Unpredictable Lives: Link to T2 Page 152 - Page 2

Thank you, your words of encouragement mean a lot

Will definitely PM you.

Lol...will post next chapter on Monday

Am not sure what special squad is...not seen it. But if there is a resemblance then I promise it coincidental lol.

Thank you for liking. Will definitely PM you

Please see below for second chapter to this FF. I didnt get many people liking the story so am now a little apprehensive of whether i should continue. For those who did read and leave a comment much appreciated.

Hope you like it.

Saima

Two

September 5^th 2012, was the day that Zoya, Najma and Rehan landed in India, a day that was going to change their lives for the rest of their lives. A representative from the college had come to receive them and a few more students that were flying in from the UK and South Africa. As all the students (eight in total) gathered Mr Kapil, the rep escorted them towards the mini bus and then headed on towards the college. Everyone in the bus exchanged smiles but no one said anything until they had all been called by the Principal after settling in to their halls.

My name is Mr Anand, I am the Principal of this institute, I would like to welcome you all, I hope you all had a pleasant flight and found your accommodation well...' Mr Anand went on for another fifteen minutes going over what he expected form them and how the exchange programme works, what the rules and regulations where and then about general safety when going out on filming expeditions. Before you all go I would like you to all stand up and tell everyone here your name, where you are from and what it is you are hoping to specialise in and gain from being here'.

One by one every one stood up and gave a short introduction. Zoya, Najma and Rehan were from America, Rhea and Rishi were from South Africa and Soniya and Jai were from London, all here to study Media and Journalism. All the exchange students were placed on the same floor, which was the top floor of their 4 storey building. On their way out Jai suggested that they all went for a coffee to help break the ice and get to know one another, which they did and very much enjoyed.

It had only been ten days into their new academic year and the students were given their first assignments. Zoya was put into a different group to Rehan and Najma, they were with Rishi, Soniya and one other student who was already a student from the college. Zoya was with Rhea, Jai and another pupil from the college called Aarav. Their first assignment was to make a short (twenty minute) documentary on one of the following topics:

1. The increase of pollution - how to make Mumbai green

2. Child employment - exploitation of children who live in the slumps

3. Dowry - why daughters have become a burden

Zoya's group were given the second topic, something Zoya was happy with as it was a topic she had touched upon during her work experience with UNICEF. They all had three weeks to research and put their documentary together. Rhea and Aarav chose to be behind the camera and Zoya and Jai would lead on presenting. All four of them dispersed agreeing to carry out individual research before meeting back to set out exactly what they needed to cover and where they needed to go.

The next few days went by in a whizz, Zoya and her group managed to fit in time for their individual research in between their lectures, they finally met on day four to bring everything together and plan ahead. 'We need to submit a risk assessment form to the tutor as well as get permission to film in our location by next Tuesday, that leaves us with exactly ten days to do this from start to finish' Zoya pointed out 'ok but before we can do the risk assessment we need to visit the location and get permission first, if we don't have that then there really is no point' Aarav interjected 'true...how about we go tomorrow, we all have the afternoon off for study period, I am sure if we as Mr Anand will allow us to go'.

Zoya and Rhea waited outside the college's main building for Aarav and Jai to come out of their lesson. They had acquired the relevant paper work and permission slips from Mr Anand and were good to go. For Jai and Zoya this was their first trip to India, so their journey into Mumbai and up towards the little man made shanty towns was a real eye opener. The area they were going to visit was known as Moti Mahal, which translated meant pearl palace, and this place was far from any palace or anything as beautiful as a precious stone. The place was a maze of little man made hubs, the walls were made out of any material you could think of, paper, cardboard, cloth, bricks and even plastic.

As they walked into the maze of open plan house (if you could call them that) the group saw young women and old women and children go about their daily business, some were cooking, washing, and cleaning, whilst others lay down resting on make shift beds. The kids played freely clothed to the bare minimum. The sight they saw before them was heart breaking; they couldn't believe that people actually lived like this. They were led to a small bricked hut towards the back of the village' if it could be termed that. In the hut they met a dodgy looking character, a man called Arvind Shinde, he for all intent and purposes was a self-appointed leader of the people who lived here, and no one was allowed to do anything without his permission. He sat comfortably on a big chair behind a worn out wooden desk with two men standing on either side of him. The four of them stood in the door looking at each other pleash come ins' the man said shinning his yellow stained teeth at them, Zoya cringed and Rhea who looked visibly scared inched closer to her. Aarav led on the discussion being from Mumbai itself he was more familiar with the way things ran even in little shanty towns, judging the level of this guy's English Aarav took it upon himself to address him in Hindi. After a good ten minute dialogue and negotiation Mr Shinde agreed for the group to film, but the permission was only given for two days, which wasn't enough but due to time constraints and amount of work they had to do they agreed.

Rhea and Zoya were the first ones to run out of the hut as soon as they thanked him, the way he looked at them made their skin crawl how sickening was he?' Rhea said scrunching up her face; Zoya started laughing 'very...let's just hope we don't have to bump into him again'. On their way out the group managed to get lost I am telling you it's this way' Jai exclaimed no its not it that way' Aarav argued back. As they squabbled the residence of Moti Mahal started to gather, seeing people who visibly looked different and talking in a different language intrigued them raasta bhool gaye' (have you lost your way) an elderly man asked the four of them nodded making him laugh yahan se jao' (go from here) Zoya and Rhea looked at the two boys who had both been fighting and who were both wrong. They thanked the elderly man and walked towards the main road on their way out Zoya noticed a group of guys in the a small alley way, they were exchanging parcels, but that wasn't what caught her attention it was the large bundle of money and a small weapon that one of them had concealed in the rim of his trousers.

Zoya gasped and froze, it was Aarav who first noticed that Zoya was not with them, he turned around to see Zoya looking shocked he ran up to her and then followed her gaze, once he realised what was happening he held on to her elbow 'Zoya we need to go...come' Zoya looked at him wide eyes Aar...' Zoya...Now' he said in a frim voice. Once out of Moti Mahal the group walked towards the bus stop what the hell was all that about' Zoya asked 'Zoya...sights like what you just saw are not uncommon, it was obviously some kind of drug deal or other illegal interaction going on, what you need to do is stay away and not get yourself involved'. Zoya knew what Aarav was saying was only because he was concerned for her safety but what had happened was not right and she felt the need to tell the authorities 'Zoya...you don't know what it was, you are only going on what I told you...don't get yourself involved, some of these people can be dangerous'.

Once the group had handed in their risk assessment they were cleared to go ahead they packed their bags for a long day ahead, seeing they had only two days they were going to do long shift. One of Arvind Shinde's men met the four of them just outside Moti Mahal, he went over some rules that Arvind had asked to pass on. 'You are not allowed to enter the blue zone, that is where you met with Mr Shinde, if you have an issue or problem you can ask anyone of the residents to call for me, my name is Tony, I will come to assist you. We would like you to pack up by 6 the very latest, what you have left to do you can finish tomorrow, and it is only you four that have permission to film or talk to our people, no one else is allowed' the four of them looked at each other and then back at this Tony character and just nodded in agreement. 'I thought this was a free democratic country...so why all these rules, don't these people have a voice of their own?' Rhea said feeling agitated 'everything we see, hear and experience here will be a new learning curve, we are bound to come across things that we either agree with or outright dislike and can't stand, but it will what will help us develop and open up our minds...it's why we chose to be in this field after all' Jai said putting up a good counter argument hmmm...I guess we should start then'.

Please do continue...Would love to see how your ff turns out.

Very well written... Waiting to see what zoya does and how she meets asad