The Real Treasure

As the darkness was surrounding the jungle gradually and eerie silence was broken only by growling sounds, Kim held the hand of his sister Kiara tight and started running faster. As they ran for their lives Kiara spotted a cave which was covered with thorny shrubs. They managed to enter inside and temporarily heaved a sigh of relief. Looking at the dark cave Kim wished he had never followed the beautiful Fawn into the jungle. He paid no attention to their mother’s warnings. But how could they ignore it as the legend has it that a Fawn in the Jungle of Turtuk shall lead to the treasure.

They came from the Apricot village as apricots were the only source of livelihood for them. Suddenly someone tapped Kim’s shoulder. This was a huge man with a white beard. Kiara and Kim were pale with fear but were amused for a second to see that the man was accompanied by 2 mice named Mr. Dore and Mr Mon to shoulder his beard. The man introduced himself as Sulaiman. He had deadly eyes and a wicked smile. He then offered the kids hot porridge eating which they fell asleep.

Next morning Kiara was woken up as someone was playing with her hair. She opened her eyes and what she saw was unbelievable. She was surrounded by an army of rats. The female wore a saree and males wore lungi. Kiara woke up Kim and both were dumbstruck for a moment. Soon the rats befriended Kim and Kiara. They told them that Sulaiman was a monster who had enslaved them to search the Fawn. They also told that they were beaten up, not given any food at times because it has been 20 years and they have not found the Fawn and now the kids were also enslaved. Both of them were really sad but they accepted their fate. These two were supposed to search the Fawn, while protecting themselves from the wild beasts. They fed on wild berries which Ms Lady Bug named Sumi used to fetch for them. Sumi became a good friend of Kiara.

One day Sumi brought a beautiful necklace made of tiny and shiny white flowers for Kiara. Kiara was mesmerised to see that. She asked Sumi where did you get these beautiful flowers. Sumi told her about a place in the jungle which is full of amazingly beautiful flowers and leaves.

Next day Kiara and Kim alongwith Sumi reached the place. It was full of beautiful flowers, berries, shiny leaves. They were roaming around and enjoying, just then Kiara heard a sobbing sound. They moved in the direction from where sound was coming, Kiara found an old woman sobbing. The women had freckles on her face all over. She could not move and was crying in pain. Kiara looked for a particular kind of leaf which her mother used for healing. She found the leaves and immediately applied the extract of the leaves on the old woman. Soon the woman started recovering. She became very happy with the kids and gave them 5 shiny berries and told them in case of any trouble they need to rub the berries, it will save them from any trouble. Suddenly the woman disappeared.

Kim, Kiara and Sumi came back to the Cave, thinking about what has happened in the jungle today. Sulaiman was standing on the entrance of the cave and was annoyingly staring at them as they arrived. Mr. Dore and Mr. Mon whispering something in his ears. Sulaiman asked Kim where they have been the whole day and if they found the fawn? He started flogging them one by one. Sumi reminded Kiara of the berries and Kiara immediately rubbed the berries and throw them in the air.

Everybody was taken aback with what happened next. Each berry turned into a fireball and clung onto Sulaiman’s body. everything including the cave, the jungle and all of Sulaiman’s possessions was burning and surprisingly changing into a beautiful blue coloured puddle- but something was brighter than the fire, glittered from the middle of the blue coloured water. To his utter delight, Kim saw the Fawn coming out of the puddle, they started chasing it. Soon the smell of fresh apricots filled in the surroundings. Kim turned around to show Kiara that they have finally reached somewhere near to their home. When he turned by, the fawn disappeared. But now they have realized that “THE FAWN ACTUALLY LED THEM TO A TREASURE, THE REAL ONE, THEIR HOME.”

Wake up kids brush your teeth. Kim heard her mother’s voice and hugged her tightly. It was a really long dream.