Hello people,
This fanfic is a united attempt by everyone on this forum who knows how to write one. We shall be having chapter additions by a variety of members, even new one's should they wish to add on. The story line and concept shall be elaborated upon as the story moves on. Meanwhile, enjoy the first chapter.
$$$$$
Chapter one::
The day was young and a beautiful and brilliant sunshine could be seen over the horizon. The morning sounds of birds and bee's hummed in the air, as a female in a pink color outfit, a big smile on her face and her brown hair flying in the air came running across the field. As she looked up in the sky, an oddly satisfying glint entered her eyes. Whistling, softly under her breath so that the old villagers didn't hear and frown at her, she made her way home.
Stopping on the way, she bent to examine a stray dog who was nursing his hurt hand. Bending at the waist she looked directly in his eye and crooned softly "What happened buddy? Did you get into a fight? Madat kar do kya main tumhari?"
The dog whimpered softly, thrusting his hand in her face so that she could examine the scratch. Looking back up, she shook her head. "Itne se chote scratch se dar gaye ho? Mujhe dekho, yeh saara pind mujhe ajeed kehta hai, phir bhi main yahaan 20 years se reh rahi hoon, lekin ab toh mujhe jaana hoga na. Tum bhi brave bano, don't cry."
The dog nodded, which was an odd activity even for a dog, and licked her hand.
"Jab dekho aise janwaron se baat karti rehti hai. Kya samajh rakha hai tune, yeh gaon hai kudiye, yeh sab yahaan nahin chalega" came a stern voice from behind. She turned and gave a lopsided grin. "Jaa rahi hoon." Saluting to the Dog as if he's done her a fvour, she marched on, unaware of the strange looks she was getting.
"Chandni................"
Turning, she looked up and smiled.
Running towards her from across the road was her best friend Radha. Stopping a few feet away from her, Radha huffed, trying hard to catch her breath. "Kahaan thi tu?" She asked between long drawn out breaths.
"Yaheen par, ghar baithe baithe tang ho rahi thi, isiliye socha, chalo, ghoom aate hai," she said, flicking her long brown hair behind her back. Sensing that her jeans were slipping a tad too low, she pulled them up. "Kyun?"
"Yeh kya hungama khada kar diya hai tune ghar pe?" asked Radha. "Mumbai, wahaan jaana parivar se bhi jyada zaroori hai kya?" She asked again. "Yeh sab kyun?"
"Dekh radha, tujhe aur mujhe, dono ko pata hai ke yahaan mujhe koi nahin samajhta. Papa ne toh aage padne ke liye bhi mana kar diya hai. Lekin main yahan reh kar bhi kya karungi. Mumbai mein I'll be on my own, jahaan mein apne dreams fulfill karne ki atleast koshish kar sakti hoon,"she said in a rush. Pausin for a breath she continued, "yahaan papa shaadi ki baat karenge. Aur is pindh mein mujhse shaadi kaun karega?"
"Toh kya, tu bas utheke chali jayegi? Tujhe pata hai ma kitni naraj hai?" she said accusingly.
"Ha, par life hai yeh meri, and I'm not going to settle for anything less than what I deserve," she finished.
"Aur paise? Mumbai is expensive Chandni," warned Radha.
"Jaanti hoon. Yaad hai, maine Dr Badani ke animal hospital mein ek saal kaam kiya that?"
"haan, aur who darte the ke unki naukri tum cheen na le jao. Unsein jyada, tum jaan leti thi ke un janwaron ko kya chahiye," said Radha, a faint smile on her face.
"Haan, wahaan kaam karte karte, mere paar ab itne paise hain ke mein Mumbai mein ek mahina aaraam se reh sakti hoon," finished Chadni.
"Aur uske baad?"
"Jahaan kismet le jaye".
@@@@@@@@@
"Toh tune decide kar diya hai?" asked Chandni's mother as she stepped into chandni's room.
"Ma, aap janti ho na mera jawaab kya hai. Please yeh melodrama band karo. Kal subah main chali jaongi, sirf ek mahine ki baat hai. Agar kuch nahin hua, toh wapas to menu yaheen aana hai, toh phir darr kaise?"
"Kya matlab, akeli ladki, kaise rahega mera bacha?" said her mother, hugging her fiercely.
"Jaise yahaan itne saal nikale hain waise. Ab tussi jao, bauji bahut gussa honge agar who tumhe yahaan dekh lenge."
"Theek hai puttar, goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Chandni sighed, as her mother got up to leave the room. Resuming her packing, she stuffed her last few belongings back inside her bag.
"Puttar?"
"Ha?" said Chandni, turning to find her mother on the doorstep.
"Main janti hoon ke tujhe yahaan kabhi kuch khaas khushi nahin mili, aur hum kabhi tujhe samajh nahin paye, par agar wahan kuch bhi hua, toh tu cheti cheti laut aana," she said, her own motherly concern evident.
"Hanji mummy. Aur tussi fikar kyun karte ho, Radha jo chal rahi hai mere saath, aur who kudi thoda na koi AK-47 se kum hai. Aur rehne ke intejaam bhi toh ho hi gaya hai na. Ab daro nahin, aur jao so jao," said Chandni, reassuaring her mother.
"Theek hai".
@@@@@@@
"Toh tu jaa hi rahi hai?" asked Ravindra singh kapoor.
"Ji bauji," replied chandni her bags in her hand.
Her father sighed, studying his odd daughter in front of him. He never had understood what was so unique about her. When she was five she had pulled a pup out of a roaring fire. Since then, an odd bond connected her and any animal that she came in contact with. In a village where to open your hair for long was considered odd, his daughter had been the black mark on everyone's face.
And now here she was, standing before him, ready to move out, into a world where people played with emotions. And he couldn't stop her.
"Apna khayal rakhan, aur chithi nahin likhi na, toh ek lagaonga," he said, smiling.
Chandni smiled through her tears and boarded the train. "Mennu yaad rakhan bauji. Bye beeji, bye bauji," she said one last time, before the train pulled away from the station.
@@@@@@@@@@@@
As the Bombay central station pulled into sight, Chandni felt an odd tightening in her stomach. She was here.
"Oye Radha, chal samaan utha, Mumbai aagaye," she shouted over the Train's long horn. Looking closely at the station she was astonished to see so many people around her. So many vendors , so many lights. Just then a poor child came running to her window.
"Didi, do din se khana nahin khaya, paise de do na," he said, his voice pitiful, his face grime lined.
"Yeh le," she said, handing over one of her food packets containing the last of the paratha's her mother had prepared.
The fellow looked at the packet with contempt and threw it back at her. "Paise maange the na," he shouted and moved on to another window. Shocked speechless she looked around at Radha, who was still removing the bags from under their seats.
"Yar Radha, yeh kaisa sheher hai!" Exclaimed Chandni, looking around the station.
"Cheti karo didi, train se utarna bhi to hai," said Radha, drawing Chandni's attention away from the station.
Exiting the station, with great difficulty, Chandni learned the first few rules of Mumbai. Never trust anyone with your bags, or food or anything else. Watch your step, cause people break into fights at the drop of the hat and kindly never think you can escape from people brushing against you.
"Didi, hum yahaan kaise rahenge?" asked Radha in a forebonding voice.
Straightening her spine, Chandni marched on. This was where she was going to make her destiny.
The next chapter will be by another one of our own members. And at the end of five chapters, we'll have a discussion of the week based on this story rather than ic of that week.
Meanwhile, also take a look at the story painting::
Music Corner
