A long never-ending road was before her eyes. She had made up her mind to walk away from her native village. A girl who hadn’t crossed the village boundary was planning to walk out of the state. In a hope that she could escape from Sidharth. Within a few days or to be specific one month she had got a notion about his personality. She knew he won’t give up; he would go beyond limit in search of her. She had to work smarter than him so she planned to walk out of the state.

She had full confidence that walking away would bring his breath back. She was the root cause of his suffering; it would have been better if she had never entered his life. She never desired to be cause behind anyone pain, yet due to her many lost their life.

Roaming in the street, she reached near the bus stand. Glancing at one of the boards she got into a bus, as she had no prescribed destination. She had none except her Bhua in this world. Getting inside she took a window seat. Wasn’t sure where her life was taking her but she had faith in God, her Waheguru. It won’t let anything happen to her.

Soon the bus compressed with crowds and Shehnaaz was left with the option to glance out of the window. As the driver pulled the engine and the bus got life, the cold air touched her cheek. Rewinded to those events when she had first met, Sidharth.

****

As the sunlight poured on his face, he opened his eyes. Rubbing his eyes unconsciously, he grabbed his phone from the side drawer. And when he noticed the time, he let out a groan as it was 6:45, he woke up so early.

He closed his eyes to get some more sleep but in the very next moment he was disturbed by chirping birds. With a soft and excited smile on his face, he got up from the bed and went towards the window and saw the sun creeping through the tree. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply to inhale nature and enjoyed the singing of birds.

"This is so relaxing and peaceful" he whispered softly while his eyes still closed.

While he was in Mumbai, he had heard a lot about Punjab from his punjabi friends. From then on he wanted to experience the things they described. And from the day he had came to Punjab, he was experiencing something new.

The vibrant and overwhelming culture, the heartwarming vibes that people gave, it's like they don't make you feel as stranger. The big houses, joint families that were rarely seen nowadays. Greenery, fields, nature, everything had its own uniqueness which was unmatched. And hospitality in Punjab was unforgettable, typical punjabi food with big glasses of Lassi, he was just loving it all.

Also he had noticed that people of Punjab was self dependent, managing everything on own.

With the thought that he should go out and experience the early morning view, he wore his shoes, while waking up Karan who was in deep slumber.

Seeing him not even moving, he threw a pillow on him, which caused him to get up with a jerk and mumble getting scared.

"Kon hai? Kon hai?" (Who is there? Who is there?)

"Good morning" Sid smiled sheepishly to which Karan narrowed his eyes and asked irritably,

"Are you mad? What on earth were you trying to do?"

"Let's go for a walk" Sid spoke in excitement.

"What? Walk? Are you serious?" Karan asked shocked and looking outside the window, he looked at him again and spoke, "It's still dark outside and you want to roam around like a wandering ghost?"

"So what? Now get up and let's enjoy nature" Sid said, removing the blanket from him but Karan, snatched it from his hands, denying irritably.

"No way! I'm not going anywhere. If you want then you can leave. Let me sleep now" saying so, he laid down again.

Rolling his eyes, Sidharth threw the pillow at him again, he grabbed his phone, so that he could capture the view.

-

After half an hour of jogging, he stopped near the pond to catch some breath. It was small and encircled by the trees with the grass around. And the reflection of sunlight on the water was enhancing its beauty even more.

It's been a few days since he has been living in the village and the thing he is loving the most was that the life in the village area was very enjoyable and peaceful with the natural beauty and unpolluted environment. And the people lead a very ordinary life with almost no luxury, but still they were happy with their limited resources.

He observed that the village people usually got up early in the morning to complete their chores. And while jogging he also noticed that the men were already heading towards their fields.

His thoughts came to a halt when he saw a deer on the other edge of the pond and was drinking water. Having the sun reflect in the water with the deer in the scenario, it was a breathtaking view.

"Wow man! This is awesome" he took out his phone from his pocket and started capturing the scenery.

While capturing the view from various scenarios, he heard a melodious voice, singing opening verses of Sikh scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib.

'Ik onkar, Satnam, Karta purakh, Nirbhau, Nir vair, Aakaal murat, Ajooni se bhang, Gurparsad, Jap'

(This Being is one, truth by name, creator, fearless, without hatred, of timeless form, unborn, self-existent, and known by the Guru's grace)

He knew about it because he had visited the Gurudwara two or three times and the words like 'Ik Onkar and Satnam' clearly indicated that it belonged to Sikhism.

An automatic smile crept over his lips hearing the sweet voice as it was so soothing, heart melting that anyone could fall in love with it.

"It's so calming. If the voice is so beautiful, how beautiful will the girl be?" He couldn't help but mumble. His eyes twinkle at the thought of imagining the girl.

Having those thoughts in his mind, he began roaming around to find the owner of the voice.

With each step, that voice was becoming apparent but unknown to him, his steps were taking him to a secluded area.

'Kiv sachiyara hoi ae, Kiv kude tutte paal

Hukum rajai chalna, Nanak likheya naal'

(How can we be true, How can the screen of lies be broken, By obeying the orders of Guru Nanak)

After that phrase he could not hear anymore, as if the girl had stopped singing.

His steps also came to a halt and upon looking at the surrounding, he realized that there was no one around. But he wasn't worried about it as he wanted to see that girl.

"Hey beautiful! Are you there?" he loudly yelled in the hope that she would come in front.

"Can you hear me?" 

After calling her several times, with the thought 'Maybe she's gone', he too turned to move while chuckling, "Maybe she isn’t destined to meet me."

"Oh shit! You scared me. What are you doing behind me?" He spoke as soon as he turned, looking at the huge black snake on the ground.

"Shoo...Go from here" he again spoke when he saw the snake moving forward slowly.

"Look bro, there is no use of biting me. I mean look at your size and mine. There is no match" he raised his imaginary collars. But seeing the snake moving towards him, he frightened a bit and stepped back.

He lifted the stick when his eyes fell on it and again stepped back while mumbling in shaky voice, "Let's make a deal."

He was startled when the snake hissed but he couldn't help but continued to speak, "why are you getting angry bro? If you don't want to make a deal, then it's ok. Now let me go," pleading him. He tried to move the snake through the stick but before he could, snake hissed again.

On the other side, the girl in pink kurti and yellow salwar with a matching dupatta on her head and basket in her hand, was moving from there when she noticed the scenario.

Her eyes widened when she saw the snake. With the thought she should help that man, she moved forward. But then stopped immediately, when she saw him holding the stick to hit the snake.

'No she can't let this happen,' she was frightened as she had seen many people harming the animals. Last week she had seen some visitors who had killed a deer for their passion for hunting. It was so cruel being illiterate she understood the importance of living creatures but the well educated people didn’t. The man in front of her, trying to do the same. It infuriated her! Yeah, snakes are dangerous but hitting isn't the only option.

'She should do something' with that thought she looked around to find something.

As soon as her eyes fell on the sack, an idea popped into her mind. And then holding the sack tightly in her hands, she gulped and slowly moved forward.

At the exact moment Sidharth's eyes landed on the girl moving towards them from the opposite direction. Seeing his eyes shining in excitement upon looking at her, she narrowed her gaze and gestured to him to keep quiet when she saw him on the verge to open his mouth.

Seeing him nodding, she slowly moved towards the snake without making any noise. Bending down and gulping down her saliva, she got the snake in the sack. 

Breathing heavily, she lifted the snake from the sack and ran hurriedly from there to the other side of the road, leaving him shocked behind.

With the trembling hands, she threw the sack along with the snake as soon as she reached the isolated area. Seeing the snake moving from there to the opposite direction, she closed her eyes and sighed in relief.

'Finally! she saved both' she thought and turned to move and found the same man in front of her, was smiling sheepishly at her.

"Thank you" he said,  she smiled lightly and about to move but stopped in her tracks when she heard him speaking again.

"Actually, I'm not afraid of snakes. It's just he was angry with me for no reason."

She narrowed her eyes as she didn't understood even a single word. And also, she felt uncomfortable having someone around her as she doesn't talk much usually. Without making eye contact, she started to walk, ignoring his calls behind.

"Hey listen! Where are you going?" He ran behind her but she didn't stop. Finally reaching near her, he tried to match with her pace and tried to initiate conversation with her but she ignored him.

"Yar I'm not gonna hurt you. I was just saying thank you nothing else," with that, he held her hand to stop her, which made her dupatta fall from her head revealing her long locks.

The moment his intense gaze met with her scared ones, his heart skipped a beat and lips automatically moved to mumble 'Beautiful' as her deep brown orbs made him feel like he's drowning in them.

He came out of his trance and saw her horrified when he heard him speaking, "Chado mainu." (Leave me)

He left her hand immediately, the moment he saw her pleading through her eyes. 

"I'm sorry. I wast just..." He stopped in between as he didn't know what to utter. "Ahh, did you see the girl who was singing here?" He spoke again.

"Mainu der ho rahi hai, mainu jan do." (I'm getting late, let me go) saying this, she covered her head and face and started walking again, leaving him confused behind.

"What did she say?" he asked himself, scratching his forehead. 'May be she didn't understand what I said, in the same way I didn't understand her language' with that thought, he again ran behind her and this time he tried to talk to her in Hindi.

"Hey listen. I mean, suno" he smiled widely when he saw her stopping into her tracks. 

As she didn't turn, he went and stood behind her. Not knowing exactly what to utter, he introduced himself. "Main Sidharth. Main yahan...main..." he was searching for the exact words, when he heard Karan's voice from behind.

"Sid"

He turned and found Karan was standing with his hands on his knees and was trying to catch some breathing.

"Karan? What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Exactly. What Are You doing here? I've been searching for you for a long time." Karan replied while still panting heavily.

"I was just..." His words left incomplete, when he turned and saw that girl was nowhere to be seen. She's just vanished like thin air.

'Strange. Why was she running? Am I the reason for this or something else?' shooking his head at his thoughts, he turned towards Karan, who was waiting for him to reply.

"Nothing buddy. Let's go"

****

“Hello! Madam, nikliye yeh last stop tha.” (Get out this was last stop) A hoarse voice from a person, a ticket collector got in her ears. Sudden voice appalled her but handling herself she raised from the seat. As she got up from the bus, she found herself in the railway station. Unknowingly she had reached the source that could take her away from Punjab. Where could she land herself? With that question, she got inside the station. The guard present on the entrance halted her.

“Aap ticket ke bina andar nahi ja sakte.” (You can’t enter inside without a ticket) She nodded, looking around in confusion.

“Mainu ticket kithe milegi?” (From where will I get the ticket?) The guard directed a hand towards a counter, and she smiled at him as it was a huge help. She walked towards the counter; with the bag she had carried with herself. It wasn’t a bag but the one used in olden days, the period when leather or other bags weren’t available in the market. A big cloth was used to put the entire sack of cloth inside, with the bigger cloth end tied at the end. Shehnaaz was carrying one of such things, giving the people a sense she had come from a village.

She stood near the counter, her eyes staring at the girl inside. “How can I help you, ma’am?” She inquired, while Shehnaaz had nothing to speak as she wasn’t understanding a word.

“Oh! Sorry, hum kya madad kar sakte hain?” Repeating the same words in Hindi, Shehnaaz gained some confidence in listening to it.

“Mainu ticket milegi?” Came directly to the point.

“Kidhar ki ma’am?” She showed patience towards her, as she could guess Shehnaaz was turning anxious. She was rubbing her palm continuously.

She moved her eyes around searching for a name, she had no knowledge of the state apart from Punjab. “Guys, the next train is from Kolkata!” A voice got in her ears, there was a group of friends talking.

“Kolkata…” she mumbled in confusion but the lady passed a smile that assured her she wasn’t wrong. Something of that name existed!

“Train hai platform mein abhi… aap aram se ja sakte ho…” (Train is on the platform; you can land easily.) Mentioning she handed the ticket to her. Shehnaaz smiled, handling the money she asked for. Though Shehnaaz wasn’t educated, she had basic knowledge of calculation. As she went with her uncle to work in the field, she had often paid people on his behalf. She was a sharp learner; just being around her uncle she had understood many mathematical stuff.

Walking again towards the guard and he allowed her inside with a smile, “paji… eh ticket kehdi train di hai?” (This ticket is for which train?) Glancing at the ticket guard rubbed his eyes, searching for something in his pocket and pointed at the train straight towards her, quite unsure about it. As he wasn’t able to read the words properly. “Tuhada dhanvad.” (Thank you) Saying so she walked directly towards the train. Beginning a new phase of her life in an unknown city with unknown people surrounding her. It wasn’t going to be an easy ride yet she had decided to face. With a satisfaction that none life would be in danger due to her. Also making a promise never let anyone get close to her as she was already facing the consequence.

Though she had displayed to Sidharth she wasn’t sad of his departure but from the weeks before it. Her heart had turned heavy. Even distancing herself and ignoring him hadn’t helped her from feeling weak as the day arrived. He was making it worse, asking her to express. Triggering her towards a portion that she wasn’t able to hold back her tears yet Sushi had turned a savior. She arrived on the exact minute when Shehnaaz was on the verge of losing herself.

Hawaaon mein bahenge, Ghataon mein rahenge... 
Tu barkha meri, Main tera baadal piya...

So, he had to leave without knowing the inner dilemma of Shehnaaz. She got inside the train looking for a vacant seat, and on finding she kept herself engrossed looking outside. Not bothering herself with a group of strangers around her.

••••••

Thanks for reading...

We hope you enjoyed it...

Do share your views, and press star if you like the part. It will motivate us, to come with more beautiful chapters.

Keep reading, sharing till the next part.