Posted:
CHAPTER 2
"Twinkle, get up child. We have to leave", I heard my grandfather's voice and wondered what was he doing there. Then it dawned on to me and I swiftly opened my eyes only to realise that I was not in any forest in California, I was in my grandfather's house in New England, away from the memories of the past but it didn't seem to work. My past was following me even in my thoughts and dreams. My grandfather noticed my eyes red and puffed and the floor totally wet. He knew everything what happened in the past, about my Mom's death, about my nightmares. He was the only support I had now.
"Had the same nightmare, honey?" he asked gently stroking my hair.
"Yes, Nanu. It was the same as ever. I don't know why I always suffer like this. Its been a month since I lost my mother but that dreadful night is haunting my thoughts ever since I regained consciousness. I miss her, Nanu. I miss her so very much but why was she taken away from me? I want her back Nanu. I want everything to be normal as before", I said and tears started flowing again from my eyes.
Nanu wiped my tears and said," Don't worry, child. Everything will be alright soon. Its just that you need to move on from it and live your life. Even your mother would have wanted the same for you. Now come on, get up from the ground and quickly freshen up. We are leaving for your new school in an hour. Be ready, honey. I am waiting outside", he said and walked out. Maybe he was right. I should move on. I quickly got up, wiped my face and changed quickly.
"You cut your hair", my grandfather said, aghast, when I walked downstairs for breakfast.
I nodded. "I wanted a change."
"It looks very nice", he said.
"Thanks", I said, with a slight smile.
After a breakfast of dainty sandwiches and cucumber salad, Dustin, my grandfather's most loyal worker or I should say a family member, invited me to play a game of croquet. Manning a croquet mallet, I followed him to the back lawn. After only fifteen minutes he was beating me by six swings. Frowning, I stepped up for my turn. I didn't like to lose. Twinkle Taneja could never lose. After a moment of deep concentration, I swing. It was a swift hit and I rested the croquet mallet over my shoulder while I watched the ball roll all the way to the other side of the lawn, in the complete opposite direction of the ring I should have been aiming for. Dustin chuckled, but I scowled and ran over to my ball. It was resting at the edge of the woods, where a thicket of birch trees shaded the grass. Dustin called out to me, but I ignored him and bent down. Just as my fingers grazed the ball, I jumped back.
A pulp of feathers and dried blood was resting in front of it, the bones jutting out at unnatural angels. Unable to control myself, I screamed.
Dustin ran over to me, surprisingly agile despite his age and the stuffy suit he was wearing. He summoned a garden worker as my grandfather approached and surveyed the scene. "Get rid of it, please", he said to one of the gardeners, patting me on the back. "Just a dead bird. Nothing to be frightened of."
"Right," I said, standing up, embarrassed that i had caused such a fuss. This had happened to me before. Even as a child, I seemed to find my way to dead things.
"Let's leave for the school."
Dustin was driving the car while I and Nanu were seated at the back. He drove us through the grassy knolls of Vermont, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and finally into western Maine. We hadn't seen civilisations in hours. Up ahead, there was a tunnel. Dustin locked the car doors. The radio became scratch it turned completely static.
When we emerged through the other end, we were in the mountains. Snowmelt trickled down from the peaks, soaking the road, and Dustin slowed as we turned a bend.
And then out of nowhere, we passed a house. It was half dilapidated, made of a dark wood that was rotting at the base. I was sure it was abandoned until I spotted a figure moving inside, behind the curtains of a cracked kitchen window.
Slowly, we began to pass more houses until we reached an intersection with a general store, gas station, and a diner with a faded sign that read BEATRICE'S.
"What is this place?" I asked.
"Attica Falls", said my grandfather.
A few cars were parked along the side of the road, and a man was pumping diesel into the rusty pickup truck at the gas station. A stray cat ran under a house porch. Otherwise, the town was empty. Dustin made a left at the intersection, then headed up a steep road that led us around the mountains. The town ended as suddenly as it began. I looked back to catch one last glimpse of it just as we hugged the bend. ATTICA FALLS.
When I turned back around, we had come to a stop. Nestled into the forest were tall iron gates, spiralling together like branches of a tree. Hanging at the centre was a brass plate engraved with GOTTFRIED ACADEMY. A crest of arms was inscribed below it, with the words VOX SAPIENTIAE CLAMANS EX INFERNO. A small man dressed in a guard's uniform approached the driver's side.
Dustin rolled down his window. "Mr. Anil Taneja", he said solemnly.
Surprised, the guard stepped back and stood up straight. "Sir", he said, giving our car a stiff nod and running to open the gates.
Precap - Nikki said, " I've tried to make conversations, but he barely acknowledges me. He's sort of like social outcast, except that everyone is secretly obsessed with him. The thing is...he's beautiful. He is this rugged, devastatingly gorgeous guy.
"Who is he?" I asked.
"Kunj Sarna", she replied.
"Twinkle, get up child. We have to leave", I heard my grandfather's voice and wondered what was he doing there. Then it dawned on to me and I swiftly opened my eyes only to realise that I was not in any forest in California, I was in my grandfather's house in New England, away from the memories of the past but it didn't seem to work. My past was following me even in my thoughts and dreams. My grandfather noticed my eyes red and puffed and the floor totally wet. He knew everything what happened in the past, about my Mom's death, about my nightmares. He was the only support I had now.
"Had the same nightmare, honey?" he asked gently stroking my hair.
"Yes, Nanu. It was the same as ever. I don't know why I always suffer like this. Its been a month since I lost my mother but that dreadful night is haunting my thoughts ever since I regained consciousness. I miss her, Nanu. I miss her so very much but why was she taken away from me? I want her back Nanu. I want everything to be normal as before", I said and tears started flowing again from my eyes.
Nanu wiped my tears and said," Don't worry, child. Everything will be alright soon. Its just that you need to move on from it and live your life. Even your mother would have wanted the same for you. Now come on, get up from the ground and quickly freshen up. We are leaving for your new school in an hour. Be ready, honey. I am waiting outside", he said and walked out. Maybe he was right. I should move on. I quickly got up, wiped my face and changed quickly.
"You cut your hair", my grandfather said, aghast, when I walked downstairs for breakfast.
I nodded. "I wanted a change."
"It looks very nice", he said.
"Thanks", I said, with a slight smile.
After a breakfast of dainty sandwiches and cucumber salad, Dustin, my grandfather's most loyal worker or I should say a family member, invited me to play a game of croquet. Manning a croquet mallet, I followed him to the back lawn. After only fifteen minutes he was beating me by six swings. Frowning, I stepped up for my turn. I didn't like to lose. Twinkle Taneja could never lose. After a moment of deep concentration, I swing. It was a swift hit and I rested the croquet mallet over my shoulder while I watched the ball roll all the way to the other side of the lawn, in the complete opposite direction of the ring I should have been aiming for. Dustin chuckled, but I scowled and ran over to my ball. It was resting at the edge of the woods, where a thicket of birch trees shaded the grass. Dustin called out to me, but I ignored him and bent down. Just as my fingers grazed the ball, I jumped back.
A pulp of feathers and dried blood was resting in front of it, the bones jutting out at unnatural angels. Unable to control myself, I screamed.
Dustin ran over to me, surprisingly agile despite his age and the stuffy suit he was wearing. He summoned a garden worker as my grandfather approached and surveyed the scene. "Get rid of it, please", he said to one of the gardeners, patting me on the back. "Just a dead bird. Nothing to be frightened of."
"Right," I said, standing up, embarrassed that i had caused such a fuss. This had happened to me before. Even as a child, I seemed to find my way to dead things.
"Let's leave for the school."
Dustin was driving the car while I and Nanu were seated at the back. He drove us through the grassy knolls of Vermont, the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and finally into western Maine. We hadn't seen civilisations in hours. Up ahead, there was a tunnel. Dustin locked the car doors. The radio became scratch it turned completely static.
When we emerged through the other end, we were in the mountains. Snowmelt trickled down from the peaks, soaking the road, and Dustin slowed as we turned a bend.
And then out of nowhere, we passed a house. It was half dilapidated, made of a dark wood that was rotting at the base. I was sure it was abandoned until I spotted a figure moving inside, behind the curtains of a cracked kitchen window.
Slowly, we began to pass more houses until we reached an intersection with a general store, gas station, and a diner with a faded sign that read BEATRICE'S.
"What is this place?" I asked.
"Attica Falls", said my grandfather.
A few cars were parked along the side of the road, and a man was pumping diesel into the rusty pickup truck at the gas station. A stray cat ran under a house porch. Otherwise, the town was empty. Dustin made a left at the intersection, then headed up a steep road that led us around the mountains. The town ended as suddenly as it began. I looked back to catch one last glimpse of it just as we hugged the bend. ATTICA FALLS.
When I turned back around, we had come to a stop. Nestled into the forest were tall iron gates, spiralling together like branches of a tree. Hanging at the centre was a brass plate engraved with GOTTFRIED ACADEMY. A crest of arms was inscribed below it, with the words VOX SAPIENTIAE CLAMANS EX INFERNO. A small man dressed in a guard's uniform approached the driver's side.
Dustin rolled down his window. "Mr. Anil Taneja", he said solemnly.
Surprised, the guard stepped back and stood up straight. "Sir", he said, giving our car a stiff nod and running to open the gates.
Precap - Nikki said, " I've tried to make conversations, but he barely acknowledges me. He's sort of like social outcast, except that everyone is secretly obsessed with him. The thing is...he's beautiful. He is this rugged, devastatingly gorgeous guy.
"Who is he?" I asked.
"Kunj Sarna", she replied.
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
