The Beach

Rishi touched Indra's and Dai Ma's feet. "Welcome back, son," said Indra. Daksh looked at Rishi disapprovingly. "Thank you, Master Indra," said Rishi. "Now we have one more warrior, you, son, will fight alongside me," said Indra and kept his hands on Rishi's shoulders. "It would be an honour," said Rishi and smiled.

"Where is Rutuja?" asked Dai Ma. "Here," said Rutuja as she entered the room. "Locked the library," she said as she handed the keys to Rishi. "Take care of these," she said. "Don't worry, Ru," said Rishi. Daksh glared at Rishi. 

Ru? How can he call her that? Daksh thought.

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The sky was an expanse of sapphire blue, dotted with feathery white clouds as the radiant rays of the sun shone brightly in the azure blue sky.

"Why isn't the forest appearing?" wondered Ray as they stood in front of barren land. "It's 12, it appears this time every day," said Advika and glanced at her wristwatch.

"And then vanishes every day at 4," added Maya.

"Why don't we try waiting... like... wait till it disappears, wait inside the forest, and see what happens," said Zarna. 

"It could be dangerous," said Tej. "It should appear for that, why isn't it-" Ray stooped mid-sentence as they heard the sound of a vehicle approaching.

"Hurry," said Tej and sped towards his car. The others followed. 

"But, if we go back, we'll be seen," said Maya as she sat in the backseat of the car. "We have no other option," said Tej as he put the reverse gear. "No, Tej," said Advika. Her eyes fixed on the barren land ahead. "Take it ahead." 

"Wear your specks," snapped Maya. "There's a dead end ahead."

"Tej," said Advika. "I know what I'm saying, just take it ahead and stop in the centre of the land."

Tej thought for a brief moment and drove up to the centre of the barren land where the forest appeared usually. Zarna swivelled and saw a red car approaching them.

"Ouch!" said the girls in unison as they were pushed to one end of the car. "What's happening?" Ray wondered and put on his seat belt. The car was rotating in a circular motion. "My head is spinning," said Maya as she shut her eyes. "Look outside," Zarna almost screamed.

The car was floating in the air. Strong winds encircled them; the windscreen covered with sand. "How on Earth.. is this sand?" Ray panicked.

"I can't see a thing," said Advika as dust covered the side windows. "Well, of course, you can't see," snapped Maya. "And you, Tej, have to listen to her all the time."

                                                                    ~~~~~~

"The book was here," said Rishi as he kept his hand on the ground. "How do you know?" asked Rutuja as she wore her sunglasses. "Can you feel the energy?" he asked. Rutuja sat on her knees and touched the ground closing her eyes. "No," she said. 

"Well, I have some powers," said Rishi and winked. "Of course," said Rutuja and smiled. "How can you feel the book's energy?" she asked and got up dusting her blue jeans. "I've studied physics and a lot about energies," he answered. 

"So where is the book now?" she asked. "I don't know," said Rishi. "Sometimes I feel like it doesn't want us to find it."

"Why would it run away from its protectors and keepers?"

"That's exactly my point."

"Let's go back, then," suggested Rutuja and turned towards the car. "No, wait," said Rishi. "Let's search, maybe we'll get something here."

                                                                       ~~~~~~

"Aaaahh," they screamed as the car hit the land slightly. The sand on the windows blew away with the air. They could see a vast beach in front of them.

"You gotta be kidding me," said Ray, bemused.

Advika stepped out of the car. She glanced at the golden sand below her feet. The others got out of the car. Tej locked the car and put the keys in his pocket. "I wonder how we got here and how'd we return?" he said.

A warm breeze swirled around them sending their hair in all different directions.

"Maybe this happened because somebody was following us," said Zarna and wore her hat. "Or else," said Maya. "The book knew somebody was coming, so the forest didn't appear."

"Right," said Advika. "But, where is the book?"

"It has to be somewhere here," said Tej. "Without the book, there can't be a forest or beach or... whatever."

"I haven't been to a beach in a long time," said Zarna and strolled towards the shore. "We're supposed to find the book, dear," said Maya and put her hand in the air when Zarna swivelled and smiled apologetically. 

Advika closed her eyes and took in the fresh air, listening with both an open heart and ear, the waves crashing against a nearby rock.

"The book!" she said and ran towards the rock.

"I think there's some connection between the rock and book," said Zarna. "It's from the time we left the book on the rock by mistake, in the forest," said Ray. "Yes, we were so scared, we just ran for our lives," said Zarna.

"The first time we took the book to this barren land, in a hope to read it, maintaining complete secrecy", began Maya. "And the forest started to... the trees began to uproot and diminish... we just ran away..."

"Leaving the book on the rock," added Ray.

"I wish we were carrying a frisbee," said Zarna and pouted. "Seriously, Zarna," said Maya and nodded her head.