For the contest 'Disasters don't discriminate but humanity unites'

THE TURMOIL AND THE HUMANITY

"Aisha, wake up beta, it's already 7 o'clock in the morning. Get ready for school", her mother said while ironing her clothes. "5 minutes more mumma please", Aisha requested in a sleepy tone. "Let her sleep if she wants to, my daughter shouldn't do anything against her will", said her father who pampers her from the core. "This habit of yours is only spoiling her, classes are important, moreover she goes by car, not like other children who go by bus. What more facility do you want to give?", added her mother.

In the mean time, Aisha woke up and sat down on the dining table for breakfast. "Mom what is this? Didn't I tell Kanta didi to make paratha for me?", asked Aisha in an annoying tone. "She couldn't come today due to incessant rain and waterlogging in her area. Eat the bread toast only today", her mother added on a loud tone. Aisha on her mind thought, "Those down market people and their below average living area, God knows how people adjust there. But one parasite from such type of place has come to infect our class also. I hope I would get rid of him soon."

While Aisha was lost in her deep thoughts, Yug twisted his fingers infront of her eyes to bring her back to this world. "Where were you lost, let's go, we are already late sis", said Yug in a calm voice. "Learn something from him, your elder brother woke up so early in the morning, ironed his own clothes and had breakfast without any complaint", her mother said in a bit taunting manner. But Aisha as usual, didn't pay any heed to it and after getting ready, went to school with Yug on their own car.

Reaching the classroom, Aisha took her seat but seeing someone next to her seat boiled her blood. She said to herself, "O God, this parasite is next to me, I can't bear him." The Maths teacher entered and the class started. Sir was teaching co-ordinates. "Students can you answer, if a hypotenuse and base makes an angle of 45°, then what is the slope?", asked the teacher. Before anyone could even think of it, Dhruv instantly raised his hand and answered, "Sir, slope means tan A and here tan 45°=1, so slope is 1." "Well done Dhruv. Others you should take a note of one thing, the question was very easy and you all could do it in some time but the real catch is how fast the brain works and how fast one can do. Okay I am wrapping my class today with this", saying so Sir left the class.

As soon as the class ended, Aisha started shouting, "Go away from this seat Dhruv, I can't tolerate you by my side. You are such a parasite who will make me ill too. You come from a dirty place but you want to again attention by adopting such silly tricks of answering fast. What do you think? By doing all this you will impress sir? And by coming first in the class you can match my standard? Never ever." Dhruv took a deep breath which somehow indicated that he was used to all these. With a calm voice, he replied, "You know Aisha you are also equally intelligent but you use your talent in the wrong place. The reason I always come first and you come second is that you use all your energy and focus to beat me. You keep studying just to get marks more than me. Instead, if you would have studied only for yourself, for your own improvement and to gain knowledge, who knows your result could have been far better than me. And regarding the seat, I am not going anywhere. I came here at first. This school is not only yours, the only difference is you study here by paying fees with your parents' money and I study with my scholarship because my parents can't afford it. But we both study here, so I think it will be better if you watch your tongue a bit." Aisha shouted in a much louder voice, probably louder than the thundering outside. "How dare you answer me like that?" Before she could speak anymore, Yug entered and scolded her infront of all. "Aisha what are you doing? Is this your manners? Are these the values given by our family? We all are human and everyone is equal, apologise to him right now." But she didn't listen to anyone and left the classroom. On her behalf, Yug apologised to Dhruv and insisted to drop him off as there was thundering and lightning going on outside.

Next day Aisha came to school. She made sure to not let Dhruv sit on her beside today. But Dhruv didn't come. One day, two days, three days and more days passed like this but Dhruv was not coming to school. Teachers also started asking about him. Aisha started to feeling curious about the reason of him being absent from so many days. She asked one of her friend Mukta, "Do you know where Dhruv lives?" "Yes, two colonies behind yours, in the Yashodha basti", her friend replied. "Let's go and check no what he is upto. Why he is not attending classes", pleaded Aisha. "Are you mad or what, there is high alert declared everywhere due to flood and waterlogging all around and in this situation, you want to go in search operation. No way", Mukta said. Unable to put any logical argument, she stopped. Upon coming home, she saw her father watching local news. Her mother was very much tensed for their maid Kanta. Seeing this Aisha asked the reason. "Beta, Kanta lives in Yashoda basti and in the news, it's showing that many people from that area got severely affected due to flood. I don't know how Kanta will be. Her phone is also unreachable." Hearing this, something broke in Aisha's heart. Her father started speaking, "Earthquake is also predicted in our area. Flood was not any less but now earthquake also decided to join hands. All these are the consequences of human activities only, the atrocities that are done by human beings on earth since time immemorial." Hearing all this, Aisha couldn't resist herself and decided to visit Yashoda basti. But her parents were not ready to live her alone in this weather condition. But she was adamant, so they decided to accompany her. Yug was not at home, he said that he was stuck somewhere for the rain and would come home when it would be convenient. So they texted Yug about going to Yashoda basti and left.

Upon reaching there, they saw crowd of people living in a small place together because water entered their houses. They also witnessed some people on the roof of the houses because there was no place for them to go. They asked a few pedestrians about Dhruv's address. And finally they reached his house. They were surprised to see Yug there. Aisha asked, "Bhaiya what are you doing here?" Before Yug could say anything, Dhruv started speaking, "Let me answer. The last day when I attended the school and we fought remember? That day your brother insisted to drop me off. On visiting my place, he was shocked to see the condition of my area due to flood. My house was also badly affected and there was water all around. Even though I refused but that day your brother decided to help us out somehow. He spent his entire pocket money to buy bricks and helped me with his own hands to level up the floor of the balcony temporarily so that water can't enter the house. From that day he kept visiting my place and kept providing us food or whatever he can. And not only us, he helped the other people also of my locality. He even provided everything to Kanta didi because he thought he had a responsibility towards her and by God's grace, she is also safe. But he was so big at heart that he decided not to disclose it. He was afraid that his family would stop him or Aisha will again start arguing because he knew very well that she doesn't like me at all. 

Words are not enough to thank him and I will be forever indebted to him." Hearing this, both Yug's mother and father filled with pride and patted on his back. They told Dhruv's family that they would be more than happy to help everyone here in whatever way they can. Before they could say anything more, the house started to shake and they fell on the floor. "It's earthquake, be alert everyone. Cover your head and go under the table and bed", said the elders. After about 1-1.5 minutes later, it came to a stop and everyone walked out. It was a massive earthquake. Suddenly Aisha's father's phone rang. Hearing the voice from the other side, he got statued and the phone fell from his hands. With a shocking tone he said, "Our appartment building fell down and everything is broken. Nothing is left." Aisha's mother broke down in tears but Yug decided to be strong. He said, "It's true that we can't bring back what we have lost. But atleast our lives are spared. We are safe. We have to arrange shelter for ourselves." Saying this, he started searching for hotels but due to the disasters, all hotels were booked and some of them also got broken down in earthquake. Witnessing all this Dhruv's father came to the front with folded hands and said, "You all are very big personalities and probably you will have plenty of options but if you agree, please stay with us here untill you find a better place. I know it will be very difficult for you all to adjust here but please give us a chance too to do something. We all will be forever grateful for whatever Yug has done for us, we will be really glad if we get an opportunity to serve." They agreed as everyone requested a lot. With time, Dhruv and Aisha started to forget the past and accept each other's presence. Days passed in this way and the rain subsided. Yug's family shifted to a new apartment.

After almost one month, both Aisha and Dhruv went to school. And luckily it was teacher's day. Everyone greeted them and asked about their health and wellbeing. Teacher's showed their concern and asked to reach out to them if any help is required. The program started and after the teacher's speech, Aisha raised his hand and request to let her say a few words. The mic was handed over to her and she started speaking, "Good morning everyone, a very Happy Teacher's Day to all the respected teachers present here. Your blessings are the true wheels which help us move forward. But this year I have learnt much more than the academic knowledge. The two disasters that destroyed our town taught me something. I learnt that mother nature persists equally for all. I was very arrogant about my financial status and always looked down upon Dhruv. But I am glad my elder brother is not like me. He compensated for my behaviour by helping Dhruv's family in flood times. Also see, earthquake didn't consider who is rich and who is poor and affected my family directly. It was Dhruv's family who gave us shelter when we lost our home at that time. These disasters have done a lot of damage but it taught me humanity. If flood wouldnot have occurred, I would never visit Dhruv's place and if earthquake wouldn't hit my building, we would never live together and learn about each others lives. Along with disasters one more most important contributing factor was the humanity shown by my brother and Dhruv's father. If both of them would not extend helping hands towards each other, probably both of our family would suffer a severe loss. This situation and their positive attitude towards it has grown the sense of self reflection in me and united me with pure souls whom I always used to neglect. Disasters stopped but left a mark on my heart. It left a scratch which will never allow me to differentiate again. Hence it's rightly said 'DISASTERS DON'T DISCRIMINATE BUT HUMANITY UNITES'.So here I am Aisha, standing and asking infront of all Dhruv, will you be friends with me? This disaster will be the lesson I will always remember and you will be the gift from it that I will always cherish". Saying this she concluded her speech. Everyone clapped and Dhruv came closer. "Yes Aisha, we will forever preserve the priceless friendship we have gained from this times of distress", saying this, Dhruv made a warm handshake with her welcoming a new chapter.