In the whirlpool of options, I am in a state of a dilemma... In the ocean of opportunities, Maybe, I am flogging a dead horse!! In between what I am and what I want to be, Perhaps, I am still on the fence!!!! In the process of listening to the inner self, Probably, I can't hear myself think!!! In the direction of new beginnings, Possibly, I am stuck somewhere; With former disappointments, failures and, regrets!!! In the journey of holding on and letting go, Mayhap, I am in two minds!!!! ~ Kaynat Sultana Qureshi

The colossal mind chatters ally, Censuring me constantly!!! For I wanted to be understood, Perhaps it never takes place! In search of self-deference; All I receive is self-deprecation!! Concurrently, fuming is the diffidence.. And broken is the aplomb!!!! How far will it go? Even I have been wondering that, too.... For the nonce, what I feel is, To let things just be the way they're.... Let me meet myself some other day... Cause I have had it up to here!!! ~ Kaynat Sultana Qureshi

She is down in the dumps! Wallowing in her melancholy; She stands up to begin her day.. Yesterday's failures stir up regrets! Hence, she takes it out on herself!! Speaking has lessened, And silence is becoming permanent!! She now thinks too much!!!! And expresses barely! She wasn't like this before.... There is an internal war, Within herself where; She is her opponent, She is her supporter!! Look at the sad irony, Both victory and downfall belong to her! She talks with herself and says, "Mum's the word!" As quiet as a mouse, She gets lost in miseries!! ~ Kaynat Sultana Qureshi

I'm here on the fence Wondering what's going on???? The constant chattering mind, Is blowing my stack!!!! Is there someone to listen to? Maybe, no one! Yes, I am out of sports... And every single thing pet peeves me!!! I am pulling myself together... Perhaps, it's all in vain!!! My mind lashes out at me, Agitated thoughts refuse to calm down! In return they ask me; "What is your worth? What have you achieved yet? Are you even capable enough to believe in yourself?" I gather all the strength to answer, But I couldn't cause I am choked up.... Eventually, I bottle up my emotions! And this is how I let myself down everyday!!! ~ Kaynat Sultana Qureshi

Amidst the clamour I am silent.... Silent as it speaks louder than words! Words are resounding to express emotions... But silence is a strong choice to stand with!! Covering the upset face with silence, A smiling face that pretends to be fine!! Stitching lips with silence, When explaining oneself gets tougher... Shutting the lips with silence; When what you say isn't valued! Clasping chattering thoughts with silence; When self-doubts surround you!!! Choosing silence and taking a deep breath; When you choose not to hurt yourself..... Holding the tears back; Gulping down that lump of sorrow, And putting the silence as glitter in the eyes... Cause silence is louder in all its form!! Silence is too supposed to be felt and sensed... ~ Kaynat Sultana Qureshi

The boat is sailing amidst the barrages! The sailor doesn't know where to go? The oars seem bulky, Onerous is the journey! Few river waves plan a conspiracy!! Even the sky joins their hands; It's pelting down! She is ill at ease!!! Perhaps, there're few hands, Who offers her to come in and relax!! When solitude hits, it hits hard!! However, in the end, it's dealing with all alone! Every now and then, The sailor faces ravelment... For a second, the boat seems to sink! Another second, it appears to be all okay!!! Fate has its own way to mock!!!!!! ~ Kaynat Sultana Qureshi

Chapter Four:- The Glimpse Of Truth Roi de Sicile - Rivoli -- Luxury apartment hotel. Paris, France. 10th November 2016 "Calm down...calm down... He is no more! It's just your hallucination and that's it. My Lord, I am running out of money. Sleeping pills are no more working. What shall I do? Returning to India.No..Actually, yes. I have been thinking of it since last month and yet I haven't made my mind. See you have to be there one day or the other. How long will you keep staying here? You have been hiding here and now it's getting tougher day by day. So, just stop talking to yourself and pack your bags. But where will you stay? That same villa? No..please no. Shut up, you don't have any other alternative! I am telling you it's just your hallucination. The voices that you hear and the shadows that appear are everything in your head. Look, I have a plan to execute and for that, you have to return to India. Now for me, money is honey, think about the property he owns! Of course, it belongs to you, no matter what, just go and grab it at any cost. You haven't done anything wrong. Know that Kolkata and Manipur hold a deep connection with you. Don't deny. Now just book a flight to India." A woman dressed in a black gown was talking with herself looking into the mirror. Through my observation, she appeared a bit mentally ill. There was something wrong with her. I also talk with myself but I am mentally alright. You would also be talking with yourself? Don't you? Moirang, Manipur. The Blossom Villa. Thunderstorms accompanied by unusual rain made the weather extremely unpleasant. The non-stop wind had an ominous touch that night. Lily was still unconscious and the family was left in a maelstrom of emotions! Mr.D'Souza wiped his tears and gathered the courage to speak. Mr.and Mrs.D'Souza took Lily into her room. Mrs.D'Souza insisted on Mr.D'Souza calling Father Thomas as she felt that whatever Lily had been telling her about those strange dreams has some relation to what has happened. Those dreams were true! Hence, Mr.D'Souza readily agreed and picked up the car's keys. Margaret, I will be back soon, please take care of Lily and yourself. Peter, please be alert and call me if something happens. Mrs.D'Souza was constantly praying for Lily but she didn't come back to her senses. The bad weather seemed like a helping hand in this sinister occurrence! Finally, after an hour Mr.D'Souza returned home along with Father Thomas who was holding rosary beads in his hands, his face had a divine peace, eyes were glancing every corner of the room and lips were chanting hymns. He placed his palm over Lily's forehead and whispered some more hymns into her ears. Eventually, she blinked her eyes. The entire family had a sigh of relief! Abruptly, Lily got up and began sobbing. In a masculine tone, she had been frequently asking, "Why did you do this to me? Why? What was my fault? Where had things gone wrong? and then getting back to normal asking her mother, "Mom, it's so suffocating. What is this happening? Please, save me!". Then ask the same questions in a masculine tone and get back to normal asking for help. This had been occurring continually. Watching this, Father Thomas sprinkled the holy water over her to which she began to tremble. "Praise the Lord for being the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grows weary; His understanding is unsearchable. His ways are higher than your ways, and His thoughts higher than your thoughts. Praise the God whose way is perfect. Praise Him that His Word proves true and that He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him. In the name of my Lord, I ask you who you are? Reveal your real identity as this girl is innocent, don't harm her.", said Father Thomas in a loud voice while sprinkling the holy water over her. " Father..please stop. Praise God for His holiness. Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory! In the name of my Lord, I avow that I am Dr.George Fernandez and the truth is that I haven't harmed her, and neither am I going to. I promise that I won't harm anyone", said George who is now residing in Lily's body. Listening to this Father Thomas was stunned as this was the first time he saw a spirit chanting in the name of GOD! He then asked him why is he here? What does he want to do? If his intentions are pure then why doesn't he leave her body and go? "I will not leave her body until I don't get answers to all my questions. Father, I am in extreme pain and so I want to get rid of this. She has to help me. In fact, now you all have to help me", said George. "That means you're seeking revenge and hence your intentions are not at all pure. You can harm her. What answers do you need? How can she help you? I request you to leave her body or I will have to do something that is going to be so harsh on you.", said Father Thomas. George began to wail and said, "In the name of Lord, HE who is the creator and the destroyer as well. HE who knows what is hidden from everyone else. I beg you to let me reside in her body. I am not seeking revenge, I can't even think of it! I just want to know those reasons which led this to happen! I want to know why was I killed? Why?" Then he kept on weeping... "I cannot believe that you won't harm her but I believe in the Almighty Lord. My God if this spirit is pure and good then please give me a sign. I request you, my Lord", said Father Thomas. Suddenly, it stopped raining and the weather turned out to be calm. Through the windows, the night-blooming jasmine flowers blew and scattered over Lily. When Father Thomas was about to sprinkle holy water on George's spirit, he realized that Almighty God has sent his indications and thus George is a pure soul. " So, dear George, the pure and good spirit, tell me who has murdered you?", asked Father Thomas softly. Suppressing the hiccups George replied, "My dear wife" and thereafter Lily fainted. The consistent weeping has made Lily very unstable. No matter how strong or stable George was, Lily has turned out fragile. For her, it was getting unbearable. Everyone in the room was startled by George's answer. Father Thomas was about to ask his wife's name but before that Lily lost consciousness. Yes, her name is only known to Lily, George, you, and me but not to them. Mr.D'Souza begged Father Thomas to save her daughter and began to cry. Father Thomas hugged him and said, "I will be residing here itself until everything doesn't seem alright. For the first time, I have seen a spirit that doesn't intend to harm anyone! So, you need not worry. But as it's against the law of nature, we have to find the hidden truth. Thanks to the Almighty God who has shown us a glimpse of truth! Now, we need to arrange the scattered pieces of the puzzle. I will perform a special prayer for the next 12 hours and you all try your best to find all details about George and his wife. Even a minor clue can help us a lot. And then Mr.D'Souza and Peter proceeded to search for the answers George is seeking. Mrs.D'Souza stayed near Lily constantly praying for her daughter and everything to get alright.... Who is the woman dwelling in Paris? What kind of hallucination is she talking about? Why was Dr.George killed? What are the hidden truths in this villa? Will the D'Souza family ever come to know about George's wife? Will the truths be revealed? Will Lily ever come out of this bizarre situation? To be continued.... Stay Tuned...😊 ~ Kaynat Sultana Qureshi

Chapter Three:- The Calm Before The Storm.... "Lily..Lily.. Where have you been lost? I am calling for the sixth time. Can't you hear me? Are you deaf or pretending to be?", said her mother shaking her shoulders. All of a sudden, wind gusts blew that made her hairs wave in the air, with the same frequency and she was back to normal. " Yes..yes..Mom, you were saying something", said Lily in a melancholy tone. "It's quarter past five. Your dad and Peter are having tea, come and join them. But before that, just look yourself into the mirror. Don't act like the main character of a horror movie, it's enough and I am fed up with your love for horror movies and novels! Don't know why did your father started making you read and watch such kinds of stuff from the age of 10 years! What kind of appearance is this, go and change?", said her mother and went inside the home. Lost in her train of thoughts Lily went to her room and bathed. She applied antiseptic cream where she had scratched and noticed that despite cleaning up her nails properly, the mud hasn't been cleaned from the ring finger of her left hand. Again she made several attempts but failed and thus gave up on it. Recalling her dream she prayed to the Almighty God that whoever it is please send your help and show your mercy, my Lord! You're the ultimate King of this Universe and there is nothing like impossible for you! All praise is only for you.. Please shower your mercy upon me and everyone else! Such a pure and kind soul! Isn't she? The weather was extremly peaceful today and the villa had a stillness. Mr.D'Souza caressed her hair saying " May God bless you, my child!" as he saw her. Those blessings and touch of affection made her face lit up bright from a gloomy one and her eyes were filled with calmness rather than searching for the hidden reasons and answers to what all had been happening with her in the past few days. Undoubtedly, Dad's love is infinite!! Mr.D'Souza stood up and walked towards his room, and stopped when he listened to Peter saying, "This is a clear partiality. The love is only for the daughter, what about the poor son? Who cares? Nobody. Who loves? Nobody? Don't worry Peter, come on..I will love you. You know what Peter? Self-love is the best love. If the world doesn't appreciate you, you appreciate yourself..Come on you're worth it, dude..No worries. I love you, Peter". I must say he acted well! Mr.D'Souza laughed, caressed his cheeks, and said, "Agr betiyan qurbani di murat ee, ta bete vi sangharsh di murat ne...mai enaa dona di tulna kive kar sakda haa...jado mere ghar nu te mere dil nu ena dona di zarurat hai...mai tuhadde doaa nal pyar krna ha.....mai sirf enna mandahaa ke sannu kudiyan ate jananiya nu izzat te pyar nal aadar krna chahida...tu mera balwaan puttt hai.....Peter mere bhraa, mere gale lag jaaa!!" ("If the daughters are the epitome of sacrifice then the sons are the epitome of struggle! How can I even compare both the two when both the home yard and my heart needs both of them! I love both of you. It's just that we must learn and practice treating girls and women with the utmost care, respect, and love. You're my strong boy, Peter. Come on, hug me, dude!!") Such an emotional moment, isn't it? Seeing this Lily accompanied them! Mrs. D'Souza was looking at this adorable moment secretly and her eyes were filled with tears of joy! In the past 21 years, it was for the first time when she saw him laughing, smiling, celebrating, and that too for real not for the sake of pretending! When Mr.D'Souza saw Mrs.D'Souza, the smile on his face faded away turning him emotionless, and Mrs.D'Souza showed as if she didn't even know what has happened a minute ago! But deep inside both of them knew what it was all about; ego and self-centeredness or the heartbreak due to several reasons! If you would ask me I would say it's the latter one. Peter was surprised as to how his father knew Punjabi? Lily told him that he had learned Punjabi during his college days. "Well, I have something to discuss with you, sista?" asked Peter. "Go ahead my little mouse", replied Lily. "It's 30th Oct 2016, and out of all the novels that I have read just describes the female and male protagonists to be perfect in looks. I mean how can they show like that!", said Peter. "You're correct. Even I too feel this. They would be describing a girl or women in a novel with the most beautiful features(only external ones) that one can have; eyes as deep as an ocean, complexion as white as snow, lips like the petals of red roses, erect nose, blushing cheeks, slim waist and what not my Lord!! They try to show them as an Apsara/Hoor from heaven! Likewise, boys or men, always describe fine features, thick eyelashes, big biceps, six-packs dressed in elegant clothes stepping out of his car with a savage attitude, being rough and tough, and girls around him easily go crazy for him!! I mean seriously!!!!! What is the need of exaggerating things that too for looks? You know what racism started from here itself. Why do we only consider the external features of a person to tag them as beautiful or ugly? Why? A girl with a dusky complexion would think fair complexion and all those mentioned things define the beauty of a girl! And having good facial features six-packs, big biceps, a lot of attitudes, and being insensitive would make them a hero or gentleman is what boys and men think nowadays! But in my opinion, both types of mentality are wrong. Peter, I would find a girl much more attractive if she is working for her dreams, having a pure soul, a good character, and respecting everyone for who they are and where they are. Being humble, a bit shy yet bubbly, and having mercy in her heart is more than enough to make her look gorgeous! Whereas, a boy or man having a sensible mind, treating others well, being loyal, expressing his emotions would surely make them more than handsome! A gentleman is a man of his words, manners, and character. Already, boys, struggle to fit in the shoes of their fathers and shoulder up responsibilities, and this is the charm they wear! Peter, if I were to write a novel, I would definitely describe the female and male protagonists in this way rather than the blind definition of beauty that our society had used since history and still uses!", replied Lily. Peter was astonished at what she said. His mouth was wide open and he couldn't believe that it's her sister who said all these things! " Sista, I didn't know that apart from SRK, some other thoughts enter your brain. Bravo, my girl! I am impressed", said Peter trying to move a housefly that was sitting on the edge of the bowl. "Ssshh..don't disturb, it's having tea, can't you see?", said Lily. " That's unbelievable, who does like that? You're totally crazy! You don't even kill a mosquito that comes your way, what kind of behaviour is this?", Peter replied. "No, I would not kill it until and unless it begins to suck my blood! I believe in not harming and hurting anyone, even the inert objects but yet not being foolish enough to not defend myself when it comes to danger.", Lily replied having tea. " You're so weird", said Peter's belly- laughing and left the hall. Everything was calm and quiet. Now it was quarter past ten and Lily was done with the dishes. Arranging all the utensils properly she began to leave the kitchen but noticed that the water tape was left open. Thus, she closed it and turned to move, water started to splash. She again closed it and turned away. Again, the water started to splash on its own. This time she was frightened and with twitching fingers and fluttering eyelids, she closed it and slowly turned away. "Please help me...Please help...Why aren't you listening? I need your help!", a feeble whisper was heard from the sink. I must tell you, Lily was absolutely shocked and ran for her life towards her room with cold sweats on her forehead, throbbing heart and mind almost numb! The moment she entered her room, doors shut on their own and the light bulb started to flicker. To her surprise, she could see in the mirror the same translucent figure holding an axe in the left hand. The walls in her room appeared to her as moving towards her, trying to crush her in between and the ceiling was trying to grab her up. She was soaked to the bone and scared out of her wits. Now, it was unbearable for her, beyond her imagination! Hence, she fainted out of fear and collapsed on the floor. The clock struck half-past twelve. The dim moonlight fell on her face that made her eyes blink with a jerk. The door opened on its own making a creaky sound. She stood up and walked like a lifeless body! Exactly in the center of the garden under the Night-Blooming Jasmine, she sat and started to weep heavily. Tears shedding her cheeks constantly, if I may say she was mourning!! At times, hugging the Night-Blooming Jasmine and more often hugging her knees and repeatedly saying, " Why did you do this to me? Why? What was my fault? Where had things gone wrong? Why did you do this to me?" in a masculine voice. Her shrieks were too loud to be heard easily. As a result, Mr. and Mrs.D'Souza and Peter came out to look what's wrong? The moment they saw it was Lily they couldn't believe their eyes!! The constant grieving and crying made her faint again. Dramatically, the Night-Blooming Jasmine's flowers blew and spread over her! Mrs.D'Souza shrieked, "My Lord!!!" and began sobbing, Peter was in shock and Mr.D'Souza went near Lily, knelt down, and rested her head in his lap's asking, "My dear child(carresing her hairs), what happened? Dad is always with you and nobody can harm you...Come on, come back to senses..My dear child, please listen...Dad wants to talk with you!" Will Lilly ever come back to her senses? Why was she speaking in a masculine tone? Why did the mud remain in her nails? What has the Night-Blooming Jasmine to do with whatever happens in the garden? To be continued..... Stay tuned...😊 ~ Kaynat Sultana Qureshi

Chapter Two:- The Heart-Rending Day! "Who are you? Why do you need my help? How can I help you?" A sudden wind gust made the window open and close. Cold sweat droplets covered her forehead, throbbing heart, and shrieks behind her lips, Lily woke up distressed. What was that? I was having a conversation with someone in my dream and ignored it! She quenched her thirst and closed the windows. It was the 16th of October, wow it's Dad and Mom's 29th anniversary. The wide smile on her face turned into a sudden grimace and looking at the date she switched off her mobile phone. "Where are you? I miss you every single day. We miss you! Things would have been very different if you were here today. Life would have been much more stable. There wouldn't be some voids in our lives. I wish wherever you're may God bless you and may you stay happy and safe." Sitting silently on her bed, there was a conversation going on at the back of her mind. Mrs.D'Souza was constantly washing a clean utensil. Lily went and hugged her saying, "Happy 29th wedding anniversary my loving Mom." "Please, be quiet. This isn't a day to celebrate. Tell me what I should celebrate for?", said Mrs. D'Souza. " It wasn't your fault. It has 21 been years. How long will you both keep grieving over it? I know that void can never be fulfilled but especially you both can't always hold on to it. Please, Mom at least you take a step forward and wish Dad today. Shhh..don't utter a word. Don't I know about every letter that you have written for Dad to wish him a happy wedding anniversary that you have always hidden in your cupboard?", said Lily. Mrs.D'Souza replied that I think you're right. Let me wish him today. Both of them hugged each other. The windows of the room were ordered to refuse any amount of light to enter the room. In a small corner, Mr. D'Souza was sitting hugging the heavy metal suitcase sobbing constantly as if he was mourning! Mrs.D'Souza knocked on the door. He turned with puffy eyes, suppressing the sound of hiccups he managed to say, "Since when did you need permission to enter our room, Margaret?" She comforted him and offered him a glass of water. "It wasn't so. Please don't cry and she also started to weep." He said, "It wasn't yours either. Please don't cry". After wiping out her tears she said, "Happy...Happy Anniversary dear", finally she gathered enough courage to speak it. Mr.D'Souza looked at her with anger burning in his eyes as if questioning her how did she dare to say those words. " How can you be so insensitive? Does your heart not bleeds today? It's not a day to even be happy! It's a heart-rending day and you're wishing me a happy wedding anniversary!!" "Yes, my heart bleeds every second. It is only me who knows what I have been going through for the past 21 years. I haven't revealed my pain doesn't mean that I am not hurt. I have pretended to be so strong and never cried in front of you. I have stood firm so that you can shed tears because I knew if not to me then where shall you go!!! Being a man, this society will ask you not to cry and be strong. But since I wanted you to express yourself instead of concealing this pain in your heart, I never showed up that I am too hurt! Well, I know, even before birth girls are expected to take care of everyone's happiness and well-being. How can I fail to stand by these expectations! You know what: My father is a wonderful man and thus I believed that every man is wonderful. Although I never wanted to marry none.Since, you were my father's choice, I happily agreed. However, I cried the day when the name " Margaret Sebastian" was changed to "Margaret D'Souza", the name that my father gave me. The only name that had been my sole identity since birth! I never liked to see 'Father's name' being replaced with 'Husband's name' in every official document. Well, as I know just sharing surnames, home, and meeting everyone as Mr. and Mrs. D'Souza is not what marriage means. It's beyond such materialistic things. It's to be a shield in one's sorrow and being a part of one's happiness. It's understanding, respecting, and caring for each other. How will you understand my emotions when you're only concerned about your pain? We all have lost something in one way or the other. There are our children and their futures. There is the rest of our lives. And if you can see, by removing the blindfold covering your eyes, there is " me" who is drained by pretending to be strong and happy just for you and our children. There is "me" who is responsible to understand everyone but who is responsible to feel her? Only if you can see, only if you can understand what am I going through for the past 21 years! Only if you can, Mr. John D'Souza!!!!" ( It was the first time in the entire 29 years of marriage that she called him directly with his name, and listening to this he was surprised!) Tears welled up in her eyes. She sighed heavily, letting her head drop, she violently shut the door and left. Mr. D'Souza was left in shock and somewhere he was trying to introspect but he couldn't! Days passed away and the only conversation that Mr.and Mrs.D'Souza used to have was either related to meals or for showing in front of their children. Whilst this, Lily had been having the same dream repeatedly. When she shared it with her mother, she was asked to not watch horror movies and read horror novels anymore. According to her, that dream was the outcome of getting excessively engrossed in such stuff! But Lily felt that it was all so strange. One day sitting idly in her room she took out those letters and began reading. 'My dear Rose'...the light bulb in her room for a moment started to flicker. She ignored it and continued to read. Every time she read, 'My dear Rose', she would get lost somewhere thinking something and then would continue to read shaking her head. She has now read all the letters, packed them, and hid them below her bed. Lily was constantly praising that man 'George'. She recalled that in one of the letters, George had written for Rose to reply to him by writing on the other side of the letter and keep them in the left section of the almirah in the box that he had gifted her. He is eagerly waiting for her reply. So, out of curiosity, she secretly went to the second floor and brought whatever was in the left section. There was a suitcase, a small beautiful box on which 'Waiting for your reply' was engraved. But it was empty. Maybe, Rose never replied to George's thank you letters! Lily was surprised to found this and thought why? How can one not reply to such sincere and sweet letters! She hid that suitcase and box below her bed. Now she was going through the wedding album and the elegant jewelry. But she was lost in looking at George and Rose's wedding photographs. Suddenly electricity went off. She hid everything below her bed. Sun was setting, hence, she decided to walk in the garden. There was a Night-Blooming Jasmine shrub that attracted her. Instead of walking, she chose to sit near it and enjoy its beauty and aroma. The ground was quite wet but she didn't bother. And unknowingly, she laid down facing up with the head to the west and the legs to the east just like a corpse. Dramatically, the night-blooming jasmine flowers flew and spread over her entire body. She felt a bit faint and tingling on her right hand to which she scratched with her left hand's sharp nails. Tiny blood drops splattered on the ground and were absorbed by the mud as soon as it came in contact with it, yet the ground was already wet! The atmosphere has lapsed into a sullen silence! When Lily tried to get up, she felt as if someone is grabbing her inside. With lots of effort, she managed to stand up. The sky above appeared to her as dark grey whirlpools approaching her and the ground below her feet was sinking rapidly! Unaware of what was happening, she kept blinking, rubbing her eyes constantly and within seconds everything was back to normal. But was Lily too? While she was getting into the home, her eyes were starting red roses in the garden. Her body was trembling without a pause that even her face got entirely covered by her jet black hairs. Abruptly, a hand from behind was placed on her shoulder, and she stopped shivering. Whose hand was that? Is Lily alright? What has happened 21 years ago? What has the D'Souza family lost? To be continued... Stay tuned....😊 ~Kaynat Sultana Qureshi

Chapter One:- The Arrival "Put those carton in the backyard and carry the rest to the hall", said Mrs. D'Souza to the servant. Mr. D'Souza lifted the heavy metal suitcase and moved ahead. The servant politely asked him to leave it and have rest as he will arrange it carefully. But Mr. D'Souza refused and didn't even let him touch it. Lily was busy watching horror movies as usual. It was a warm and sunny day of autumn pleasing to the eyes and soothing the mind and soul. How can Peter leave a chance to click the best shots! "I am fed up with both of you. Are you even listening to me Miss Phobophile? Either you're lost in thoughts of SHAH RUKH KHAN or watching horror movies. And I will trash your camera if you dared to make the next click. Throughout the journey, you had been clicking photos. Do your parents exist or not?", Mrs. D'Souza yelled at both of them. Within a blink of an eye, both Lily and Peter left off watching horror movies and clicking photos respectively and started to grin at their mother. Mrs. D'Souza appears strict but can be easily melted by little effort. So, the entire family knew her weak point! Lily and Peter started to help her in arranging the furniture and cleaning the villa. It took them 3 hours to do everything and have a sigh of relief while having tea. Mr.D'Souza went to purchase groceries; although Mrs. D'Souza knew it's not only about grocery items but more of something. She smiled at him when he said he will be back soon. As Mr. D'Souza could easily understand what's going on in her mind, he always comforts her by sharing the language of eyes that could only be understood by both of them! Hey, Lily, don't get lost in thoughts of SRK or your imaginary world of ghosts, accompany me to the second floor. We need to clean that room as well and then it's all set to the way we want our rooms to look. Lily replied, "Okay Mom" in a scary voice, and as a result of it, Peter stood right in front of his mother thereby handing her a broom, "Look Mom, she scared you. She deserves it", said Peter in a naughty tone. " Look you, little mouse," said Lily. Mrs.D'Souza didn't let her finish and pinched Peter in a silly manner and ordered him to pay the servants, note their details, and ask them to leave. Also, thank them for the service. We will call them back if needed. Then she ruffled Lily's hairs and handed her a broom. Good, she deserves it! They have cleaned the room and suddenly Lily was attracted by a beautiful almira that was placed near the window. The fine embroidery on it was really eye-catching. It had two compartments giving it a royal look. She touched it with curiosity and opened the right section. Her mother was about to leave and when she saw her going through someone else's belongings she shouted, "What are you doing? You won't find SRK's photos here. For God's sake stop searching for him in everything that comes across!" Lily grinned and said," No Mom, this time I am just randomly...Okay, look at these beautiful letters, how sweet they are!" "Shut up. They're love letters", said her mother. "No Mom, they aren't. These are "thank you" letters, every word is filled with affection, respect, and gratitude. Seems like a husband has written for her wife. There are around 70 letters. What a sweet person he might be. He would be respecting her in every state of mind. So cute!" "Okay then I will find him and get you married to him or somebody like him", said her mother pulling her leg. " Come on, Mom, I didn't mean that. Let's go down", said Lily trying to change the topic. While coming downstairs she secretly brought whatever was kept in the right section of the almira. In the evening, Lily and her mother were cooking a meal. Lily asked her mother why does Dad carry that heavy metal suitcase with him wherever he goes for a long time? "As if you don't know?" her mother replied while raising her brows. "Yes..yes..How can I forget about that", replied Lily thinking very deeply about something. "Leave it. The dinner is ready, come", said the mother. Mr.D'Souza was back and was waiting for everyone at the dining table. Peter joined everyone and with the speed of light, Lily snatched the gulaab jamuns from his bowl. Peter said to his dad in a sad yet funny tone that we should think about Lily getting married as he can't tolerate her, I want peace in my life. She is already 26. Dad, please help me. Mr. D'Souza chuckled and said, "I would love to have my daughter with me rather than ruining her life by marrying her to the wrong person in hurry. Age isn't a factor. I remember what happened with my sister just because Dad made her marry in a hurry. She is leading a miserable life today. Your uncle isn't a good husband to her. And Lily treat your younger brother well, got it". "The letter wala is perfect for our daughter. Honey, we should think about it", murmured her mother just in a way that was only heard by Lily. "Stop pulling my leg, Mom", whispered Lily. Both of them giggled! They all had a good family time and then went to sleep. It was 11:30 pm, the weather turned a bit cold with a full moon sky. Lily thought of those letters, that man, and then smiled.. As she was exhausted and so she had thrown herself on the bed. There was a sudden loud knock at the door. Lily experienced the presence of a translucent figure holding an axe in the left hand and knocking on the door with the right hand. She could clearly listen to the repeated sound, " Please help me...Please help me.." What was that? Just a nightmare or something else? Why was that heavy metal suitcase so important for Mr.D'Souza? Where does he use to go that was only known by Mrs.D'Souza? What was known by Mr. and Mrs.D'Souza and Lily? To be continued..... Stay tuned...😊 ~ Kaynat Sultana Qureshi

The pen and paper brings us all together Into a black canvas that gifts us feathers; Invisible feathers that a writer loves to have! It welcomes the writers and readers altogether... It's a happy place to be at and get attached to! It feels like a family that cares and supports you! Respect is for everyone and sharing ideas is most welcomed... Now it's a second home where friendship has also blossomed! Bringing more than 50 writers from 4 different countries... Under a single beautiful roof, WissenMonk is breaking boundaries... You will find here words with a touch of a variety of soils and flavour... Today WissenMonk turns two, so let's have cookies! ~ Kaynat Sultana Qureshi Happy Birthday WISSENMONK 🎊🍰😊

आटा भईया बडा़ परेशान... थाली में आते ही रहता हैरान! आओ चलो सुने इसकी मन की पीडा... "आटा भईया सोचे क्या है ये कोई क्रीडा? बिलकुल रिस्क नहीं लेने का रे बाबा! मुक्को से तो मैं मर जाएगा रे बाबा! ऐ देवा!...उठा ले रे उठा ले... मुझको नहीं इस थाली को उठा ले! न रहेगी थाली न गुंधेंगा आटा ये सत्यानाशी करमजली थाली टूटकर चूर क्यूँ नही हो जाती? अरे! पानी डालकर मुझको मार डाला!! तेरा मुझसे हैं पहले का नाता कोई? क्या ऐसे दुशमनी हैं निभाता कोई! सुनो...ऐसे न मुझे तुम पटको क्यूँ करू मैं तमंचें पे डिस्को? धिशूम-धिशूम अब बस भी करो!! इस दंगल में मेरी कोई मदद करो... दे पछाड़...दे मार...ये तूने क्या किया!! दर्द-ए-दिल तूने मुझे हर बार दिया... मुझे ठोक पीटकर इंसान पौंछतें हैं अपना पसीना वाह रे वाह क्या बात हुई ये म्यूजिक: धुम-तानना-धुम-तनना!!!! और मेरी कमर के तुकडे़-तुकडे़ करके ओ इंसान तुम तो हाथ धोकर चल दिए!!" ~ कायनात सुल्ताना कु़रेशी #NaPoWriMo #EnjoyingNaPoWriMo