{Who wants video? Scroll down till the end for short cut}

Three weeks had gone by and every week had been no less stressful for Anuradha and her team. Diligently attending classes, rehearsing, preparing for costume, props and backdrops they were twenty-four seven on their toes.

Three consecutive wins in the competition wasn't giving enough confidence for Anuradha and her team for their up coming stage play.

The stress level was high because of the expectation they were receiving from Mrs. Gracie, the committee, their co-competitors and surprisingly Tiffany.

The first mythological round chose by the committee members for the semi-finals, that was what giving them the pressure. It's a genre that they tried not to dive into, just to be on the safer side.

More than anyone, Christopher has been the most excited team member for him got the chance to play as King Arthur and Anuradha's pair. Mrs. Gracie had pair them both this time for a change.

Anuradha sat on the bench, memorising her lines.

"Ready, Guinevere?" Manohar asked Anuradha who dressed up as a country girl and King Arthur's bride-to-be.

They were getting ready for their fourth play in the competition, a play on Arthur and the Enchanted Sword.

Giving a tight smile, she nodded. "Not really but I'll be in a while". The team were preparing the backdrop for the first scene on the stage.

Manohar was given a break as he had been in all three plays back to back and since there is no option but him to be on the final play if they make it to the finals, Mrs. Gracie pull him out of this current play.

"Good, I'm sure you guys gonna rock the stage."

"Thank you"

Semi-finals had come to an end with excellent set of plays and very satisfied judges. The day was almost a celebration for the Britons as the hall were able to witness many mythological tales on one stage.

The judges had collectively made a decision on selecting six teams instead of four for the finals with Anuradha's team came fourth in the list.

And the next is the biggest of all.

The FINALS. An Indian Mythology.

*-*-*-*-*

"Where is Radha?" Manohar anxiously asked Cameron who was dressing up in an Indian attire.

"I don't know, she was here a while ago. Someone came and spoke to her" Cameron replied.

Being the next in the list, the current team will be ending they play in thirty minutes and with missing Anuradha, Manohar rushed to ask each one about her whereabouts.

She was last seen in the backstage with the rest and now none knew where she was.

Time was ticking and all were worried about Anuradha. If she isn't here on time they won't be able to step on the stage as she plays one of the the main role.

"Where is she?" Manohar muttered and ran towards Shika who came back from the other side of the backstage.

"No, she isn't there. I even checked the ladies, no sign of her" Shika said, panting.

"Someone must have known where she is..." Manohar walked back and forth.

"CCTV?" Christopher shouted from the other side of the room. "We can check in the CCTV footage if it had captured her in any of the cameras in the last thirty minutes"

"That's right! But where do we find the security room?" Manohar asked running back to Christopher.

"I have asked my friend to be here, he will guide you.... There he is ..." Christopher pointed to the breathless friend hanging at the door frame.

"Let's go! We don't have much time" Manohar pulled the panting man off the door frame.

"Thirty minutes. Go thirty minutes behind, you focus on the camera 3, I and Mr. Daniel will focus on camera 5 and 6 respectively" Manohar instructed the Christopher's friend who introduced himself as Kent in the mid-way to the security room.

"How does she look like, Karthik?" Jacob asked without removing his eyes from the screen.

"The one that dressed up like an Indian Queen. You will know when you see her" Manohar replied.

A couple of minutes of focusing, fast forwarding and rewinding Mr. Daniel spotted her walking towards the ladies but was stopped by a girl. The next screen showed she was at the corridor of Archive and Display room.

Manohar checked the time on the screen and his watch, "she is there now" he dragged Jacob out of the security room. "left, or right?"

*-*-*-*-*

"Where is she?" Anuradha asked the girl who called her for help.

"One floor up. She fainted all of a sudden and no one is there to help and I found you here" she replied.

"There you are" a very irritating voice echoed the corridor behind her as soon as Anuradha turned right after the stairs.

"We have been waiting for you" Anuradha was shocked to see who it was.

"Ana?" Anuradha gasped finding the two girls of whom Manohar had been running away before stood few meters away. They were not alone a group of boys were with them too.

"Where is she?" Anuradha asked again to the girl ignoring them.

"It's them" she pointed and ran away grabbing her bag from one of them.

Anuradha was puzzled why did the girl called her up here and now running away without tuning back. Before she realises, she was being surrounded by them, one of the girls grabbed hold of her arm and pulling her to the end of the corridor.

"Leave me! What do you want?" Anuradha tried to release her hand off.

"Nothing much, we were just want to keep you here till your time slot is over" Ana smirked.

"At least Karthik will know how careless you are"

Why was everyone after Anuradha, labelling her as irresponsible and careless? She was tired of listening to the same thing again and again.

"Leave me, Ana" Anuradha spat.

"You know how irritating it is to see you both together?" Ana asked bring her face close to Anuradha's.

"Stop behaving like a teenage girl fighting for a boy, Ana and friends. Do you think by you doing all this he will fall for you?"

"Shut up!" Ana yelled.

Anuradha tried to get a glance of the clock inside the room through the window, she had only ten minutes before their slot begins. Estimating the time for setting up the stage another ten minutes.

'Twenty minutes, Anu. Think. Think'

"It's best for you if you leave her" Anuradha snapped her head to the direction of the voice.

*-*-*-*-*-*

Anuradha's team rushed to her as soon as she came running into the backstage room followed by Manohar and Jacob.

"What happen?" Shika asked handing her a bottle of water.

Gulping in half of the water in the bottle, "Long story, will tell you later" Anuradha panted.

"Stage is ready guys, on position in one minute" stage manager of their team instructed.

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A/N: The following scenes will be a detailed explanation of the play hence you are free to visualise the faces of the characters as per your likings. You know who to visualise as who 😉. You may also choose to either continue reading or not to, this chapter ends with the act.

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The curtain opens, the stage was beautiful setup like a mystical forest with lights and trees.

The stage is set in the vibrant and mystical forests of Vrindavan. Under the soft glow of moonlight, the enchanting sound of a flute fills the air. Krishna, with his peacock-feathered crown and serene smile, stands beneath a blossoming tree. The audience sees Radha approaching, her heart torn between devotion and love.

The story unfolds as Radha, with deep longing in her eyes, questions Krishna: "Why do you weave this dance of illusion, making me lose myself in your melody?" Krishna, ever playful, responds, "Radha, you are not separate from me. We are like two notes of a song, incomplete without each other."

As their conversation flows, the play portrays the divine love that transcends the physical. Radha's love is pure, not bound by earthly desires. Krishna reveals that their love is beyond time and form—a connection that echoes through eternity. In the final scene, they perform a mesmerizing dance, symbolizing the union of the soul with the divine.

The play ends with Krishna's words: "Our love is not of this world, Radha. It is the eternal dance of creation itself, where souls seek and find each other across lifetimes." The stage dims, leaving the audience immersed in the timeless bond of Radha and Krishna.

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Enjoy the music!

https://youtu.be/-TE-YecK17o