A ruminating voice

Shivanjali Sapra, AIS Saket, X A

The sun was shining bright, and I was excited to meet my forest friends-the giant elephant, the chirpy birds, the jumpy monkey, the tiny caterpillar and others. Just then, a knock on the door startled me. Peeping through the window, I saw Jumpy Monkey, who warned me that my stepmother, the Queen, was hunting for me. Fear gripped me, but I consoled myself with thoughts of the charming prince I had befriended.
My heart pounded as I debated whether to step outside. Within this period, another knock on the door sent a shiver down my spine. Gathering my courage, I checked again and, to my surprise, saw a beautiful horse, probably there to quench its thirst. And how could I not help the animal as it was no different than my other forest friends.
So, I took it to the stream flowing near to the hill. As the horse quenched its thirst, I caught my reflection in the water - my eyes showed both a will to live and the terror of being hunted.
After some time, I returned to the cottage. However, I was petrified to see that it was all a mess again. Footsteps echoed, and when I opened the door, the same horse stood inside. “How did it get in?” I wondered. Then, it spoke: “Climb on my back, and I shall promise you a long life. Stay here, and I’ll leave you under a curse.” With no choice, I obeyed. I heard footsteps other than mine.
It took me to a banyan tree next to the hill, and the horse disappeared. Suddenly, a leaf fell on me with a message: “Come back!” “Who is calling me back? How in the world did I get here?” I thought to myself. As I touched the leaf, my body trembled as if melting. My head felt heavy, and distant, indistinct sounds reached my ears. The same tune repeated until I finally understood: “Snow White is the fairest of them all.”
“No. That can’t be!” Then I heard someone else. It was a man’s voice, my prince’s voice! He said, “Come back, my princess, and live here.” I opened my eyes to see my prince leaning over me, his eyes brimmed with tears. “Snow White, it had been so long, I thought you were never going to come back to me,” said the prince. I looked at him and my surroundings, bewildered, still captured in a daze. I glanced at the hill and saw all my forest friends with tears of joy in their eyes as they hugged one another. Yes, the dreadful days were finally over.

Fading dreams

Hridika, AIS Gurugram 43, IX B

Such sweet old childhood dreams
In the glow of golden afternoons
Where laughter danced as fireflies
Chasing shadows beneath the skies

In the twilight’s embrace, we’d roam
Beneath an azure sky painted in gold
We’d dance in fields, hearts at ease
And wildflowers whispered to breeze

We’d chase clouds where winds blow
Time was a river, flowing soft & slow
With paper boats sailing on the stream
Alas, we’ve grown and all was a dream

Those faint echoes of nostalgic laughs
They would still shimmer and gleam
In warm murmurs and gentle whispers
Of our sweet old childhood dreams.