I pedalled my cycle slowly yet swiftly enjoying the rhythm of the wind which jostled past me. My brothers slowed down their bikes in order to match my pace.

At times holding my arms from either side when I tend to lose my balance.

It is gonna be a year since I pedalled a bicycle. Dad is not in favour of me going to school on a cycle. So I lost my touch with cycling skill.

We laughed, howled, hollered highfiving each other while making our way towards the home.

Mother Dahlia's place, that is Karunai illam, is a special home for kids who are blessed in a special way in their lives.

Me and my family are constant visitors to this place.

There are more than fifty to seventy kids of different age groups who inhabit this place.

They are taught to be self reliant and confident within their limited resources.

Many here are absolutely blessed with great talents. Their talent and abundance of intelligence always keep me astounded as ever.

"Kichu! Just keep moving ahead. We need to have a word with some friend of ours" Ben's alert voice pulled me out of the reverie.

I blinked a bit while nodding my consent. I never question or give it a second thought when it comes to my brothers' friends.

As far as I am concerned they are just aliens or I am taught to act that they are as such.

I sighed and moved ahead not before my eyes caught the glimpse of a vine red shining Fortuner.

My eyebrows crinkled a bit in confusion and suspicion when I saw such an expensive piece of vehicle which is quite uncanny as far as our village is concerned.

Here people live a simple life as many of them live by daily wages and money that comes from their agriculture.

People here are of course rich and live a contended life . Yet no one ever showed any interest in being ostentatious like this.

I controlled my urge to enquire about this new phenomenon.

Despite the brooding suspicion which began to patch up and eat up my brain I chose to ignore and pedal my way ahead enjoying the bliss my now solitary state gifted me with.

An effortless smile of perfect solace made its entry on the corner of my lips when a gush of afternoon warm wind hit my face making my innards filled with an unknown joy and sense of ecstasy.

"Kichu! Take care da. We will be with you before you know. Also be safe." I heard Ben calling out for me.

I turned my head lifted my right hand while my strong left handling the handle swiftly still my legs carried on with pedalling. I waved at my brothers to continue with their job and no need to worry about my safety ,with a thumbs up and a smirk.

Ben nodded seriously. Alvin, Steeve seemed to lean forward near the car door and talking to the person who occupied the driver's seat.

I could only catch the glimpse of his black hair from the side mirror.I closed my eyes suddenly. I am not supposed to spy over or ogle at my brothers' friends.

I turned my head and tried to shirk off perturbing thoughts while concentrating or in a better sense distracting myself with the abundance of nature beauty sprawled ahead of me.

Beautiful fields of different vegetation is grown and cultivated with great passion by the people here.

So many middle aged people returning from their day's work waved at me with a regarding and prideful smile. I nodded while placing my one hand over my chest as an act of respect and reverence towards them.

Most of the people here except my parents and uncles earn their living by agriculture.

Their kids are the only people who can be called technologically and educationally settled. They are first gen learners here.

In my case even my great great grandpa was a learnt man. He was a great wizard and story teller of his time.

He used to turn soil to candies with a snap of his fingers and the fun part is when people put that candy in their mouth. Those candies will regain its lost glory that is they become soil and people spit it out with grimace.

Also my parents are an exception because of the prudence of our grandpa. Our grandpa was a great human who was known for his goodness and kindness in this place. Also he was a well educated person of that period.

My dad always talks about my grandpa with high respect and regard. I always get to see a beam of twinkle sparkling in his eyes when he talks about grandpa.

My grandparents passed away even before my birth. My mom's mom was the only grandparent I have ever known.

Her thought brought within me a surging and piercing pain of agony which tormented me right from my childhood.

"( sis! Where are you going?) A familiar squeaky voice enquired me making me come to a sudden halt.

I turned my face to see Athàrva coming to a slow halt beside me on his kid's bicycle.

He smiled at me innocently but his eyes twinkling and sparkling with so much of mischief that I had to think twice before answering his query.

"( Just thought of mooning around for fun) I tried to act elusive.

"! ( Is it like that ) He asked thoughtfully and I nodded curtly.

" ( It is just like that) I retorted while leaning towards the cycle handle.

He giggled but like some sudden remembrance hit him his smile faded and a frown over took the fair share of his face.

"( Oh no! Mom asked me to buy milk from the nearby store. I am going to get that. We will see later)" Atharva said with a small smile while getting ready to pedal his cycle.

" ( Take care. Tomorrow morning class, keep that in mind.)

I said concern etching my features when I thought about the carnival that is about to come and preparing these kids pristine for the competitions.

". ( No worries sis everything is gonna be okay) Atharva said smiling brightly.

". ( okay reverent person. Is there any retort to your wise words) I chimed playfully while pulling his chubby cheek gently.

He bade goodbye to me while moving ahead on his cycle. I gazed at him for sometime till he turned and disappeared at the turning.

A deep sigh left my breath. Kids are just great. They don't have the fear of today,tomorrow or yesterday . They just live the moment in perfect harmony like a soulful mellifluous music which glides past our ears.

We grown ups who act all equipped and prudent are kinda left in the middle of nowhere with not even a single answer to the thousands of questions which soar around our minds deluging and meddling up our thoughts.

I slowly started to move forward and within a matter of few minutes I reached in front of the home for kids.

I hopped out of the cycle and parked it aside near security cabin.

I removed my cycle helmet and put it inside the basket holder.

My hair fell loose. I fixed my hair into a tight pony again.

And took my clutch purse with the other hand.

I took out my iPhone which was inside my clutch purse.

". ( Ben where the hell are you now?) I reached here. Waiting! Just msg your status. Like where you are now?)

I typed the msg jabbing my fingers with force On the screen like it is Ben's face. After sending the msg I snapped shut the cover and paced around the place while looking around.

"" ( come inside kichu) siddhu uncle called out when he caught the glimpse of me pacing like a pregnant cat.

Siddhu uncle works here as a security. He knew me from the early days of my childhood.

We are kinda great friends.

" Hello uncle! ( its okay uncle. No worries) I am waiting for Ben and my other brothers to come and join me. I think they will be here anytime. You carry on with your work." I said politely while greeting uncle with the gesturing of my hands joined together. He nodded with a kind smile.

"It is alright kichu. I will give you company till then. Not that a great company as your peers. Still a decent one to while your time away. " Siddhu uncle said joining me with a smile.

"Uncle you are a wonderful company and a gleeful friend anyone could ask for. I grew up playing around you. You are the best if you ask me" I said exultantly. Uncle just shrugged politely.

We were catching up with the incidents of our lives that my phone beeped indicating a msg.

"Uncle one sec, I think Ben replied to my msg. " I excused myself from there while uncle nodded his approval.

"Language sis! Just learn to behave my darling banshee. Okay coming to the point you go inside we will take time to come. Be with the kids. We will join you shortly"

I huffed impatiently. All men are like this. They don't know how to respect the feelings of the one who is waiting to be blessed with their presence. Let it be sister, daughter,wife or any relation we girls are destined to rot in eternal hell waiting for these morons to join us.

I stamped my foot and kicked a pebble out of my way agitated as ever.

"Kichuma what happened? You look so enraged. I never ever saw you getting this angry at something. Is there anything serious?" Siddhu uncle asked me concern discernible in his voice.

I resumed my normal stance when I realized that there is audience for my furious show. I composed my features and camouflaged my lips with a feign smile which truthfully failed to reach my eyes.

"Nothing uncle, Shall I get in now? Ben and others will join eventually as they are caught up with some work" I said in an evasive manner.

Siddhu uncle sensed my disquiet state of mind and allowed me to get inside by opening the door a bit ajar enough for me to slip inside.

All the while I felt some invisible presence suffocating my senses with its burning glare.

I flipped my head back to see who is the one that is splendiferously bestowing burning holes on my head.

To my disquiet and fear I saw no human or even a tiny fly staring at me.

" ( come in)" siddu uncle urged me to get in.

I shirked off the bad feeling which began to engulf me and forced a curt nod at Siddhu uncle.

"Thank you for being with me all this time uncle. " I said gratefully.

" ( You are like my daughter child. There is no need tó sày thanks for a small thing like this. Your peace and happiness is more important)

Siddhu uncle said kindly . I nodded meekly.

" Bye uncle" I said.

He waved goodbye at me with a smile.

I waved back with a small smile while shuffling towards the main building where kids do their handicraft works, their routine therapy for speech, strengthening their limbs etc.

I walked quietly along the corridor which was kinda silent but with the resonated vibrations of kids' exuberant voice which came from the main hall.

I caught the glimpse of kanjan sitting beside the window engrossed in some painting works.

Kanjan is my friend here. She is almost around my age give or take two years from my age. She became an inhabitant here almost six months ago.

Even though it is gonna be almost a year and half since we held our family get together. We never turn away from visiting this home.

Dad brings me here whenever I show my interest in seeing my friends here. Likewise I became friends with Kanjan. I don't know further details of her personal life other than her. Physical condition and present state.

The only thing I could say is she is a blessing in the form of a friend.

She is a very talented girl with exceptional qualities as sparkles in her life. She is a very friendly person.

She is good at glass painting and other painting works. I always find myself amazed at the perfection of her works.

She has immense bounty of patience and perseverance in making that work a beauteous work of art.

I smiled at Kanjan who is now so much engrossed in her work. She is half paralyzed as an aftermath of an illness which hit her.

But never for once she showed her detrimental state before others. She has a beautiful smile which will melt any hard hearted person.

Other kids took notice of my presence. some gasped in surprise and others eyes widened when they saw me.

I gestured them to remain quiet while pointing at Kanjan. They caught my intention and went back to their works like I never came or existed.

I wrapped my hands around her eyes closing her eyes gently sitting next to her.

Kanjan let out a loud gasp of aghast. While her paint brush slid out of her grasp. She with a shivering hand touched my hand and tried to make out who this person is who dared to interrupt her work.

When she touched my bangle and ring a smile left her lips with a chuckle.

I puckered my brows in confusion while looking at other kids. They just shrugged with giggle and snicker.

"Kichu! I know this is my cute chicki." Kanjan said, smile was evident in her voice.she calls me kichu ,chicki and what all names I sometimes lose counting.

"Hmph ! How? You always manage to get it is me. This is not at all fair janu." I said while folding my arms and scowling at her.

Janu, Jani are her nicknames.

Kanjan turned her head and viewed me with a goofy smile.

You are the only one who comes to this place as you are without any simplicity pretence. Others show off their modesty when they come to this place.You are the only one who remain as you are when you come here and we love to see that." Kanjan said smiling pointing at my accessories. I smiled a bit embarrassed at this open statement of my love for dolling up myself.

"I just can't help when it comes to getting dolled up. It is like I am in a fashion frenzied street or what?" I said while pushing back a stray strand of hair behind my ear timidly.

"Guess what? I have brought for you?" I said acting all miss sherlock Holmes with added animated expression in order to escape the embarrassment I fetched for myself.

Kanjan suddenly got alerted and started thinking with her eyes brows knitted together in concentration.

"Glass paint?" she squealed in exuberance when she managed to come up with an answer.

"No"I said shaking my head with a smirk. Kanjan seemed to be thinking tapping her temple with her index finger.

"Hmm..paint brush?" She again tried her luck in guessing game.