The morning brought another ray of hope for Champa. “Will it happen today?”, she thought, and the mere thought excited her.
“There is a completely different world there, kind of fairy-land. I am dying to go there.”, Chameli contributed her theory. Although no one knew everything about the D-day, but everyone had a theory or two. Muniya, the mother of Champa, was the last to depart. She waited long before the D-day, but she was lucky enough to be selected. Before leaving, she told many stories about D-day to Champa, her elder daughter.
'Only selected one goes there.'
'and Ma! when does one return from there?', Champa asked her mother when she was a very young.
Muniya smiled at her child's innocence and said, 'No one wants to return from there. That is such a good place.'
'But Ma! this place is also good. I have so many friends here', Champa asked.
'Darling! that place is lot better, my mother used to tell me about the place. She once said that you will live like a queen there... I will meet my mother also there. Your grand-ma will love to hear about you.' Muniya was very excited about her journey.
'But I want to go with you Ma, and can we take Chameli also with us?', Champa asked. She was convinced by now that her mother was going to a much more beautiful place for forever.
'No honey! everyone goes there, but at the right time. I will go first, and then you and Chameli will come. Don't worry, the time will fly soon. I will wait for you there.' Muniya would surely miss Champa.
Muniya left after couple of days, and never returned. No one was expecting her return. Everyone was expecting the next departure. Only a fortunate one will be selected. Everyone had a belief that Champa would be the next. Champa's endless wait begun with her mother's departure. She started feeling amalgam of excitement, happiness and curiosity.
Champa and Chameli were best buddies. They were looking forward for Champa's departure. They would play together as usual, but now they started discussing the D-day, the departure day when Champa would leave. Chameli would tell her the stories that she had learned from others. These stories and theories fueled Champa's curiosity.
'You know what! Sonu says, you will get royal treatment there. You will be free to go anywhere you wish, free to eat whatever you like, free to meet whomever you want to meet and free to play whenever you want to. Isn't it great?'
'Yes! It is. I wish today is the D-day', Champa couldn't wait any longer.
Her wish was heard somewhere in the blue-heaven and that day became her departure day. Chameli and others came to see her off. Chameli was very happy, now she should be the next.
Champa's dream came true. She had so many stories to tell to her mother. She was eagerly waiting to meet her Grandma, and other friends. She knew she would soon be treated like a queen.
She looked outside the window and gazed at the blue sky, the flying-birds, the playing-children. Everyone looked happier, as if they all were happy for Champa, the fortunate one.
Soon they reached the final destination. Farqu came near to Champa, and smiled at his lovely goat. He took her rope in one hand and headed inside the meat-shop.
