Six Weeks

By B Banu

This is a story about a young girl living in a concrete jungle; where propounding pace of life affects her. Love and relationships are not only significant for survival of social animals; but have a great impetus in its essence for healthy and prospering community living. Through sheer negligence; and sometimes with a selfish motive, the spring of life sprouting with hope and youthful energy is dried up in sorrows of tears. Just when a seedling of bright futuristic plant is climbing its growth into tree of eternal life; life-filled opportunities could be crushed in its bud, much before its realization.
It has a string of short stories embedded in it; whereupon the beads of life flow their natural course and unravel six tales – tales of people in the life of the protagonist. After an accident, they enforce consideration and evaluation of all kinds of relationships existing in her life and the importance of life itself.
Will she be able to do it under extremely static condition? Will she be able to find peace with all of them? Will she find these analysis rewarding?
What we really need is to take a break from our hectic schedule. Pause; stare and care. An experience could well teach us something in our life's journey.

• Language: English
• Publisher: B Banu
• Release date: Jan 31, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301962204

B Banu

Greetings!! And Peace. Well, this is something really difficult to do, as I consider writing stories a task interesting enough. I have always been interested in literature and in my early school days took to writing for my school’s Annual Publication Magazine. I have been awarded a prize for short-story writing; during my college days in ‘open writing competition’. In all humility, have a self-published book of poems for the love of children. Two of which have been published in the monthly bulletins of National book Trust of India. I live in Mumbai. Whenever, city life bogs me down and things seem to be in doldrums; I prefer to getaway and nestle in the heart of nature. I sometimes have an unstoppable urge to explore the world; its places, culture and people and feel fortunate to live on the most beautiful planet ‘Earth’ - mother and nurturer in various ways. My writing would considerably be about universal understanding and knowledge that could benefit mankind, through timeless emotional and human behavior in its expression, growth and grace of humanity. Everything in life has a reason. There is one at this moment that makes me write. An accident turned out to be blessing in disguise. It made me aware of my personal calling. The idea for this story unfolded on a hospital bed; and that is when I actually understood importance of living. My heartfelt thanks to all my readers. You may contact me at the following address and let me know about your thoughts on this book. My blog site : www.bbanublog.wp.com Email me : [e-mail] Please do not forget to write a review below. Hope you will enjoy reading this e-book

Book preview

Six Weeks

by B Banu

Copyright © B Banu 2013

Published by CoolCats Publishing at Smashwords

To

My Creator Who gives strength to walk the path of life

Contents

Prologue

Chapter I: Bond of Love

Chapter II: A Life at stake

Chapter III: A Declaration

Chapter IV: Homewards

Chapter V: Unseen injury

Chapter VI: Kindred Spirit

Chapter VII: A Confession

Chapter VIII: Fortitude

Chapter IX: Recklessness

Chapter X: Journey on foot

Chapter XI: A message

Chapter XII: Introspection

Chapter XIII: Out of Confinement

Epilogue

Acknowledgment

About the Author

Prologue

The time machine, literally moves into weeks, months and even years continually demanding our attention; propelling its wheel into past, present and future in utmost perfect pattern of governance; bringing forth changes in nature’s seasons and also various moods of mankind; thus establishing equilibrium within its law. But, mankind often only bears significance to it when considered relevant to its life and civilization. Nevertheless, it is an important factor that we take so casually. It has a heart of its own that keeps ticking endlessly much after our lives have come to a full stop. Hira, a twenty year old girl, was reading a book about time and its significance. ‘So what is its importance in your life?’ it asked. She pondered. It was a guide book to management studies that she’d enrolled.

She wanted to finish it before the weekend. Leafing through the pages, she found a story about dreams. Ah, what has dreams to do with it? She wondered. But the book said that like time; dream is a guiding light of life. And the purpose of our life is all set in our dream. Our dream has a life of its own, spanning over a time period; after which its purpose is either achieved or unachieved by us. However, to disinter our dream by believing and nurturing it with love shall stand the test of time. And although having lived with many scars; patience pays off and we begin to see that what we always wanted and cherished is well within our reach, waiting to welcome us. She felt an urge to read more.

It said that as the time of birth can more or less be predicted in medical terminology; the time of death is most uncertain. Nobody knows for how long we are going to be here. Valuing time in our life and thereby, valuing life is what wise people do. She felt drowsy holding the thick book in her hand. However, she was hesitant to keep it away; but sleep soon overtook her and the book lay open next to her.

Bond of Love

The morning sunshine penetrated through high French windows of the room. She was reluctant to be awakened by its gentle rays. Her luscious thick black hair spread aside her face, tumbled over her shoulders and sprawled down to her waist. Her almond shaped eyes shut in solitary imagination.

She belonged to a middle-class household in the city of Mumbai; where most people worked to supplement their family income; making ends meet in every possible way and occasionally, pursuing luxurious moments when permissible. Being a commercial capital, the city provided employment opportunities to people coming from different parts of the regions. Through talent and education, they sought to resolve their independent financial crunch. Upon arriving here, they earnestly desired to seek livelihood and a prosperous living, while instantly falling in love with her. They developed respect and admiration for her.

This city gave hope to them in face of economic crisis. Like any metropolitan city in the world, this place too had people living at the edge; meeting deadlines, work schedules, and crabbily chasing the ladder of success. Thus, they became busy pursuing an intensively loaded lifestyle. Her cell phone went abuzz. She covered her face with a large pillow to revert its sound. She wished a few seconds more with fantasia. But the noise wouldn’t stop. She opened her deep brown eyes graciously. Without looking at the screen, she already knew the morning messenger– Lionel. He was a close friend from their college days. She had known him for more than three years now and shared with him almost everything about her life. She always thought that she could not have had a better confidante than him. He was a guy of greater goals. He used to frequently express his motif of life: to be happy, get rich. She shared a special relationship with him. Still lying to her side, she held the phone in one hand and began to read. A smile planted on her face indicating that he was welcomed in her life. Like young birds, tweeting into glory of the morning rays; they exchanged viral chit-chats.

She entered the kitchen to prepare tea. The girl took her tea-cup to the verandah in the living room, where she sat watching sparrows fluttering their wings in great delight. Each morning, she sat in the balcony admiring her mother’s delicately crafted mini-garden situated therein. As a morning ritual, she liked to spend some time here before leaving for work. The living room was cluttered with low lumpy sofas draped in block prints of cotton-fabric with a centre piece coffee-table. Against the wall stood a tall wooden cupboard showcasing items of art pieces, family photographs, books and music collection on its shelves.

Next to it, a huge canvas illustration of a lake with ripples of mosaic in it; beautifully framed in glass with bronze-metal as borders, hung imitating a prized possession of the family. It was hand-painted with the girl’s name embossed on it. Soon, everybody in the house had awakened and began engaging in hectic pace of activities, preparing to go to work. An hour later, everybody was dressed up and gathered at the breakfast-table, in the far corner of the living room. They were ready for a scrumptious break-fast to be served amidst chirpy sound of a radio-jockey who had just tuned into the morning broadcast. Good Morning, Mumbai! she happily greeted in a freshly crispy voice.

What will you have for breakfast, Sam? asked mother rapidly. She seemed to be getting late to office today. She would be soon retiring from her job after years of persistent efforts at work. Like her husband, who had retired last year; she too worked in public sector.

Scrambled eggs and buttered toast. And no milk please, Samuel replied immediately. He was a bit fussy about his meals. His college was close to where he lived; therefore he took leisure at the table. A large part of his day was spent with friends at the college premises; making notes of music and practicing foot-ball most of the time. He was an intercollegiate champion in the game. Other than that, he was always game for mischievous pranks on her.

She acknowledged her mother’s hastiness this morning and joined in listing her preference on the menu, I’ll have the same, Mom. They also had an elder brother, Neil who was presently stationed abroad over a work project. He was an engineer with a shipping company.

Here‘s your scrambled eggs and milk, Sam mother said, as she laid the table to everyone’s taste. Sam shifted the glass of milk in front of his sister’s plate and tossed another toast from her plate into his dish.

Oh! Get over your funky food habits sonny, mother said frustratingly.

She then looked at her husband and added, Please be at the grocers today without fail. The fridge is empty as you know. Post-retirement, he usually took responsibility at home. In response, he gave a wide grin and looked down