Chapter 1
Backstreet mental asylum,
Golden high road,
North India 701,
Jammu.
"For whom this letter is?"
The receptionist on the table no. 4 was inquisitive about the letter just arrived. It had no name written on it, marvelling where it came from and who sent it.
"Hello Doctor, our asylum has received an unknown letter with no name of the sender and no name of the receiver," the receptionist dialled to the main doctor of the asylum.
"Did you check the address properly, is it ours?" inquired the doctor.
"Yeah doctor I did check it 3 times before dialling you up, but there's no clue about it."
"Ok, I'll come downstairs and have a look at it," he hung up.
"Is it again for her? If it is again for her then who is sending her letters from past five years? Who is she and what does she hold?" the doctor's mind was flooding with numerous questions. While going downstairs he reminisced about the letters previously received.
You are here for something,
You are here for living,
You are the price of your own life,
You have to understand.
- Your dear XYZ.
~~~
Give some time you will overcome it.
I know you will.
- Your dear XYZ.
~~~
Went through a lot, now it's the time, yes it has arrived my dear. Pray! He's there to listen to all.
- Your dear XYZ.
~~~
"What is all the predicament about."?
"Doctor I don't know, you yourself have a look," replied the baffled receptionist.
The doctor opens the letter, mystified.
I hope you live well, remember you have to be strong, you have vitality. Have the strength to live alone.
- your dear XYZ.
~~~
It's enough, I have to ask her about this. Who the damn is sending these messages? No name, Nothing, absolutely clueless. Does the sender even know that she cannot read, her mental condition is not right, she is in trauma, then why?" the doctor flinched by the mysterious sender.
"Doctor, calm down, we have been receiving such nameless letters for a long time. And by the way, every time we get it, how do you know these letters are for her only?"
"Because when I received the very first letter from this sender it had her name on it. And it said;
Dear Shalmali,
I am writing this to you so that you will remember that you are not alone. I am there for you every time. Don't lose hope, better time's gonna come. Love you always. I'll keep writing to you once a month. Be brave.
Please if anybody receives this letter at the backstreet asylum, hand it over to shalmali, the girl with raven hair, height 5 ft 2, Pigmented skin. Don't know the word no. , but hope you recognise her. I have not met her for months, only knew that she's here. I don't know what caused her to get into the asylum, but I can't visit her. I will keep writing once every month. I am not supposed to write my name and will not write her name too from next time. Please understand.
- XYZ.
~~~
"Where's she"?
"She is here, doctor," a nurse replied.
A beautiful lady with almond eyes, eyebrows that defines embodiment, bow-shaped lips and raven hair descending her hips, a dreamy body and a short figure, clear skin, her core of the eyes searched for something, something that she didn't know but something she wanted desperately. She was sitting in a knitted posture scowling at the ceiling of the ward, blankly.
"Hey, how are you feeling today?"
"Who are you?" She frowned, frightened and tightened her posture.
"I am your friend," the doctor elucidated.
"Go away, I know you will kill me," her lips shivered and her eyeballs moved fast in fear.
"Nobody will harm you here, trust me"
"I don't."
"Ok, then will you trust this letter?"
She yanked the letter from the doctor's hand and opened it messily, shaky hands and clicky teeth, she was scared.
"Hehe..hehe... hahaha..haha.." she burst out into laughter out of nowhere.
"Doctor, what's wrong with her ? Does she have a flare-up, should we give her an injection and calm her down?" Asked the nurse, astonished by her laugh.
"No one will do nothing, just leave her alone and she will be fine,"he commanded.
"But sir.."
"I said leave."
The staff complied with what the doctor said and they left her alone. Her laugh echoed the entire asylum. The laugh was devilish and innocent at the same time. Don't know what in that letter made her so happy or was she just swinging along with her mood.
~~~
She was not only having a mental condition where her brain did not function properly but also mood swings, suicidal thoughts and was a complete amnesiac. She did not know where she came from, not about her past, her past before these five years. The same doctor bought her in this asylum five years back when she was spotted on the street eating a banana and spitting it right away after each bite, he asked her everything, she didn't remember a thing. He understood her condition. But what is her past? Why did such a beautiful girl have to go through such a wrecked life? Was it destiny or was it something else?