The calmness of the dark night sky has no hint of the afternoon storm. The waning crescent, accompanied with twinkling stars is making the night look like a regular night. But everything has changed in the household of the vampyres. Reyna and Serein is sitting on the couch with grim look on their faces.

“I’m sure she’ll return.” Reyna says with confidence.

“She will not. Not after learning we took her in for our own reason.” Serein counters Reyna’s words.

All goes quiet again. Not a single breeze of wind is blowing in the living room. All of a sudden, a strong wind grazes over the stairs and stops beside the couch.

“Has Pari returned?” Raj asks while sitting on the couch.

Reyna and Serein look at Raj and nod their heads in a no.

“Why did you come down? Are you okay now?” Reyna asks.

“Hm... I’m better now.” After Raj’s reply everything returns back to the way it was.

The time is ticking away. A lizard, somewhere in the living room, is making a tick tick tick tick...  sound once in an hour. The wall clock strikes 3 am with a dhong when the door bell rings. All the three figures look up at the closed door. Reyna and Raj have a small smile on their face while Serein sighs with a tired look on her face.

Without wasting any more second, Raj dashes towards and opens it with a click.

“Uncle. What are you doing here?” Raj asks, surprised seeing Sashank at the door along with someone who is standing behind him. “And who is that?”

“Why? Am I not welcome here?” Sashank says.

In the mean time, Reyna and Serein have joined Raj at the door.

“No uncle, nothing like that.” Raj says.

Not heeding anything to his reply, Sashank moves to reveal the person standing behind him.

“Pari!” All three exclaims together.

A tired Pari stares at three of them intently.

“I knew that you’ll come back to us. I told you all that she’ll understand us. She can never hate us.” Reyna says while giving a tight hug to Pari. But Pari’s hands don’t budge an inch. She stands in the embrace with no expression on her face.

Feeling awkward, Reyna pulls away with a small smile on her face. “I think she is not feeling well. Raj, take Pari to her room.” Reyna says hiding her pain behind her smile which her eyes have given away.

“ No need. I can go on my own.” Pari’s curt voice makes everyone silent.

Keeping the same straight face, Pari walks away ignoring others.

“Where did you find her?” Serein finally asks Sashank as they settle in the living room.

“In one of the empty classrooms of our school. She was unconscious when I found her. So, I decided to bring her here. She woke up on the way and was not ready to come here, but I kept on coaxing her and she finally agreed.” Sashank says while sipping the drink from a glass of blood.

“Why does it seem so fishy? You and pursued her to stay with us? Wasn’t that you who was trying to kill her this afternoon?” Reyna says narrowing her eyes.

“That was just a reaction seeing Raj’s condition. After all he is one of us, while she is... Anyway, I need to go now. Someone is restless tonight, so need to gift some dreams. Bye.” With this, Sashank vanishes from there in the very next blink while rest of them heave a sigh of relief.

◇◇◇

Crickets are creating a symphony along with a soft night breeze. The waning moon in the sky is looking down upon a silent park. Empty benches of the park are gazing at the unknown guest of tonight. The guest is sleeping on one of those empty benches in foetus position. The night breeze is caressing her dark brown hair hiding some parts of her face. The tree beside her has some of its branches hovering over her. One of the dry leaves leave its branch and lands softly on the girl’s hair which is scattered on her face.

A shadow of a man falls on her. His brownish yellow eyes look at the sleeping figure on the bench. A curve forms on his face that turns into a soft smile as he approaches the sleeping girl by bending forward.

“Fhuuu...” He exhales some air out of his mouth making the leaf dance away from her hair.
Along with the leaf, her hair also moves away bringing out a tired face of Pari. She tosses her head a bit to adjust her sleeping position. The man backs up and leaves a long breath.

“Pari,” He looks at the setting moon of the late night, gives a broad smile and again focuses his gaze on Pari. “Thank God you are safe.”

His eyes twinkle like two golden stars in the night sky. He takes a seat on one of the empty benches opposite to Pari and lies down facing towards the sky placing one of his arms as his pillow while another on his stomach. Soon, he drifts off to sleep.

Another hour passes by. The moon has almost finished its journey of the night. Specks of light are taking their places amid the dark night and the twinkling stars. An old woman walks into the park and halts in between the gaps of the two benches where Pari and the man are lying. Due to her old age, she is walking with a stick along with a rag bag. Her worn out dirty sari’s pallu is swaying a bit with the cool breeze of the dawn. Her eyes first land on Pari and then they wander to the young man. A satisfied smile appears on her wrinkled face as they reach to her glowing pink eyes. She looks forward and sees the sun waking up with its morning glory. Two of the first rays fall on Pari and the man respectively. Their faces glow in that bright sparkling light.

The old woman moves towards Pari and caresses her hair. The ray of sun is still kissing Pari’s face when the old woman notices a silvery pink glowing streak amidst her dark brown hair.

She looks at the sun once again and smiles. “Thank You, for igniting her power with your ray.”

The old woman moves away and goes towards the man. She caresses his well set curly hair and mumbles, “Wake up Aman. It’s time.”

Whispering, she walks away like any other old woman. After a minute, Aman wakes with a jolt and sits up.

“Why do I feel someone was here?” He looks here and there but can’t find anyone.

Shrugging, he looks up at the morning sun and then at Pari who is still sleeping. A smile appears on his face and he sinks back while mumbling, “Good morning Pari. A new day, a new beginning.”

☆☆☆