Destiny's Play!!

Chapter - 4

Avni was an early riser. She woke up around six not knowing what else to do and wondering if the others were up she emptied her case and neatly put away her clothes in the wardrobe. After she was done with that she took a bath and changed. It felt a lot cooler in the mornings too. Not wanting to catch a chill she took out a light cream jacket. Just then she heard a knock on her door. She opened it to find a chirpy Manya standing outside with a tray that had two cups.

"Good morning," she said and gave a wide grin then entered.

"Good morning," Avni replied with a smile of her own unable to resist the infectious one she had just received.

"Did you sleep well?" Manya asked as she sat on the bed.

"Yes, thank you," Avni replied and took the cup Manya offered.

"It is coffee," Manya said as she tossed the tray on the bed and took a sip.

"Thanks," Avni said gratefully as she sipped hers, "it is nice," she said.

It was a little bold for her taste but then she wasn't impolite. Someone had made the effort to make the coffee for her and then Manya had brought it to her in her room. She wasn't going to complain that she was a tea person and not so much a coffee person or that the coffee was stronger than what she was used to.

"You are always this formal?" Manya asked cheerfully, "You did not like it did you?" she asked.

Avni was in a fix. She was positive she hadn't screwed her nose or anything how did Manya know she did not like the taste of coffee.

"How did you..." she asked.

"Because it is a little too strong today," Manya said and made a face then laughed out loud, "usually Shanta makes good coffee but she isn't coming in today so I asked Sukhdev to make it," she said, "and he always makes it very strong," she told her then winked.

"Oh," was all Avni said.

"You don't have to drink that if you don't want to," Manya said, "let's go," she said, "otherwise we will be late for breakfast and in this house rule number one is to always be on time," she said and rose from where she sat on the bed.

Avni went to pick the tray but Manya stopped her.

"Sukhdev will pick it up when he comes in to clean your room," Manya told her, "not that it needs any. You even made the bed," she said surprised, "dad is going to be very happy with you as a guest," she said then linked her arm through hers and dragged her out of the room.

Avni walked with Manya as she took her out a side door to the side lawns. The blooming flowers under the warming sun with the dew still on their delicate petals were nature's most beautiful treasures one could enjoy. The crisp cool mountain air refreshed Avni to her core. The chirping birds, sound of the river flowing nearby, rays of the sun shining through the branches of tall pine trees that lined the area Avni had never felt free before but today she did. She looked around at the beautiful flower beds that lined the house. Then Manya took Avni to the side where her room was.

"This is your room," Manya pointed out, "you don't need to use the door I showed you," she said, "you can come and go from here any time you feel like it," she told her with a smile.

"Thanks," Avni said and smiled a little.

Then her gaze fell on the stone house on the other side of the pine trees. She had seen the lights on last night.

"Whose house is that?" Avni asked Manya.

"Oh that," Manya said, "that is where my eldest brother stays, that is his house. It is really cool from inside you know he got it built on his own two years ago," she told her.

"He doesn't stay with you guys?" Avni asked a little surprised.

"No," Manya said, "he is a loner besides if dad has indigestion because of Uday every day he would have a stroke because of Karan every day," she said and grinned.

Avni looked at her quizzically. That was a strange thing to say. Maybe her eldest brother did not gel well with Tej uncle. It was none of her concern though so she should just take things as they are and not ponder over too much.

"Oh," Manya exclaimed, "I forgot mom had asked me to tell Sukhdev to put the bread into the oven. Man she will kill me for sure at breakfast," she said and slapped her forehead, "why don't you do one thing," she said, "you look around and I will be back in a jiffy," she said and before Avni could answer she turned and skipped around the lawn towards the house.

Avni took in a deep breath. Oh well, she thought she could look around on her own, right? With that thought in mind she strolled towards the little wild flowers she saw clustered around the base of the pine trees. She saw a few stone steps as she neared them and a stone path that led up to the stone house. She could see why Manya had said the house was interesting. Now that she could look at it at close range it was made of equal amounts of wood and stone partly shaded because of the tall pine trees and partly in the sun. She noticed a small round table with four chairs and an umbrella for shade on the little grassy patch in the front. She heard the river and moved towards the sound. She could see it clearly now. The river Beas moving gently over the rocks that marked the boundaries on both sides. The rush of fast moving water in certain places was so soothing as it was relaxing Avni wasn't sure how long she stood there just watching the clean water go by. She turned and found that the house was built on a slightly risen land between one end of the river and mountain on the other. It was a beautiful place almost picturesque. Something one saw in movies. She took in another deep breath and walked back towards the door that would lead her back to the house. It seemed Manya had forgotten all about her now. She smiled.

Manya was a sweet girl. She was pretty too with fair skin, delicate build and nice black hair. Full of life. She was only twenty one. Not all that younger to Avni. They probably had a gap of a year and a half or so. How different had Avni's life been at twenty one? Full of worries, challenges and unfulfilled dreams. She had wanted to be an interior designer but with the shortage of funds and shortage of colleges in Ludhiana she had been forced to do a teaching course. And now. Well now she didn't know any better. So she had resigned herself to completing what she had started two years ago and make something of her life which was right now aimless with no idea where to go and what to do.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she heard the growls very late. Her head snapped up to see two large beasts running at a maddening speed towards her. Their jaws bared the monsters kept running towards her and she froze where she stood unable to move. Terror made her act and she looked around to see if someone owned them but it seemed no one was around. Fear gave her wings as she ran. When she was young somebody had told her never run in the face of dogs but she forgot all about it. She kept looking behind her at the crazed dogs that followed. They looked like wolves to her. Huge, hairy with big teeth. Belatedly she realized she did see someone follow the dogs and later she would recall someone did scream 'stop running' but in her attempt to flee the beasts she kept going. Somewhere ahead she stumbled and fell face forward on the soft grass. She turned and saw the dogs almost upon her. She was going to be mauled to death today she was sure of it. Her eyes went huge in her face and her mouth opened to scream. And she did hear someone screaming only she wasn't sure if it was her or someone else and then a shrill whistle sounded somewhere. The dogs suddenly stopped and heeled panting with all the exercise they had just done watching her with big brown round eyes. A tall figure walked up to stand behind them. She couldn't see his face with the sun behind him. She only heard two voices both familiar. Nilakshi aunty and Manya. She breathed a sigh of relief and with that fell into a dead faint. Her fear had finally taken over.

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