THE ROAD NOT TAKEN...

                                                    THE ROAD NOT TAKEN…

Folklores are part of the society and no doubt they have impact upon us. Maa has a story which had a great impact on me since my childhood. The story was about a little girl who went missing after she started to disobey her parents. I know the story was to scare me and not to disobey my parents but the way Maa narrates the story has always intrigued me but the creepy road has been considered haunted since the girl went missing and people often avoid taking that route even it was the shorted route to the main market. The road itself has a spooky appearance and it seems like a lot has happened there. I have always tried not to pass through that road because whatever it is I do not want to face any consequences.

It has been six month I have been working in Jet Airways and I have performed well. I will be going home for the first time after I have started my work and I have misses Maa like anything. I have got all varieties of sweets and sari for her and I got two pair of shoes for Papa and a play station for Sonu, my naughty little brother. I know this is not enough but I have not been given a long holiday leave so I just wanted to go home as soon.                   I just got three days and I have so much to talk to Maa.

I felt alive when Maa hugged me and kissed me on my forehead. I felt adventurous when Sonu kissed me and I felt completed when Papa gave me his blessings. I was at last at home. I was making every second a memory because I have to go back and I will be missing all of this. In a blink of my eye three days went by and I was packing up my stuffs. We all were having breakfast and one by one everyone bid me farewell and left, I was left alone with Maa and we were trying our best to keep our tears aside. It was getting late but I still wanted to spend some more seconds with them and I finally have to leave when I got a warning call from the airport. I was late so I told Maa that I will take the short route or else it will be really difficult for me to reach in time. At first she did not approved of it but I convinced her that I would walk as fast as possible and would not stop for anything. At the end we said farewell and she warned me not to stop for any reason while going through that road. She wanted to accompany me but she was not quite well so I convinced her.

At first I was scared to enter that road. It was morning but the road was still and silent. I knew that if I would not take this road then I will be late so I gathered all my courage and start walking as quickly as possible, at a point of time I felt like I was running. I passed half of the road and there all of a sudden I heard a cry and when I turned back I saw a girl crying with her head down. It seems like she was hurt and she was in pain. I was going towards her and suddenly I remembered where I was and I started to run as fast as possible towards the main road. I stopped only when I reached the market. I took a deep breath and tried to erase whatever I have seen or imagined few minutes back.

I reached airport and my flight was already on its runway and passenger has started to take their seats. I was late but I somehow managed to enter the flight. I start helping the passenger and I forgot what I have been through. The passengers were seated and we were ready for take-off. While we were giving them the instructions, I noticed that someone was staring at me continuously. I went to her and asked if she needed something. It was a girl and she did not even care to face me and talk to me, she was facing down all the time. I left her and continued my work. We all started to serve eateries and again I noticed that the same girl was staring at me continuously and when I reached her sit and asked for what she want to have, she said that we do not have what she wants to have and still she was not facing me.

I was comfortable all the time during my flight and I was hoping to reach our destination as soon as possible. Finally after couple of hours we reached our destination. When the entire passenger were leaving I did not noticed that girl leaving the flight. When I inquire about her from my coworkers, they told me that there was not a single girl in our flight today; all the female passengers were above 30 years. I told them that I saw a girl but nobody has seen her. I was confused but I drop the matter and waited for my friend so that we can check-in in the hotel and take some rest. Rita came and we took the keys from the reception and were heading towards our room when she told me that she forgot to submit a document, so she told me to go ahead and she will join me in few minutes. I wanted to talk to her about the incident but I thought I can wait till she comes.

I opened the door and I decided to take a shower before I do anything. I felt refreshed after the shower and I think I washed away all that inexplicable moments with the water. I sat on the couch and started to watch Hangover. I just love the comedy of Alan. I was enjoying the movie and then I saw the lock open and I knew it was Rita. I did not turned back to look at her because I do not want to miss the scene, so I told her to take a shower and join me for the movie then we will decide for dinner. Rita went straight to the bedroom and then to the bathroom. When I turned back she was already in the bathroom. She was humming some song and she did sound melodious. I told her that she should someday try recording, she laughed with me.

She asked me about my day and then there itself I told her about the girl whom I have seen at home and about the girl in the flight. Rita was listening to me patiently and then she told me that I should not have ran from that girl because who knows if she was hurt and I did not helped her. I told her that the road is supposed to be haunted and I do not want to experience anything. Rita said that, haunted places always have a story behind them and may be the girl wanted some help from you, if you are sure that she was not human and then she laughed. I told her to stop scaring me and start watching the movie again and told her to come out soon.

The door bell rang and I got up to open the door and there was Rita standing in front of me. My mouth freeze and Rita has to shake me up. I started to sweat and I asked her if she came just now, she said what kind of stupid question is that. I told her that someone came and I was talking to her and that someone is still in the shower. We looked at each other and then Rita took the initiative and went to the bathroom and I followed her. She opened the door and there was no one, only the shower was on. I was horrified and told her to take me out. We went to the nearest restaurant and we ordered food. I was not in the mood for anything but she said that she will listen to me only when I will eat.

Our food came and I started to narrate everything. She was staring at me and she said sorry. She said that she has never experienced anything as such but she was scared for me. She suggested that I should speak to Maa about this because elders have solutions for all this stuff. She said that we should change the room and I should take some sleep or else I might fall sick because she have heard stories about people fallen sick whenever they have experienced such unworldly incidents. She told me that there is nothing to worry but all such things cannot be just ignored also. We changed the room and I spoke to Maa and she told me to go the temple and come home if possible.

I know I would not able to take leave soon but Rita told me that she will take me to the temple the very first morning.