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OS: Rhea, The Little Orphan Girl
It was raining. It was raining so heavy that it was hard to see. Rhea could not remember when it ever rained this hard. But then Rhea could not remember many rainy seasons; she was barely seven years old.
It had been her birthday 2 days ago. As a birthday treat her parents had driven to the Govind Pashu Vihar Wildlife Sanctuary in Uttarkashi, Uttarkhand. It had been a fun-filled morning, Rhea had enjoyed the picnic lunch and then the rains had arrived unexpectedly. They had rushed into the car. The rains had got worse and the muddy roads were soon water clogged. She could not see anything out of the window and had decided to play with her doll. Her mom was wiping off the inside of the window so her papa could see better. Suddenly, she heard mom scream, the car lurched, somersaulted and they crashed heavily onto a tree.
Everything was blank and then she heard the loud sound of the horn. She was thrown to the bottom of the car between the front and back seat - then there was lightening. The lightening showed her the broken window - from which she crawled out. She had run to her mama, who was partially thrown out. She held her mama in her arms and kept calling out. After what seemed like a long time her mama had opened her eyes and looked at her. "Rhea go - go get help" her mother had said. She had refused to move crying - "No, mama - I am afraid. You come with me". But then her mother had said that again in a soft voice and then died in her arms.
Rhea did not know what death was - but she knew her mama and papa could not get up or move. She had to go and get help. And, so here she was trudging along the muddy road. Her boots, her socks and feet were all muddy and wet. She was cold - her dress and hair were all wet. Her face was wet with tears and rain.
Rhea, raised her eyes just briefly to watch where she was going, and caught a glimpse of a twinkling light in the trees to her left. Curious, she wandered towards it, her breathing coming out in short, labored gasps.
As she stepped into the tree line, she wondered if she might run into some wild animal. Quickly she put aside that thought - her mama had asked her to get help. Stubbornly, she trudged on. Her feet were numb, and more than once she stumbled and fell down. Her clothes were muddy too and she was shivering uncontrollably.
She looked about fearfully. The forest was making strange and frightening noises. At one point, Rhea cried out in terror as a loud thunder rumbled through the sky. She hurried her pace, not knowing where she was headed, save that she had to get to the twinkling light.
Again she tripped, and this time her hands brushed heavily against something hard. Crying out in pain, Rhea looked at her hands. They were bleeding. She washed them in rain water. She clenched her teeth in pain, stood up and continued her walk.
Rhea was getting tired walking through the wet and muddy trail; she felt weighed down. Each step was getting harder and harder to make. Finally, she reached the far edge of the forest and stumbled out. She looked up at the light - it was street lamp. Then she looked back at the forest, confused. It felt like she was breaking through a barrier of some sort - instinctively, she knew her parents would never join her. Never would she feel her mother's caress and warmth or her father's strong arms again.
Her legs were wobbling, she was starving, and felt utterly lonely. She wondered who would care if she was gone - would she too die like her parents?
Rhea slowly seated herself under the lamp and sobbed softly as she laid her cheek on her knees. "I want someone to love me. I want a home and warm clothes" she prayed while her eyes drifted shut.
**********
A strong pair of arms wrapped around the wet child and gently carried her. The child's body shuddered, so the rescuer was not too late.
The rescuer put her in his car and rushed her to the nearest hospital. The rescuer was the forest officer who chanced to pass by the road that Rhea had walked up to and collapsed.
The nurses and doctors gathered around Rhea and started working on her immediately. "I do not know if this girl will make it" one of the interns announced.
"Doctor, this child wandered through the forest alone - surely that says something?" the forest officer replied in a stern voice.
The medical professionals soon started an IV drip, wrapped her in warm blankets and moved her to the ICU so that she could be monitored carefully.
************
Rhea's feet hurt, the sharp stinging pain pierced through her groggy mind, forcing her to awareness. She opened her eyes to see white ceilings, a bright light and a lady dressed in white. Surely this was a nurse?
"Where am I?" asked Rhea - "Did some one go help my mama and papa?"
The nurse sat beside her bed and held her hand. Very kindly and gently she said "You are at the hospital. Yes people did find your mother and father ..."
Rhea began crying ... "My mama asked me to get help ... and I..."
"Shh you did get help ... the forest officer who found you and brought you here sent a search team to look for your parents. But you knew they were hurt, didn;t you?"
"Yes" nodded Rhea. "I know my papa and mama will not be there for me anymore" she said and began to sob.
The nurse hugged her. Sadly she thought about Rhea's relatives who had come right away to see her. They had taken her gold earrings, chain and anklets and gone. They did not want anything to do with the girl or the bodies of her parents. A family friend, Veer was to come in an hour. Would he take care of this adorable little girl? wondered the nurse as she hugged her fiercely.
"Veer uncle" Rhea cried out - as she saw the familiar frame walk through the hospital room door.
"Rhea" Veer cried out and held her.
*************
In a few months Veer adopted Rhea. None of her mother or father's family members wanted anything to do her they only had eyes on her inheritance.
Rhea was happy with her Veer uncle - but she missed her mama and papa. She was happy that God had answered her prayers and that Veer uncle loved her until the day that he sent her to boarding school. Her hatred for him began then ... why did he send her away? Why?
Veer reluctantly had decided that boarding school was best for Rhea. His family members were furious with him for adopting Rhea. They were furious with him for insisting on staying single. They were venting their anger on Rhea ... Veer decided it was best for Rhea to go to a boarding school ... away from his family. It tore his heart to send her away, but he did it because he knew it would be better for her.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Udne Ki Aasha
