M is for Make your own story- Day-13

So it all started in the first week of August, 2015! Neerja initiated ‘Make your own story’ challenge when she penned down a beautiful story written in 100 words and gave the pen to another writer. Then writer by writer this pen was forwarded and wheels were added to the story. I am glad to add another wheel (my second) to end this sci-fi. So welcome to the unique challenge which shows the power of single story, multiple authors.

Image source: Light Workers

Neerja- Wheel No.1 gave a kick start to this wonderful challenge. This is a ‘Make your own story challenge’. Follow the link Make your own story to know all about the start. With utmost curiosity, I was looking forward to see the challenge swinging to Tejas- Wheel No.2 and from there to my dearest Sri- Wheel no.3 and then to Nimitha- Wheel No-4 and then to my close friend and bro Darshith- Wheel No-5 , I added the sixth wheel and now I am adding the seventh wheel too.

Neerja is a wonderful writer who always keeps experimenting. I am thankful to her for initiating such challenge. She is very talented. She gave the baton to Tejas, a person who makes wonders in his blog. His Jack & Jill strips are really funny. He is the most active blogger I have seen here frequently updating his blog. He tied a wonderful knot to the story and gave the rest to Sreechandra. Sri.. She appears like once in a blue moon. But each & every time she brings up something magical. She swipes off my feet always. She is a superstar who carries life in every word she writes. I am a big fan of her stories which involve lot of feelings in them. You are awesome Sri. Sri then passed it to Nimi, the girl who has not only loads of talent but potential to make it big. Recently I connected with her in wordpress, and she is amazing and she is Rahmanaic too. Darishth, my bro is amazing. He always comes with unique ideas and beautiful poems. We have become very close friends now. Thanks bro for nominating me in this amazing challenge. Then I added sixth wheel to it. I nominated Hema Ji for this challenge who seemed to be very busy! So I decided to give it an end to the beautiful story by adding the climax part.

Story so Far…

Wheel No.1: (initiated by Neerja)

Once upon a time there existed a wasteland in Patliputra. There lived a little boy named Aditya who was only child of Madhavi and Shankara. They used to love him a lot and wanted him to dream big and get out of this wasted land. But Aditya unlike his parents had some another dream. He wanted to improve and convert his wasteland into a dreamland where everybody wants to live. Aditya knew he had to convince his parents for this but he didn’t how will they react and whether they will approve this idea of his dreamland.

Wheel No.2: (added by Tejas)

The clock struck two past midnight as a stream of snowy moonlight sneaked through the swinging-with-the-breeze curtains and scattered on Aditya’s bed. As the squeaking sparrow went back inside the ancestral wall clock after two tweets, Aditya sneaked out of his bed quietly.

He stuffed pillows under his blanket in a shape to disguise as himself. He tiptoed out to the backyard. He double checked on both sides for no one following him before going behind the banyan tree.

As planned, Shivansh was already waiting for him there. A nod from both of them assured, everything was on track. Aditya plucked out a wrinkled paper from his pocket and Shivansh’s eyes twinkled with a beaming smile.

Wheel No.3: ( added by Sri)

With quivering fingers Aditya unfolded the paper. The near-yellow paper definitely looked old.

“Here”, Aditya smiled, “is the key to our dreams….If only we can get hold of this, we shall have enough resources to convert this wasteland into the land of our dreams”.

Shivansh’s eyes shone in genuine glee. He intently looked at the unfolded paper in front of his eyes. Within seconds his eye-brows stitched into each other transforming into puzzled curiosity.

“But this looks empty Adi. This is a blank paper.”

Aditya smiled. A hint of mischief waved past his face.

“Just wait and watch the magic”, Adi whispered.

He then held up the paper and placed it against the circular moon. The moonlight diffused through the ridges and furrows of the wrinkled paper lending a surreal look. Within seconds a faint map appeared on it.

Shivansh couldn’t believe his eyes. He had many questions but Aditya’s eyes were fixed on the map.

With intense seriousness he pointed to a lotus emblem right at the middle of the map.

“And here is our destination – Padmabharan – the lotus urn”.

Wheel No.4: (added by Nimi)

“What is this? Who gave you this?” Shivansh’s face revealed all his zest.

Aditya is still carrying a calm face beaming at the map. Shivansh turned blue.

“Adi, this won’t make any trouble. Right?” His voice trembled slightly.

“Calm down Shiva. Don’t be over reactive as always.” Without taking eyes off the map, still held against the moon, Aditya stepped closer to Shivansh and whispered. “We are going to make history in Pataliputra.” His voice expressed extreme determination.

Shivansh stood with his mouth half-open wondering how this piece of old paper and two fourteen-years old boys going to make history.

Aditya continued. ” This is the ultimate treasure. Once we reach here, this will give us everything we need.” He pointed Padmabharan.

“But how can we find this? This is just a map, barely a map that we have never seen before.” Shivansh started losing his patience.

“I read about this in a book owned by my Dada. I got this map from the slit on the hard bind of the book. This Padmabharan is somewhere here.” Aditya continued examining the map.

Shivansh made a step aback and checked his premise. Somewhere here? With fear and anxiety, he asked. “Adi, don’t make me more confused. Will you please explain?’

Aditya nodded “Yes!”

Wheel No.5: (added by Darshith)

“Some days before dying, my Dada handed me a book and asked me to read it carefully and said that each written word in it is TRUE. He also asked me to pursue it with someone whom I can trust blindly,” whispered Adi, and continued, “I couldn’t make heads or tails about the story till I accidentally found this wrinkled paper from the slit of the book.”
Shivansh was listening attentively as if he was hypnotized and can do nothing to break the spell.

Adi continued his charm of revealing things slowly. He said, “In the book, there is mentioning of a mystery map which reveals itself when placed against the circular moon and the first time, I also had the same expression and goosebumps, just like you.”
“On reading further, it says how the people pursuing Padmabharan has to prove their worth that they are deserving of it and hence to get their hands on it, they will face many struggles and sacrifices.”
On listening this, Shivansh was scared like hell and said, “Is it like the survival of the fittest?”
Adi, who had no clue of what is there in the future, said reassuringly, “I don’t know and let’s hope there is no copies of this book or the map and no other living being has any idea of the existence of Padmabharan.”

Wheel No.6:  (added by me)

“So what else was written in that book?” asked Shivansh finally clearing his throat.

“It says that my dada was a great scientist in those times. He was adept in calculating energies. In his times he successfully found why our Patliputra is a waste land. He believed that every point on Earth falls under one of these categories -Positive, Negative and Neutral energy. Positive indicates development, Neutral- being unaffected with energies and Negative- destruction. Our Patliputra falls on Negative point. No wonder why our land is a waste land!” said Aditya feeling proud of his dada.

“Interesting! Then what’s the solution to this?” asked Shivansh looking at the waste land and wondering how Aditya’s dada came up with such an interesting theory in those times.

“My dada made a device by which we can vary the energies. So we have to take the energy level of Patliputra beyond the threshold of Positive energy level. That’s it.  That device is called ‘Padmabharan’. Our Patliputra can again be developed into our dream land. We will do that.” Said Aditya shining like a Sun, going with his name, ‘Aditya’, ‘The Sun’.

“Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, don’t you know science? and why didn’t your dada change the energies then!?” asked Shivansh using his logical mind.

“But Energy can be converted from one form to another. And we can only change the energies once in 2012 years, when the energies undergo through ‘Natural transition’ on a specific full moon day.  My dada knew he won’t survive that long so he handed me that book. That specific full moon day is today. That place is here. And we have just one hour left. By 4 am the ‘Natural transition’ of energies will stop and we can’t change the fate of our land until the next 2012 years.”

Aditya again lifted the map towards the full moon and was once again puzzled by seeing that map! The map was not as in regular maps. It just had a lotus emblem on it.

Aditya surveyed his surroundings with his mobile flash light for 20 minutes, but all his attempts went futile. Then he thought Lotus may be not the real lotus, just a mere symbol. Then just in a moment the veil of the mystery lifted as Aditya saw a Lotus symbol carved on the back of the bench resting under a banyan tree. Shivansh too noticed it. They both ran towards that bench!

And the story continues. . . 
Adi and Shiva reached the bench with lotus mark in a hurry but were unsure about what to do next. They saw a wide rectangular shaped plate upon which the symbol of lotus was carved. Aditya tried to find clues near the place by digging under the bench. But it was useless. He got frustrated. He knew he doesn’t have much time left and they still don’t have any clue about the Padmabharan. In anger he hit his fist on the symbol of lotus which is on the back of the bench. Within a moment, the rectangular plate opened up. Aditya and Shivansh glanced at each other. There was a small rectangularly packed box in that plate. Aditya opened the top of the box and was shocked to see what it contained.

A small phone like device with 3 buttons and 5 LEDs was resting on it and the first LED was glowing. On the device it was written in Golden letters, ‘PADMABHARAN’. Aditya looked at his watch it was 3:40 am. Just 20 minutes to go. Shivansh looked for anything else in the box, but nothing. Now they hold a foreign device with no user manual for help. Aditya took the device in his hand. It felt as if there were energies inside it. The 3 buttons and 5 LEDs were arranged in two rows. In first row there were the 3 buttons and in the second row, 5 LEDs were arranged, three LEDs were exactly below the three buttons of the first row, and two LEDs were placed on either side of these 3 LEDs. Think Adi think, Aditya said to himself. One button was green in color, one was yellow in color and last was red in color. 4 LEDs were in off state and the first LED was glowing.

Without a second thought he pressed the green button and then the unexpected happened. The 2nd LED started to glow. The universe started responding to this and so did the energies. Aditya hands were trembling but he didn’t leave the device. The winds started blowing with great speed, the leaves of the trees were flying in the air and some bright light was emitted from the device. After sometime, the third LED started glowing in yellow color. He thought it may be a signal to press the yellow button. Aditya pressed the yellow button. And suddenly he felt as if the energies were taking the transition through the device. The energies were converting. The lower energy level of patliputra was getting the positive energy from universe and the device was getting difficult for Aditya to hold. He never saw such thing before. Shivansh was seeing as if he is dreaming and his mother may wake him up at any moment.

After some time, the 4th LED started to glow in Red color and this time, Aditya knew it was time to press Red button. The moment he pressed it, a super giant hole emerged from the sky as if the negative energies were being absorbed by that hole. Aditya’s hands became black but he knew this suffering is nothing when compared to Patliputra’s development. He stood with confidence and held the device tight with all his strength. Within few seconds the last LED also glowed. Then the giant hole disappeared. The enormous winds stopped blowing.

The device jerked with high vibrations and it fell on the ground. Aditya looked at his watch, it was 3:59 am. Shivansh was yet to come out of shock. Aditya told to shiva that it was over. Shivansh rushed to the device and saw the first LED go off. 4 am. They both are still unaware of what has happened or how this device worked. They stood there for few seconds. To their surprise the device got blasted by itself as its purpose is served. They rushed back to their respective homes and entered into their homes from their room’s windows. Aditya’s mother was knocking the door of his room. Aditya first washed his hands and his mouth. Then he ran to open it. Aditya’s mother hugged him when he opened the door.

“Are you safe?” she asked.
“We are safe.” replied Aditya.
“Do you know just few minutes ago winds were blowing very dangerously. I was afraid.” said her mother looking feared.
“I don’t know mom, I was sleeping. Don’t be afraid.” said Aditya and took a sigh of relief.
“I think the winds are indication of something bad.” said his mother feeling disappointed.
“Mom. Be positive. Good days are here.” said Aditya and smiled at his mother.

At morning 7 when Aditya and his family were having tea, Shivansh also joined them. Aditya and shivansh shared a hi5. They were feeling happy and curious about the result of this early morning’s hard work. They had the first sip when a farmer came running into the home looking excited and happy. “God has blessed us with happiness. Our Patliputra is no more a waste land. For the first time, we have seen some progress in our crops. It is unbelievable. Early morning’s winds were God’s blessings upon us.” He said and ran to our neighbouring house repeating the same.

Aditya felt relieved after hearing this. He turned towards his mom and said, “I told you na mom, good days have arrived.”

*****

Now its time to suggest title for this story. My attempt is, ‘Patliputra and its saviour-Padmabharan’. You too can give your suggestions. Sorry for this long read.

This story was incomplete from a long time. So just wanted to see Aditya saving his place sooner.

This is my entry for A to Z challenge . It is already day 13 and it is on the letter ‘M’. ‘M’ is for Make your own story.

Coming to the challenge, as the name itself says it is very challenging. On every day of month April, except Sundays, which makes it to 26 days, each participant should publish a post relating to the letter corresponding to the number of the day thus completing all the 26 alphabets. For example on day 1, the post should be on something related on letter A, on the second day it should be related to B and this goes on. Exciting? Isn’t it?

And as always, thanks for reading. Have a great weekend. . 🙂