UNDER THE SHADOWS

It was my summers break and as always, we were all packed to spend yet another month in our farmhouse at Kashmir, as we always did. We had nowhere to go but there and though father always promised a new adventure, things always took the wrong road and the same boring days, greeted us. There wasn’t a place that hadn’t been explored by us, or as much as I could remember. As usual, it was quite a few days until all the others came (we always came early, as we did somehow enjoy the road trip), so it meant I was stuck all alone- and had to find something to keep myself entertained. As I had set down my stuff and set out to explore, I found a little butterfly sitting on a rock. Bored to death, I decided to follow it to kill time, just goes to show how bizarre things were.

It had only been some time that I had been following it, when my foot slipped and I collapsed.

               * * * * * * * * *

Moments later, I woke up with a start with my mind feeling numb. I didn’t know where I was or what I was doing there, I had even forgotten my name! All I remembered was darkness and darkness still. After sometime, as my eyes adjusted to the dark, and I had fully awoken, memories started flooding back and confused me. Finally, after I sort of somehow cleared them all and remembered my reason for being here, much to my relief, my name shined through, I had stood up and was devastated by the fact that the butterfly I had followed, was crushed underneath me. I let out a silent cry, the poor butterfly might have had a family, I scolded myself as I pounded my fists at the nearby wall, covered in thick green grass. A bunch of insects were starting crawling on me (one of my other nightmares) and I with a violent shake shook them all always. They still refused to give up and I had no other option left than to run away back to my home. I also was starting to shiver, though I couldn’t decide whether that was from being sacred or cold, but came to agree that it were both the reasons. I carefully held It in my hands and continued to find some place to bury this poor creature. After travelling for some time, I came across some light coming from an opening somewhere. There was something definitely unusual about the color and the shade of the light. It seemed to calm me and the color wasn’t just the usual sunny type, it seemed a rich mixture of different colors, mainly red and blue. From then, I lost control of my body. It seemed as if the light was pushing me towards it and like a magnet, I was being dragged there against my will. I started to drag my feet trying to stop, but then realizing that it must have been late and my parents would have been worried that I had gotten lost or something, I finally gave up and let it take me. As I stepped out from the darkness of the cave, or actually thrown out, I was blinded by bright sunshine. I lay there for a few moments before gathering myself and getting up. After a few minutes, my eyes adjusted to the environment and I was spellbound by the scene that gradually took shape in front of me. Right before my eyes, formed a place that seemed to be a lush green meadow, complete with tall and proud trees, ripe red apples (some of which had fallen down and were gathered around in an uneven circle). I was totally mesmerized and for a moment, forgot about everything else. The butterfly slid down from my hands and I stood there idle, gaping with my whole mouth open. Finally, after what would have been two to three minutes, I closed my mouth and my eyes locked on a handsome tree, fully blossomed and with roots curled over like a special bench. I suddenly remembered the butterfly, and picked it up. After burying it beneath the shadow of another tall tree, I proceeded to the tree and sat under it. I had never been in this type of a place before and neither had ever been alone for this much time, and it was strange that I had a warm, homely feeling and felt like as if I was along lost spirt who had finally found its way back. After sometime of goofing around, I saw the sun setting with a lavish glow over the horizon and I realized that if I stayed for another minute, my parents would probably call the police to report my absence. I didn’t want to leave this lovely land. I hurried back to the hole through which I had come here and as I was to enter it, I took one last look at this magical land, that looked as if it was from one of my books. Right then, vowed to come back every day, but never tell anyone else I feared would try and harm its beauty. I did consider bringing my sisters here, but then thought that I deserved a place only to myself and I dreaded that they would ruin the magic.

* * * * * * * * *

‘Wake up sweetie,’ a familiar voice called, as I woke up with a start. ‘Uhh… what!’ I realized that I was lying on an open book and the illustration featured the same scenario I had seen earlier. The horrible truth sank through me and I realized that all had seen was just a mere dream. I sighed loudly, and an abrupt urge rushed me towards the hole, the place from my dreams. I wasn’t just ready to accept the truth. Once again, upon reaching there, my foot slipped

and there, before my eyes, the magic hole suddenly took shape. I smiled to myself. ‘Here I come!’…