Scooby and The Scarves

‘Help, somebody help my daughter.’ shouted Meena. Shivani, one of her twin daughters, had fallen down close to a black scary snake. She fell down hitting at a lamppost and later noticed a snake sitting. Men were away at work. All the women of the building gathered- some in their balconies, some in corridors and some at the spot but no one dared to help. Shivani soon fell unconscious and at this point Meena lost all hopes. But Shubhra, Shivani’s sister came and walked towards the danger without a trace of fear on her face. Meena tried to stop her but she paid no heed. Very silently she lifted up the snake and threw it into the deep dump well. Shivani was safe now. But what’s this? Shubhra walked back without paying any attention to Shivani.
One of the women asked, ’Shubhra didn’t you bother to look if your sister is well?’
Shubhra replied,’ It was for her well-being only that I dared to throw the snake. I did, what no one else dared to and I have no interest in doing what others easily can.’ And she went to her apartment holding the strap of her little bull dog, Scooby. Meena ran towards Shivani to see if she is okay. To her happiness her eyelids opened and she called ‘Didu’, the term she used for Shubhra.
‘I can’t understand why she loves Shubhra so much even when Shubhra is so emotionless. For her there is just one loved one, that bull dog Scooby, that her aunt Vishwa gave her when she was very young. ’ said a lady.
‘Oh no! It is not so. Why would she throw the snake then?’ said another.
‘Just for appreciation. You don’t know, she always does so. She does the work no one else can but to do an emotional act her hands don’t work.’ said the first.
‘Oh I think it’s all the fault of her parents. Otherwise why will a twelve years old girl behave this way. They must not be treating her properly. I have seen that. Her mother talks to her very rudely, as if she is her step daughter. ’an old lady commented.
It had become unbearable for Meena though, she remained quiet before the other ladies. But she could not control herself before Vinay, her husband.

‘They doubted that Shubhra is my step daughter. I wanted to give them a harsh reply but…' she yelled but Vinay interrupted, ‘But never do so. Don’t you remember Sarveshwar Baba’s saying?’
‘Oh I remember that word by word.’ said Meena with a tense face and went into the nostalgia.

That dark wet evening of august witnessed the washing away of all the happiness of twin sisters birth by Sarveshwar Baba’s few lines of forecast.
‘This daughter of yours' said baba pointing to one of the two babies, 'who should be named Shubhra, has a fate that is destructive for her loved ones. It means that she will cause the death of everyone whom she will love.’
Vinay and Meena were in utter shock and with a heavy throat Vinay asked, ‘But Baba when will the clouds of this calamity disperse.’
‘When Shubhra kills all her loved ones.’ Baba’s statement was heart breaking, but then he said ‘The only way out of it is Kendrikaran puja. I will concentrate all her bad fortune at one place and after that…
‘All shall be okay?’ said Meena excitedly.
‘No, bad fortune will not end it will get reduced. Then, she will kill one of her loved ones. Any one. Just one. And then everything will be fine.' said Baba.

‘Mamma I am hungry. Is the food ready?’ said Shivani bringing her mother out of the nostalgia.
‘Yes dear, just giving’ and she scrolled her fingers in her daughter’s hair when she noticed the blue silk scarf and immediately withdrew her hand. Actually these scarfs differentiated their otherwise zerox copy daughters- Shivani wore a red scarf and Shubhra got a blue one. Thanks to Vinay’s sister, who had given this trick when the girls were just babies.
So, when Meena noticed that it was Shubhra her tone changed, ‘Can’t you wait for few more minutes?’ and she went into kitchen.

On the other hand, Shivani had no knowledge of Baba’s words. She loved Shubhra the most in the world and knew that Shubhra also loved her. This was the reason why no one could stop her from sleeping in her sister’s room. Once in one room they freely became sisters, played with each other and with Scooby, talked to each other shared their problems and worked out solutions. They slept with Scooby squeezed in the middle. They knew there was some reason their parents stopped them from being close to each other and so they pretended not to be close before their parents. The only person who dared to be close to Shubhra even before her parents was Vishwa, Vinay’s sister. She did not believe in such forecasts and superstitions. Also, she was a package of surprises, fun and affection for the kids. She would bring a lot of gifts for both Shivani and Shubhra. And then she would say, ’Oh I am sorry my dear children, I could bring so less for you. But you don’t worry I shall give you something else also.’

Once when Shubhra and Shivani were eight, same incident had happened. She had come before their birthday and asked, ‘Tell me what do you want on your birthday next week?’
‘Nothing Vishwa. You have already given so much’ Vinay had scolded.
‘Bhaiya, you better be quiet in our matter.’ Vishwa had jokingly said and then she had given choices to the girls ‘A storybook, a mindgame, a pet, a dress or anything else?’
Shivani had chosen dress.
‘Ok. And you Shubhra?’ Vishwa had asked.
‘Better give her a pet, at least she will get someone to spend her time with and not disturb us.’ Meena had intervened before Shubhra could speak up her choice.
‘Bhabhi, why do you speak so harshly to her? Dear Shubhra don’t worry. Tell me your choice.’ Vishwa had consoled her like always.
‘A pet, Bua’ Shubhra's statement had made Vishwa upset. ‘No Bua that is really my choice. Please give me that.’ Shubhra had assuaged her.
‘Ok as you wish. So, next Wednesday, your gifts will be in your custody. Done.’ Vishwa had grinned.

Years went by, the behavior of Shubhra’s parents kept becoming harsher towards her because they thought that growth will make her physically stronger to slaughter down someone. Though never told about it, Shubhra had got an idea that there was superstition behind her parents behaviour. So, she herself avoided being close to any of them. Most of her time was spend in the company of Scooby. Scooby, yes the dog Vishwa gifted her, was a nice dog. It would not harm anyone without reason but looked very frightful. Thus, it provided her the needed company as Shivani also had less time to spend with Shubhra. She had new college friends but that didn’t mean their love for each other reduced. They loved each other as much as before but the difference was that they expressed it less now.

One evening, Meena and Vinay were having tea when Scooby entered the room and jumped over Meena scratching her on face unprovoked. Meena shouted,’ Oh my god! It will eat me up.’ Vinay threw it towards the wall, fearing that after this act Scooby will definitely harm him also. But to his surprise Scooby went away silently. Shivani and Shubhra had come by then. Shubhra took Scooby to a veterinarian that day.
‘Scooby has a nervous breakdown and these problems will increase day by day. The best option is that you leave it to an animal trainer or counsellor. But the recovery is rare. ’
‘I shall try to treat it myself’ said Shubhra.
‘As you wish, but that can be dangerous.’ warned the veterinarian.
‘No matter’ said Shubhra.
‘Well, then all the best’ said the veterinarian.

Shubhra was determined at her part in Scooby’s treatment but no one helped her. Shivani had been strictly ordered by Meena not to get close to Scooby. Because of this non-cooperation movement in the house the recovery of Scooby was slow. The hopeless Shubhra had decided to leave it to a trainer after her birthday celebrations next week.
Next week the party was on. All the relatives, including Vishwa had arrived. All were dancing, singing and enjoying while Shubhra was busy treating Scooby. Vishwa came to take her to the dance floor but she did not go saying ‘Bua, if I don’t look after it, it may harm someone.’ Shivani came then, quietly, avoiding the eyes of Meena.
‘Didu, it’s too much now, you will have to come. Don’t worry Scooby’s a good boy. It will be ok. Come on.’ saying this she held Shubhra’s hand and took her to the dance floor.

Shubhra danced reluctantly and was tensed about Scooby. After sometime when she just began to enjoy the dance a ‘wham’ sound came. A large wall clock had fallen over Scooby hitting hard at his head. This impact led the dog out of control. It began running here and there, frightening everyone and its prey was unfortunately Shivani. It held Shivani’s arm in its jaw and pulled it as if it would tear it off. Shivani was shouting and beating the dog with her other hand restlessly. People were trying to pull the dog but with no result. Shivani was continuously beating the dog but now only Scooby’s death could loosen his jaws. Shubhra who was still unsure about what to do lifted up a knife. Everyone became silent to watch what’s going to happen. Meena was worried about Shivani. They were all confused what Shubhra is going to do. But Shubhra did what no one else dared to. She daggered Scooby to death. Love for Shivani inspired her to do it. Scooby’s jaws loosened then. People were ready to go to hospital. Shivani and Scooby were both taken to be treated. Meena walked towards Shubhra. Shubhra was ready to get all kinds of scolding as she always got but what’s this… Meena kissed Shubhra at her forehead and said, ’This was the love I wanted to see in you.’ and went to hospital. This was the kiss that she had longed for but when she got it she felt no difference because she was very upset by the incident. Well, as always she did not go to the hospital to see Shivani being treated. She sat idle expressionlessly staring out of the window. The blood stained knife lay on the table before her, covered with her blue silk scarf.
Tears rolled down her cheek, over the blue scarf and wetted it completely. By then Vishwa came noticing that she had not gone to the hospital.
‘Dear Shubhra, come lets go to see Shivani’ she said.
‘ Bua, you go, I shall not come’ Shubhra answered.
‘But why? Don’t you love your sister?’ Vishwa asked.
‘ It was for her love only that I killed my lovely pet. I did what no one dared to and I have no interest…’
‘Oh come on Shubhra, don’t tell me that dialogue. Love for someone is not an occasional process that you prove at times, it is a continuous phenomenon that is to be proven every second. You have air in the room but to feel it you should switch on the fan, same way you may have a lot of love in your heart but you always need actions to show it. Dear, Yours is the only name Shivani always calls in pain, and yours is the only hand she does not get in vain.’
Shubhra felt her part of mistake. She was crying like a little child, sobbing into Vishwa’s lap. Shubhra said, 'Bua I shall go to see Shivani. She must be calling me, right? I should reach their before she gets tired of calling me.’
Vishwa gave her a tight hug and began crying herself. Wipping her tears and controlling her voice she said,’Ok take your purse and scarf and…hey is that Shivani’s scarf…It’s red?’
‘Oh no no that is blood stained, blue became red.’ said Shubhra with a smile.
‘Very soon Shubhra will become Shivani like these scarfs.’ Vishwa thought and they went to the hospital.
It was good for Shubhra to reach the hospital since they demanded O negative blood group for Shivani that only Shubhra had among the people present there. Shubhra quickly went in to give her blood and Vishwa remained outside the unit with her parents.
Meena said, 'We should go to Sarveshwar Baba and thank him for his blessings which prevented any misfortune.’
‘Oh Bhabhi! It’s enough now. How long will you be superstitious? Your Sarveshwar Baba is a fraud.’ scolded Vishwa.
‘Mind your words Vishwa. Don’t you see his forecast has been true? Shubhra killed her loved one, Scooby.’ argued Meena.
‘Ok so now is the time to tell you the truth. ’Vishwa said with a curiosity causing expression.
‘Tell what?’ asked Vinay.
‘Bhaiya, after your Baba ji's blessing and forecast ceremony, I had mistakenly exchanged your daughters Shubhra for Shivani and vice versa through there scarfs. Before I could mend my mistake, you had taken Shivani for that Kendrikaran puja. So, till date the girl you treated as Shubhra is Shivani and Shivani is Shubhra.’explained Vishwa.
‘But that’s fraudulence. You have cheated us Vishwa.’ shouted Meena.
‘No Bhabhi, your Baba have cheated one of your daughters. If his saying was true Shivani would have killed someone. But no, it was not because of his saying but because of your treatment towards your daughter. If you had not treated Shubhra unequally, today’s incident may not have ever happened. Your daughters are much wiser than you both. Shivani and Shubhra both have loved each other the way they should in spite of your fear. Do you want to see? Come.’ And she took them to the ward.

They saw that Shubhra held Shivani’s wounded hand and Shivani was patting her with the other hand both shedding tears of love. Tears spread like infection as Meena and Vishwa also began to cry. Vinay also got a heavy throat.
The three went inside the ward and joined the two girls in the cry of love. They were all happy. Just then, the news of Scooby’s death came. Shubhra once again broke down but this time she had a mother and a father in addition to a sweet sister and a loving aunt to help her cope with the situation. They were all now a happy family.