Long, long time ago… This is how my grandfather used to tell me stories… Hold on! I’m not going to talk about a fairy tale in here... This is not a fiction too… It happened… sigh!!

There was an era, I always wanted to travel down to India, educate myself to be one among the millions in the ocean who wished alike. So when my name topped up in the list to choose where and when to leave from Saudi Arabia for further studies, I browsed through Google… To opt for a place where I can set my prospect… The page at last took me to a hill station which, of course, is as beautiful as you are... When I say beautiful, it’s not about the object what you see through your eyes. It’s something beyond that... Days passed by until a fine dawn enthralled me with those fruitful memories which were yet to discern. So, I packed my bags and flew down to India, Pardes…

I have always wanted to let you all know about the life that I lived. But, it wasn’t as painless as you may think when the experience (most) haven’t got any optimistic thought in it and had been ascended from no man’s land to nowhere... When the mind tickling moments you cherished at your prime, will be only there in your heart as a stroke, which could either prick or sooth while seeing similar occurrences… Ah, that may mar at times…

The education began… There were friends to share ills and wells… Time flew… Nature as always touched all of us with her everlasting grin in the form of rainstorm… fog… and unceasing breeze that made us blind…

That was the time we had a new joiner in our college. His name was Jobin and we called him Jo in short. As the days passed by, we became best of friends who could share about anything under the sky and above green pastures that seemed like carpet. Jo and I were in the same class though we had different set of friends in hostel, which was located on another hill. That reminds me of my hostel room that stood face to the cheek of clouds that descended upon our roof. To err is human, but the avowal can never be used at any cost when it comes to nature. It’s for obvious reasons that, God have created it so wholly that nothing could ever compete with her magnificence.

Time flew… Just like those birds flew for their new nest… Rains fell… from a hole in the sky that looked like it was just for us who stayed in Paradise Hills… Like the name, it was truly a paradise…

We lived there for 3 years and when we were in our final year, something happened. ‘Something happened’? That statement is not right…

On a Monday, when I was getting ready for my classes and while searching for my shoes, Jo rushed in to my room. I looked up to him in awe and asked him the reason for his pale face. He, on the other side showed me his bleeding face and asked if blood is a good sign. I never had any answers for it… I have always thought about many things in life but the sign of blood? That remained as a question mark to me. But, in life, there are always a lot of signs. Sign of love… Sign of care… Sign of affection… Sign of fear… Sign of blood? You see, that last sign was alien to me until I reached the college, thinking about it like a rambler searching for oasis.

The professor started his lecture on Discrete Mathematics and I could see Jo scribbling something on his book. He looked ill. Suddenly, someone from somewhere passed through a message to the professor that I have been asked to meet the Principal. I was in a way happy to flee from the class, since I always had a problem with Math’s. I walked through the corridor; thinking reasons behind him asking me to surrender, whilst, 'sign of blood' stood motionless in my mind…

Principal looked disturbed… While penning this very doom, I shiver, akin to how I did at that very moment when principle revealed the news that, Jobin’s dad passed away…

He asked me not to let him know until we reach his place… I didn’t know how to react… He spoke about his Father and his dreams a day before this demise…

I went along with him… He never (not till date) knew that I had been told about this by the principle… I took him to his native, saying his Father is not keeping well… I can still see Jobin’s crestfallen face the moment he saw the black flag nearby his house… Something that pricks my heart, saying…, life is too short… there is nothing to boast about… to feel proud of… anything could happen at the very next moment… it’s only a matter of time…

World is beautiful… We are just a drop in the ocean… In the end, we live for once… Let’s live in harmony…