ShivOmRu : Chapter 1 - The Storm

"Yeh nahi ho sakta." ("This can't be true.") Janvi whispered to herself in disbelief. "TEJ ! Tej, jaldi aao !" ("TEJ ! Tej, come here fast !")
Tej came there with a bored face. "Kya baat hai Janvi ? Kyu chilla rahi ho ?" ("What's wrong Janvi ? Why are you yelling ?") He asked with his mobile held to his ear.
"Yeh dekho yeh kya news telecast ho rahi hai." ("Look what they're telecasting on news.") Janvi pointed at the TV screen and started crying silently.
"Oh no." Tej mumbled to himself. "I'll call you later." He said into the phone and hung up the call.
"Ab kya kare Tej ?" ("What shall we do now Tej ?") Janvi asked through tears.
"Shakti aur Pinky pehle hi Maa ko lekar London pahunch chuke hai." ("Shakti and Pinky are already in London with mom.") Tej recited. "Ab hume bhi nikalna hoga." ("Now we should leave too.") He said seriously.
"Pr Tej bacche..." ("But Tej, what about kids...") Janvi asked worriedly.
"Unhe bhi sath leke jaana hoga." ("Take them with us too.") Tej replied while calling someone. "Tum jao aur baccho ko lekar gadi mein baitho, I'll meet you there." ("Go and wait for me in the car with kids, I'll meet you there.")
"Ok." Janvi nodded and walked towards him, she placed her hand on Tej's shoulder and said, "Don't worry, sab thik ho jayega, Tej." ("Don't worry, everything will be fine, Tej.")
Tej smiled at her and she returned a small smile before leaving to get the kids.
Janvi made sure to wipe off all of her tears before entering into Shivaay's room.
"Shivaay." Janvi called and walked inside his room to see 6 years old Omkara drawing a sketch of Shivaay and Rudra.
9 years old Shivaay was holding the 2 year old Rudy in his laps while telling him some story of a Prince.
"Shivaay, Om." Janvi called them again.
"Ji Badi maa/Maa ?" ("Yes Badi maa/maa ?") ShivOm said in unison.
"Chalo hume jaana hai." ("C'mon we've to leave.") Janvi said and picked up 2 year old Rudy in her arms.
"Itni raat mein hume kaha jana hai ?" ("Where to ? That too at this hour of the night ?") ShivOm asked.
"Abhi mat pucho. It's a surprise." ("Don't ask. It's a surprise.") Janvi lied and held Shivaay's hand and Shivaay held Om's hand.
"Wow ! Surprise !" ShivOm grinned excitedly.
Janvi smiled at them but she was very guilty to lie to them about this all.
Janvi and kids sat in the car. Tej joined them in a while.
"Ab kya Tej ?" ("Now what Tej ?") Janvi asked him while ShivOm were busy in looking outside the window.
"Meine tickets arrange kar li hai, we're going to San Francisco for some time." ("I've arranged tickets, we're going to San Francisco for some time.") Tej replied in calm way but he was tensed too.
Rudy was fast asleep but ShivOm were still awake and we're playing stone paper scissors when suddenly the car came to an abrupt halt.
"Kya hua ? Gadi thik se chalao !" ("What happened ? Drive carefully !") Tej scolded.
"I'm sorry sir, lekin aage dekhiye." ("I'm sorry sir, but look ahead.") Driver said.
Tej and Janvi looked ahead and their eyes widened in shock and fear.
Some people were standing there with their car, blocking the road and those people had guns.
"Janvi." Tej started. "Janvi, baccho ko leke jao yaha se !" ("Janvi, take kids and run !") He shook her.
"No, Tej ! Mein tumhe yaha aise chodkar kahi nahi jaa rahi." ("No, Tej ! I won't leave you here like this.") She said with tears.
"Janvi baat ko samjho, bacchon ko safe rakhna jyada important hai." ("Janvi try and understand, it's more important to keep the kids safe.") He said desperately. "Please, go." He requested.
Janvi hugged him. "Please take care of yourself." She sniffed.
Tej nodded. "Now go, mein unhe tab tak busy rakhta hu." ("Now go, I'll try to keep them busy so that they won't follow you and kids.")
Janvi nodded.
"Badi maa, yeh sab kya ho raha hai ?" ("Badi maa, what's going on ?") Shivaay asked worriedly.
"Kuch nahi beta aao mere sath aao, chalo." ("Nothing dear, come with me, let's go.") Janvi replied and held Om's hand while Rudy was still sleeping in her arms. "Shivaay, beta tum mere iss side aa jao." ("Shivaay, dear, come on this side of me.")
Shivaay obeyed and they all exited the car while Tej kept the people Busy with his talks.
"Jaldi chalo bacchon." ("Come fast kids.") Janvi said as she sped walked the kids in the opposite direction.
The road was silent and surrounded with a few street lamps and tons of trees. There were a very few buildings in sight and most of them were either vacated or too old and weak to take shelter in.
After walking for a few minutes Janvi saw a building a few steps away. The building looked old and shaby but the board was still readable.
The board read :
Bachpan Anath Ashram.
Bachpan Home for Orphans.
Janvi stopped walking and turned towards Shivaay and Om.
"Maa, hum bhag kyu rahe hai ?" ("Maa, why are we running ?") Om panted.
"Shivaay, Om, meri baat dhyan se suno." ("Shivaay, Om listen to me carefully.") Janvi demanded. "Mein Tej ko lene jaa rahi hu, ok ? Mere aane tak Shivaay please tum Om aur Rudra ka khayal rakhna, thik hai ?" ("I'm going to bring Tej, ok ? Shivaay please look after OmRu for me, will you ?") She said urgently.
"Ok badi maa." 9 year old Shivaay said determinedly.
"Thank you." Janvi smiled and kissed Shivaay's forehead and Om's cheek. She looked at the sleeping Rudra and kissed him too before handing Rudy to Shivaay. "Rudra ka khayal rakhna please." ("Take care of Rudra please.")
Janvi was about to run back towards Tej to save him but she turned back to Shivaay again.
"Shivaay, agar mein agle 2 ghanto mein naa aau toh please Om aur Rudy ko lekar waha uss building mein chale jana." ("Shivaay, if I don't return in next 2 hours then go to that building with OmRu.") She said and pointed towards the orphanage building with teary eyes.
Shivaay nodded with a confused look on his face but kept quiet and obeyed his badi maa. Janvi ran back the way they had came.
Shivaay looked at Om and then looked around. There was one big tree which had a bench under it.
"Chalo Om waha jaake badi maa ka intezar karte hai." ("Let's go and wait for badi maa on the bench.") Shivaay said and held Om's hand.
They both sat on the bench and Shivaay laid Rudra on his lap.
"Shivaay, yeh jagah bahot daravni hai na ?" ("Shivaay, isn't this place creepy ?") Om said with a hint of fear in his voice while glancing a look around them.
Shivaay looked around once again and realised that there was forest around them and the street lights were not bright enough to show them much.
"Daro mat, Om. Mein hu na, mein sab thik kar dunga." ("Don't be scared, Om. I'm right here, I'll fix everything.") Shivaay said courageously and side hugged Om.
Shivaay was equally scared but he knew he had to be strong for his brothers. He was the eldest and his younger brothers were his responsibility.
Shivaay and Om waited for Janvi for hours. Shivaay stayed up while Om rested his head on Shivaay's shoulder and fell asleep.
Shivaay checked his watch after what felt like ages and realised that it was almost 4 AM in the morning.
He was scared now. He had some how sensed that Janvi was not going to come back. She had left him and his brothers in the middle of some forest and she wasn't going to come back.
He wanted to cry and show that he was terrified but he couldn't. He knew that if he panicked then Om will break down as well then who will look after baby Rudy ?
No, he had to be strong. He wasn't going to sit there and be a cry baby, he was going to be his brothers protector and take care of them until their parents find them and take them home.
As Janvi had instructed Shivaay decided to go towards the orphanage and ask for help.
"Om ? Om utho na." ("Om ? Om get up.") Shivaay shook Om slightly.
Om groaned without opening his eyes. "Bas thodi der aur Shivaay please." ("Let me sleep for more few minutes, please Shivaay.") He mumbled.
"Om, sunn toh, it's urgent." ("Om, hear me out, it's urgent.") Shivaay shook him again.
"Please Shivaa.." Om fell asleep in mid sentence.
Shivaay sighed and shook his head in defeat. "Thik hai, kuch der sone deta hu inn dono ko, waise bhi subah bas hone hi wali hai." ("Alright I'll let these two sleep for a while more, anyway the sun is about to rise.") He said to himself.
He closed his eyes to relax but he was too scared to sleep so he stayed up until the sun rose and Om finally decided to wake up.
"Finally ! Tu uth gaya." ("Finally ! You woke up.") Shivaay said dramatically to Om.
"Shivaay maa nahi aayi ?" ("Shivaay, maa didn't come ?") Om asked while rubbing his tired eyes.
"Nahi, chalo." ("No, c'mon.") Shivaay replied and stood up with Rudy still in his arms. Rudy was still soundly asleep.
"Kaha ?" ("Where to ?") Om enquired and stood up.
"Waha." ("There.") Shivaay nodded towards the orphanage with a straight face.
"Shivaay, tu thik toh hai na ? Woh orphanage hai !" ("Shivaay, are you out of your mind ? That's an orphanage !") Om said in disbelief and shook his head. "Nahi, chal hum wapas chalte hai uss taraf. Jaakar mom dad ko dhundte hai." ("No, let's head in that direction and find mom and dad.") He said and was about to walk in the direction from which they had come but he was stopped by Shivaay.
"Om, hum aisa nahi kar sakte ! Badi maa ne kya kaha tha yaad hai na ?" ("Om, we cannot do that ! Do you remember what badi maa had said ?") Shivaay said sternly and held his hand.
"Pr Shivaay ! Hum orphans nahi hai, we've a family." ("But Shivaay ! We ain't no orphans, we've a family.") Om said with teary eyes.
"Pata hai mujhe Om, tu please ro mat. Tujhe pata hai na ki Shiv kuch bhi dekh sakta hai lekin uske bhai ki aankhon mein ansu nahi dekh sakta." ("I know Om, don't cry. You know right that Shiv can see anything but can't see tears in his brother's eyes.") Shivaay said softly and hugged Om.
"Shivaay chalo na hum jaake mom ko dhundte hai." ("Shivaay let's go and search for mom, please.") Om said in between sobs.
"Om, meri baat sunn, hum bas thodi der uss orphanage mein rukhte hai. Abhi Rudy bhi uth jayega aur tujhe pata hai na ki usey uthte hi dood pilana padhta hai ? Uske liye toh hume jaana hi padega, Om baat ko samjh." ("Om, listen to me, we'll just wait in that orphanage for some time. Rudy will wake up soon and he needs milk as soon as he wakes up so we'll have to go there, try n understand.") Shivaay explained.
Om thought about it. "Ok. Thik hai chalo, lekin sirf thodi der ke liye aur sirf Rudra ke liye." ("Ok. Let's go but only for Rudra.") Om grumbled with a frown.
Shivaay nodded. He held Om's hand and adjusted Rudy in his arms and they started walking towards the orphanage.
When they reached at the door of the building Shivaay and Om looked at each other. They were both unsure about what they were doing.
"Rudy ko pakadega please." ("Will you hold Rudy please.") Shivaay muttered and passed baby Rudy to Om.
Shivaay stretched his body a bit and sighed. He looked at Om and frowned. He placed his hand on Om's shoulder and asked him 'what happened ?' through his eyes.
"Shivaay, I'm scared. Meine movies mein dekha hai ki orphanage bahot gande hote hai aur orphanage ke log bahot bure hote hai." ("Shivaay, I'm scared. I've seen in movies that orphanages are scary places and orphanage people are also evil.") Om mumbled in fear.
"Om." Shivaay cupped his cheeks and smiled. "Mein hu na ? Mein tujhe ya Rudy ko kuch nahi hone dunga. I'll protect you both always." ("I'm here. I won't let any harm befall you and Rudy. I'll always protect you both.") Shivaay assured with a brave smile.
"We both will protect our Rudy." Om smiled back.
Shivaay patted Om's cheek before turning towards the door and knocking on the door.
Shivaay cleared his throat and waited patiently for someone to open the door.
The door finally opened after a while and a middle-aged lady with a permanent scowl sticked to her face, came out.
"Iee lo aa gaye aur teen chhore mhara sukh chain lootne." ("More three devils have arrived to rob my peace.") The lady gave an exasperated sigh.
"Excuse me ?" Shivaay said in confusion. "Kya aap humari madad kar sakti hai ?" ("Can you help us ?") He asked.
"Haan, Haan thari madad karne vaste hi toh baithe hai hum yaha." ("Yeah, of course, I'm here to serve you.") She said in the most unpleasant way ever.
Before Shivaay could say anything further she started yelling for someone.
"Dev ! DEV ! Kaha mar gaya ?" ("Dev ! DEV ! Where are you ?") She yelled.
A boy timidly came to a halt before her and bowed his head down in fear. "Ji Madam ?" ("Yes madam ?") He whispered.
"Inn chhoro ko le jaake unki sone ki jagah dikha aur sunn, kaam bhi sikha de." ("Take these boys and show them their space and listen, teach them the work too.") She said to the timid boy Dev and turned to Shivaay. "Sunn chhore yaha rehna hai toh kaam karna padega." ("Listen boy, you'll have to work if you want to live here.")
The lady left after saying that and Shivaay looked at Dev. Dev smiled at them warmly and for the first time Shivaay saw how awful Dev's clothes were.
Dev was wearing an oversized dull blue shirt which was stained at various places. He had paired that dirty shirt with a skinny pants which was patched up at places. All in all, his clothes were worst than even the servants who worked at Oberoi's.
"Mein Dev hu." ("I'm Dev.") Dev said awkwardly, breaking the silence.
"Mein Shivaay, yeh mera bhai Omkara aur woh sabse chota Rudra." ("I'm Shivaay, this is my brother Omkara and that's my youngest brother Rudra.") Shivaay introduced.
"Chalo andar aao agar madam ne dekh liya toh sajha milegi." ("Come in, if madam saw us here she'll punish us.") Dev said worriedly and rushed the 3 brothers' inside.
"Arey meri baat suno." ("Hey hear me out once.") Shivaay said trying to catch the attention of Dev who was dragging them to some room.
"Yaha nahi, mere sath room mein chalo, waha tumhari sari baatein sunn lunga." ("Not here, come with me to the room, I'll hear you out there.") Dev said and kept dragging Shivaay.
After reaching in a room Dev left Shivaay's hand and turned to him. "Yeh tumhara room, yaha aur 6 log sote hai magar tum teeno ke liye kafi jagah hai." ("This is your room, more 6 kids sleep here but there's enough space for you 3.") Dev smiled.
"Yaha ? Issey bada toh humara bathroom hai." ("Here ? Our bathroom is more bigger and better than this.") Om mumbled to himself but Shivaay and Dev heard it.
"Dekho Dev hum yaha rehne nahi aaye. Humare mom dad hai, hum sirf unhe call karke bulana chahte hai." ("Dev we are not here to stay. We've parents, we just want to call them here.") Shivaay explained.
"Kya tum log kho gaye ho ?" ("Are you all lost ?") Dev asked.
"Nahi, hum-" ("No, we-") Om started but Shivaay cut him off.
"Haan !" ("Yes !") Shivaay yelled, cutting Om off. "Haan, hum school trip pe aaye the, kho gaye." ("Yes, we had been on school trip and now we're lost.")
Shivaay signalled Om to stay quiet and Om obeyed.
"Tum logo ko yaha nahi aana chahiye tha." ("You should not have came here.") Dev frowned. "Yaha tum aake phas gaye ho, tumhe yaha nahi aana chahiye tha." ("You are doomed by coming here, you shall not have came here.")
"Kyu ?" ("Why ?") Shivaay raised an eyebrow.
While Shivaay was busy in talking Omkara decided to look around and ended up staring outside through a window which was present on the left side of Shivaay.
Omkara was just casually looking outside the window when his eye caught something and his mouth fell open. "Shivaay ! Woh dekh !" ("Shivaay ! Look !")

Chapter 2: The Hope