A day outside my slum

Well this story is what I had dreamt one day.

I lived in a small, cramped house in a slum, a place I had always hated. All I ever wanted was to escape, to leave behind the suffocating streets and bleak surroundings. But no matter how much I despised it, I was trapped here, forced to stay.

I had never set foot outside the slum—not even once. My parents forbade it, claiming they were terrified of losing me. Their fear felt irrational, but their rules were absolute. Adding to the confinement were the tall, imposing walls that surrounded the entire area, cutting us off from the outside world.

The walls had small, narrow openings that allowed people to come and go, but these were closed most of the time, guarded as though our slum was a fortress. I couldn’t understand the purpose of those walls. Why were they even there? What was so dangerous about this place—or worse, what lay beyond it?

The more I thought about it, the more restless I became. The isolation was maddening, and the secrecy surrounding our confinement only deepened my frustration. What were my parents so afraid of? And what was the world outside the walls that I was never allowed to see?

The thing I despise most about this slum is the people. They’re all so nosy, constantly poking their noses into my business as if my life is their entertainment.

One of the worst offenders is Atul. He’s tall, muscular, and built like a tank—easily three or four years older than me. Atul seems to think he has some kind of right to a running commentary on my daily life.

“Where are you going?”

“What are you eating?”

“How many hours did you sleep?”

“Who did you meet today?”

His questions never stop. It’s like he’s obsessed with knowing every little detail about me. Sometimes I feel like I’m living under surveillance, with Atul acting as the self-appointed investigator of my life. It’s maddening, and yet, no matter how much I try to ignore him or brush him off, he always finds a way to corner me.

The one thing I genuinely like about this slum is my best friend. She’s the only reason I manage to stay sane in this suffocating, chaotic place. Her name is Anisha, but I call her Ani. She’s the kindest, most genuine person I’ve ever met, and having her around feels like a lifeline in this otherwise unbearable world.

Ani shares my disdain for this slum. Just like me, she dreams of leaving it all behind. Over countless late-night conversations, we made a pact: once we’re old enough, we’ll leave this place together and never look back. That promise, that shared hope for a better future, is the one thing that keeps us both going.

One day, I found myself wandering aimlessly around the slum. Ani was sick with a fever and couldn’t come out to play, leaving me to spend the day alone. Going back home didn’t appeal to me either—the cramped walls of our tiny house always made me feel suffocated. My parents wouldn’t care where I was, as long as I stayed within the slum’s boundaries.

As I strolled near the imposing walls, my eyes caught sight of something unusual—a small opening, unguarded and left ajar. I froze, staring at it as a mix of curiosity and longing bubbled within me. Should I step outside? I asked myself. For as long as I could remember, I’d dreamed of exploring the world beyond these walls.

At that moment, reason took a back seat to the impulsiveness of a 14-year-old girl. This was my chance—my one and only opportunity to break free, even if just for a little while. Heart pounding, I stepped through the opening, leaving behind the grim familiarity of the slum.

With nothing but my ragged clothes and bare feet, I walked into the unknown, the weight of the walls lifting off my shoulders. For the first time, I felt a sliver of freedom—a taste of the world that had always been just out of reach.

As soon as I stepped beyond the walls, it was like entering an entirely different world—one I had only dreamed of. The people here were immaculate, wearing clean, neatly pressed clothes that seemed to shimmer in the sunlight. Some were dressed in elegant black outfits, formal and sophisticated, while others wore vibrant, colorful clothing that revealed glimpses of their skin. Their hair was perfectly styled, and they carried themselves with an effortless grace that made them seem almost unreal.

I walked among them, my eyes wide with awe. I had never seen anything like this before. Back in the slum, everyone wore tattered, mismatched clothing, and accessories were unheard of. Here, even the simplest passerby looked polished and put together.

As I took in my surroundings, I became painfully aware of my own appearance. My ragged clothes hung loosely on me, faded and worn from years of use. My feet, bare and calloused, stood out against the gleaming shoes and sandals of the people around me. For the first time, I felt a wave of self-consciousness wash over me. I was out of place here, a stark contrast to the perfection around me.

And yet, I couldn’t help but feel exhilarated. This was the world I had longed to see—the world beyond the walls. Despite my unease, I couldn’t stop myself from exploring further, drawn in by the unfamiliar beauty all around me.

I wandered aimlessly, letting my feet guide me as I soaked in the sights of this unfamiliar world. Everywhere I looked, there was something new and fascinating—things I had never even imagined. People carried strange electronic devices in their hands, tapping and swiping on glowing screens as though they held the key to another realm.

Above me, massive banners and screens displayed vibrant commercials, their images shifting and flashing with a liveliness that left me mesmerized. They advertised everything from food to gadgets to things I couldn’t even begin to understand.

And then there were the shops. Rows upon rows of them lined the streets, each one unique, offering an endless variety of goods. Clothing stores with mannequins dressed in dazzling outfits, bakeries with the smell of freshly baked bread wafting through the air, and stalls selling trinkets that sparkled in the sunlight—it was overwhelming.

Back in the slum, we had only one shop, a tiny, dusty place that sold the bare essentials. But here, there seemed to be a store for everything you could ever need—and many things you didn’t but wanted anyway.

I felt like a fish out of water, yet I couldn’t stop myself from walking further, my curiosity pulling me deeper into this bustling, vibrant world.

As I continued walking, I eventually stumbled upon a large, vacant ground. A group of children, seemingly around my age, were scattered about, chatting and laughing. The moment they spotted me, their eyes scanned me from head to toe, and I felt a wave of insecurity wash over me. My ragged clothes, messy hair, and bare feet made me painfully aware of how out of place I looked.

One of the children, a girl slightly older than me, stepped forward. Her kind eyes softened as she approached.

"Um, do you need clothes and sandals? Did you... run away from home?" she asked gently.

Caught off guard, I hesitated, but then I nervously nodded.

"Wait here," she said with a reassuring smile. "I have some clothes that might fit you."

Before I could say anything, she turned and ran toward a large building in the distance. A few minutes later, she returned, holding a beautiful dark blue frock in one hand and a small bag in the other.

"Here, you can wear this," she said, holding the frock out to me.

"Are you sure you want to give me this?" I asked hesitantly, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Of course! It doesn’t fit me anymore, so you can have it. Oh, and here’s a bag with some more clothes that should fit you. And sandals—I brought those too." She handed me everything with a warm smile.

I clutched the items tightly, overwhelmed by her generosity. "T-thank you so much..." I stammered.

"No worries! My mom always says we should help those in need. By the way, what’s your name? And how old are you?"

"I’m Shriya," I replied softly. "And I’m 14 years old."

"Nice to meet you, Shriya. I’m Maya, and I’m 16. Now come on, let’s get you changed," she said, leading me toward the large building she had come from.

As we approached, I noticed a sign on the building that read Public Toilet - FEMALE. At first, I was apprehensive, but as soon as I stepped inside, I was stunned.

The interior was nothing like the grimy, broken-down structures I was used to in the slum. The place was clean and well-maintained, with rows of shining taps, pristine washbasins, and individual stalls for bathing and other necessities. Everything looked modern and organized, a stark contrast to what I had known my whole life.

For a moment, I just stood there, taking it all in. Maya gently nudged me. "Come on, let’s get you cleaned up and into something more comfortable," she said with an encouraging smile. Her kindness made my heart swell, and for the first time in a long while, I felt a glimmer of hope.

I took a warm bath in one of the stalls, surprised at how the tap water was hot. Back home, we had to heat it over a stove made of sticks, so this was a luxury I had never experienced before. I couldn’t help but wonder why we didn’t have such facilities in the slum. They even had soap and something called shampoo, a strange liquid that lathered up like soap but smelled so good. Maya explained that it was used to clean hair, and I couldn’t wait to try it.

After bathing and dressing in the clothes Maya had given me, I felt like a new person. She handed me the sandals, and I slipped them on. To my surprise, they fit perfectly.

"As I thought, this dress suits you so well," Maya said with a smile.

"Thank you," I replied, my voice soft but filled with genuine gratitude.

"So, do you want to play with us?" Maya asked eagerly, her eyes bright with excitement.

"Sure!" I answered without hesitation.

We headed toward the exit of the building, and as we walked, I noticed a mirror on the wall. I must have missed it when I entered. Curiosity piqued, I walked up to it and stared at my reflection.

"I... look so good," I thought, almost unable to believe it.

This was the first time I’d ever felt that way about myself. I had never been fond of mirrors, often avoiding them, but today was different. For the first time, I saw someone I could feel proud of. My reflection wasn’t just the ragged, insecure girl I once knew—it was someone who was starting to see her own worth.

I stood there for a moment, taking it all in, before Maya gently nudged me.

"Come on, let's go! The others are waiting!" she said with a grin.

I smiled back, feeling lighter, like I was stepping into a world that was just beginning to open up to me.

We walked out to the ground, and as soon as the other kids saw me, their expressions were filled with surprise. I couldn’t really blame them; after all, I was just as shocked when I saw myself in the mirror earlier.

Maya introduced me to the group, which consisted of five kids, not counting herself and me. For about an hour, we played the usual childhood games—tag, hide and seek, and others. It felt nice to just be a kid, laughing and running around without any worries.

Then, one of the boys spoke up.

"Hey, how about we go over there?"

"Where?" Maya asked, furrowing her brow.

"To the playground near the forest."

"What?! No!" Another one of the kids chimed in. "My mom told me not to go there."

"Well, whoever wants to come with me can follow. If you don't want to, you can head home," the first boy said, shrugging nonchalantly.

At his words, three of them hesitated, then decided to leave, heading back toward their homes. Now, only two boys, Maya, and I remained.

I realized I still didn’t know their names. In fact, I had been so caught up in everything that I hadn’t even asked. I wondered what their names were, but before I could ask, Maya gave me a playful nudge.

"Well, are you coming?" she asked with a grin, ready for the next adventure.

The one who had suggested going to the park spoke up first.

"If you're wondering, my name's Aryan, and I'm 15 years old."

The other boy introduced himself too.

"I'm Rohan, 14 years old."

After the introductions, we followed Aryan, who was leading the way to the park. We walked for about an hour, the ground beneath us changing as we left the bustling area behind. Finally, we reached a large, open field.

"Woah... this park is so vast!" I exclaimed, my eyes wide with wonder.

"There’s even more," Aryan said, his voice full of excitement. "I heard there’s treasure hidden somewhere here."

"Treasure? I don’t think so," Maya replied skeptically.

"I’ve never heard of treasure, but I’ve definitely heard of hyenas and tigers," Rohan added, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Don’t scare me!" Maya said, her voice slightly trembling.

Hyenas and tigers? Why would they be afraid of them? Aren’t animals supposed to be friends with humans? Maybe things were different here...

We continued walking, and eventually, we stumbled upon an abandoned building. Curiosity got the best of us, so we ventured inside. As we explored further, we came across a graveyard. We hurried past it, not wanting to linger too long in such a grim place. But as we walked, suddenly, we heard a loud roar—deep and powerful, unmistakably like the sound of a tiger.

Before I could process what was happening, Aryan grabbed my hand and whispered urgently,

"Run, it's a tiger!"

Without a second thought, all four of us took off, holding each other’s hands tightly. I was still confused about why we were running—after all, animals are our friends. Back home, we even kept them as pets.

It hadn’t been more than a minute when we suddenly came face to face with a group of hyenas.

"Shit... there’s nowhere to run now!" Aryan shouted, panic in his voice.

"Is this our last day...?" Rohan cried, his voice shaky.

"I don’t want to die..." Maya sobbed, her fear unmistakable.

The tiger and the hyenas continued to roar, their sounds echoing through the air as if they were waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

I stepped forward and imitated the soothing voice used to calm animals. Slowly, the tiger and hyenas grew calm, sitting down as I gently stroked their heads. One of the hyenas playfully nipped my leg, leaving a mark, but it didn’t hurt.

The others stood in shock, staring at me.

"No need to be afraid of them now," I said with a smile.

"Woah... How did you do that?" Aryan asked, his voice full of awe.

"My family taught me," I replied casually.

"You're like Snow White, talking to animals!" Maya exclaimed.

"Snow White? Who’s that?"

"You don’t know who Snow White is? Wait, let me tell you," Maya began telling me the story of Snow White.

We spent some time playing with the tiger and hyenas until I realized it was nearly 6 PM. The park would be closing soon, and I needed to leave.

"Guys, I have to go now..."

"Yeah, it’s already 6," Rohan said, glancing at his watch.

"Yeah, we should go too," Maya added.

"Today was so much fun. Thanks to you, Shriya," Aryan said with a smile.

"I had fun too! I’m really happy to have met you all!"

"It was nice meeting you too," all three of them said in unison.

"So... will you be coming tomorrow?" Aryan asked.

"I’m not sure when I’ll come back... but please, don’t forget me."

"How could we forget you? We’ll be waiting for you," Rohan said, his voice sincere.

"Yes, we’ll always remember you!" Maya added with a bright smile.

"We’ll be waiting for you," Aryan said, his eyes filled with promise.

With that, I bid them farewell and made my way back toward the slum’s walls, the bag of clothes tucked under my arm. As I walked, I couldn't help but think about Ani. I was eager to share everything with her—my adventure, the new clothes, and the excitement I felt. I wasn’t sure how she’d react, but I was certain she’d want to come with me next time.

By the time I reached my house, my mind was buzzing with the memories of the day—the new friends I’d made, the animals, and the freedom I’d tasted. It felt like a small step, but for the first time in a long while, I felt like something had changed.

(Well obviously this wasn't the exact dream, I remembered it vaguely so I improvised the story according to myself)