Begusarai/The Outsiders FF: PAGE 10 New Chapter - Page 6

both of whom r in that santoshi Ma serial at present

'You know all these clouds, colours, and stuff, I never noticed them before, it seems like they were never there until you reminded me about them.' He let out a small laugh
'You're family sure is funny.'
'How so?' Samar huffed a little offended wondering what his family had to do with anything regarding dawn, sunrises and clouds.
'Well Garv is the splitting image of your mother and he acts like your father, and Adharsh aint wild and laughing all the time like your father was even though he looks like him and you don't act like either one.'
'I know. Well you aint like any of the gang either, I mean I couldn't even tell any of them about sunrise and clouds and stuff, I couldn't even remember that poem around them, they just don't dig, only you and Garv when he wants to. Maybe even Ananya.'
'Yeh, guess we're different.'
'Shoot maybe they are.' He said blowing a perfect ring ofsmoke.
Later in the day the boys settled for the nap. Aside from playing cards and eating, it was the only thing to do to while away the time when there was nothing better to do. He felt a little hungry but he had eaten enough marmalade sandwiches to last him a lifetime, it was all they fed on as their rations were nearly exhausted. Samar would've even gone for gruel if he could, the stuff that Shaktiwas served when he was in jail anything would be a welcome change from marmalade sandwiches.
He almost decided he had dreamed the outside world and that nothing was real except the old church, marmalade sandwiches, and the mist in the valley. It seemed to him that he'd always lived in the old church.
He felt Arjuns arm wrap around him from behind. Shakti wasn't lying when he'd said it could get really cold in the church so he and Arjun would huddle close together every night for warmth. They dared not get a fire going lest they drew any unwanted visits. Just as he was about to drift into a slumber he felt a nudge in the ribs followed by rough but familiar voice and jerked awake to meet him.

'Glory, he looks different with his hair like that.'
'Shakti!' Samar rolled over and blinked himself awake.

'Hey sleeping beauty' He grinned down at him.
Samar never thought he'd live to see the day when he would be happy to see Shakti but right then he meant one thing, contact with the outside world. For he wasn't Arjun who worshiped Shakti like a hero. Arjun had recently recounted a story to him about Shakti- the cops had taken him to jail for breaking into a shop though it was their good friend Dhairya who had done it and Shakti knew it but he hadn't revolted or budged an inch as they handcuffed him, and it struck Arjun how heroic it was as he kept his cool and walked away without resisting taking the blame for Dhairyas doing. Of all the gang Samar didn't agree with Shakti's ways, like the way he treated those Soc girls the other night. Shakti didn't have Garv's understanding, or Adharsh's superman qualities or Dhairyas humour, but it occurred to him that these 3 appealed to him so much because they were the heroes he read of in books or saw in the movies. Shakti was real. In fact he was so real it terrified him.

Arjun was beaming.

'Hey Shakti! So glad to see you here, we thought you'd never come.' He exclaimed.
Millions of questions were bursting through Samars head that he couldnt help blurting out 'Hows Garv? Are the fuzz after us?Is Adharsh alright? Do the boys know where we are?'
'Ease up kid, I cant answer everything at once. You two wanna go get something to eat first? I skipped breakfast and am about starved'
'You're starved?' Arjun squeaked.
'Is it safe to go out?' Asked Samar.
'Yep, got a cancer stick Arjun?' Arjun tossed a pack his way.
'God almighty kids, aint you been eating anything? You're bothpale as ever, you look like you been run over by the cops already.'
Samar was about to say you dont look so fresh yourself but checked himself. Getting mouthy with Shakti would be foolish. Shakti looked sort of rougher than normal, he looked like he hadn't slept in months and had been the one who'd spent a week in the church eating sod all but marmalade sandwiches.
Shakti produced a piece of paper from his back pocket and held it out.
'A letter for you Samar beta.'
'A letter? Who from?'
'The president of course, saale. Its from Garv.'
Samar's face lit up, he snatched the letter and opened it.
'He asked after you when he stopped by at the inn for some drinks and found yoursweatshirt lying around. See I told him I didn't know where you were but he didn't believe me, he gave me this letter anyway and half his paycheck to give you.' He puffed on his cigarette and leaned back against a pillar.
'Kid you oughta see Adharsh, he's taking this mighty hard.' He said giving him a side glance.
But Samar didn't hear the last part as he was head deep in reading the letter Garv had written him. Apparentlythe cops had turned up at their house and questioned them, when he had gone missing it had scared them something awful. Garv couldn't believe little old Arjun had killed someone, he said Adharsh was awful sorry he hit him, he hadn't the slightest notion of his whereabouts and it was nearly killing him. Garv ended the message wishing he'd come back and turn in but guessed he couldn't or Arjun could get hurt. The first pointless thought that flitted through Samar's head was that Garv could improve his spelling.

'Garv says you got hauled in jail. How come?'
'Shoot kid, I get hauled in for everything that happens on our turf, I kinda let slip that you were heading for the north, so that's where the fuzz are looking.' He said easily taking a drag on his cigarette.
Arjun listened in admiration.
'You sure know whats what when it comes to these things' Arjun remarked.
'Sure do kid. But don't you two go picking on my bad habits...Don't you wanna get something to eat or not beh?'
'They both leapt up. ' You'd better believe it' Samar replied cheerily.
They headed out and into his car. Shakti always enjoyed fast driving as if he didn't care whether he got to where he was going or not. They came down the red dirt road off suryastra mountain doing an 85.
'Slow down Shakti, you wanna get us killed?!' Arjun shrieked as he took a corner on two wheels with the brakes screeching.
They parked by a cosy roadside fast food stop and the first thing Samar ordered was a pepsi while the boys both gorged on sundaes, banana splits, burgers and chips.
'Glory, you don't need to make like every mouthful is your last, I got enough money, don't want you guys getting sick on me. Ease up lads, geez almighty, and I thought I was hungry.' He drawled watching them go on golfing every bit of their meal. By the time they were done Samar got a headache. He didn't care however as his taste buds were open to anything at this point except marmalade sandwiches and he'd have gladly gone for seconds. Shakti had only finished his 2nd burger.
'I forgot to tell you, there's an all out warfare going on between us Greasers and Socs, turns out Rajbir has many friends. It ain't safe walking around any more, I've got a gun myself.'
'Shakti! You kill people with those things' cried Arjun
'You kill with a switchblade too, don't you kid?' Shakti said abruptly. Arjun gulped, he got him on that one.
'Dont worry its not loaded.' he said trying to pacify them.
BR]BR]'Hey! I didn't tell you we got us a spy.'
'Wow really? Who?' enquired Samar
'That good looking laundiya I nearly picked up that night at the drive in, what's her face..'
Arjun almost gagged on his sundae.
'Ananya' Samar said.

The Dx buzzed with customers entering and leaving theircars.
Shakti was leaning against a pump and smoking his pipe watching the scene with a vacant expression. Eventually the place started to filter out until it was just the gang at the DX. They were heading out to the bar tonight, Adharsh was working late and would catch them up later. The absence of Samar and Arjun was impacting on the gang more than they liked to admit, even Dhairya was unusually sparing in his jokes. A few drinks would help soothe their worries. Shakti would tell them soon enough where the kids were but he still had to be cautious for now. He continued to drag on his cigarette in silence while Amar and Dhairya were engrossed trying to beat each other in a game of arm wrestling. They were hanging around waiting for Garv to close the inner office when suddenly a red mustang pulled up. The gang were on the ready to draw out their blades but halted when out of the mustang stepped Ananya followed by Bhavna. Shakti cocked an eyebrow examining Ananya from head to toe. She glanced around and locked eyes with him and blushed on realizing he was staring at her. She averted her gaze from him and held Bhavnas hand. Amar and Dhairya were eyeing them curiously keeping their hands on their blades.
Shakti straightened himself and the other two got up and leaped from the pavement to confront them. The girls stood rooted in spot and glanced at them apprehensively as they approached them but Ananya was determined not to be deterred by it especially by Shakti.
'We're closing for the night' Amar said in a cold voice looking at them warily. He caught Dhairya checking out Bhavna and gave him a nudge in the ribs.
'Are you Samar's brother?' Ananya asked politely
'No, why?'
We'd like to help Samar out.'
'What d'you mean?' questioned Dhairya
'We know that he is being blamed for the murder. See, we can give testimonies to what went down that night.'
'And why the hell would you want to give testimonies to help us out. Ain't you suppose to be the girlfriends of those Socs?' Shakti replied rather spitefully chewing on his cig while looming closer to Ananya.
'Well, I was dating Rajbir, but we argued a lot and our relationship was near breaking point. I knew he was jealous that your brother and his friend had got friendly with us and things just escalated from there..' She said mumbling the last part.
Shakti looked at her up and down and his lips curved into a sly smile.
'So what, you want us to believe that you are about to help us?' He sneered advancing closer to her till he was within inches of her breathing space. She looked startled and backed away quickly
'Yeh how do we know for sure you ain't lying to us, like you ain't been put up to it by your boyfriends gang?'Dhairya said cocking an eyebrow
'Why would we do that?!' Ananya found herself growing exasperated
Amar answered her
'Cos we have no reason to trust you. It's happened plenty of time before, that a soc girl like you comes along offering help and then betrays us' he was pointing his finger to her while holding the blade.
'Look I need to speak to either one of Samar's brothers if they are around.' She continued trying to maintain her composure feeling unsettled by the fact that the 3 guys had blades on them.