The third in the series, Secrets of Zynpagua,
Secrets of Zynpagua: Birth of Mystery child is now available on amazon and Crossword bookstores.

https://www.amazon.in/Secrets-Zynpa…/…/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0…

The launch took place at DPS Bangalore Sarjapur Bangalore, with a wonderful musical narration of the book by the school children.

(If you have missed the story please read from the beginning from the left hand panel pages on Secrets of Zynpagua: Return of the Princess, story recap)

Back in Singapore, for almost two weeks, Anika did not see Frederick or heard the call of the Moon. She tried distracting herself by reading children short stories and fantasy books. But nothing helped.

Then one day Anika’s father returned from office carrying a huge box of chocolates. He called the girls and said “Radhika and Anika come fast. See what I have got for you”
Both came out and excitedly opened the chocolate box. Anika lovingly asked her father while biting into chocolate “Wow! These taste so different. Papa, from where did you get them?”
Her father responded, “from a shop specializing in desserts of Spain”
Anika froze, “Spain?”
She rushed inside her room and closed the door.
Her father kept calling from outside “Anika, what happened?”
Anika replied “Nothing, I have a bad stomach”. She stood near the wash room door staring at the chocolate. Frederick jumped out from one of the nuts in the chocolate.
He said “Hola amiga! Su hermano Vivian está llegando a tomar”
(Hello friend. Your bother Vivian is coming to take you) and then disappeared.
Anika had begun to believe that all that transpired in Shillong was indeed a figment of her Imagination until Frederick resurfaced. She could not get any sleep in the night and restlessly walked in the house. Everyone else had slept. She went to the kitchen to have water. Anika’s house was on the tenth floor of the building and the kitchen had a glass window, which faced the sky. As she drank water, she noticed that the sky was pitch dark and there were no stars to be seen. It was a New Moon night. She heard a bee buzzing around her. She irritably turned to locate it but could not find the bee. The buzzing sound continued to alarm her. She strained her ears to locate the bee. To her dismay, she realized that it wasn’t a bee but a voice traveling from the firmament.
It said “Anika, my daughter, come fast, your mother is tired! Come fast!”
Anika was so frightened that she began to weep. She ran to the bedroom and covered her face with a blanket and howled. Her life had changed and no one was ready to believe that.

If you have missed the story please read the recap of the book in left hand panel.

Chapter 2
Chapter 2: Anika meets Vivian.

It was pouring outside but the rain did little to assuage Anika’s upset mood. The re-appearance of Frederick and the familiar painful voice from the Moon contributed in tarnishing her frame of mind. Anika’s mother was very worried seeing her state and took the two girls to join the theater classes.
The hall of the theatre was inundated with students chirping excitedly for their new found hobby. Miss Annie, the play director walked in smiling. Her small pretty face flushed colour as the heels of her pointed red shoes made the ‘knock’ sound. She welcomed everyone and then introduced the play to the children. It was called the ‘Return of the thief’, based on a children fantasy story book. Radhika was selected for the main lead to be the Princess while Anika played a cameo role as the confidant of the thief. Everyone spent a week rehearsing the play which was to be showcased on the coming Saturday. Days went by and with them took away Anika’s wretched state. She loved the practice sessions. Saturday came fast bringing with it the excitement of presenting the play. The girls hurriedly dressed up. Anika’s one eye was darkened with black colour to give her the guise of a thief while Radhika looked stunning as the Princess. Miss Annie introduced the play to the audience and then called Radhika to start the first Act. Anika was nervously peeping from the backstage, waiting for her turn. On the stage, the thief had entered the Princess’s room and it was now Anika’s turn.

Four years back when I decided to quit my six years banking career and start as an entrepreneur, most of my friends discouraged me from starting a tourism company. The premise they gave was that there are too many travel companies in India, infact four in every street in any city in India.