Prologue

It was a pleasant sunny morning, quite a blessing in the harsh winters of

Indian-January. The sky was glittering with sunshine and the cool air promised a comfortble company. A couple of autumn leaves pretended to move, as a white Scorpio zoomed past the board which read: ' Nainital-20kms.' .

Mr.Mehta, dressed in his white lacoste T-shirt and blue denim jeans, was busy behind the wheel, while Mrs.Mehta fashioned her favourite yellow saree seated on the passenger seat next to her husband.

Rani, aged eight years, kept pinching her elder brother Sunil, beside her. "If you got your frock, doesn't mean you can mock me like that. Even I'll get my jacket, just wait till we reach Nainital", scolded Sunil to his sister. Hearing this tiff, the parents reacted with a warm laugh. Seconds later, peace returned and was maintained by old Mohammad Rafi songs, which drifted out of the stereo-system.

The speedometer was stationary at 60kmph, as the Scorpio made its way through the ascending, empty and thus, tempting highway stretched towards Nainital.

"What a beautiful day..", exclaimed Mrs. Mehta, admiring the beautiful mountains around her. Mr. Mehta, who was busy enjoing his drive and melodies by Rafi, nodded with a smile.

Then suddenly the peace of the atmosphere in the car broke off with screams from Mrs. Mehta, "watch out, watch out". A truck was headed straight towards them. Mr. Mehta tried dodging the truck by wildly swirling the steering wheel, only to find himself going towards the edge of the road. Obeying instincts, Sunil shouted "jump out, jump" as he pulled his sister and jumped out of the car which ran on to fall down the cliff.



"Bhaiya, save me Bhaiya. I'll fall down", cried out Rani as she hung onto a big rock on the edge of the road. "Don't worry Rani, give me your hand, come on, give your hand" shouted Sunil as he pulled himself slowly towards the edge. He stretched out his hand and repeated " Here Rani, hold my hand, come on...slowly". Trusting her brother's words, Rani threw out her hand but what can be done when fate itself betrays you. "Bhaiyaaa..", shouted Rani, as the rock lost its hold and fell off leaving her to be a victim of gravity, towards the lush green forests beneath.



"RANII...!" shouted Sunil with his hands outstretched. For a moment he kept staring at nothing. After a while he came back to normal and then lowered his hands. His forehead was drenched in sweat and he could feel his heart wanting to beat out of the chest. He realized he was dreaming. He turned towards the small alarm-clock placed at the left-corner of his bed, it showed 3:15 in the morning. Slowly he stepped out of his covers and walked upto the window on the right side of his bed and looked upto the dark starry sky. "I know you are watching me Maa", he whispered. "Why did you all leave me alone like this...". He kept staring at the sky as a warm silent tear slowly made its way down his cheek.