“God is everything.” I have grown up hearing this phrase a hundred, maybe even a thousand times. Ironically, this was all I could think of when I was lying there, on a bed of broken glass, racked with pain. It felt like someone was driving a knife in and out of my head. Black spots danced in front of my eyes as I drowsily raised my hand to my head. It came away red.
“God is merciful.” I hear my mother’s voice say. I try to fight the pain, but I can’t. Ragged, shattered breaths filter out of my chest. The feeling of teetering between life and death feels almost peaceful. Blackness prevails. Pulsing headaches and red vision. Somewhere in between, the rational, working part of my mind goes through what just happened. It was sudden. I had just remembered that I had promised my mother that I would be back from my friend’s that afternoon. It was already late, and I knew she would be worried. There was no taxi available and I had already learnt how to ride a scooter, so it was quick. An impulsive, crazy decision. I boarded the scooter without a helmet. A slip of the mind that could prove fatal. The rest of it was too fast for me to comprehend. A steep turning, a truck that did not stop fast enough and then the pain. High pitched siren. The sensation of being moved. The pleasant ding of an elevator, the feeling of cool wetness at the back of my head. The sorrow in the voices around me. The fading splendor of reality buzzing in and out of my mind. And, of course, the pain. That knife. The relentless, pursuing laser sharp edges, cutting out a piece of me with every strike. My whole body tensed for an everlasting minute and I decided I couldn’t hold on to it anymore. I screamed. A horrible, unearthly shriek that even I couldn’t believe was my own. It seemed that no one could hear me. I was going to die alone. “Help.” I choked out. It wasn’t just words that left my mouth but also the last remnants of the hope I had left. Drifting thoughts, scrambled voices, dizzying hallucinations. “Have mercy.” I wished to say, to plead. I hear my parents saying to have faith in God but why does it feel like I am losing faith in him instead? If god is all merciful, why doesn’t he help me? What have I done to deserve this? Nothing else counts. Only salvation. There came a point where I decided it no longer mattered. ‘It’ being my life. I was done. Spent. Wasted. At least if I died now, I would die in the arms of God and not through some sinister forces dragging me to the clutches of death. Suddenly it stopped. A small prick on my arm amongst all the pain stopped it all. I felt light. If this was death maybe it wasn’t so bad after all. Some thing was pulling me away. I resisted. It was so peaceful here, who would ever want to return? With a huge gasp, I opened my eyes. ******** Beep. Beep. Beep. The steady clicking of the heart monitor is the first thing that greets me back to life. Bright, blinding lights glinting on the array of silver instruments. Trays of red liquid being carried from here to there. Then came the voices. Always angry, always sorrowful. Mostly coming from a group of white-clothed, masked men. “she had a whole life ahead of her…” “Not wearing a helmet, seriously? The report I read said that she had been in a hurry to meet her mother…” “Honestly, I don’t know what we are going to tell her family.” “Nearly hysterical, that one…she’s a fighter though… hope she pulls through.” “Aaaaaaah…ahhh!” I screamed. A blinding hot, searing wall of flame shot through my skull. So hot, so painful, so enflamed. “I can’t take it anymore,” I think to myself. “Guys, Guys! Something’s going on here!” I hear a voice say. The world distorts, and my vision goes blurry. So much heat. Something wet is pressed to the back of my head. “Life support! Life support!” I feel hands fumbling around my neck, but its too late. The last thing I notice is that the heart monitor stops beeping. ******** Bliss. Absolute pure bliss. I have been feeling so much pain that it is difficult for me to remember what it is like to not be in pain. I take a minute to just revel in that moment of peace, of being there just normally without a trace of pain running over my head. I am lying on something soft. Earthen piles of dust, softly pressing over my cheek, like a blanket. I get up, marveling at the fact that nothing hurts, no body parts ache or feel broken. There is no blood, no pain, no gore, but there is this. I am standing on a battlefield. Armies of great sizes, horses snorting impatiently, kicking up great clouds of dust with their hooves and men with bloodlust written all over faces sitting on battle-honed elephants. Something about the whole scene that was powerful and was strange somehow, but I couldn’t place it. Then it hit me. Nothing was actually moving. Nothing except two men in the middle of the field who appeared to be arguing with each other, gesticulating urgently with their hands. One of them was sitting on a chariot wringing his hands in distress. “Hello?” I asked. None of them appeared to have heard me. I moved closer and tapped the leaner man who appeared calm and composed. “Can you tell me where I am? Hello?” No one moved. Only a solitary peacock feather floated in the strong, dust-filled air. Panic. Undiluted, raw panic. Panic that fills one’s chest to the brim and makes them forget all rational thought or action. “Where am I? What should I do?” I thought fearfully. It felt like I was the only one left in the world. Some thing inside of me just snaps. “I am done,” I sob. “I don’t think I can go back to my family, but I don’t think I can stay here either.” I am hit with a different type of pain this time. It is heavy, filled with defeat and loss. I don’t want to return to that heavy pain. It is peaceful here. A voice resounds over the battlefield, beautiful and untamed. It echoes with sympathy, with understanding, with gentle force in its unparalleled story. “You are mourning for what is not worthy of grief…those who are wise yearn neither for life or death, my son.” The voice seemed to reach out, to say that it was there for me. “But, my family, my uncles, my teachers…. What about them? “ another anguished voice asks. “Surrender unto me. I shall deliver you from all sins and sorrows. Do not fear.” The calm voice continues on. Who was telling the story? And whose story was it anyway? The words fluttered and flew in the wind. Whatever the voice is, what it speaks is true. My soul is eternal. I am eternal, and my life is not finished and there is lot to accomplish. Life may be full of pain and suffering but now I have the strength to fight it. Fear is nothing. When you move past your fear, you feel free. I take a deep breath… ***** sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ A melodious voice traces prayer through the air. The words have resounding quality about them and I cannot help but to think that I have heard them before. I hear a familiar, warm loving voice filled with hope and trust. “maa?” I ask. I open my eyes and her smile is the brightest thing I have ever seen. Her eyes fill with tears. She believed in me, she knew I wouldn’t go down without a fight. She goes on to explain what she was chanting. “This phrase means that just surrender to God. He shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear, my child.” My mother says. Shock is a very strong emotion and now it hits hard for those were the exact words I heard in my dream. But my mother sobers up. “You almost died several times…your heartbeat stopped many minutes at a time. Everyone has been in to see you. We thought you were going to die.” “I’m okay now.” I say. And I mean it. “How long have I been……unconscious?” I ask tentatively. “You’ve been in a coma for eighteen days…but, all is well now.” All is well indeed. There is no pain. The heart monitor is beeping regularly. I am off life support and they say I will be able to walk soon. I wonder if all of it was just a dream until I see the title of the 18-chapter shloka book my mother said she had read to me every day. It is called the Bhagavad Gita.
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How can the sun shine like a fiery ball full of hope, the rain patter at your window asking you to come and enjoy its cool embrace, and the leaves rustle in the soft green meadows just beckoning for you to join them? Why was there a voice, a quiet, inner voice, insisting repeatedly that everything eventually would be all right?
Nothing would be all right. I never thought I would miss the orphanage, how could I ever leave? I never wanted to be adopted. After facing death of my parents, being treated badly, and then finally finding a sanctuary in the orphanage, didn’t life have enough in store for me? Sitting in front of the window, watching the willows waving, the wind rustling. A memory came to me, distant and half-forgotten. A calming voice, arms rocking me gently like the wind in the breeze. A beautiful lullaby, easing me to sleep. I began to hum, first consciously and gradually louder, filled to the brim with hope. Waking up, I felt a heavy weight on my chest. Adoption day was today. There was that hopeful voice again…urging me on, saying things would get worse before they got better. My tears betrayed my feeling as we drove to the place my stepmother called home. It was beautifully furnished. Furry rugs lined the fireplace. The fire crackled as if it sensed my presence. I curled up on the velvety sofa and tried to enter the world of dreams. For life is just a dream, right? School is a nightmare. Everyone teases me and sometimes I give in, thinking that I am just an orphan, with no place in this cruel world. I go to bed with a circle of wetness around my cheek. One day, my stepmom took me to a concert. It was turning point of my life. A village girl on the stage was singing beautifully. Suddenly, I realized it was that song. The lullaby that my mother had sung to me. Memories engulfed me, strengthening and empowering me. They were the fuel I lacked to drive through life. For the first time, tears flowed down my cheeks for joy, not sorrow. Going home, I pictured my voice soaring. All the modulations and vocalizations. I opened my mouth, coaxing my voice, singing with sweetness, melancholy and rust. Years later, I open my eyes and to see the ecstatic audience before me. The lights shine brightly and I am reminded of the sun, full of hope. The audience clap their hands rhythmically and I am reminded of the rain pattering on the windowsill asking me come and enjoy its cool embrace. I open my mouth and hear a voice so pure it reminds me of the leaves rustling on the soft green meadows. I sing, weaving all my sadness and happiness into the melodious words of the song. I hear thunderous applause and I know that I am born to sing – Maybe life has a meaning after all. They taunted me, that's what they did. The wind harshly blew over me, while the ground trembled, trying to disrupt my balance and concentration. But, no. No. My body remained still. My eyes stayed fixed on the sun, just about to rise. Mother Nature herself feared me, or rather, what I would become after this harsh penance. Waves from the sea below me trashed at my body, but, I stood strong like a tree in a storm. My feet were in great pain. I did not dare to look down. Somehow, I knew the forest animals were gnawing at my body, expecting me to give up. A laugh racked my throat. There was absolutely no chance I would give up. I stood still... After what seemed like eternity, a gentle hand touched my head. I knew it was the sign to end my penance. I opened my eyes and set my bleeding feet on the ground. "My child," His voice gurgled with the sound of thirst quenching steams, shone with the light and warmth of the sun, and rustled with the cooling, calming wind. " I am so very pleased with your seven month penance. You may ask me any boon of your choice. Go ahead." His voice put me at ease, though it was filled with reluctance. " My lord, Bramha. I am so honored you have come. I have one boon in mind. I know that you are the most generous of lords, my Almighty, so this boon will not be difficult for you, I am sure." " Well, what is it?" "O my lord, O best of the givers of boons , if you will kindly grant me the boon I desire, the boon of immortality." " Very well. You will die in neither day nor night, indoors or outdoors, by man or beast, nor in the air nor in water and of no man-made weapon." With a ray of light, Bramha disappeared. Now I could claim my kingdom and marry the most beautiful lady in the three worlds. I laughed a thunderous, booming laugh. I had done it. I was immortal. I found my son, Prahalad, in a room chanting the glories of Lord Vishnu over and over again in the pooja room. I sighed. I never dreamed that my only child was tutored by the idiot, Narada, who had no right to teach my son about the gods, especially Vishnu. Now Prahalad was an accursed, poisoned child. " Prahalad, my son, come sit in your father's lap." "Yes, father. In a minute, after I finish my prayers to Lord Vishnu." His voice was cheerful and happy. He came and sat on my lap in an orderly manner and curled into my arm. Accursed or not, he was the heir to my kingdom and I had to teach him the right ways to rule the kingdom... " Prahalad, what makes you so happy?" "Father, the world Lord Vishnu has created so beautifully makes me happy." " Who is the greatest person in the world?" I asked, carefully controlling my anger. " Father, the answer is obvious. Lord..." I waited eagerly for my name to be spoken. " Vishnu, of course." My anger exploded and my arms threw Prahalad off the five-foot throne. He crumpled at my feet and lay there. Kayadhu, the boy's mother, who had been gazing at us behind a pillar, ran to his side. She looked attractive today. Her black hair polished back and her honey colored eyes glistened with worry. I was convinced Prahalad was dead. Before I could decide whether it was a good or bad thing, my minister came in. " O Greatest one, your armies are ready for battle. We can set forward in our quest of conquering our rivals" I grunted in appreciation. "Prepare my chariot." In a few minutes I had taken the blessings from my elders and my wife, who whispered, " Prahalad lives. Be careful, my Lord." What had Narada called her? 'Sinless.' Sinless indeed. Today was the day. The day I would be returning to my kingdom in victory after months of long battles with neighboring kingdoms. We marched in and were greeted with cheers and tearful reunions. I saw that the women must have been working for weeks to get the kingdom in the state it was now. Everything was polished, clean and shining in the sun. While I had gone, the palace had been newly designed. The tiles were lapis-lazuli and emitted a greenish-blue hue. The walls were ornately carved with topaz, gold and diamond. Everything echoed inside the palace's dome roof, which is what Prahalad's prayers were doing. I ran to the pavilion. " Prahalad, come sit in your father's lap." "Yes, father. Please let me quote these last two lines." "NO! You will come sit on my lap and you will do it now. Prahalad's voice stopped and he climbed on my lap, looking puzzled. " Who is the greatest person in the world?" my voice was dangerously soft. "The greatest person in the world is Lord Vishnu." was his pleasant reply. I let him jump off my lap and run off. I summoned my minister and whispered to him... " This is between just the two of us." "Yes sire." Tonight was the Great Feast. Foods from all over the kingdom were served. We were given the tastiest of foods. Tender meat, lush, juicy fruits and thousands of sweets. Prahalad was adamant. He refused the meat saying it was a sin to eat meat and the sweets which were bad for his health. Meanwhile, I tore off chunks of boar, chicken and deer meat and stuffed myself with sweets. It was time for entertainment. I arranged for a 'juice' to be brought to Prahalad. He took a sip and gradually drained the cup. All throughout the dancing and singing, I kept glancing at Prahalad, waiting for a seizure to take place. Nothing happened. He wore a look of utmost delight, watching the dancers. I summoned my minister. " Why is the poison not effecting him?" I hissed. " O Lord, his devotion towards Lord Vishnu must be protecting him." The celebrations ended and we were escorted to our chambers. I could not sleep. When I finally did, I had a nightmare. I watched as Vishnu killed my brother Hiranyaksha all over again. I felt the grief and misery of losing my brother again. But inside I felt reluctance. What I was about to do was unthinkable, unheard of. 'No son of mine will worship Lord Vishnu.' I walked to the throne room and ordered my guards to bring Prahalad to me. " Yes father?" he asked. " You say that Lord Vishnu will protect you no matter what?" " Yes, father." "Very well. Guards, kill him." "O most unfortunate Prahlad, you have always described a supreme being other than me, a supreme being who is above everything, who is the controller of everyone, and everything. But where is He? If He is everywhere, then why is He not present before me in this pillar?" "He is in the pillars, father, and he is in every twig. He shall come to destroy evil..." With that sentence, my enemy, began to sing... his voice was quite beautiful, his mouth was fit only to say the name of Lord Vishnu. I concentrated on his voice, but my mind...it was elsewhere. It replayed scenes from months ago when the guards had failed to place one mark on his body, even with their swords. When the herd of elephants, instead of trampling him, caressed him and placed him on their backs. When he was locked in a room full of venomous snakes overnight, they made a bed for him instead. When my dear, dear sister Holika, immune to flames, burned, while Prahalad stayed safe on her lap. When my brother, Hiranyaksha, was destroyed by his Protector. With a rage of sadness, anger, misery I slammed the pillar with my mace, imagining it was Vishnu. Flakes of stone flew out to the court yard, where the colors of twilight were painted in the sky. But something astounding happened. Out of the pillar came a half man, half lion, who hissed and showed his claws. He came towards me and for once, I did not try to run away. This was the payment for my sins and mistakes, I knew. He lifted me and took me to the courtyard, where he laid me on his lap. Then he laid his claws on my stomach and dug it into my flesh. A searing pain started and grew to my chest. The red liquieI screamed. It was a scream of pain that I had caused, a scream of pleasure at seeing my brother and sister in the dark abode of hell. Then a feeling... a feeling so intense that it filled my body. All I could think was sorrow...not for myself, but for all I had killed. Something else as well: Regret. I saw the vague shape of Prahalad and tears fell from my eyes. " The greatest person in the world is Lord Vishnu." I said. I felt myself stripping away from the world of living.... It was a bright summer day and the birds chirped in the bird bath. The bees buzzed in the garden and the neighbors' dog barked loudly. The breeze whisked by and the leaves rustled with early morning dew. A camper van went by with a family ready to start their vacation but nobody knew that they had forgotten an important thing, or, rather a person. Cara slept peacefully as she had stayed awake all night thinking of the Bahamas. At 9 'o 'clock she awoke and rubbed her eyes excitedly. Cara couldn't wait. Her family would start their vacation in a just a few minutes. As she came downstairs she realized that she had woken up late and there was nobody in the hall. "Mom? Dad ?Where are you?" Her voice turned an octave higher and the panic clearly showed on her face. A terrible thought stuck her and her mind came to an horrifying conclusion. The remains on the kitchen table clearly showed her the answer. She could see that Mom,Dad,Edward and Bell had eaten bacon and eggs. She curled onto the floor and began to sob. She felt indignant and insulted but more than that, she felt scared. She just had begun to read the Agatha Christie books and she knew crimes and murders were committed in isolated areas. She felt that her house was a prison and one way or another,she had to escape. With a jolt she realized that her train ticket was set on top of the refrigerator, where she had put it so Edaward and Bell ,her baby siblings wouldn't get them. Her sorrow turned to anger, and her anger to determination. She grabbed her suitcase, dressed into a soft blue pullover and her neon pink shirt and got ready to head out the door. She raided the larder and packed sandwiches for the journey. She also took money from her piggy bank. Cara thought that a hundred and eight dollars would be enough to hitch a ride. She spent much of her time yelling and persuading a taxi man that she was not insane going to the local train station alone. The middle aged, beefy man who stank of sweat, finally let her in. "I will kill mom and dad when I find them" Many other insults raged inside her head. After what seemed like eternity , they reached the train station. Cara stormed to the ticket booth and held out her ticket "I'm sorry honey, but the train left a few minutes back."she cooed. "There must have been a mistake.The ticket says that the train will not leave for another 10 minutes". Cara felt her voice shake. " I'm sorry dear, the train was preponed because of a minor problem." "Fine." Cara slammed the ticket onto the booth and walked away.She felt close to tears but she felt she couldn't give up. She had come so far. She gazed around, for the docks had many interesting sights to see. She happened to glance at sign stuck on the third pillar of the docks. It was enough to permanently plaster a grin on her face for the rest of the day. About an hour later Cara was sitting at the inner deck of a luxury boat eating a delicious dinner of spaghetti, lasagna and ravioli . She was quite hungry after skipping lunch. How she had done it? It was simple. The sign at the docks was an ad for boat rides. When Cara had called up the number, the person who answered was none other than Mr.Smith, her dad's best friend. He had offered to give her the ride for free. So there she was, sitting in the luxury boat taking her time to plan a sweet revenge for her parents. Soon after dinner, she confided Mr.Smith,who wholeheartedly agreed with her plan. The next day, Cara awoke in peace. She had already decided that this day would be one of the best days of her life. Cara was in her own world until Mr. Smith interrupted. "Cara, your cab Is ready. I only agreed that you could spend your day out because I think you are a calm and careful girl. I am sure your parents would agree with me that you should exercise caution while you are out." "Oh grown-ups and their speeches. But he doesn't know a thing." She said out loud "Ok, Mr Smith." Cara practically glided into the cab ,although she missed her favorite place on the boat's deck where she felt as if could see the whole ocean. The floor of the deck showed the ocean floor carved with lapis lazuli. She wanted to be on the ship but she had business to attend to. For the rest of the day she played at the beach, arcade and spent time in the park garden. Cara knew that her parents will be frantic by now. She felt a little guilty but she wanted her parents to experience her worry, the worry she had felt when she was alone. She shivered. "Serves them right." All the same, Cara set off to find Marriot Ocean View at late evening, where she knew her parents would be staying. She had just enough money to pay for her bus ticket. She got off a few minutes later and approached a tall white mansion which she assumed was the hotel. She collected her room card at the front desk and crept up to room 663. She cautiously slid the card and opened the door just a crack. Inside, she heard hushed voices. "How could we have left Cara alone like that?" " It must have been all the work and stress." "Why didn't Edward and Bell not tell us?" " Don't blame them, they're only babies." "We should have remembered sooner. Oh, why did we remember on the train?" "What do we do?" "We have to call the police." This was it, the moment of Cara's triumph.She opened the door with a squeak. Her pale skin and red hair shone in the sudden brightness. "Hey Mom. Hey Dad. I'm home." “Taylor, we’re leaving." "Hey Toodles, watcha gonna choose? The ceremony is in about ten minutes you know.” Anna, my stepsister cocked her head and laughed. “ I don’t know.” I said forcefully. “Coming.” I ran towards our house, an ordinary brick bungalow. It wasn’t really home, but, it would probably the last time I’d see it. We climbed in the sled and step dad signaled our huskies to move. I heard that cars and aeroplanes were used in Nora, where our capital was located. In Eura, all we saw was the occasional motorcycle because of all the snow. "Sixteen years is a good age to ripen the fruit of adulthood. Think carefully.” my father had once told me. That was before he left with my mother to Forage. The memory seemed a lifetime away, in a place that I could never reach. I pinned on my lucky charm, the peacock feather brooch my mother had given to me. My mother. Oh, gods, my mother. The way her hair swept behind her, the smile on her face……. “No, no, no, Taylor. Pull yourself together. You can’t afford a trip down memory lane, especially now.” Life in Eura was pretty hard. The World War had taken everything from us. Well everything but our lives. I was told that our ancestors landed here 200 years ago, with a mix of people from all counties who wanted as less bloodshed as possible. So much for that idea. I recalled the politicians on TV, The shortage of food, everything that had happened last year. Their fight over land had resulted in the formation of a different tribe, the ones they called the outcasts. The ones we still war with today. “ Don’t become a history textbook.” I scolded myself. Which should I choose? Foragers were eliminated. Going out to the mainland, gathering materials and food, thats what my parents had chosen………and now they were gone. Two options left. Warriors…..fighting the outcasts, leading an adventurous life or a reacreationalist……….building houses, carving furniture….? Which should I choose? The sound of snow whizzing by, the birds chirping……it was so peaceful….. “Taylor Holland. You had the nerve to sleep? Get up right now. Its almost your turn to Choose.” As if to prove my stepmother’s loud exclamation, at that exact moment the loud speaker went up. “Taylor Holland, please come down to the pavilion.” The booming voice of Reyna, the grandchild of the first Reyna, who landed on Atlantis 200 years ago, silenced the crowd. The people parted for me as I made my way to the pavilion. I stepped into the forum and faced Reyna. “Here, child. Write your name on this." I wrote it in the slip she carefully handed to me. "Now you see these three locks. You are going to drop your paper into either the green, black or red one. You know what job they represent.” My hands suddenly turned clammy and my mind froze with panic. Which should I choose? My hand hovered over the red, then the black and it even wandered to the green. I was about to drop it into the red, the color of a recreationalist, but then memories flooded into me. My mothers voice filled my head. "Choose what I was never able to choose. Fight when I was forbidden to fight. Prevent what I was never able to prevent. No matter what, I love you.” I remember my father saying "Fight, Taylor, fight. It’s better than seeing your loved ones die." I made up my mind. Swiftly. I dropped it into the black and locked it with the key Reyna gave to me. I hung it with all the other black locks on the wall. Then I knelt beside the small stream that went through the Forum and dropped my key into it, watching as it flowed into Euphoria lake. Cheers erupted on all sides and I felt something melt inside me. The burden I had been carrying since my birthday last month was all gone. I walked over to the the Warriors, who greeted me with high-fives and hugs. I realized that I hadn’t lost my family, after all. I had just found them. My days as a Warrior were a blur of action, training, activity and (believe it or not!) fun. Admiral Sharon was pretty strict but, she taught cool things like how to recognize our weaponry logo. There was no time to think, just to do. I was so disoriented by the end of the day, I probably didn’t even know what my name was. I was so tired, I couldn’t even have nightmares anymore. My sixth day was when it happened. The day I saw her. I had just gone to sleep after pulverizing Mackenzie in a long, hard pillow fight. It seemed just a few seconds ago, I had fallen asleep, when I was woken up by the shrill ringing of the alarm. Red lights blazed overhead. In a flurry of excitement, we pulled on our black suits and helmet. Admiral Sharon assigned Shirley, Mackenzie and I to scout ahead on horse. "They’re in Sephra, Firala mountain range, near the borders. We think they’re attacking Euphoria, the capital. Hurry!" We ran to the stables and I had time to ponder if it was a coincidence that it was the last place l had seen my parents. “Hey, girl. Stay still.” I murmured softly to my horse as I adjusted the saddle. Black Beauty nickered and snorted in response. Shirley and Mackenzie had chosen Max and Molly, our grey mustangs. We started off, heading south, towards Sephra. The mountains were not easy to tackle, but Black Beauty leaped over every crevice with energy. “Go girl. Faster! Faster!” Black Beauty gathered speed. Then I spotted something that drew me to a standstill. “Stop.”I hissed. “Mount off, draw your sword and advance slowly towards the dark heap at the base of the hill.” I pointed my sword at the pile, but I sensed an ambush before a dozen arrows were nocked and pointed at our neck. “Surrender.” A voice came from the darkness. “Drop your weapons and hand over the horses…..” A girl, the ringleader, I supposed, stepped out of the darkness. Her companians seized two horses. She looked familiar. I was thinking why when my heart skipped a beat. I knew that look. Underneath the dark facade, it was the same look I saw when I looked into the mirror. A weird sensation of deja vu came over me. Suddenly,I was back in Firala, but this time eight years ago. Watching as my parents prepared to go to the mainland on a Forage. “Bye, honey.” they said as the currents carried them to the mainland, almost as if they knew I would never see them again.”See you soon!” I had said happily. Little did I know how wrong I was. I bit my lip and blinked back tears. I could tell my clone was having similar ideas. We had got onto a Jeep and were speeding away. Despite the situation, I grinned. Black Beauty would be halfway back to our base right now. Kaila, as her companions called her, came up to me and asked in a puzzled voice “Who are you and why do you look like me?” “I’m Taylor Holland.” trying to stop my voice from shaking, “And the question is; Why do YOU look like me?” She laughed “ You’ve got spirit, I can say that. Pleased to meet you, I’m Kaila.” “Kaila……?” Her expression became serious.”Kaila Holland. Have you met your parents?” “Yeah, until they disappeared two years ago. You’re not born December 9th, are you? Or 16 years old?” Her mouth twisted back to a grin. “ Let’s just say………..maybe.” “No…” My voice sounded terribly incredulous, even to me. “Yes…….I’ve always wanted an evil twin…” “Hey I was about to say that…….” “Shhhhhh.” Her voice turned grim. “Nobody finds out, ’kay? It wouldn’t be good for you or me. I’ll help you escape. In return, you’ll take me to Atlantis. I have heard about it many times. Its been my dream..But I couldn’t betray them……I had friends. I’ve waited long enough.” We both thought in silence for a while…… “Here’s the plan. You and your friends will be taken to the prison. Wait there till you are allowed a bathroom break….don’t do anything suspicious..I’ll meet you there.Third stall. “Okay, you’re the boss.” The jeep stopped abruptly. "Michael, Kate, take them to the prison. Bathroom break for five minutes only, understand?” Kaila said harshly. We were led away to a grim-looking, grey building. A flicker of doubt raced through me. What if Kaila was just playing with me? No….it couldn’t be. The facts matched a little too perfectly. But, I promised myself I would be on lookout for deception. I told Shirley and Mackenzie the plan. There were three cots in the cell and I suggested we get some rest. I went to sleep, which I knew was a bad idea in enemy territory, but my body betrayed me. I awoke to the sound of voices. Kaila, talking with the guards. "When they wake up, send them to the restroom. I’ll supposedly help them escape to Atlantia. We’ll rendezvous from there” More conversation. “More food……..control…….war…” I couldn’t hear anything. Drilling sounds came from below us. The kind that came from weapon making factories back in Atlantia. I got up and awoke my friends. “Use the restroom…” A guard growled. She led us through a passageway that led into a large room. Outcasts were everywhere, unloading food and raw materials from crates. More drilling sounds. I noticed an emblem on our guard’s gun. An infinity ring with flames. Strange. We finally reached the restroom. The guard stepped outside the door and motioned for us to do our work. We entered and i immediately knocked on the third stall. Kaila stepped out. “I’ll have to be careful. I only need her help to get out.” I thought . “Ta-da!” Kaila exclaimed at a trash chute. “ Thats our way down?” Shirley asked skeptically. “Well, duh.” Kaila went in on her stomach facing the opening. She was followed by Shirley and Mackenzie. I went in last. As I was climbing in, another woman entered the restroom. She turned and my heart melted. She was one and the same. The same golden hair and amber eyes. "I’ll be back. "I promised. My last words were "I love you.” Then I let go. I felt myself slipping and sliding on the cold, metal surface. The tunnel was steep and smelt of stinky socks and onions. It wasn’t very smooth and I knew my arms would be scabbed when i got down. A few minutes later. I spotted light and shakily sat up and drew my sword. I prepared to jump. Three…..two…one…..Airborne for a few seconds and ……CRASH! Drawing my sword in the chute? Bad idea. I had landed on top of Kaila…..and my sword had cut a gash on my arm. in a flash I was on my feet and my sword was pressed on Kaira’s neck. “ You wanted to betray us, huh? Well, I overheard you talking to your petty guards. Maybe we should just leave you here and go on…..What do you think Shirley? Mackenzie?" “Wait…..check my pocket…Mother gave it to me." I took a brooch out, identical to mine with its peacock feather design and compared it with the one on my shirt. My anger left me as quickly as it had come. “Good plan tricking the guards like that.” Then it clicked….floated into my head like pieces to a puzzle. They were making weapons…all those drilling sounds. And the emblem, it was the same logo used in Atlantian army production. That news report about the missing weapons and food in the newspaper on the Choosing Day. The guards were talking about control and there was only one place the could be talking about…..and my mother. It was her alright. I could swear. I would be back for her. After I got this mess sorted out. But, could I do it? All my life people told me that I was a nobody, without family, without friends, without a spirit. I realize they were wrong. I’m not nobody. I’m Taylor Holland and I’m a Warrior. Tring, Tring! Arjun sighed as the bell rang for school to start. It was going to be a long day. Math passed by quickly doing sums with Mr. Spenser, but the social dragged on and on. Just when Arjun thought that he would die of boredom, the bell rang and everybody rushed outside to have their break. Arjun finished his bread and jam but left some biscuits for later. As he gazed around, he noticed two Rottweiler pups and their mother. They were a beautiful golden brown shade and had a silvery white diamond on their head. Arjun fed them some biscuits and played with it for a while. He went back to school to resume his class work. After the school ended Arjun began a long walk to home in anticipation of relaxing weekend. He noticed Rottweiler pups were playing, but strangely its mother was not around. That night Arjun woke-up in the middle of night as he heard strange scratching noise and muffled barking. He got up and followed the sounds to the street outside his house. There was a small shed and when Arjun opened it, he saw the pups. They were locked up in a tiny cage and they were shivering. He hid as soon as he heard voices. A man said to his other friends “Ha Ha Ha! Once we sell these two pups, we will be rich! Its mother is already sold to a girl across the street for 10000 Rupees!” Arjun scooped the pups from the cage and ran out of the back door. Man started chasing Arjun. The pups slipped and fell into the stream that was nearby. Without thinking much, Arjun jumped to rescue them. One of the pup had gone so deep, he could not even see it. The other pup was floating so he grabbed it and placed it on the grass. No!! Can’t give up now, Arjun told himself. He took a deep breath and dived deep. At the last minute he caught the pup and hoisted himself out of the stream. He ran home and explained everything to his parents. After a lot of persuasion, Arjun could keep the pups forever. Arjun had named them Max and Spice. Arjun heaved a sigh of relief. It was all done. He felt a sense of pride and was filled with happiness. It had been eventful weekend, and time had flown, but now that was all in the past. He smiled as he knelt beside the two excited wriggling bodies frantically wagging their tails. They followed him out. There was no need for words, they understood each other perfectly. Max and Spice were grateful that Arjun had saved their lives. As they walked beside him, the Rottweilers knew they had made a friend for life. It was a pleasant day outside. The sun was shining brightly, the birds were chirping their song. I headed into my classroom only to hear the most shocking, dreadful news. “No, they can’t,” I screamed in front of my teacher and classmates, “they just can’t.” They were going to cut the woods down. The woods are where my teacher, Mrs. Fitz, takes us every week. It is beautiful there, cardinals and blue jays chirping, the warm sun shining through the trees, and a cool refreshing breeze. And now they were going to eliminate it. The one and only place I felt at home, completely away from stress, was going to disappear forever. And it was for a dog park. Seriously? The next hours of school were dreadful. The trees I had looked at and loved all my life were being chopped down with every cruel swing of an axe. Feeling stunned, I realized human beings can be reckless and heartless creatures. Questions rose into my brain: What would happen if we kept doing this? Cutting trees, littering, polluting. One day our beautiful, clean world would be reduced to nothing! There would be less clean air and unwanted climate change. Does our planet deserve such a fate? All this thinking changed my view point. I know that I am not M. Yoganathan, who planted 1,20,000 trees in southern state of India, or some other eco expert, but this … cutting down woods for a dog park is just plain wrong! I had a feeling, if I am part of this Earth, is it not my duty to protect it as well as I can? I started doing little things, taking it step by step, and I was confident I could bring a positive change. I remembered a truly incredible quote “Pen is mightier than sword.” Instead of writing about simple, basic things, I started talking about the environment and pollution on my blog. Mother Teresa, a very famous humanitarian, had once said, “We know only too well that what we are doing is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. But if the drop were not there, the ocean would be missing something.” I told all my friends about these cruel things happening in the world. All of us together did many things to help Mother Earth. Some of them were: using recycled paper, turning off electronics when we were not using them, and organizing environment groups. One of them was to adopt a plant and make sure it grows strong and healthy. Such group activities really helped us see a new and better world and was a huge success. After Halloween, our class organized an event dedicated to composting pumpkins. All those pumpkins would have gone to the landfill but now they were used to make soil rich, and believe it or not, pig food too. My friends and I handed out flyers, gave reports, and talked at schools to raise awareness in our community. Slowly, bit by bit, we saw changes. There was less litter, clean air, and lots of trees. I had lost the woods, but had found my key for having a better, healthier environment. Now I dream of a green planet and especially now, we are one step closer to it. Books are our guiding lights. Can you imagine your life without bounded pages that seem to welcome you into their arms? Can you imagine your life without any escape to your problems, no way to walk into another world? Do you think that your life would be any better without books? Well, I for one, know that I live to read. My life does not mean anything without a spine to caress or pages filled with words.
I never used to like reading. Me? I can hardly process that but it’s true. I developed my interest at the age of four. It was when I moved to America. My parents read me books every day. Gradually my love for books grew from a seed to a tree full of blossoms. I started reading small books, like magic tree house but within a year I had advanced to Harry Potter books. When I was six I had finished the series and had read many other books. Every time I read a book my love for books grow a bit more. Books have shaped my personality to be like the characters. Some characteristics like bravery, wisdom and determination have stuck to me and have shaped me. Eventually, I started reading several books a day. As soon as I finished school, I would eat, finish my work and do some exercises. The rest of my day was dedicated to reading. After reading, eating dinner and read some more than sleep. When I read I always get sucked into the book like it’s a vacuum. Then one day, my parents decided to limit my reading. They told me enough was enough. Imagine giving your child or a pet one meager meal a day. They would get no nutrients or energy for the day and would feel miserable. Believe me that was close to what I felt. But I made friends and learned to live with limited book time. As I grew older, my homework level increased and I had very less time for reading. After a while though, I learned to make time for reading by sacrificing other things. Right now, my life is focused on studying, spending time with my family and reading. It was one of those days when I felt like I would die of boredom if I didn't read something. I told my mum that I would sleep early because I was tired. She gave me a tasty dinner of soup and vegetables and I went to bed. When I was sure she had gone, I pulled out a book got my reading flashlight and read. Soon I heard voices but I was too deep in my book to be dug out. Suddenly the door opened and in came my mum and dad. I remember lots of scolding but I was satisfied although in a guilty way. Every day I thank god for giving me books. Without a book I feel agitated. Books have changed my life, making me calmer, learning to accept mistakes and seeing from other's point of view. Even today reading is my passion and the magic of reading has never even once, lost its glow. As we all know the classic Cinderella fusion starts with her evil stepmother and sisters treating her badly. They forbade her to enter the prince’s ball. Then a fairy godmother comes to her rescue and makes a coach out of a pumpkin, mice into horses and a dog into a coach- driver. Cinderella goes to the ball wearing a lovely dress and glass shoes. The prince falls in love with her. Then Cinderella remembers that she has to get back to the house by 12 in the midnight. She tears out of the palace and into the coach, but it turns back into a pumpkin. Then she runs all the way back home, BUT, Cinderella did not lose a shoe. She kept running and took the shortest route home through the forest. Her scarf fell of her shoulders, her ribbons off her hair. Her clothes lost their glow and became streaked with mud. They became a tattered, faded, ripped, blue blouse and skirt. She comes home and started to cry. Pulling herself together, she decided to make dinner for her stepmother and sisters. She took the puffs out of the oven and mixed the spaghetti sauce as she thought about the day. The man of her dreams had danced with her all night but she had not had the nerve to tell him who she was. She would never have the chance now. Her mother and stepsisters entered the house just as she sautéed the noodles in the sauce. “You wretched girl, get out of here”. Cinderella ran to her room in tears. She decided to run away from home. She packed a clean jacket and cap. She took some bread, cold soup, a bowl of pasta, biscuits, canned veggies, and ham. She made a rope out of her used clothes and slid down the windows. She climbed down and landed in a thick gorge bush. But the thorns turned as fluffy as cotton at her touch. Even the bushes did not wanted to hurt the girl who quenched their thirst on hot days. She ran into the forest and began the way to the palace. She stopped to drink from the stream and ate her bread and vegetables. She finished the soup as well.
A beautiful golden deer offered to carry her to the prince. The prince was searching for the mysterious princess in the same forest. The deer took Cinderella straight to the prince. Cinderella took the prince’s hand in her own. “I am the girl you seek”, and so she wore the scarf and ribbons that fit her as if it was made for her. Soon a great festival was held for the prince and the princess. They got married and lived happily ever after. It was a cold chilly day. Snowflakes were swirling as the wind blew harder and harder. One landed on my nose. Elated, I brushed it off. I could not contain my excitement. I had an endless winter vacation in front of me with my best friend coming to stay. We had planned to eat Italian food out and rent a spooky movie. Later we would go sledding and have homemade pasta. Nothing could be better. Then things started to roll downhill. I came downstairs as the phone was ringing just to find out that my best friend had come down with fever. I felt my plans shatter, like when a window breaks. How could something like this happen? I decided to go on a walk.
Just when I thought things could not get worse, they did. I had dropped my lucky penny. As I turned to look for it, something shiny caught my eye. A silver medallion. As I flipped the coin to examine the back, everything changed. The moon glowed brighter, the night grew darker. The streetlamp disappeared and trees replaced the houses. I overheard sounds. Instinctively, I ducked. I flinched as I realized what the source was. Bullet shots. I recognized them from innumerable movies, what were they doing here? Hunting was prohibited in these woods, I panicked and dropped the coin. I ran and kept running. Soon I came to a village. A young girl about my age came and told me. “Welcome to Werowocomoco, Strange person with funny clothes. Let us give you refreshments”. The girl called Pocahontas got me some bread, corn and pieces of vegetables. She led me into a straw hut with animal skin carpet. I gave a start as everything clicked into place. Pocahontas, the girl in my history textbook. Her people’s strange food and huts, The Bullet shots I was in the past. Somewhere in the time the Europeans were invading America. I was in a Native American village. I realized Pocahontas’s village would burn down. I finished my food in a gulp and told Pocahontas I needed help finding something. We went to the forest` and she helped me look for it. She found the coin by a sapling and I flipped the coin. I gasped, I was back in my world and it was not a dream. The sapling was in my hand. I rushed home and opened my history textbook. It said a villager had taken Pocahontas to find something when they were attacked. But she had survived. She was not in her village when it burned down the people had escaped it. Some Villager, Was it me??????? It was a dark gloomy day when my friend Rose and I were walking down the road to my house. Rose was one of my best friends with curly blonde hair, bright blue eyes and a plump cheerful face. She was wearing red today as she usually does. I was wearing a bright blue dress with a matching headband.
A bright light surrounded us and a magic door appeared. "Choose" the magical door said, "Will you come in and face your worst fears or remain in your human world?". First of all Rose and I were confused so we must have answered yes without our knowledge. I felt like I was going inside a washing machine and thrown around without mercy. I felt myself grabbing for Rose. I found her hand and blacked out. When I regained consciousness, I saw Rose sprawled out on her back, and her arm twisted in a painful angle. I found myself all in one piece and got up to help her. “Ow!” exclaimed Rose as I tried to move the injured hand. I removed my scarf and made an arm sling for Rose. We made our way forward to an apple tree in full bloom nearby a stream. As we walked forward, the stream sang a bubbly song. The apple trees whistled in the wind and made an eerie noise which frightened me out of my mind. We kept walking and came to a huge castle. On the front was a riddle. “Face your worst fears and you will receive all the treasures the magical castle bears”. “Sounds interesting”, I said, “Why don’t we go in” I asked Rose. No way, exclaimed Rose “My arm is aching and I just want to go home.” Then she started sobbing. I told her “it’s okay, if we go in together then we can face our fears”. “See the lit up pirate flag which has a red X on the castle towers? I said, "That must be place where the treasure lies, besides if you don’t come with me you will have to go back by yourself. And we can’t find our way back without each other”. “Okay, said Rose “Let’s go in”. We then approached the entrance ….Boom! Our first fear had approached. A vicious looking vampire appeared with blood dripping off her sharp and pointed fangs. "Hungry” she snarled. That one was one of my fears which had come from reading vampire horror novels. Luckily, these books had also taught me how to kill them as well. I formed a crucifex out of 2 sticks at my side. The vampire with a terrible snarl reached for me at an attempt and touched my neck before she vaporized in the midair. “Dude, who knew you were afraid of vampires” said Rose. “Well let’s see what your fear will be, Rose, “I replied, a little offended. I said “I did read in brackets that there will be 3 fears appearing, one will be mine, and next is yours. And the third will be a combination of both of our fears. Another Boom!! A Vicious voice growled. The beautiful landscape turned into a dark night with a full moon. In front of the moon a lone wolf with red eyes, which had a face of a wolf but a body of a man. He howled, this chilled the edge of my bones. Rose looked terrified “I never thought it would be this fear”. I recalled that Rose never liked wolves and would stay away from the wolves at the zoo. Like me, Rose had gotten her fear from books, and so she knew how to drive them away. She pulled out her good luck charm, a silver arrow. “Distract him, I need to make sure that this arrow pierces his blood stream”. “Excuse me…!” I asked. “Silver will kill the werewolf “she replied. I knew what I had to do. I ran to the wolf, but it anticipated the attack and tripped me. It loomed over me, its fangs bared. It lunged and disappeared. A silver arrow clattered beside the disappeared wolf. Rose helped me up with her good arm. We both knew the third fear would be a combination between vampire and werewolf. I made a ring of crucifiers around us, took one and gave another to Rose. We secured the sticks with string. Rose pulled out several other good luck charms and gave 3 to me and kept 3 for herself. We readied ourselves, but nothing came. I decided to go and investigate. Soon I spotted a sign of treasure. I called Rose and we went in to find a large gold sack containing gold and precious gems. We made our way back and were about to exit the world through the magical door, when the clouds darkened. The full moon appeared. The door disappeared in front of us and repapered behind the dark clouds. We readied ourselves and put our crucifiers in front of us. The vampire part scratched and trampled but was still alive. I ducked under the creature and stack the crucifer in the vampire’s mouth and at the same time. Rose shot all the three arrows onto the werewolf's face and also ruined my hairdo. As the werewolf and the vampire dissolved into dust. “Yuck” I said. Together, with our gold sack we climbed the stairs back to the real world. As soon as we got out the traffic signals beeped and the trees swayed to the wind. Everything was normal. We split our reward. We remembered our exciting journey and knew it was an adventure that can be never forgotten. If I could give India a present on Independence Day, I would give every needy Indian a grain of rice. This is to show even a little grain is important to India. A single grain given by Indians like me might help end the sufferings of thousands of people. The urban and rural poor can’t afford to buy food for themselves and their children. It was a warm, summer day when everything began! I was in my science lab, putting the last ingredient into my potion, which was bubbling and turning from bright blue to crystal clear. Then, it happened. As I was mixing, blob of my potion just landed on my hand. When I turned to wipe it, my hand had disappeared. My bunkbed is my favorite place in all my house. It is my safe haven, away from incoming stress. With its feeling, look and smell, my bunkbed is bound to make anyone feel at home. This place is extraordinary because it helps me relax and up there… no one could ever get bored. Can you imagine someone climbing an active volcano even though it could erupt any time with its toxic fumes, burning lava and rumbling? To share the experience I will tell you all about this remarkable, life threatening journey.
This volcanic mountain is Mount St Helens. The peaceful looking ordinary mountain, but really its inner side is beyond deadly. It erupted in 1980 which was only 34 years ago was leaving a huge scar among the landscape which included burnt trees, no animals, jagged rocks and no water sources. To reach the foot of the mountain my dad and I walked five miles. The trek was exhausting and the fact that my dad had to pause like every five seconds to take a picture really didn’t help. Finally, we stopped for a break at Spirit Lake which had such a freaky story that I stumbled and successfully twisted my foot. The freaky story was about an old man who did not evacuate and died when Mount St Helens erupted. Luckily I convinced my dad that there was no need to continue on another four hours hike to the peak of the mountain. As I returned back with wonderful and unwanted memories, I realized, I had a good time after all. Now you can see clearly that this place is amazing because of Spirit Lake, a volcano that could erupt anytime, and its scarred landscape. Imagine yourself suffering the pain of writing furiously for hours and hours under the baking sun. If that’s ever happened to you, I am guessing you know how I feel right now. This is exactly why I think we should make a mind reading pen.
Now you’re probably wondering how it works. So I’m going to put it in a simple way. This machine would work with an antenna and a sensor. You would put on cap with a special sensor that could read brain signals. The antenna on the pen would receive signals from the cap. The Pen, which would be powered with a computer, would understand the signals from the cap and write what you would be thinking in any font of your choice. The purpose of this invention would be to help increase productivity. You would save a lot of time. Instead of taking thirty minutes on homework you would now take ten minutes. It is also a lot easier. You would not have to strain your hands. It can also be a great use to disabled people. This invention will also help in saving your energy and most possibly keeping your mood up. You will have more power to do other things. It is also better for your brain to just process your thoughts instead spending energy in figuring out correct way to write. Now, as you can see, the mind reading pen would be a useful invention to the world because it would increase productivity, you would save more time and energy, it would be big help for disabled people and it is simple, effective tool to have around. Planting gardens with tons of care
For flowers blooming everywhere Lots of sunshine in the sky Baby birds beginning to fly Little streams accompanying the meadow Graceful fish bubbling with the flow Animals darting to and fro Eating plants the lush forests grows A fresh breeze cooling the air laughter echoing from a fair The sight of trees growing far up high Their shade blocking the sun's oversupply Lots of cheering, dancing and joy What a beautiful sight that is oh boy! This is what I hope to see helping the world you and me. |
AuthorAnanya Raghu . Archives
March 2017
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