Anamika

Anamika used to live with her parents in a small town. She was around 8 years. Her father used to visit other places in connection with his job. Her grandparents used to live in the same city. Whenever she visited her grandparents, her granny used to say that very soon her little brother would arrive. Anamika was having dinner with her parents when her father asked his mother to pack his bag as the next day he has to go out. Next day her father left early. He went to see Anamika but she was fast asleep, so he did not disturb her and left. 

After 2-3 days, one night the phone rang, Anamika picked the phone, it was her father. Anamika asked him to come soon. Her father told that he will come the next night and will also bring toys for her. When her mother asked who was it, she toldher that father will come the next night. Next day Anamika was eagerly waiting for her father. It was quite dark. When her mother asked to come in the bedroom to sleep she told her that she will wait for her father in drawing room only. Her mother went to sleep. Anamika was also feeling drowsy so she slept on the sofa. She was fast asleep when suddenly she heard some noise. Someone was knocking at the door and calling her name. She got scared but then she realized that it was her father. She happlily opened the door. She hugged her father. She asked why he was late. He told his train was late. Anamika felt that her faher was tired. She was about to call her mother but he stopped her. He asked for a glass of water. When she asked about his luggage he told that as he was getting late so he had kept it that at station. He would bring it the next day. He had bought toys for her. Then he asked Anamika to sleep on sofa and he also slept with her. 

Anamika was sleeping when she realized some noise. She tried to open her eyes. She saw her mother, grandparents and some neighbours at her house. They all were crying. She got scared and went to her mother. Her grandmother put her hand over her head and said now what will happen to her. Who will take care of their family. She asked her mother innocently why everybody is crying and where father is. She told everyone that at night he came. Everyone was surpised to hear Anamika. Her mother took her near and told her that her father will never come. He has died in train accident. Anamika was shell shocked. Lilttle eyes which had dreams of bright future was now witnessing the last rites of her father. Her father's luggage was brought home. There were dresses and toys for Anamika exactly as her father told. 

Now Anamika was staying with her grandparents. Her mother was pregnant. Often she visited doctor with her mother. One day after coming from doctor her mother was not well. She was lying on bed. Anamika went to her and asked when her brother will come. Her mother told with teary eyes that he will never come. He has gone back to God. 

Anamika was growing into sincere and serious girl. She used to visit temple every day. The pujari was very fond of her and treated her like his own kid. He used to narrate good stories to her. Anamika was waiting for her 12th result. In morning she went to mandir. There pujari asked her to visit mandir while returning from school and take prasad. She had scored good marks. She thought of informing pujari ji first. She went to temple. She met pujari ji half way. Pujari ji told her to take prasad from mandir as he was going to Kaashi for the holy dip. When she asked where his luggage was, he told that he will get new clothes there only. Then he proceeded. Anamika was watching him go. 

She was about to reach temple when she saw huge crowd there. Her family was also there. All were looking very sad. She asked her nana ji what happend. He told pujari ji has died. She could not believe it. How could she? She had just met pujari ji. Then she saw the dead body of pujari ji. It was to be taken to Kaashi for last rites. That day she could not sleep. Next day she went to temple. It looked so deserted. She thought of ligting a "deep" in the temple. She lighted one and closed her eyes. She prayed to God. When she opened her eyes she felt that heavy storm will come. It was getting dark. She ran to her house. It was raining heavily and seemed the entire town will submerge in water. Her grandparents decided to leave the town and go to their son's place. They all shifted to Delhi to Anamika's mama's house safely. Next day they got the news that enitre town was washed away in flood. 

Anamika had now completed her education and her family decided to settle her. She was married to a doctor. Her new family was small and very understanding. One day her husband Vaibhav came home very sad. When asked about the reason of his sadness, he told that he has been posted to a small village for few years and he has to go. But he will not take her as she will not be able to adjust. But Anamika told him that she was born and brought up in a small town only. So she can adjust. When she asked where he is posted, she was surpised to know that it is the same town where she was born. 

Soon they arrived the same town. After flood the town was reconsructed but there were ruins of old buldings also. Vaibhav used to go to hospital, but Anamika did not have much to do. She used to get bored. One day she decided to take a look of the town. She was wandering here and there and when she got tired she sat in a park. Her eyes were closed, suddennly she heard the sound of bell. It was a very familiar sound. She tried to look into the direction of the sound. She found an old temple. It was almost in ruins. She felt that some unseen force is dragging her towards the temple. She realized that it was the same temple which she used to visit in her childhood. She closed her eyes. She felt that her enitre childhood has gone through her eyes. She got little disturbed. She decide to walk away she was moving very fast towards her home. Suddenly she realized that some one was pulling her stall. She turned back. A small girl of 4-5 years was holding her stall. She asked her name but the girl ran away. After waiting for sometime Anamika also moved to home. At dinner she told Vaibhav that she had decided to teach kids as she gets bored the whole day. Vaibhav agreed. Next day she put one board of tution for kids at her plce. Two three days went. One day someone knocked the door. When she opened, a young girl of 16 years was standing. She asked if she was giving tutions. Anamika said yes but only to small kids. That girl said dont worry she had one sister of 4 years. Next day one liitle girl came. She was the same girl who pulled her stole. She was alone. When anamika asked how she came. She told that her sister has dropped her. When Anamika looked from balcony, she saw the same girl who came yesterday. Little girl told her name as Doll. When Anamika asked what her sister name is, she told big doll. Anamika was amazed at this answer. She asked doll about her parents. Then she said that she lives with her sister and does not know much. Anamika was little surprised with doll's talk. She could not asked much. Days were passing like this. One day Anamika's mother told that she was visiting her. She was very happy. When she arrived Anamika told her mother that she will let her meet doll. That day anamika was eagerly waiting for doll, but she did not come. 10 days passed she did not come. Meanwhile Anamika's mother had to go back. The day she was leaving, Anamika told her mother with teary eyes that she could not pay attention to her as she was in the thought of doll. Then her mother replied that now its time to think of her own doll, her own chid. "After seeing your kid I can easily leave this world". Then her mother left. Vaibhav has to go to hospital so he left. Anamika decided to walk to her home. She was on way when she saw big doll. She was standing on her way. Before Anamika could ask, big doll asked has mother left? "Your mother had come so I did not sent doll to your house. You would have got disturbed. Anyway she is also not well". Anamika told big doll that she wanted to see doll. Big doll asked her to follow her. Anamika was drawn like a magnet before her. Soon they were away from residential area. Now they entered the place where every thing was in ruins. It seemed that some curse has happended and the entire place was destroyed. Soon Anamika realized that she is familar with the place. Suddenly big doll stopped at a house. It was the same house where Anamika used to live with her grandparents. Anamika was little scared. Suddenly she heard a baby crying. She ran to the place. An infant was crying in the cradle. Anamika asked who was she. Big doll replied that she is the smallest doll. Anamika asked what rubbish is it. How many sisters are they. Big doll replied they are 16 sisters and all named doll, because they all are one only. Their father died in train accident and other family members left them alone. Anamika was about to scold big doll but her phone rang. It was Vaibhav. But she was not able to talk due to signal problem. She came out of the building. She was about to tell the whole incident to Vaibhav but Vaibhav was asking to come home as it was getting dark. The phone got disconnected. Anamika looked back and was surprised to see 16 girls of 1 year to 16 years. They were all screaming--" we all are one doll". Anamika ran from the place but she fainted. When she regained conscious she was at home on her bed. Vaibhav asked to take rest as her BP was low. Anamika could not speak anything. Some days passed away. One night Anamika dreamt that doll is calling her. She was restless. When Vaibhav left for office she again went to the same place. She saw doll sitting on the railing of the stairs, she told-- you have come. We all are waiting for you. Then she jumped from the railing. Anamika screamed but doll did not fall, she was flying and stopped before a room. Anamika followed her. She peeped into the room. She saw the images of her mother and grand mother. Her granny was telling her mother you have to abort this child as she was a girl. " You aleardy have one girl and your husband has passed away. If something happen to us then who will take care of you. So please abort the child ". Anamika's mother agreed and they moved to the hospital. Anamika screamed --please dont do that mother. But no one was there. Suddenly Anamika saw imags of herself and granny when she was 8 years old. Little Anamika was telling her granny that if her mother gave birth to a girl she would name her-- DOLL. Now Anamika realized what was happening with her. Now no one was there. All dolls disappeared. Anamika went home. As soon as she reached home she got a call that her mother is seriously ill. She reached her mother in hurry. Her mother called her near to her and said she want to confess something. She told Anamika that she has killed her unborn girl child and that she should forgive her. After saying this she breathed for the last time. Anamika was shattered with all these happenings and the day came when she was pregnant. Vaibhav wanted to stay her back at Delhi but she insisited on going with Vaibhav. They reached their home. Anamika tried to ask local people about doll, big doll, small doll. But no one was aware of their existence. One day Anamika was sleeping. She had a dream that doll was calling her. Doll asked her that she never met her parents. Nobody loved her. She wanted to see the world. Anamika hugged her and said I will give lots of love to you. Will you be my doll.. doll nodded her head in yes. Suddenly Anamika woke up. She was feeling labor pain. She was admitted to hospital. There she gave bith to a girl child. She exactly looked the same as she saw the infant in cradle in the old building. Anamika now reached home. One day she was looking at the little baby in the mirror.. she realized that doll was lying on bed and saying-- see I have come to this world and I  am very happy. When Anamika turned back she saw her little baby was smiling.