Side Story: One Step At A Time

One step at a time. That's what she used to tell. One step at a time. My visions and memory of my mother were very blurry, but I remember her saying that. One step at a time. During my stay at this strange land, every action I took was a derivative of that statement, at least that's what I like to think. One step at the time.

My life has been nothing short of that statement. What's ironic was that, that statement was never directed towards me, it was directed towards my brothers. I just happened to peek at this moment, and saw the love which was never shown but was poured over my brothers.

I have never known my real parents, but the people at the orphan often remarked that they were the spawn of the devil leaving behind the greatest treasure they could hold: their baby.

Sometimes later, I was chosen by a relatively rich couple, and for the first couple of years, what a great experience was that, to experience love and know that there is someone who cares for me. This happiness didn't last long.

My mother was pregnant, the whole house celebrated and I celebrated too without actually understanding what's happening. Slowly I kind of got the gist of it, my parents only cared for the ones that has not been born yet, they constantly forget to pack my tiffin for school and gave me money instead.

After my brother was born, I was sent off to the hostel. They now only had time for the twins, and though I had parents, I felt as if I returned to the adoption center in the hostel. Every day, I would look forward to meeting them when I got some type of holidays, but most of them were cancelled and I had to spend time in the hostel while other got to meet their parents.

In some occasion when we meet, it all seems but a formality they have to get rid of. One of the father's friends pointed out about my birthday, which I replied I never knew. Then the uncle suggested why not have it today itself. I expected them to take me out for a picnic but all I got was some Encyclopedias.

I still cherished them, and sucked out every word out of them, and for every. Each birthday, I got different kind of encyclopedias of different subjects. Be it science, technology, history, civilization, art or anything else. I consumed it all by my heart which lacked of the love they provided. I took every knowledge. One step at a time

Once when I returned home, I overheard something from the door gap. My parents were talking or so it seems they were fighting. I stretched my ears near to the door to hear them.

"I can not take this anymore hon. Can't we just return him back?" my mother hissed

"Are you listening your words? He is not a candy you will get to return. Though I want it more than anything to get rid of him, I know it better that we have to take responsibility." Father replied.

"What are we supposed to do then?"

"I have a plan. I will make him sign up for a course in college that requires him to move away from here."

I couldn't hear anymore. My legs trembled and tears precipitated in my eyes. I didn't know what to do. It felt better to think of something else right now, so I called on my brothers to come play with me

They hesitated, when I confronted them.

"What happened? Am I not your brother?"

"I heard mom say once that you are like a pet to this house, all you do is consume from us."

With the innocence of a child, he led out the words and something broke inside of me and I reacted. But they continued-

"She says to keep you at a distance."

With that they returned back to playing. I stood there trying to contemplate the nature of mine in this house. It felt frustrating but I couldn't express those emotions. All I did was packed my bags and traveled back to my hostel. I slammed all the books they had previously gifted, tearing away every single page.

For few weeks I stayed in my dorm refusing to get out. I felt ashamed to even show my face. A pet? Was I a mere pet? A dog? Was I not their family? A strange pain hollowed in the pit of my stomach and I puked. I started to break down. One step at a time.

With the end of my high school, I had to decide for my college. My father convinced me to take a civil engineering course and so I had to move away very soon, my phone calls have been very occasional but I just couldn't make myself talk to them for a long time.

After I was stranded in this place, it seemed hell came pouring towards me. In the initial days I must have lost it if I paid attention the negative thoughts, so I decided to remember my mother face when was most lovely. I remembered the words spoken to my brother my brother. One step at a time. With this my journey started.

Building tools, clearing the forest, collecting foods from forest and agriculture. I completed every one of them one step at a time. It was a source of motivation to me on how things get so interesting once things start.

While in the years when I was all alone looking after the crops, there was no way for me to experiment with plants and fruits which are edible. However, things might go, I decided, its one step at a time.

Whenever there was a less work in the fields for me, I always wandered through the forest. Looking for various plants, I collected anything that looked edible, but it was out of question that I would consume any of them without testing them first.

The first part being smell. If any food tased strong and unpleasant, I mostly avoided it. Then came the touch, I would rub the food in my elbow skin. Elbow skin is sensitive so if its reactive or deadly chances are that my skin would start to itch or burn.

Then came the tasting part. I would briefly touch the food in the corner of my mouth and wait for 15 minutes, it nothing happened I would then touch the food briefly to my lip and tongue and wait for 15 min.

If nothing happened, I would place the food on my tongue and wait for another 15 minutes. If nothing happens either I would chew the food once and place it on my tongue and wait for, you guessed it, 15 minutes.

Again, if nothing happens, I swallow it and wait for 8 hours. If I don't die, I eat a handful of them and wait for another 8 hours. If I am, alive till then, I add it to my diet. In this whole procedure I consume nothing but water.

In 3 years, I have collected 30 different types of foods and their seeds. In some part of the forest, I have planted the seeds of the fruits which might take some time to get ready. However, even though there are a lot of different alternatives I have in growing things, I have mostly limited myself to wheat. The struggle for survival takes up my time enough that I am not able to pursue these things.

Even after becoming the leader of the tribe, it was always hectic and I was always filled works that consumed my whole day. Now, that Tahari is the Tribe leader, I have all this time in my hands to follow things. This shall prove to be good.

I shall rise. I shall make the whole tribe rise and put them in the pedestal of a modern civilization. I will do everything. Everything. One step at a time.