​The story started many years ago in a small lane in Faridabad. They were enemies turned lovers with a world of differences between them.

Sundari was the bravest of all her siblings but she could never express the love she felt for Muddy. Muddy the quietest of his siblings could effortlessly express.

It was this charector Muddy that attracted Sundari. While she stood first in ellocution contests, Muddy was sending poems through pegeons.

Times were different and it was unimaginable in that road that children would choose there own partners.

Yet Sundari believed they will marry and live happily ever after. Yet she shared her outpouring of love with no one barring when she met Maddy during her English Tutorials.

Both families were prominent, with Maddy's father leading the University and Sundari's father a key and respective businessman.

The usual happened when one of his poems got into the hand of the boy's sister in law. The news was kept under wraps as the family prestige was involved. But both parents exchanged notes to ensure the boy had not done anything to embarrass any one.

Sundari was also updated by her sisters of the incident and being a hopeful young woman she prayed that Maddy will ask for her hand in marriage and be approved. But she kept quiet, so quiet that her family thought she did get a feeling of the boy's emotion but chose to distance herself completely as a proper sheltered girl should.

Only her sister had a doubt and she asked Sundari directly ,"Do you like the boy?" Only to be brutally scolded by their mother.

"Sundari is being the most proper woman infront of an improper young boy and you are asking her the unthinkable."

Her sister had just smiled and said , "I am ensuring mother that she is not trying to be quiet like she is during festivals to get all her demands met as people go over board to see her smile, often at the cost of others."

Her mother brushed her elder daughter aside. She knew Sundari was spoiled but that was because she deserved it, with her beauty, grace, intelligence and gift of conversation. Unlike her elder daughter who always spoke the truth and the unpopular truth that often embarassed the family.

Unfortunately Sundari misunderstood the scenario. The boy was severely scolded by his parents. His brother asked his wife aside and scolded her too for causing their family embarassment by sharing the letter openly before asking him. His brother Maddy was his lifeline, always being his support and he could not even save him from being insulted by everyone.

Maddy unfortunately was called a potential danger for the society and after much efforts from both set of parents of trying to get him to see the light to acknowledge that he would never send any other letter or poem or harbour any thought, they failed. Maddy stood up and said he loved Sundari and he would not agree to anything unless the lady asked. He would then simply leave the town.



There was no question of Sundari being further embarassed, hence the parents agreed so they packed all his bags and sent him away.



Sundari kept waiting, thinking the marriage proposal will just come yet not saying anything to anyone. She became a figment of her imagination till one day her mother came across some poems of Maddy with her. She tried to throw them away and Sundari howled like an injured bird. Her mother rushed to her husband and he ignored it till he noticed Sundari behaving like an actor with a role. She conversed with herself at home, when she thought no one was looking she dressed up like it was her marriage and then cried and asked to the mirror why was the ceremony being so delayed.

After much consideration the parents decided to visit the old house of Maddy's to see if anything can be done.

The father knew Maddy's father had soon retired with voluntary retirement from the helm of university but then there was no news.

The house looked lonely and alone. There was a lone young lady who stood in the veranda who answered them and come down. After much difficulties they recognised her as the pretty young bride of Maddy. She was suffering from bronchitis she said and hence she could not travel with her husband. She assured that he came every second week to look after her and provided regular monetary support. She just wished for a better health to travel with him. She smiled sadly.

When asked of her in-laws she updated that they started a pilgrimage after taking early retirement and they may not be back before they visited all the sites in the country and in the world.

Suddenly she smiled and said that Maddy never was angry on her. He thought she had done the right thing always. Everyone had too, including her husband who was slightly upset . Maddy even wrote her a letter from a city far away once, saying to take care of everyone as he was not around.

She smiled fondly, " A beautiful soul our Maddy. He was hurt that his love was not returned and I understand today how much it can hurt. Such a lovely soft soul yet so strong. He never blamed her for anything ."

The parents of Sundari asked, "How is he now ?"

She looked up distracted and whispered, " Three years now .. without a single news. " Then she pulled herself to her height and said good byes, pulling her cover on her face firmly and walking back, closing the door.



They went back putting on a brave smile and telling loudly to anyone who listened that they were thinking of getting their youngest daughter married. Everyone shared their joy. They were worried that she was unwell as they had not seen her outside for months. They tried everything to get Sundari to come out of her strange mood, asking even if she knew where was Maddy. She always said, Maddy was getting ready .. for a Big surprise." Then she will retreat back to her good daughter self and become quiet.



They contacted her sister who was married and working in a small school near her husband's army posting. She was saddened by the story. Yet she had nothing to add, beyond suggesting that they visit her for a month. The beautiful north east may change Sundari's mind.

The parents visited the doctors in another city, under cover of annonimity. The doctor said she is still residing in some make believe world and prescribed exercises , yoga , daily walks and a bunch of medicines if she ever acted out of control.

So they started a travel plan to their elder daughter's small town. The business was formally handed over to their two sons. Sundari looked good for the first time in four years. She smiled and dressed and showed a side they all thought was lost.

The travel was long and involved many train journeys. Yet the destination was beautiful, it wiped all the tiredness away. Especially for Sundari, she thrived in the environment chatting and making friends. However soon they realised a bigger problem. It appeared that their elder daughter's husband was getting too close with Sundari and for some reason Sundari was confusing him for Maddy.

When they started the journey back home, Sundari cried after years, complaining that now Maddy will be further delayed with his plans for marriage. Slowly as the train passed station after station, a miracle happened. An older couple boarded the train from a station. They were Maddy's parents.

They sat on the other side of the same coach and looked equally surprised to see them. "All good?" they asked and each exchanged pleasantries. They were returning from a pilgrimage , back to their ancestral home. "Our daughter in law is alone and managing everything."

They explained.



After much hesitancy Sundari's parents asked about Maddy and their other son. They smiled and said their elder son is thriving , travelling countries and doing very well. Just that he could not come home much. His schedule was too busy but he always sent money..

"Maddy.. "they whispered softly.. and wiped a tear.. "no news since he left. We have finally accepted that we would never hear from us again. But we always feel he is there with us, just out of sight."

So the train run and somewhere in the morning Sundari 's mother could not find Sundari. They searched the entire train but no one was there.

"But this is a long distance train and there was no stops.." she cried .



A fellow traveller came up and said ," There was indeed one stop for the train to take water post the middle of the night. He was surprised to see a young woman getting off the compartment and running towards a young man getting down from the next compartment. They never boarded back. Sundari's parents got down but Maddy's parents refused. They wanted to proceed towards their home and said, "If you see Maddy, ask him to forgive us.."

While the train had indeed stopped , a young woman and man was seen together walking towards the darker sections of the station, no one was ever found. The locals called the place, a place beyond hope and whispered may be another miracle happened. They somewhat reluctantly joined the search and whispered, how many times had foolish people wanted to find answers and found none till they trusted.

The one who headed the small station did not stop them but shared his own unique story of finding his daughter here. "Everyone said she was dead but when I was posted here, she came to me one evening and shared with me all about her life . It was unbelievable what she shared as it was not this world but one beyond but let me tell you that even if you dont believe.. this place won't harm your child ."

Her parents refused to give up or believe in folk lores and searched the entire area. Where could their daughter disappear.. till they gave up and went home to a cryptic message. A mail by post came to say , " a wait of over 1466 days finally gave hope.." It was posted on the day of her disappearance from the same town and had two names in the signature written one over the another that one could not clearly differentiate ..
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