Since last few days Naina had developed a new hobby of morning walk. All she needed was a companion who could sacrifice her lovely morning sleep to walk with her, and her search for a companion came to an end in the form of her neighbor Anya. Both of them planned to go for a morning walk every morning at 5.00 am sharp and avail health benefits.
This institute was so beautiful and situated in such a good place in the lap of nature that it seemed as if nature had blessed it with a generous heart. Secured by three entrance gates, there were always security guards posted at the entrances. "After all, we are living in an amazing place, where the beauty of nature is scattered in abundance, and then what is the justification for this laziness?" With this thought in mind, both the friends started their morning walk at the appointed time.
The experience of strolling on wide and clean roads, enjoying the serene atmosphere of the morning, clean fragrant breeze flows from the nostrils to the lungs, chirping birds, everything is unique, which cannot be expressed in the words. It can only be felt in the deep of heart. Similarly, Naina and Anya's morning walk continued, feeling themselves an integral part of the nature and assimilating themselves with nature.
That day also like all the previous days, Naina woke up in the morning and started getting ready to go for walk. While going out, she wore the wrist watch kept on the table, without even glancing at it. After coming out of the house, she slowly closed the door so as not to disturb others' sleep.
"Oho! Today Anya is already standing ready. Wow what a surprise!” Naina was pleasantly startled to see Anya standing ready in front of her house, otherwise she has to be woken up sometimes by calling from the mobile or sometimes by knocking on her door. So Naina always complained to Anya on this matter and teased her by calling by the name ‘lazy’.
Naina thought that perhaps the daily complaints had affected this lazy Anya. Apparently she did not say anything. Both of them smiled at each other and turned towards the road while talking. Coming to the road, Naina's attention went to the street lights on both sides, they were still lit on. She said to Anya, "Ana, look, these lights are still on and look, the darkness also doesn't seem any worse than other days?" Anya looked around, "Di (sister), may be today it seems darker because of the clouds. Are you afraid of darkness? Oh, don’t worry, here I am with you,” she said, laughing mischievously. Naina smiled at her words but she noticed that today there were dark all sides and no lights lit on in the houses built on the both sides of the road. The houses seemed strangely immersed in darkness. “Has no one woken up yet today?” she started contemplating in her mind.
Both the friends continued walking but Naina was still surprised that today apart from them, no one was seen on the road, otherwise, by this time, many people were found taking their morning walk on the road. Naina had doubts in her mind but she continued walking silently. Anya was walking happily as if all these things did not matter to her.
After proceeding a little further, Naina suddenly stopped and stood still. Anya said, “Di (sister), what happened? Why did you stop?” She showed her by pointing towards the front. There a man was sitting on the bench at the turn in front with his head bowed down. Anya looked at him and said, “Di, will there be someone, you are unnecessarily scared, let's move ahead. Today Anya’s courage was surprising for Naina.
As soon as both of them moved forward. Suddenly the man started shouting 'help-help' after seeing them. There was no injury anywhere on his body, nor did he look sick. Still don't know why he was shouting like this. Seeing him, Naina felt frightened. She thought, “There is a hospital just across the road, why doesn't this person go there and why is he calling us? Naina did not understand anything so she held Anya's hand and turned in the other direction on the road. Anya was like, it didn't make any difference to her.
Wonder! There was no one on this side today either. Naina again started thinking, “What has happened to everyone today? Is everyone sleeping today? Has no one come out of the house today?” Naina was walking fast holding Anya’s hand. The footsteps of that man were continuously heard behind them. She didn't have the courage to look back.
Now, they reached at the entrance of the institute. Naina thought of asking for help from the security guard sitting at the gate. After getting there, he saw that both the guards were fast asleep. She called out once to wake them up, but it had no effect on both of them.
Coming out of the gate, they came to the main road, leading towards the city. The road was also deserted and then a small traveler bus passed by. Seeing both of them, its speed slowed down and the passengers sitting in the bus, started waving at them by putting their hands out of the windows. The bus moved forward quickly and disappeared from sight. Neelima stood bewildered. Both of them remained standing for a few moments. When she noticed the man coming behind her, she started moving forward quickly, holding Anya’s hand.
A little further ahead was the second entrance gate of the institute. From there they could have taken a straight and short route to their home. So both of them quickly came inside that gate. Now Naina looked back and saw that there was no one behind. She took a sigh of relief. The watchman sitting at this gate was looking at them with strange eyes. Before he could say anything, Anya caught Naina's hand and almost pushed her forward. Now Naina looked at her wrist watch in the dim light of the bulb on the side of the road. The hands of the clock were indicating 3.00 o'clock of morning. She said, “Hey, what is this Ana? It is still night, oh God! I died today. Oh that's why that watchman was looking at us with such strange eyes. Come on quickly, what will everyone say at home?”
And both of them started towards their home through the shorter path. Today even this short path did not seem so short.
It seemed as if hours had passed while walking. Now the morning light also started spreading. Seeing the dawn Naina came to life. The life stuck in her throat, started breathing. She said to Anya, who was a little behind, “Thankfully it is morning now, why are you walking behind, hurry up.” Anya just said ‘huh’. Now the row of the houses was visible. Naina quickly moved towards the house and looking in front of her she muttered “Who is this?”
Anya was standing outside her house. As soon as she saw her, exploded with displeasure, “Hey Di, how many times have I called, you are not picking up the phone. I have been waiting here for you for 15 minutes to go for walk, and you……you are coming back after having walk.” At once Naina looked back, but there was no one there. Anya was standing in front of her and she was chiding her for leaving her behind and going for a walk on her own.
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