and squeezed her hand.
'You have to relax Ramesh. There's nothing you can do. You didn't flinch while sending Nisha alone... We didn't even know her whereabouts. Then why are you worried now? All the cousins are together. They'll take care of each other.' Lakshmi said, searching his eyes.
Both knew that Ramesh's worry didn't end at the cousins. Yet, some worries were less worrying than others. Ramesh often tried to focus on the lesser.
Lightly he caressed Lakshmi's hair. 'Lakshmi, you always relax me.' He said even as Lakshmi stroked his temple until he fell asleep.
***
Nemichand lay awake staring at the ceiling. He straightened out his legs, hoping to calm himself down. It didn't help.
So they do blame me. I'm the villain. Every single time I erred...They've kept a tally. A single tear rolled down the corner of his eye. I've misjudged. I thought Ramesh would calm down. See my point of view. Show it to them. Perhaps they wouldn't listen even to him. Fear and hatred... I'm not... Not the villain...
He let out a soft sniff.
I'm not your enemy. Please don't abhor me. Please. He squeezed his eyes shut, forcing out the welled up tears.
Saroj took his hand into hers. 'Nothing you can do now. Sleep. Things will get better. Stop trying to control the situation. Let it play out.'
She wiped his tears and patted his arm. 'Sleep.'
***
Though Ramesh was no Pied Piper, he had shown them dreams... Dreams of not being afraid to think. They had dreamt far enough to not back out now. They had tasted freedom.
They knew the rush that living life on one's own terms gave.
No mountain was high enough to make them compromise now.
***
Edited by _UptoNoGood_ - 10 years ago
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