All of a sudden the portal appeared. But this time it was different! It wasn't one there were three! The three rebellious teenagers tried to escape but the force was too much to handle and as usual they failed to do so. Each one got pulled into one of them. They were completely surprised would they reach the same place or would it be different?
Jaivik opened his eyes and looked over the place. It looked a little familiar yet a little unfamiliar. Where am I? Have I been here before? If yes, then when? While walking he saw someone known to him. Tears came into his eyes as his silver haired friend stood in front of him like a ray of hope in the darkness.
"Jaivik!" Exclaimed Kartavya really surprised.
"Kartavya!"
"What are you doing here?"
"I was transported here." Then he paused as he anticipated the possibility. "Is this the angle world?"
"Yeah, it is." Then he continued "Honestly, I never expected this to happen."
"Neither did I."
"So I'll take you to my home."
"Thanks! I suppose you know a way from which I'll be home, right?"
"I am afraid not!"
"What! What am I supposed to do? There were three portals so are the others even here?"
"Calm down!"
"How could I? I am lost in the world of horrible angels and I don't even know either sis or Jeev is here" then he stopped quite realising what he had said, "Sorry! Thanks for coming to my aid"
"Nah! Not a problem."
And so the two went to Kartakya's residence. Throughout the way Jaivik was absolutely quiet, not knowing what to say. He had surely acted too insolent in front of Kartavya, yelling at him, calling the angels horrible and what not? He looked at Kartavya then towards his surrondings. He reapeated this act until he realised that his companion had noticed this and was feeling quite awkward. And the silence surrounding them made it even more weird. So nervously, Jaivik tried to start a talk.
"You are the prince so you must have a ton of responsibilities, it must the hard?"
"No, not that much."
And once again there was that strange silence. They walked on and on and soon met there destinatian. Kartavya's home seemed to have a similar quality of being diffirent or rather unique. Now that I think of it, I don't know much about Mr. Kartavya. I don't know if he has parents or not, I don't know how his relationship with his sister is, I don't know what ideals he follows. I know nothing about him, yet I feel safe in his presence. Mr. Kartavya really has some welcoming aura around him which makes me comfortable around him.
Kartavya showed him around the house. Things are quite different than I thought they would be. I thought I'll see his sister and being a prince, his house should be large and full of expensive items and all.
"Oh! My sister doesn't live with me these days, she is looking after the World On Wheels."
"Oh! Of course she must be really concerned about what happened there and all."
It was like he read my mind. Is it his Angel Power or something like that. I was so sure that his house would be full of costly things. Wait! Am I stupid! I don't even know the costs of these things and I am judging them! Costs? I don't even know if there is anything like money in this world!
"What are you thinking with that surprised face, young lad?"
"Nothing your highness."
"Your highness! Where did that come from? You don't need to call me that." Said Kartavya with a shocked look on his face.
"Then, what should I call you?"
"Kartavya is fine."
"But you are elder than me and I am not in a habit of calling someone elder than me by name."
"Man you're respectful. You can call me something like big brother Kartavya."
"Okay."
"That's your room, you can stay here if it's fine."
"It's nice and airy I'll gladly stay here."
"Are you hungry?"
"No."
"Okay! I'll l call you for dinner."
"Thanks for doing this for me."
"No probs." Saying this Kartavya went to prepare lunch.
His life is completely different than what I imagined it to be. He is cooking by himself instead of having servants and all. Truly he is a humble prince.
"Lunch is ready."
"Coming." Saying this Jaivik went to the dining table.
"Here, have some."
"Thanks big bro!"
"You don't need to thank me after all it is my duty as your companion in this journey but moreover my duty as a friend."
They had their lunch peacefully. It seemed a little weird to Jaivik as he was used to having his lunch with a little noise, it may be the three of them watching TV or phone or just some family time. After having the meal and cleaning the dishes. The two sat to have a talk.
"So I hope it's easy for you to adjust here, is it?"
"Yeah. I am already getting used to it." lied Jaivik
"Now don't lie to me."
"Guess you caught me, huh!"
"I surely did! Now tell me the truth."
"Fine. It's a little weird but not bad, just missing home a little, nothing else."
"Well that's quite natural, home is home, obviously it would feel strange but I hope you're not facing any trouble."
"No I am not."
"Okay, now I'll get to the point, you know very well that how Jeevan was given that dairy by the spirits, and perhaps you don't know about it but Janhavi has been provided with a gift too, and so are you. But the thing is that unlike your brother and sister your gift is a little different."
"Different? But how?"
"Yeah different. You see how they can simply use their things when needed without any practice of any kind, you will have to master it."
"Master it? So is it some kind of power?"
"Well, it is. So the thing is that type of power is actually called sprinkle."
"Sprinkle?"
"Yup, and to master it there are some steps. First, learning about yourself. Second, learning about sprinkle. Third, visiting a certain place to understand it with depth. Fourth, learning to give it shape and move it. Fifth or last, learning to give it life." he then looked at Jaivik's confused face. "I know
it's puzzling but as I said you don't need to be concerned regarding how you'll do it or if you'll be able to do it. The first step is to look inside yourself. So are you ready to start it now or later."
"I am ready."
"Okay so in this step, you don't do anything but only think, think about your own self. Basically about you're emotions. So my first question to you, who is the person most important to you?"
"Jeev and sis."
"So let's start this talk about Jeevan first. As an elder brother and his role model, how do you support him?"
"Ah... now that's a tricky on. I..... tell him how the both of us are there for him and tell him that if we can do something he can too."
"That's a fine way to do things. But... how do you show him that you're facing problems."
"Well, I don't."
"Why not?"
"Cause, if I will, he can feel discouraged and if he'll realise that the person he looks up to is actually struggling, won't he be disappointed?"
"Well, I think that's not right."
"Not right? How?"
"Well basically you're showing that you're perfect."
"Guess I am."
"But are you?"
"I am not."
"So in other words you are lying to him."
"Ah... I am."
"And you're telling him to be like you or should I say how you're showing yourself in front of him. Which is a lie."
"I..... am."
"Even you know that no one can be perfect. Although, if you try to be perfect you start improving and once you start improving you change for the better, and once you change it sooner or later starts effecting you're daily life and once that happens you're surroundings change too. And when they change it changes you again and through aiming towards perfection you as well as people around can get better and this process is called evolution. But the cycle breaks if someone becomes actually perfect which is not possible and if someone becomes perfect they can't strive to be perfect so basically thinking that you're helping him you're technically not helping him evolve and if he is not evolving, he along with his surroundings are not changing and in fact if you continue showing him you're fantasy world you are not only getting in his way you're also making him lose faith as nothing around is changing and if nothing around him is changing and even if they are changing because of outer influence he is still not perfect like his elder brother and thus, he'll lose faith in himself. Is that what you really want?"
"No." answered Jaivik with a regretful tone and sorrow being reflected by the lad's tears.
"Calm down!" after saying this Kartavya pated Jaivik's shoulder and wiped his tears
"You have opened my eyes!" said Jaivik "How can I improve as a brother, please tell me?"
"The answer is simple, open up. Sometimes you should have a talk with him, tell him the truth. Show him how you're improving so that he can get inspired and improve himself too. That's what you need to do."
"But what if he gets demoralized, seeing that we are faulty too? What then?"
"Well, I don't think that will be the case. But on the same time you are his brother, you have lived with him for fifteen years, so you're the one who knows him better than I do. Thus, it totally depends on you."
"Yeah, you're right the decision is mine to make and not yours and perhaps not only mine but big sister's too."
"Now my next question about Janhavi. She is the oldest one in your family thus all the responsibilities falls on her capable shoulders, right?
But what do you think, should it be like this? The age gap between the two of you ain't much so should she be the only one in charge?"
"No! She is only seventeen! How can she be the one in charge! I should help her too."
"But is that how it is?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I am not that capable."
"Why do you think so?"
"It's because she is smart and more mature than
people of her age. She is also kind and warm. And since she has been doing it for two years, she is a better choice than me."
"Well, when she started as the mother of the family, was she that smart, warm, mature, or experienced? She was just a young girl of fifteen who was the eldest in her family and thus, took charge to make her both brothers comfortable."
"You're right. I know this. But still, I am not able to help her."
"That's because you are scared to take the charge. Fight with that fear. Fight for yourself, for her and for your beloved brother. You may not be the most responsible, intelligent, loving, mature or experienced but you are understanding, you are soft and you are perhaps the most caring youngster of your age. Use your capabilities instead of being scared from failure as experience is not earned by knowledge, guidance or perspective, for experience can only be granted by failing, decision making and practicality. I know, changes don't happen in a day, hour or minute but once it does the outcome is always better. As it is said 'no change is good or bad' for changes occur only when one truly wants to change and adapt. It will take time. And there's nothing wrong in taking your time but even when you change, that will to change shouldn't die, that flame to become better becomes the bedrock of a great individual. Young boy, its never too late!"
"I'll remember your words as long as I live!"
"I am glad to here these words of yours. Now moving forward don't you think Jeevan also needs to lend a helping hand to you and Janhavi?"
"Well, he is too young."
"How old was Janhavi when she took all the burden?"
"Fifteen."
"How old were you when you started helping her?"
"I was fourteen."
"How old is Jeevan?"
"Fifteen."
"So why can't he help Janhavi with what she did at his age or help you with what you did when you were a year younger than him?"
"Ah, it varies from person to person."
"I agree, with this statement of yours but don't you think he'll only learn when he has too look beyond himself? Besides, a lion always feeded will never learn to haunt or a tree always looked after will never learn to survive. For growing up can only be granted by responsibilities and duties. I think, the only thing you need to do is make him responsible and have faith in him throughout the process."
"Perhaps, you're right."
"Going forward, I wanna know, when Jeevan feels scared or lonely who is the one he approaches?"
"Me or sis."
"And you?"
"Sis."
"And Janhavi?"
"Nobody! No one at all! She just tries to bear all the burdens by herself! Even when she feels demoralized or afraid she just, she just tries to suppress it. Never, never in these two miserable years of our lives, not even once she told me how crestfallen or horrified she was feeling, never has she shed tears in front of either me or Jeev. And I, I just watched it happen, not even once I asked her if she was alright. I, I was so tangled up in Jeev and myself. It's like I let it happen. And in these two years of pain and suffering I have realised what a failure I am both as an elder brother and as an younger one."
"Failure? You?" He sighed "I don't think so, according to me your brother and sister are blessed to have you by their side. A true brother supports the other one when he is broken from the inside, when he is in his depths of despair, when he feels like giving up, when he loses the will to move on, unlike fair weather friends a true brother holds him in his arms, tells him how he is there for him, how he will never leave him alone. He supports him, he encourages him, he becomes his ray of light in the dark cave of despair, like an arrow of hope he tears all the suffering in the world apart and most importantly a true brother always loves him. A true brother stands with him when the whole world is against him, he helps him when no one does, he never loses faith in him when the whole world does. And one thing I am sure of, you are that one brother who will never leave either Jeevan's or Janhavi's hand, you are the one who will believe them and help them no matter the cost. The fact that you understand how Janhavi feels even without her sharing it makes you an incredible brother, and your urge to improve yourself for her and for Jeevan makes you the best brother in the whole universe. All you need to do, is improve and accepting it is the first step forward."
"I don't know if either you or I am right. But one thing I know, I need to change for him, for her and for myself."
"Moving on. Why do you think Janhavi never shares her negative feelings?"
"Because she thinks that if she will break down, me and Jeev will get discouraged. She knows that she has become our hope and we need her to be strong."
"Maybe. But more importantly is this thought of hers true?"
"Well, it's true we need her support."
"Do you rely on her or are you totally dependent on her?"
"I don't know!"
"Taking both the possibilities it's okay if you rely
on her cause when you rely on someone and they rely on you, contact is made and slowly you interact with them spent time with them, then get attached to them and thus, bonds are forged but if you are dependent on her that's not good. So the question is if you are stuck in a situation are you not able to decide what to do or are you scared to make a decision and if any one of these statements are true you are dependent on her. It's okay if you're not able to decide right now, as you will know few things only by observing."
"Maybe."
"Now, let's look even deeper in your heart. So tell me don't you feel as if something is wrong with you?"
"Kinda."
"Let me tell you, you're carrying a bag full of pain and suffering."
"I don't get you?"
"Deep down you do. Think hard what do you do when you feel like crying, you submerge that urge that pain you try to hide it, not just from the world but from yourself. You're lying to your friends, your cousins, your brother, your sister and from yourself. Why, why don't you cry? Whenever you're unable to submerge it you go to Janhavi and then, you cry. But why do you even try? What are you scared of? Do you know sorrow is like a heavy stone once you throw it away you're free but if you carry it along it becomes harder to walk forward. For when you are overwhelmed with grief if you cry it out you're free but if you carry it on, it hurts even more and the more it hurts the more disheartened you become. Don't suppress it just because you think it's negative, as no emotion is, every emotion like a coin has two sides. People thinks sorrow is bad just because it hurts but we feel sorrow simply over a loss and if you feel bad because you have lost something, this feeling makes you a human. Looking forward let's talk about pain, pain makes you hurt but it also helps you understand how this world truly works. Regret, you regret because you were unable to do something but it also means you recognize you're mistakes and try to be better. Jealousy, you're jealous if you recognize someone's goodness and their talent. Anger, you feel it because someone broke your trust, with it you learn a lesson of not believing someone blindly. Despair makes you realize that how you need hope to survive. Hatred, you feel it because you don't like someone and this means you don't wanna be like them and so you make expectations for yourself. Now thinking about positive feelings having a negative side. Let's start with happiness, when you're truly happy you may not be able to understand people in pain and sometimes it makes you sad or sometimes you may ignore the needy. Hope, I know it seems impossible that hope has a negative side but it does, sometimes when you have hope you become dependent on it, and you stop working hard thinking that something or the other will happen. Kindness makes you blind and you may help whom you shouldn't. Excitement, you feel it when you are about to try something new but were you not satisfied from the past? Love, while feeling it you become ignorant, you may do something wrong, you may love someone even if it hurts you and when you are in love you are binded by strong bonds which when lost will make you hurt. Thus, nothing in this world is positive or negative these are just some criterias we have made for ourselves and for the rest of the world. Well, getting to you I know the reason behind your sorrow and in this world it's impossible to forget any loss you have faced as you will be reminded of it. You can't forget your parents and you shouldn't, you just need to except it, cause life will never stop."