"Mom!! Where are you?!"
"Mom!! Where the hell are you, mom?!" I screamed as I pushed open the door of our home, panting heavily after running fleet-footed for more than 15 minutes now.
"Huh! Mom, Meenu! Meenu...." I collapsed into her arms sobbing helplessly just when I saw her.
"What happened Moti?! What happened to Meenu?!"
"I can't find her mom. We were together, we were playing. But now I can't find her, ma!" I hugged mom again.
"What? How? How can that be possible,Moti?!"
"We were playing mom, when we heard a gunshot! We started running, we were extremely terrified. I think it was those humans you told us about!" I gushed out the whole story to her.
"Did you see anyone,Moti? Any big thing within which those men where sitting or anything?!" Mom asked me.
"No. I looked all around but I couldn't see anyone but Meenu told we should run."
"It was a trap! I think it was a trap, Moti!" Mom looked horrified.
"What trap, mom?!"
"Trap of the lions! Are you sure you didn't hear their roars?"
"No mom, we didn't."
"Hmmm.... Don't stay alone here,come with me Moti. We will go out now. Be with me, and never leave my side. We will find your sister. Don't worry!" Mom smiled but I still sensed the panic within her.
Mom was completely panic-stricken; she wasn't talking to me anymore. It was already night when we returned home and mom sat on the floor with a thud!
"I have already lost your father, Moti! I cannot afford losing your sister! Why do we deer have to be so careful always?! I wish she never went playing today!!" I saw mom crying like a baby.
After midnight when mom was in the other room I slipped out of my blanket and slowly crept towards the door, peeped and saw mom sitting sadly on her bed. I knew mum would kill me if she ever gets to know what was I planning to do right then. But the situation was worth taking the risk. I slowly unlocked the door and went out in the dark. I couldn't see a thing in the inky dark jungle. I was petrified but I had decided to return home only if I get Meenu. I was the only man in the family and I would do anything to save my sister.
I started walking with a vim in my eyes. I have already walked for more than 10 minutes when suddenly I felt someone holding me from back. I stopped and my heart beat leaped to a high.
"Don't scream, its me, Moti!"
I stood deadpan for some more seconds until I heard its voice again.
"Moti, I'm Meenu! Look at me."
I looked back with a reflex and hugged her. "Man, where were you?! Are you ok Meenu?! Where did you go?!"
"I was hiding bro. Some men, do you remember mom told us about them, those men, ran after me, Moti! I kept running to save my life but that wasn't enough. They had guns and a ummm.... a.... you know a very huge thing, they were inside it.... wait , oh yes, a car with them....!"
"A car?! That's called a car?! How did you know that? Mum didn't tell us that!!" I interrupted her.
"I heard them shouting, bro. They said - don't stop the car. We will miss this deer! I was petrified bro. I was dying. I would have died if I hadn't got a place to hide. They couldn't spot me as I hid between the rocks."
"Ohh.. Meenu, I'm such a careless brother." I hugged her again.
"Cum'n it wasn't your fault bro. It was me who wasn't careful. I didn't follow you even when you always told me to! I'm sorry brother." she cried.
"My little sister has grown up! First she hides herself and escapes from those men and now she is talking like her own mom! Wah wah! I like that!" I pinched her.
"Haha!! Thank you. Where's mom?! Is she ok? She must be worrying about us?!"
"She doesn't know I'm here. Mom is fine. Lets go back before she finds out!" I pulled Meenu behind me.
We slowly crept into our room and saw mom sleeping and crying silently. I was just going to call mom, when Meenu stopped me and went towards the bed. She gestured to me to keep completely quiet and suddenly shouted at the top of her voice - "MOMMMMMMMMMYYYYYYYYYY!!!!"
Mom turned around and looked blankly at her.
"What?! Won't I get a hug?! I missed you so much!" Meenu was smiling at mom.
"Huh! Meenuuuuu...... Wow.... Meenu.. You're back!!" Mum jumped out of the bed and hugged Meenu.
This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.
