"Yuuma!" Yuuma turns and her legs freeze in place, her feet glued to the ground, her skin tone going down three shades, while her mouth just hung open. She sees the one who spotted her was her cousin Fizan. He stood a good five to six feet away from her, until he finally moved and began to walk toward her. She couldn't think a whole lot, for she felt she had just committed a murder, and before she could escape the crime scene, her luck gave in on her, while the police stood before her holding hand- cuffs. "What are you doing?" He asked in a calm and soothing voice. But all Yuuma could think of was 'calm before the storm.' She gulped and then finally spoke as he stood there with an emotionless expression implanted on his face.
"I'm...I'm going for a walk..." She said, as an awkward smile formed across her face.
"Walk?" He said the word as it was some new terminology to him "It's your wedding tomorrow, stop acting like a child and let's go." He grabbed her wrist, and then pulled her toward him. But, she stood her ground. His facial expressions soften and he spoke out in concern "Yuuma? Don't tell me-" before he could say anything more, Yuuma yanked her arm away from his grip, and spoke "I'm going for a walk, I just want to clear my head, please let me still believe this is a dream."
"What ar-"
"Look at me Fizan. I'm only 23, and I'm getting married to whom I don't even know, nor met or seen, and I'm going to be devoting my life to him; without really my say, without my approval, and why must I do that? Because it's an honourable thing for a daughter to do? First, you are your father's possession, and then you are your husband's. Can a woman ever be her own? Can't she ever listen to herself, and ask what she wants, what are her desires." She stops looks up at him and smiles. "It's funny how I was born and raised in England but Indian culture was always been shoved down my throat. I always; listened to my parents, I focused so much on my education and aiming for that law degree, that it doesn't mean anything to me anymore, I look back at my life and regret the decisions I've made. Maybe if I wasn't so obedient and was able to think and walk without amma and abba's shadow of protection, I would have had a best friend, I would have had a life, that was made of unforgettable memories. And now, I'm making the same mistake: allowing my parents to rule it once again. But it's ok, their my parents, they know what's good for me, and I trust them. But just for once let me out, let me follow my own shadow, I want to live, I want to know, know what life might look like beyond these walls, even if it's only a second, let me out for awhile. And then, and then I'm willing to go back and devote my life to whomever my parents have chosen for me." She finally stops talking and looks at him, and then she distinguishes how her brain has reactivated itself again. 'Did I just say all what? were those really my own thoughts and emotions?' She asked. She placed her gaze toward the ground and started figuring out her next move. She finally felt Fizan's index finger underneath her chin. She felt her face lift up, and her gazed left the ground so they can face his..."you're getting married to keep your parents happy?" he asked and she nodded.
"Alright, you can go for a walk, but I'm coming with you." He spoke in a firm tone.
"No, were you not listening, I. WANNA.-"
"Yes, I get it but, the world you speak of is not what you think it is Yuuma, it's scary and retched, and it's filled with monsters and wild animals, you are going-" Yuuma quickly cupped his checks with her hands and interrupted his sentence as he did hers. "Fizan, I'll be ok, Please let me go, I want to experience this myself, and you love me don't you? If you do, please understand...please." She said as her eyes soften. His fingers enclosed around her wrist that were placed upon his cheeks and slid them down his face, and held them at his side. He looked at her with eyes she couldn't read, for the first time, she saw something in them, something she couldn't quite explain. She gazed at them, but she couldn't take her eyes away from them. Until he finally let go of her hands and turned around. "Go." He spoke. A smile spread across her face, and before she knew it she jumped on his back, and hugged him from behind. "Thank you, thank you Fizan." She said. He turned around to face her; Yuuma playfully ruffled his short brown hair, which was styled in spikes. But he stood his ground, and didn't react. "Go." He said once more, "Go before I change my mind." But as he said it, his voice changed its tone. Yuuma didn't pay much attention, or reacted to his change in accent; but smiled and turned toward the gate once again. She placed her palm on the handle, as her fingers wrapped around it, she lifted it up, and before she knew it, she was out the door into the empty street.
Yuuma's feet touched the paved road, as a sense of excitements rushed through her body. She closed her eyes as her legs guided her path. And before she knew it, she was in the middle of the city. She stood there for some time, taking the whole scenery in. She looked ahead of her and saw many bazaars crowded with all sorts of people. She walked farther ahead and listened to the heavy traffic, while the aroma of food was all around her. Everything around her was lively; the more she saw and observed the more excited she became. She looked at the people ahead of her, they were in their own world and life, but on these streets, she was invisible, she was unseen, or at least that is how she viewed herself. She suddenly flops to the left as someone pushed her aside. She was then knocked to the right as more people passed her. And before she knew it people were trampling over her. In a mere second, her excitement was turned to fear. She felt alone, she felt scared and more so, overwhelmed. She got up quickly and started searching for the nearest shore. She felt as if someone has pushed her into the bottom on the sea. She was drowning she knew she was sinking. She tried reaching for the surface, as her legs kicked up, but she was pulled down again. She pushed once more, and finally spotted shore; she got onto the sidewalk, but the pushing and shoving never stopped. But this time as they passed her she felt their eyes piercing through her, looking at her as a trespasser. Yuuma started to panic. She felt helpless; she slowly backed up while tripping and bumping into people surrounding her. She quickly pushed past them and ran.
She ran to where ever her feet carried her; she ran as fast as her legs could carry her until she stopped. She caught her breath as she fell to the ground; trying to inhale and exhale her breathing. She stood there in the same position for a while, her muscles tensed, as her body sifted. She finally blinked, and tried moving. She looked around her toward her surrounding, She looked at the narrow walls, as her nose caught onto the retched stink of slush and garbage, while her ears caught on to the vex noises. "Damn." She voiced out, as she realized her legs carried her towards an alley. Her eyes blinked, as she took a deep breath. She slowly started to get up. She leaned her hand on the brick walls to assist her average weight; until she suddenly heard a moan, it caught her off guard, until she realized the person whose mouth it escaped from was her own. She looked down, as her eyes came across her ripped lehenga. 'Great' she thought 'I ruined it, smart thing wearing it...dumbass.' "Well," she projected "it can't possible get any worse than this." As soon as she finished her sentence, she felt a splash of drop upon her flustered checks, seconds later those droplets turned to rain, soaking her whole body. She turned around trying to head out the alley, in order to find a place to dry. Until right across from it, she saw a bunch of wild animals staring at her in hunger. Looking at her, with crocked smiles and desire's in their eyes.
Anupamaa
Naagin 7
