Chapter 21: Meeting New Friends
The sun was already past its highest point when Vasusen came looking for him.
The afternoon heat lay softly on the ground. Not harsh. Just warm enough to slow footsteps and make shadows longer. Dhrubo was sitting near a broken stone wall, throwing small pebbles and watching ants carry crumbs twice their size.
"Mitro!" Vasusen shouted from far away.
Dhrubo looked up.
Vasusen was running. His feet kicked up dust. His hair was messy. His face was bright with excitement.
"You came!" Vasusen said, breathing fast when he reached him.
"I said I might," Dhrubo replied.
Vasusen grinned.
"You said you 'might'. But you did come."
Dhrubo smiled without thinking.
"Come," Vasusen said, grabbing his hand. "I want to introduce you to my friends."
"Friends?" Dhrubo asked.
"Yes. All of them. They're waiting."
"Where?"
"Near the sarisha field."
Dhrubo hesitated for a moment. Then he nodded.
They ran.
They ran like children. Sometimes fast. Sometimes slow. Sometimes stopping suddenly because Vasusen remembered something and started talking in the middle of running.
"You know," Vasusen said while running, "Vrishali always thinks she knows everything."
"She sounds scary," Dhrubo said.
"She is," Vasusen laughed. "But she's nice."
They crossed a dirt path. Then another. Soon yellow flowers filled Dhrubo's vision.
The sarisha field was wide. Very wide. Yellow everywhere. The flowers moved with the wind like waves. Bees buzzed. The smell was sweet and strong.
Five children were there.
Two were chasing each other. One was sitting on the ground pulling grass. Two girls were arguing loudly.
"Vasu!" a voice shouted.
"Finally!" another voice complained.
Vasusen waved both arms.
"I'm here! And I brought someone!"
All eyes turned to Dhrubo.
The children stared openly. No hiding. No judging. Just curiosity.
"This is my new mitra," Vasusen said proudly. "We met yesterday."
"He's small," Mithun said.
"So are you," Vrishali replied quickly.
Mithun frowned.
"I'm taller than him."
Dhrubo stepped closer.
"Only a little."
Mithun looked again.
"…Only a little."
The girls giggled.
"I'm Vrishali," the sharp-eyed girl said.
"Tulshi," said the one beside her.
"I'm Maya," the shy one added softly.
The boys spoke next.
"Mithun."
"Akash."
They all looked at Dhrubo.
"What's your name?" Vrishali asked directly.
Dhrubo opened his mouth. Then stopped.
"My name was given by a very great person," he said.
"How great?" Akash asked at once.
"Very great," Dhrubo replied.
"A king?" Mithun guessed.
"A rishi?" Tulshi asked, eyes wide.
"Someone like that," Dhrubo said.
Inside, Dhrubo thought quietly, If I tell you Mahādeva gave me my name, you won't believe me. Better to keep it secret.
Vrishali crossed her arms.
"Then what is your name?"
Dhrubo shook his head.
"I won't say it."
"Why not?" Maya asked softly.
"So it doesn't get ruined," Dhrubo said. "I'll only tell it when I respect someone enough."
The group went quiet.
"That's unfair," Mithun muttered.
"So what do we call you?" Akash asked.
"You can call me Pāpi."
"Pāpi?" Tulshi repeated.
"That means sinner," Mithun said.
"Why would anyone call themselves that?" Akash asked.
Dhrubo looked at the flowers, then back at them.
"I was a Pāpi," he said. "Not by what I did. But by how many times I did it."
They did not fully understand. But they listened.
"That great person gave me a new life," Dhrubo continued. "And a new name."
"But I still remember what I was," he said simply. "So I call myself Pāpi."
No one laughed.
Vasusen nodded slowly.
"Okay. Then Pāpi it is."
Vrishali shrugged.
"Strange name. But you're strange too."
Dhrubo smiled.
"Enough talking," Vasusen said suddenly. "Let's play!"
"What game?" Tulshi asked.
"Race!" Mithun shouted.
They lined up at the edge of the field.
"One rule," Vrishali said. "No pushing."
"No cheating," Akash added.
Vasusen bent forward.
"Ready?"
They ran.
They ran through the flowers. Yellow petals brushed their faces. Bees flew away angrily. Someone tripped. Someone laughed.
"Slow down!" Maya cried.
"No!" Vasusen shouted back.
"Hah… hah… hah… you win… hah…" Mithun gasped, stopping halfway.
"I can't catch you!"
Vasusen laughed loudly.
"Run faster then!"
Dhrubo ran without thinking. His feet moved on their own. His chest felt light. He was not careful. He was not restrained. He was only a child running until his legs hurt.
When they finally stopped, everyone collapsed.
"My legs are burning," Mithun groaned.
"That means you're weak," Vrishali said.
"I'm not weak!" Mithun protested, immediately trying to stand—and falling again.
Dhrubo laughed so hard he rolled onto his side.
They played again.
Next was hide and seek.
Dhrubo hid badly. Behind thin plants. Behind a tree that clearly showed his feet. When Akash found him, Dhrubo didn't even run—he just giggled and accepted defeat.
Then came stone throwing.
They stood near a shallow ditch, tossing pebbles.
"Farthest wins," Mithun said.
Dhrubo threw softly. His stone barely crossed.
"That's it?" Mithun laughed.
Dhrubo shrugged.
"I like watching them fall."
He watched the ripples like they were the most important thing in the world.
Later, they climbed a low tree. Not high. Just enough to feel brave.
Throwing stones into a ditch.
Climbing a short tree.
Dhrubo slipped once and fell flat.
Vasusen rushed over.
"Are you hurt?"
Dhrubo laughed from the ground.
"No."
He jumped up and ran again.
The sun slowly lowered.
They sat together, tired and dusty.
"You're fun," Akash said.
"You don't act like a elder," Vrishali added.
Vasusen smiled widely.
"He's my mitra."
Dhrubo felt warm inside. He did not think why.
"Tomorrow again?" Vasusen asked.
"Yes," Dhrubo said quickly.
They went their separate ways when the sky turned orange.
As Dhrubo walked away, his steps were light.
For hours, Dhrubo forgot everything.
No sins.
No tasks.
No names.
No questions.
He was just a child running until his breath burned and his heart felt light.
And that was enough.
Chapter end.