4 Unfamiliar place,unfamiliar people

After my mind beacame completely clear,I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling for sometime.I yawned and was about to get up ,when I suddenly remembered something and looked at the ceiling again.I was stunned.Above my head was a ceiling made up of bamboo and straw.I thought I was hallucinating.I rubbed my eyes and looked towards the ceiling again.The bamboo ceiling was still there.

I sat up with a jolt and my eyes started to explore my surroundings.The room I was in, was small.Although it was a kutcha room,it was very clean.There was only a small table,a wooden stand for keeping clothes and a small bed on which I was sitting.

'What is this place and how did I come here?'I tried to remember what had happened after the birthday party.'Have dad bring me here?But dad was saying to bring me to the farmhouse and from any angle this place does not look like a farmhouse,rather it seems like a village house.Have papa brought me to a village?'I became confused.

I was immersed in my thoughts when the door suddenly opened.A middle aged man and woman came into the room.From there clothes I became even more sure that I was in a village.I was going to ask them about dad, when I saw the surprised look on there face.I became confused,'Huh...why are they looking surprised?'I was thinking about the reason behind their reaction ,when the woman came back to her sense .She smiled and said,"You, finally wake up.We were really afraid that you may have gotten some internal injuries, that's why you have been unconscious for 3 day.Now it looks likes you only had superficial injuries."

"What do you mean?"Listening to her, a bad feeling rose in my heart.

This time the man sighed and replied,"I found you in a bad condition at the fountain,when I had gone to the mountain in search of some herbs.Since then you have been unconscious.I had already done your treatment ,but still your sense had not come back and I also could not detect any internal injury.I was worried,so today I went to get some medication from the academy."

"W H A T?"I asked with my eyes wide open.'What did he mean by finding me uncounsous at the fountain?How did I reach at the fountain?'My head started to hurt.

Looking at my expression the man misunderstood that I was doubting his medical skill.

He smiled and said,"Don't worry.Even if I am not a physician,I have been working at a medical academy for 20 years.So for this little treatment you can trust me."

I knew he misunderstood my question,but at that time I was in no mood to correfountaiI asked him-

"You said ...you found me uncounsous at the fountain, did you see anyone else there?"

"No,there was no one."

'That means dad have not brought me here.Then how did I come here?'

"Here, take this medication ."The man said as he handed me the medication.I took it from his hand absent-mindedly.The medicine was wrapped in a piece of cloth.I opened the cloth .There was something written on the cloth.When I saw the writing clearly, I was stunned.

'This,This is Devnagri script .But how can this be,since Devnagri script had already cease to exist since 8th...'

Suddenly a thought came to mind.I looked towards the couple and asked,"Can you tell me what year is this?"

Hearing me asking the year, the couple looked at me with a odd expression.For quiet a few second no one answer me.I thought they didn't hear me,so I was about to repeat my question when the man finally said,"It's Vikram Samvat 874"

My heart thumped.I started to count.'874 means,its 818!!" Suddenly my mind became clear and I images of the bright light,the big machine in grandpa's study room,the pain I felt after the light surrounded me and the dark place after that came into my mind one after another.

'So that was not a dream.'I smiled bitterly.

At that moment I had already understood that I had traveled 1000 years back to the past.The realisation of that hit me hard and my mind went blank.

Looking at my dejected expression the woman patted my back and said ,"Don't think too much.Quickly take your medicine and lie down."

I came back to my sense.I smiled at the woman and thanked her for taking care of me and took the medicine.

"Aiya..it's not a big deal.You are also like my daughter.Ahh..look at my forgetful mind. I have not yet asked your name?"

I chuckled and said,"Naina"

"Huh....naina...aa ..good name."She said with a wary smile.I knew she must had found my name strange after all it's a modern name.

"Alright naina,I am aunt Suniti and this is uncle Dinannath."

Then she looked at me and asked carefully "Child,where is your home and how do you end up in this state."

"I,..."Suddenly I did not know what to say,so I lied ,"I don't know.I can't remember anything except my name."At that time I could only think up such a lame excuse.

Aunt Suniti looked at me for sometimes and nodded.I did not know if she believed me or not but she did not mention it again.

"Alright now go to sleep.I will wake you up at the lunch time."

I nodded and lie down.Aunt Suniti tucked the blanket on me and then both of them went out.Out side the room I heard aunt Suniti complaining"Who can be so cruel to such a beautiful girl, I....."The sound gradually faded as they went away.

I sighed.'No one is cruel to me.It's my fate who is playing with me.If only I had not came back from America...'Suddenly I understood something as I chuckled,'So this is why they didn't want me to come back.'At that time even if I understood everything I knew there was no turning back.I sighed and closed my eyes.

Aunt Suniti brought my lunch into my room .I spent the whole day in the bed thinking about what am I going to do .The feeling of uncertainty about the future made my heart uneasy.After thinking for a long time I made a decision.

At the dinner time I went to have dinner with aunt Suniti's whole family.Her small family included her husband uncle Dinannath and her 2 children Maya and Goutam,who were twins.They were of the same age as me and were quiet friendly.After the dinner I told the family that I wanted to do some work to help them in earing money.

"Why do you suddenly want to work?"Uncle Dinannath asked me.

"You just woke up today and your body still has not recovered yet.No need to do any work."aunt suniti said with a serious face.

Listening to them my heart warmed.I smiled and said," I know that both of you are worried about me.But I am fine ,trust me.Besides you have bee taking care of me for last few days,I can't just sit around doing nothing.Uncle,aunt you both are working hard to earn money,even Maya and Goutam are working.So if I do not help you. it will only make me uncomfortable.So please ."

Aunt Suniti was going to say something when Maya stopped her and said,"If you want to do some work,then why don't you come with Goutam and me tomorrow to the village market to buy herbs for father."

"But ,the market was very far.How can she go with you.She still has not recovered completely."aunt Suniti was clearly not happy.

"Mother,that is more of a reason to go with us.She has just woken up,her body needs some exercise.Besides she will be bored if she stays at home."Maya said

"But...."

"Oho..Suniti ,Maya is right.Doing some exercise is good for her body.And they can have some fun in the market."uncle said.

"That's right."Goutam also added.

"You brat ,who asked you anything and you all just know how to oppose me."aunt Suniti pouted as she complained.

"We subjects do not dare to oppose you, your highness."uncle Dinannath laughed as he said.

"Humph.."

Everyone stared to laugh.

The whole time I had completely forgotten that I was in an unfamiliar place.After dinner I went to sleep.Lying on the bed I started to think about the next day.I knew that starting from the next day I was going start my life in that unfamiliar place.I smiled bitterly and closed my eyes.