"No , please !! We are not going through that place!! People say it is the place where thieves dwell. My mother had warned me to not to come through that place." I said my friends annoyingly.

" Chinnoo!! You are so boring. One should be adventurous in life! That place has a lot of guava trees and mango trees. The girls of the other class went there and brought bag full of fruits which were very tasty & they told me they didn't see any thief or human there. It is a deserted place. Lets go from there today." Mytri said to me.

" No! We shouldn't go from there! It happened that my neighbour aunt once passed from that area and her mangalsutr was stolen by some thieves who pulled it from her neck suddenly and ran away driving their bikes & I have even heard that some people were threatened by thieves who took away all their valuable belongings from them showing the knife." Gayatri told with fear.

" She's right! Even I have heard that the place is occupied by the thieves who dwell in the deserted houses there. It's dangerous to us if we go there. Purchase the guavas, mangoes from stores but do not take the risk of going to that area." Deeksha told strictly.

" You all are cowards. I have never been across a person who doesn't like to jump into an adventure. The girls of the other class are boasting about their dare of going to that forbidden area. We should break their pride. Lets go and see what's there in that place." Mytri was firm about her decision.

" It's the simple fact that when those girls went to that place thieves weren't there luckily. Why are they showing pride as if they fought with thieves and came back with bag full of fruits!!" Sheetal said to mytri.

" The appreciable fact is that they decided to go to  that place " When Vishakha said this I was sure that these insane people were surely going to take me there.

  When the  college left in the afternoon, I secretly tried to escape from this so called adventurous expedition but unfortunately my 8 friends surrounded me from 8 directions & caught me when I was ought to get out of the campus. We were studying in P.P.C College,  Udupi.  It was a Saturday afternoon and we all got into the bus that travelled to Manipal.We reached the place & my heart started to beat fast for the upcoming danger. Unwillingly I came there since I  was compelled by my friends.

It was a small forest! Inside the forest was the place where there were abandoned homes. After that place once again there was forest which mainly consisted of mango and guava trees. With the fear of thieves no person ever dared to come there because of which only animals and birds were able to enjoy the fruits. From that area  in a little distance came my home. This was one of the routes to go to my home but since this place was forbidden I went to my home from another way.I was strictly warned by my parents to never come through that way.

       Silent place with no hint of any human existence. Here and there between the woods one could see abandoned homes in poor conditions. Slowly the sun was getting down from our heads. We nine friends were slowly stepping inside the forest.

" We are so many! Let's see which thieves are going to conquer us." Mytri ridiculously boasted.

" If we come across the the thieves let's face them together." Vishakha said. We crossed the forest and reached the place inside the forest. My heart started to beat rapidly. My friends were speaking loudly and I was frightened if the thieves came out by hearing their chatter. Sheetal, Vishakha, Mytri, Gayatri, Deeksha, Manasa , Rashmi ,I  and Namratha we nine people joined this expedition. We walked a long distance in that place but we couldn't find any human being there . Everyone of my friends were busy chatting. No thief crossed the path and I assumed it might be a rumour that thieves dwelt there .l thought we can cross that area within few seconds as we were close to the edge of exit of that place and were walking towards the fruit forest and I relaxed myself closing my eyes feeling the pleasance of fresh breeze when suddenly!!!! Sheetal shouted aloud .

No sooner did she scream all my friends ran away getting apart from each other. Even I ran without seeing what had happened. Running fast I turned back when I saw four thieves with kerchief tied on their face uncovering the eyes and with dusted clothes with big knives in their hands were running behind us. The knives in their hands were scary. My friends vanished within seconds. They were the same friends who were boasting that they would face the thieves together in case of danger but the ones who ran selfishly to save their lives. Ideal friendships, ideal love! What is the extent of its true existence.One finds answer when caught in terrible situations like this. I realised this when I saw my friends running away leaving me behind. They rescued themselves however running but I , unable to run or with the confirmation of being caught by the thieves made a foolish decision of entering an abandoned house which didn't had the entrance door.

             I entered the house and ran fast to a room inside which had a door. I got into the room but as soon as I tried to close the door one of the thieves caught my hand . I tried to close the doors but was in veil. The thief who caught my hand pulled me forcefully and I fell over him. He pushed me as if I was an untouchable.

                 I was terrified looking at the big knife in his hand. I felt like lightening hit my heart. He pulled my bag and threw towards his friends & threatening me he tried to remove the golden chain in my neck using his left hand . In his right hand he held the scary sharp big knife. No boy ever touched me in that way.I was very scared. The lame adventure of my friends put me to danger. I cursed my friends for pulling me to this danger when I was not at all interested in coming there. The thief tried to remove the chain in my neck but was unable to remove it. So he cut it using the knife in his hands and put the chain into his pocket. I was hurt slightly near my neck through his action. I felt like they were boys in their late teens by listening to their voices.

                 " Aah!! There's only 300 Rupees in her bag Akash!!"  The other thief told him from behind. This guy then pulled  my golden earrings in order to remove them but still when he failed to remove he bet on my earrings using his knife giving me the sign to remove it when one of his friend said to him from behind,

" Remove them slowly, The girl herself have come to our place Akash . His another friend said soon " The girls who ran away might bring the police, so do it fast." When he was speaking the kerchief he had tied his face with suddenly fell down. As I guessed they were of the age of graduation students . When he caught me seeing his face he frowned and picked the kerchief and tied it again on his face uncovering his eyes but still continued to stare at me with anger. The boy named Akash was trying to remove my anklets. His touch on my feet was strange. He removed one of my anklets and unable to remove another he again cut it from his knife. My left foot was also hurt. He was staring me with his cruel eyes. I removed my earrings and pushed towards him and begged them cryingly,

                       " Please leave me. I have given everything, please leave me." I was shivering. Whether they were going to leave me or what they were ought to do with me ? I was confused and the situation was so worse that only one who had been through it can realise the terror of it.

"Please leave,I gave everything " I told once again sobbing joining my hands at them.

                                 (to be continued..............)

                                                                                 Rashmi R Kotian "Raashmir"

Suddenly the thief whose face I saw started shouting " kill her or else we will be caught by police"

I was shocked. The Bandit leader lift me up by pulling my hair saying " will you inform about us to the police?" for which I kept on shouting "no" crying tired and weak. Scolding my friends, praying almighty I was close to death.There were few seconds for him to put  the knife into my stomach and I shouted " I love you."

    Crazy words!  Was it a moment to say them? Why did I say so? I was always away from boys. I have never even lift my head at them. Being such an introvert towards guys  was I attracted to this boy who first held my hands and pulled me. Did his warm male arms felt pleasant when I fell over him. When his fingers moved over my neck trying to remove the chain was I feeling a sweet tickle . Did he bow in front of me while  touching my feet with respect simply pretending to remove my anklets. It was first time when I realised how male touch felt like!  Was I infatuated feeling that pleasant touch? Was my subconscious mind feeling a strange bliss when he was touching me? Within few seconds did I fell in love with him? Someone who threatened me, who hurt me and the one who was ought to kill me!! Yes! Someone who was ought to kill me? How could I fall for him? Falling in love with a cruel person. That's so lame! Did my mind  feel he would fall  hearing proposal from a pretty girl like me & so it sent these words to my tongue so that my body could be rescued from being slaughtered. No !! No!! My heart didn't make any decision . My body just reacted naturally to man's touch for first time. But even then I was actually feeling happy somewhere even in the tuff situation for feeling close to a boy for the first time in my life. Unknowingly my body, my subconscious mind were feeling strange bliss. So many years of quench, I remained away from masculine . I felt some unusual feeling. Did I fall for his physical charm? But how? I didn't even see his face. I just saw his cruel eyes. No ! I m over thinking! I just said these words in order to rescue myself. Or else was it a game of some supernatural force in bringing those words from my mouth. Was there any mystery behind those words. Now when I have said those words will this boy's heart  really change like Angulimala transformed into a good person through Buddha's words or instead will his anger become like fire fed with ghee and burn me . My heart was trembling to see his reaction to my crazy words.

                    But when I said him " I love you", slowly his roaring sea like eyes transformed into silent ocean. But then again slowly the waves of strange curiosity raised in his eyes and his eyes slowly began to increase it's size and started to stare at me in the feeling of surprise.

" Hey girl! Are u crazy? " His friend who suggested him to kill me asked me with surprise and sarcasm. His other friends looked at each other's face with surprise.

" Who the hell is this girl? An insane!!?" One among those said to other.

The other just continued to stare at me with surprise. The thief named Akash who had caught me continuously kept staring at me with his eyes expressing surprise and some strange feelings.

"Hey girl!!" The thief who told him to kill me angrily approached me but suddenly Akash stopped him and said him to move back by giving him sign from his eyes. The thief was puzzled. On the other hand I didn't get anything. Did he change his mind after my proposal? I was thinking about it & there was an unpleasant surprise to me. Akash told the other thieves to close the door of the room we were in !! Again through an eye sign. Now the other thief was happy ! He gave me a perverted smile and slowly closed the door.

              " You love our leader? Want to marry him?" He said smiling at me. The other thieves again started looking at each other's face with surprise & looked at Akash. I was terribly upset. I had made the situation even worse through my crazy words. I regretted for  saying  them. Worrying what will happen with me next I loudly cried and sobbingly said them  I wouldn't complain and begged them again and again to leave me.

" You love us , don't you. Let's get married." The thief smiled at me again and approached me strangely. But Akash once again stopped him by giving him an angry sight and slowly pushing him back from his hands.

" Brother!!" The thief said surprisingly and angrily he set back his footsteps . Akash went and sat quietly  in the bench beside him staring at the ground silently. All the other thieves stared at each other again with surprise. I was terrified when he said the other thief to close the door. I got terrible nightmares in few seconds that didn't come true. I didn't understand his intention. He was sitting in his bench silently and staring at the ground but he was lifting his head often and was starting at me with surprise.

" Brother! Let's kill her!! Or else we will be caught definitely!!." One of the thieves who was silent till then opened his mouth. I started shivering again! The quake of fear in my heart was going to break it! In order to rescue myself I started telling known or unknown Bhagavad-Gita principles to them.

" Please don't do anything to me. Why you do all this. It is written in Gita, In every person's soul there is God. Every person soul is sacred . But people like you do bad deeds from outside and you destroy the sacredness of your soul inside. Feel that sacred soul. Even you have an innocent soul. Recognise it! No human being is bad .Time and situation makes him bad. Srikrishn God had told persons bad deeds are sometimes the consequences of the planets controlling him." Trembling, weak , with very low voice I was telling them but Akash was looking at me with his sharp eyes breaking a small stick in his hands.

" Earn your money. Life will be beautiful. Love, don't hate anyone! Love can conquer the world"

Since I was romantic writer I even stupidly uttered philosophies about love. I said many things in order to save myself. Akash was listening to me.

I said many stupid things in order to save myself. Akash slowly kept his two palms on his cheeks listening to me and started staring at me with his sharp eyes.He was listening to my words.His friends were feeling strange. They were looking at each other in anger. Slowly his sharp eyes started smiling . I was feeling strange.He went on staring at me at got lost seeing me. I never saw such expression in any guy's eyes for me. I saw love in his beautiful eyes. My heart started singing seeing the beauty of his eyes. His friends also started listening to my voice. I was advising them. Their transformed behaviour made me feel they weren't cruel. I was surprised and wondered if what was happening was a movie or real life incident. Will these cruel thieves change their minds by my words. Advising them is like trying to feed grass to a carnivore!! Thinking that I tried to take my little Nokia phone secretly and call the police but it was risky to do it hiding from them. What if during the process I m caught?! They might try to kill me again! Are they good or bad? Will they do some harm to me or they won't? I was terribly frightened. Yet even in such a terrible situation why did I feel attracted to the thief who came to kill me? I couldn't understand! Are they really thieves? Why are they silent? What is happening here? When I was confused thinking all these police pushed the door and came in. My father, mother, my eight friends, my uncle, my friend's brother were behind them. As soon as police entered his friends tried to escape but were caught by Manipal police but Akash continued to stare at me with those tearful eyes that depicted happiness and sorrow at the same time. He wasn't in this world. He hadn't returned back from the world he was lost in after he continued to stare me. Inspector caught him and slapped him hardly.

                          (to be continued......)

Rashmi R Kotian "Raashmir"

             But instead of feeling overwhelmed when police slapped the guy who slapped me I started feeling strange sense of sorrow within my mind. My parents and my friends hugged me & my mother was frightened seeing the cuts on my neck and blood oozing from my right foot.

    My father, my uncle and my friend's brother started beating him and his friends . But Akash continued to stare me. He hadn't returned from the world where he was lost after he started to stare me. I could see tears in eyes as well as happiness. Again and again I was confused if what was happening was a movie or real life incident. The police removed the kerchief from his face and bet him even more. He was wheatish red in complexion and was very handsome. Although my family and police were beating him continuously he was staring at me. I was feeling sad within. I couldn't understand why?  He was trying to convey me something through his eyes.

" Come to jail . We will teach you nice lesson " the police said pulling him towards the jeep but he was staring at me and he softly smiled at me with tears in his eyes. My heart beat raised seeing his beautiful smile. His thick dark eyebrows were shining on his face. His lips were like Cupid's bow with colour of dark pink. Aah!! He was handsome. But perhaps I felt so because he was the first guy I observed.

" Are you smiling. Come to jail and I will see you there" the policeman said annoyingly and pulled him and pushed him inside the jeep. But he was turning back again and again and seeing me. My friends also continued to stare him when he departed.

" Who told you to come here chinnoo. Do you have any idea how much I was worried about you " my mother said me sobbingly.

" We were so frightened , from now onwards never leave to any place without informing us" my father said me angrily with his wet eyes. I was taken to home and my parents made a first aid to my wounds. My father took my birth chart to the priest to see if planets were in bad condition perhaps because of which I met with danger. Ridiculous!! In Tulunadu no matter what happens to you even it's a slight cold or fever the first thing parents do is showing your birth chart to the priest and asking which planet is responsible for making you fall sick. Why it happened. Which dasha? What holy yagas must be performed to find solution. This is common ritual in Tulunadu.

              My mother hugged me and she said cryingly " I hope the boys didn't do anything to you my dear " . I understood what she actually meant through those words.

" I wish nobody comes to know about this incident"    my uncle said.  I was caught by the thieves. If the matter spread like a fire it could be black mark on family's reputation. My parents were worried about that. They had brought me up with much pamper. My father was putting medicine to the wound in my right foot. He put me bandage and took me to my room where I slept with my sister.

          But whole night I couldn't sleep. Akash's handsome face came to my vision again and again. The moments when he touched me, when he stared at me continuously and got lost , when he smiled at me with tear filled eyes, all these moments came in front of my eyes and his handsome appearance started mesmerizing me. Was I in love with him? Love?!! On a thief ?!! A bandit!? No!! I closed my eyes and tried to sleep but couldn't. His face came to my mind again and again. I applied leave to college for 2 days after which I went to college. My friends were standing in the corner putting their heads down when I entered the classroom. They were embarrassed for they left me alone in danger that day. In fact they pulled me to that dangerous situation when I was not at all interested in that adventure. But still I wasn't mad at them. They all came to me in leisure and apologised to me. I forgave them immediately. After a day we were all back to normal. Everybody asked me about what actually happened with me on that day. I told them about the incident softly listening to which they were all surprised.

" What!! He fell in love with you ? Seriously ?!" Rashmi asked.

" Oh my God! Chinnoo . Were you insane. You proposed him in such a terrible situation?! " Maitri said.

" She got saved just because of proposal. Chinnoo , are you telling truth. Did this really happen. It's like a movie story ! " Namratha said holding her heart.

"What ! Really !! Really did he bow to your proposal and to your dialogues about Geeta. Chinnoo I can't believe your tales.Are you kidding " Vishakha said.

" No I am telling truth. When he came to pierce my stomach I couldn't understand what was to be done. You all cannot even imagine that situation. I felt like death was on its way to conquer me. It was confirmed I was going to die. In that terrible moment I said those words in order to save myself but I didn't even least expect that he would leave me by hearing those words" I said.

" Aah! What is this!! Could this happen in real-life. Whatever! Chinnoo , you proved that you are a brave girl because what you experienced is hard for us to even imagine. Sorry chinnoo, we left you in danger and ran away. We were scared by seeing those  huge knives in their hands but you came close to the knife! My God! How it must have felt! Sinners are in jail. Let the police smash them." Sheetal said.

" But did he really fall in love with her!! If it's true then you must be careful chinnoo,  what if after coming out of jail he fall behind you " Vishakha said again.

" He was an average looking guy " when Mythri said I felt frustrated. Akash was so handsome . Why did she say that he was average looking? I frowned yet again I was confused why my mind was thinking about the bandit again. After that we forgot about the incident started being in college happily as before.

The incident stuck to my mind. His face was unable to be deleted from my memory . When I remembered the incident I was frightened again but when I remembered how Akash behaved later made me feel happy. I couldn't understand my feelings . I had so many dreams about the guy whom I would love someday. Until my prince charming came I decided to not to allow my heart to be infatuated to any other guy. So I had remained away from guys. I didn't even noticed them. But my heart was thirst for the sprinkle of love. He was the first drop that fell in to this thirst. He was my first crush. My heart had closed it's doors waiting for the boy who was ought to come someday but why did it open for Akash? Why did it sound for Akash?Is Akash my prince charming? Wait!! Why am I falling for a stranger and that too who is a thief ? Perhaps I have forgotten he was the same cruel person who came to kill me. But if he was really cruel , why did he give me an innocent sight later. I was confused, my feelings ,his memories drove me crazy everyday. I went to my counsellor Doctor Sapna .

" Chinnoo , this is normal! But I am really surprised that you are being infatuated to a boy who came to kill you. Astonishing!! But don't consider this as love! This is just a mere infatuation you had on guy whom you first came across. Probably he was very handsome. Getting infatuated is natural human tendency. It happens but don't take this to your heart. You cannot see innocence inside a wild beast's eyes. It's your illusion. And the bandits, killers are cruel people. If we believe they can be changed we have to set ready our own graves . And the notorious title of thief never wears out . Don't put all these into your head . You will definitely find a better, well educated and kind prince charming soon. Just forget this incident " Aunt Sapna told me.

                                        (to be continued)

Rashmi R Kotian "Raashmir"