STORYMIRROR

Archana Bendre

Drama Romance Action

3  

Archana Bendre

Drama Romance Action

Oasis

Oasis

5 mins
16

It was twilight, she kept  running till she reached an oasis.
Salma sat down  beside the pond. She was  thirsty. The cool breeze  gave her some  relief.  She drank some water from the pond.
Salma was hungry ,so she opened  a packet that she had  tied  securely in her duppata. Her grandma had packed  some Naan for her.
Looking  around  her gaze fell on a small white  bundle that was  tucked  away between  two stones
Salma  was curious,  suspiciously  she rose to pick up the bundle that shone in the moonlight. She was too scared to open it. Salma  shivered and  didn't  dare to open it.
 Sitting  under a palm tree, her mind raced through.  Her  eyes  blinked. What an escape !
She thought.  Reminiscing her past. Comparing  her  war torn  town with this  beautiful,  serene  Oasis. 
Am I in heaven? She  had never seen before  a clear blue  sky,   in the night  adorned  with twinkling stars. The only  stars she saw was embroidered  on her veil,  
dupatta.  How could  she?
All these days what she saw was dust covered,  hazy sky.
Night  time she was confined to the  four walls of her house.  She was forbidden  , to venture out. 
Even  the compound  walls were out of bound for her.
Even  the windows  were closed  . The outside  world was shut away from her. 
At her birth,  her  mother held her close to her  heart and breathed  her last. Grandfather  was  partially  blind, and  father  , a day  labourer, working  at a construction  site. did not pay attention to her. Nor did he remarry.  
 Salma's only  savior  was her grandmother.  She doted on her,  and lovingly  raised  her. Protecting  her little girl  from evil shadows,  eyes. 
A beauty , with radiating ,rosy complexion,  big  sparkling  eyes  with sweeping  eyelashes,  dimples in the cheek, and ruby red lips and budding  youth, made her grandma  more  concerned. 
As she went about her daily  chores,  behind  those muddy  walls her thick ,long black  silky hair , that fell on her hips
,swayed  gently,  
An enticing  figure. 
Though  , so far , no one  had seen  her. 
  One afternoon Salma  stood in front of a window that was partially  open. Her eyes fell on a very handsome  young boy who was  passing  by.  Their gazes locked.  The boy, Rahim 18 years old,  and Salma 13 years started  seeing  each  other  quietly. 
Several  months  passed, and one day  Rahim  did not  come.  He did not  come  again. 
Salma  wept, and confided to her grandma.  
Grandma  consoled  her and told her Rahim had fled. The terrorists were  after him to  join  their forces.  One  day Rahim came to her house . Narrated every thing  to grandma. Also warned her  that  these terrorists were  about to  take  Salma  away for their pleasure.  
   One day,  before  dawn, it was cloudy ,pitch dark  , not a soul  out  on road. Salma's  grandma  woke her up.  Asked her to disguise as a beggar,  thrust a packet  in her hand and pulled her out.  Pretending to be ragpickers , they both sneaked into the thick dense  forest and started running on a very narrow  path.  This way  was suggested by Rahim. He often took this narrow  lane when he had to go.  
After a few hours  trek grandma took leave  and blessed  Salma for her  future  journey.  "Eat  when you  reach the spot I told you about.  Allah will  protect you "Salma  with tears in her eyes  hugged her grandma  and  ran 
   It was  almost  dawn.  The Golden rays sprinkled through the trees, showing  Salma the path. She was almost  tired ,but the  destined was not no where in her  sight.  
Tired of running  ,she slowed down.  The dawn now  more brilliant had aroused  the forest creatures . A flock of birds moving  in a certain direction  ,guided Salma to the destined  place. 
Oh! Oh! Exclaimed  Salma. With  tears in her eyes  ! She jumped with glee. " I am safe . I am safe "She  cried with joy. There in front of her  was a vast  lake, a cool blue water body where  wild ducks  were  wading.  Paddling  with fearless  surrounding.  Trees dancing in cool breeze  and birds diving down foraging  for there early grub.  The insects,  the worms trying to escape their  predators.  . Some lilies  popping  up dancing  inviting the Sun. 
  Salma sat on a rock , she was hungry.  She opened her packet,  which had some warm  Naans that her grandma had packet.  As she guzzled  few bites , her gaze fell on a parcel  slightly  hidden under a stone.  Shocked , Salma trembled.  Oh no. ! Salma  shivered.  She closed her eyes.  Praying to Allah,  she heard footsteps.  As she opened  her eyes  ,seeing  a pair of torn shoes, she screamed.
Don't  be scared , I am Rahim. Salma looked up  and jumped on him. Clinging  him tightly  ,she wept  with joy.  
This is the Oasis. 
Soon thy ate  and began their journey ahead. 
"Salma we must  cross this  patch as soon  as possible "
The  Sun had  set ,but moonlight  guided their  path. Walking  tirelessly  miles and miles  , their  journey was about to  end. Dreaming of  their sanguine days,  they soon heard the cock crooning,  some domestic  ducks running hither and thither 
 And the orange  sky  welcoming  the dawn. In the  near  by a  small  cottage  ,with its  door open ,to greet the young ones. 
They  both  took a sigh of relief.  Thanked  Allah  for  they had. reached their  destination. 

@Archana Bendre 


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