THE FIRST TIME

 “ PRANATHI ! !PRANATHI !! Wakeup, it’s almost time we have to get out before everyone wakes up” whispers Bhoomi near Pranathi’s ears to wake her up, Pranathi and Bhoomi have become friends just three days back when they happened to join the Athletics Camp near Gajuwaka, Visakhapatnam. In one of their discussions Pranathi mentions about one sunrise she had experienced at the Yarada beach in Visakhapatnam. 

Meanwhile, Pranathi wakes up asking her the time then and quickly grabs her wallet and rushes to wash her face to let the sleep wear off. The duo silently then sneaks out to find that the morning has already started in the steel city, they manage to get past all the gates of the camp and get out. Pranathi knew they had to take a bus to get to the nearest beach which happens to be the RK beach since they cannot go to Yarada beach and come back in time and join the Morning training session. The time was almost 4:40 AM in the morning and Bhoomi looks like she might sleep then and there since she couldn’t sleep all night because of the excitement she was about to see the sea next morning. 

“HAAWWW” squeals Bhoomi standing there waiting for a bus to come, the time is now 4:50 AM Pranati tells Bhoomi to hop onto the Auto rickshaw which is coming so that they can go to a nearest city bus stop. Bhoomi, still half asleep, follows her command and climbs on to take a sweet spot beside Pranathi and rests her chin on Pranathi’s shoulder to have her little nap smiling at what is waiting for her to experience. Bhoomi was born and grew up in a small hamlet where people doesn’t much about the outside world except the villages nearby and the small town they go for any medical emergency, She knew about things through rumors and the kids library which was in her village’s panchayat office, of all mysteries She was most fascinated about the sea and the beach, all she knew about sea and the beach was from the romantic poems she pretend to understand , the movies , her uncle who works in the harbor in Kakinada and through people around especially when someone from her village died sinking in the sea which is when people cursed the sea for taking the life of their son, she doubted where the sea is a good one and safe to visit when it brings sorrow to some families.

“BHOOMI,BHOOMI WAKE UP” pats Pranathi showing her that there’s a bus in front ready at the supposed bus stop for them to get into so that it will take them to their destination as early as possible. The time is now 5:10AM  it was the end of march beginning of summer season the night has almost faded the night lights of the cities are slowing out with both the humans and the birds have spread their wings and started their days to lookout for food while the rest of the city is slowing waking up to the slow morning breeze,  the breeze tickles Bhoomi’s cheek startling Bhoomi who thought they had reached the beach, both of them gets out of the auto and quickly moves to the bus before it goes out of their sight grabbing onto it and walks up to a vacant seat . Pranathi lets Bhoomi take the window seat who still seemingly hasn't come snapped out of the sleep and whispers at her why haven’t you slept properly in the night when she knows that they have to wake up early to which Bhoomi smirks like a kid who did a mischief. Bhoomi again rests her head on Pranathi’s shoulder while she faces the skyline looking out for the sun which seems to come out anything soon but this time she couldn’t sleep with the excitement building up which has been holding up for the past 14 years of her life, the mystery she associated with the sea her mind is filled with all the memories she had of beaches and sea ever since she knew of the world, the thoughts are flowing through her mind almost as speed as sound waves  and slowly brings the shutter to her eyes.

“ Maybe it is unfair to judge with the tragedy that befall this family, maybe it was by the design of God the sea takes things into its deep dark stomach but why does it vomit though?? This is something strange, I want to know why, I want to ask it why and who told her to do what she does. How did I assume that the sea is a woman and what about the beach where it meets the land. All these movies I have seen have shown the beach as a very romantic place to be especially during the full moon but all I read from the books is that the high tides during full moon are quite dangerous and to be careful. I want to know why these people write so high about these beaches, May be once I get to see one, I will examine whether all of it’s true or not”. “BHOOMI, BHOOMI” calls Pranathi wilding tapping on her wrist and that they’ve reached their spot.

The time is 5:24 AM when they came to their stop with Pranathi getting down followed by Bhoomi , the bus hurried away after they got down and in front of them was the beach and the sun can be seen at the horizon like it was peeping into people’s life so early in the morning greeting the people that’s its going to be a long day ahead. Bhoomi was struck with the view and Pranathi was nagging her to cross the road and get done with their small adventure and to go to their morning drill before they get caught, but Bhoomi looks like she is in no mood for all that , she let that slow morning breeze hit her removing all those streaming thoughts in her mind to shut up and come to the beach and enjoy that shining sun come up to the smell of the beach. She walks past the road and takes the sandals she wore and takes into her hands and takes a heartful of that morning breeze while that morning sun simmers onto her face. She looks so relaxed as if she has successfully evaded a biggest problem with a small smirk on her face walks up to the waves and let’s those waves to hit her with whatever force they want and she is here to experience that moment without getting disturbed by an bit, right then a fresh batch of waves comes onto her as if they want are meeting their long lost friend who now wants experience their touch whom Bhoomi embraces calmly. There were People on the beach some were exercising some were enjoying the view nothing seems to be heard by Bhoomi was accompanied by Pranathi by her side who was sitting there quietly with her hand over Bhoomi’s shoulders as if they have achieved the greatest victory in the world both of them smiling meanwhile someone in the background shouts that it’s almost 5:45 AM which startles Pranathi who tells Bhoomi that it’s time , Bhoomi who was so immersed with the chaos and calmness of the sea leans forward and takes up a conch shell and some sand and quickly puts it in her little box she brought along, both of them sends their regards and good byes to the sun and walks up to the bus stop.