Daniel felt as gloomy as the dark clouds overhead. A gush of cold wind blew into his face and he clenched his teeth in irritation. Nevertheless, he continued to steer the sailboat deftly across the lake.
This year, winter had arrived early. As an experienced fisherman, he knew that now it would become increasingly difficult to catch fish as they tended to go deep down in the water and didn’t want to bite much.
Daniel threw a worried glance at his meagre collection. It would earn him food only for his children. He and his wife Katie would have to starve again.
Numbly, he gazed at the snow capped mountains in the distance and felt that the coldness had begun to reflect in his heart too. In his early days it pained him to kill the innocent fishes. However, the responsibility of feeding his family soon overrode any feeling of empathy that he had towards the small creatures.
How he longed for some greenery and sunshine. He wished he could go to the other part of the world and take up some other profession of his choice. Something which would feed his family everyday and let him sleep with a clear conscience at night.
*************************************
Zara marvelled as she stared into the lens of her camera. The snow capped mountains throwing it’s reflection over the crystalline water was simply breath taking. However, her photographic eye, the picture seemed incomplete.
She stifled disappointment. She hadn’t run away from home only to be a failure. A woman photographer was something which her family couldn’t comprehend. But she wanted to show them what she was capable of.
Suddenly, a white sailboat emerged across the still waters.
Zara zoomed in her lens and the shutter snapped with a ‘Click’.
She smiled with satisfaction as she viewed her handiwork. It was going to be her ticket to fame!
************************************
“Does this place really exist?”
“Of course it does, you fool! It’s an award winning photo taken by a young woman, I believe. Look, it’s written over here in small letters.”
Eleven year old Raju was sweating profusely as he served tea at the small table. It was a hot afternoon in May and the ceiling fans of the restaurant were no match against the scorching heat.
He now looked up in the direction of the voices. ‘Sahab’ was chatting with an old customer of his. He glanced at the object of their discussion.
The photo on the calendar mesmerised him. He could feel the cold wind against his cheeks as he studied the snow laden peaks and the calm lake.
Right at that moment, the small boy promised himself that one day, he would visit the place shown in the photo. Somehow he would escape the heat and find warmth in the cool lap of nature.
*************************************
One picture. Three stories. All of them weaved through the same thread yet different in their own perspective. Everyone has two eyes but no one has the same view.
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