Chapter 5

The chapter starts with Anand having a bad dream when he is jerked out of sleep by his sister Meera calling him. At first Anand thinks that he has just exchanged dreams for a happier one but then he realizes that Meera is actually talking. He looks over Meera's head and sees his mother smiling. Anand's mother then reluctantly admits that the old man was a Healer and that he did heal Meera. Anand then thinks that he must go immediately join him but then is again besieged by the fact that he cant leave his family. His mother sees his doubt and reassures him that it is OK to go. Anand then hurriedly gets ready and sets out. Only after he gets to the post office does he realize that he has never seen a rooming house around that area. Suddenly a girl emerges from between two stores. Anand peers down the gap and realizes that it is a pathway to another shop. He goes down and asks the man if this is a rooming house. The man replies in a snide tone that this is the parliment building and that's they're full anyway. When Anand asks if there is an old man staying there the owner says that a little money might jog his brain cells. Anand gives him a rupee and the owner is about to tell him when a cloud passes overhead and he just gives the rupee back and says to go away. As he walks back he sees the same girl sweeping the cobblestones singing a single line over and over again. On impulse he asks the girl about the old man and she beckons for him to follow her. They end up on the main road and she says that its safer to talk here with all the noise. She tells him how the old man left early that morning and told Panchu that a young boy named Anand might come looking for him. Anand interrupts exclaiming "That's me!" He asks her if she knew where the old man had gone and she says yes. He begs her to tell him and when she remains silent he pulls out the rupee again but she wrinkles her nose and says she doesn't work like that. Instead she says that she wants to come with them. Anand protests but the girls mind is set. As they walk to the train station ( where the old man went) the girl tells Anand about herself. But when he asks her her name she seemingly doesn't hear him saying that the station is just ahead and to hurry so they can find him.

There is only one word that can describe this authors writing style: awesome. I say this because the author makes me feel at home with this story even though i usually enjoy a lot more action. One line i especially liked was what the girl was singing " O ocean flower walled in white, how far are you from home?" I don't really know what appeals to me about this line but it feels to me like a excerpt from a great and beautiful poem.