1 Adrian Shade
In the vast space, from an unknown, a soul travelled, beyond the thinking capabilities of humans, disregarding any laws, transcending, the theory of space and time fabrications, going farther and farther, faraway to another realm.
It reached to a world, veiled in different colors, similar to a giant ball with a gradient of multiple colors. The unique combination, entices one to explore the world through and through, solving the mysteries of the world.
And like anyone, the soul too attracted, it continued forward in the direction of the world. Just had covered a little distance when it stopped.
As if, the soul was inside a pressure, it tried to resist, tried to move and freed, but all was in vain.
“A soul?”
Suddenly, from nowhere, a voice came, a calm and monotonous, yet there was a feeling of authority behind the voice.
The source of the voice was unknown, there could not be seen anyone else in this space, apart from that soul.
Also, it didn’t seem so easy to differentiate whether the voice belonged to a man or a woman.
A crucial thing to notice that the soul had stopped resisting the pressure, after the voice resounded. And maybe due to the unknown pressure, its shape was becoming irregular.
“You seem quite special. How did you manage to enter this place?”
The same voice echoed again, this time asking.
“Interesting. You were able to come here, this itself indicate that you are a special one.”
The voice found it intriguing that this soul somehow managed to enter this place.
“I am longingly expecting to meet you again, that if you are powerful enough to meet.”
Seeing, the soul may not survive, if it continues, the voice spoke for the last time and everything went silent.
As if the pressure had been lifted, the soul again returned to its original form of a light ball.
Thereafter, the soul continued forward, toward the unique world of colors.
The soul had reached the boundary of the world, after struggling for sometimes, it entered inside and wandered around the world…
“Don’t let me wait for so long, I hope you can...”
Back to the place, the soul was frozen for sometimes, the same mysterious voice came and this time as if muttering to itself.
-----
Years Later,
Somewhere, in remote area of the world, particularly a Village and there inside a house,
*Aaaahhh...* *Ugghhh...* *Aaaahhh...*
A woman’s scream was heard. It continued for hours, from her screams time to time, it isn’t difficult to say she was in pain.
*Waa...* *Waa...* *Waa...*
After long, a child’s cry was heard, it wasn’t difficult to identify that it was new born.
Inside the house,
“It’s a boy.”
Another woman’s voice came, slightly older than the one, crying in pain.
“Bring him here, let me see him.”
The woman on bed, spoke in exhaustion, her eyes had signs of fatigue, but that couldn’t hide the smile on her face.
That smile was one of a mother.
As told, the other woman brought the child and put him beside the woman in bed.
All this while, a man came inside after hearing baby’s cries, he looked at the woman in bed with worried face.
“Husband! See our child, it’s a baby boy.”
The woman in bed spoke, looking at the man.
The way she addressed the man, in itself, indicate their relationship.
“He looks beautiful like you, wife.”
Hearing her wife, his face changed, his face filled with happiness, he came near the bed, touched the child as he spoke.
This child, a boy, had his eyes closed, as any new born, his hair, matching to the mother, was silver.
“Have you thought any good name for him?”
The woman, although tired, spoke to her husband, with the same motherly smile looking at her child.
“What about you? Do you have any name?”
This time, the man asked his wife.
“I have, then his name will be…”
-----
Eleven Years Later,
*Hahaha* *Hahaha* *Hahaha*
Children’s laughter echoed through the streets of the Sal village.
It is a thing of every day for children, playing together, running here and there, catching each other, roaming and doing all sorts of things they find funny or happy with.
And today, too, they are on playing.
To every adult in the Sal Village, it was kind of entertainment, seeing children laughing, playing with each other.
This tells the fact, the people of Sal Village are good.
The children were playing until the Sun was almost at horizon, with red-orange sky.
As it was evening, parents came to take their child back.
Hearing calls from parents, children bid farewell to each other, as they went toward their parents.
One by one, all returned, only two children and one parent were left.
“Come with me, I will drop you.”
The parent said to the other child whose parents didn’t come.
The parent left the child, one without parent, near a particular house.
*Knock* *Knock*
The child, without parent, walked toward the house, and knocked on the door.
Within a minute, the door opened, and an older man in his sixties appeared.
“You are back. How was the day, Adrian?”
The old man asked with a kind smile on his face as the child entered the house.
Yes, the boy name was Adrian, as for his full name, that was Adrian Shade.
“As always grandpa. I played with them and enjoyed it.”
Adrian, the child, spoke with a smile.
“It’s a good thing, you must be hungry after playing so long, right?”
The old man closed the door and asked Adrian as he looked at him.
“Yes, I am hungry, I want to eat now.”
Adrian, like any child, after playing a lot, naturally felt hungry.
“Wash your hands, and come to eat.”
The old man said as he went inside to bring the dishes he had prepared.
After washing his hands as instructed, Adrian went inside the hall, sat on the table and started to eat with the old man.
While eating, Adrian shared his story, how he played together with other children.
The old man listened to his enthusiastic talks while eating.
“Grandpa, I am going to sleep, goodnight.”
After eating to full, Adrian felt sleepy, saying goodnight to the old man, he went to his room.
Going inside, he climbed on his bed and slept.
Not even five minutes had passed and he was asleep already.
While, Adrian slept inside his room, there in the kitchen, the old man cleaned the dishes.
Afterward, he went to Adrian’s room, he looked at his sleeping face with love filled eyes, he stroked Adrian’s face gently without waking him up.
“I don’t know much, but I always felt that you are not so simple…
I don’t know what fate awaits you, but I will always be there for you, even if not physically, my support will be there.
I am already old, I don’t know how many more years I will live, I am afraid, once I am gone…
Furthermore, I know, looking at other children you felt sad for not having parents, but worry not, for that, I am here.
I am always here for you... Adrian, my boy.”
As he looked at Adrian’s face, the old man muttered in a low voice with sadness in the eyes.
Adrian in sleep, whether heard or not, had a smile on his face, radiating like a light in the eyes of the old man.
