(A/N):
Drop a here that you find funny. Or reflects your mood.
Guys I hope you put more comnts and power stones... Which will encourage ...
....
After Two Weeks...
The atmosphere around the Mumbai Indians camp had changed dramatically over the previous two weeks.
The team that had looked unstoppable at the start of the tournant suddenly found itself struggling.
One loss beca two.
Two beca three.
Then four consecutive defeats arrived like a storm.
The confidence that had been flowing through the dressing room after the Chennai victory had slowly begun fading.
Even senior players looked frustrated.
Nobody liked losing.
Especially not a squad filled with international stars.
The current standings only made things worse.
After ten matches:
5 Wins
4 Losses
1 No Result
The abandoned match against the Deccan Chargers due to heavy rain had denied them an opportunity to earn valuable points.
Now the mathematics had beco simple.
The next four matches would decide everything.
Three wins would almost guarantee a playoff spot.
Two wins would force them to depend on net run rate.
Anything less could end their campaign entirely.
Recognizing the growing pressure,
Nita Ambani personally decided that the players needed sothing different.
Not more etings. Not more strategy sessions.
Not more practice.
They needed to relax.
Recharge.
Beco a team again.
So the managent arranged a short getaway at one of the finest beach resorts along the South African coast.
The mont the players arrived, the atmosphere imdiately improved.
For the first ti in weeks there were no discussions about batting averages, bowling plans, qualification scenarios, or team combinations.
Instead there were beach gas, swimming, barbeque setups, music, and endless friendly banter.
Even the coaching staff appeared more relaxed.
At one point Harbhajan Singh and Lasith Malinga nearly started an argunt over a beach football match.
anwhile Sachin sat under a shaded area laughing while watching the younger players behave like school children.
Naturally, Karuppu was right in the middle of the chaos.
Currently, a large beach volleyball ga had broken out.
Players from multiple groups mixed together.
The competition had beco surprisingly serious.
Especially because bragging rights were involved.
On one side:
Karuppu, Saurabh Tiwary, Rahane, and Duminy.
On the other:
Dwayne Smith, Harbhajan, Zaheer, and a support staff.
The ga had beco intense enough that spectators were gathering nearby.
Then ca disaster.
Dwayne Smith jumped for a smash.
The West Indian replacent, who had joined after Bravo's unfortunate groin injury during training, absolutely hamred the ball.
The spike flew like a missile.
Everyone watched.
The ball sailed over the boundary rope.
Over a hedge.
Over another fence.
And disappeared.
The entire group stared at the disappeared ball.
In Silence.
"...."
"...."
"...."
Then Harbhajan imdiately pointed at Smith.
"Your ball."
Smith pointed back.
"Your set."
The argunt began instantly.
anwhile Karuppu simply shook his head.
"I'll get it."
The others gratefully accepted.
A few minutes later he reached the neighboring property.
Unlike the large resort occupied by Mumbai Indians, this place was smaller.
But clearly expensive.
A beautiful private beach house.
Well-maintained gardens.
Private access to the shoreline.
And enough security to suggest wealthy guests were staying there.
At the entrance stood a security guard.
Karuppu approached politely.
"Excuse ."
The guard looked up.
"Our volleyball went over the fence."
"It landed sowhere inside."
"Can I get it back?"
The guard nodded and walked inside briefly.
A few minutes passed.
Then he returned empty handed.
"No ball."
Karuppu frowned slightly.
"It definitely ca this way."
The guard shrugged his shoulders.
"Couldn't find it."
Karuppu glanced toward the property.
The area was fairly large.
Plenty of bushes.
Palm trees.
Garden decorations.
The ball could easily be hidden sowhere.
"Then can you open the gate?"
"I'll find it myself."
The security guard imdiately shook his head.
"No."
"Need permission."
Karuppu remained patient.
"Can you call whoever rented the place?"
The guard sighed and pulled out a phone.
Several attempts followed.
No answer.
Again.
No answer.
Again.
Still nothing.
"...."
Eventually the guard lowered the phone.
"No response. No entry."
Karuppu looked mildly annoyed now.
Not angry. Just annoyed.
The ball couldn't have vanished into thin air.
Trying another approach, he smiled slightly.
"I'm actually a cricket player."
Maybe recognition would help.
The guard stared at him.
"...."
Expression completely unchanged. Then replied.
"So what?"
Karuppu blinked seeing the non interested stare.
"...."
The guard folded his arms.
"I still can't let strangers inside."
For a few seconds neither spoke.
Then the guard added how strict he was.
"Actor?"
"No."
"Cricketer?"
"No."
"President?"
"No."
"No permission. No entry."
For the first ti in several weeks, Karuppu found himself completely defeated.
Not by bowlers. Not by pressure.
Not by opponents.
But by a security guard doing his job perfectly.
Back at the beach, the volleyball players continued waiting.
Completely unaware that their missing ball had created a far tougher challenge than any IPL match.
anwhile, sowhere inside the beach house grounds...
Hidden behind a cluster of decorative bushes...
The missing volleyball sat quietly.
And not very far from it, soone had already noticed both the ball...
...and the unusually persistent young Indian cricketer standing outside the gate.
Inside the rented beach house,
The mont the security guard inford the owner that the young Indian cricketer wanted to retrieve a volleyball,
The security just gave a another try and the call connected.
The girl sitting near the balcony window raised an eyebrow as she looked through the balcony.
And The na alone had caught her attention.
Karuppu.
The sa fellow.
The exact sa fellow.
The one responsible for turning her father into a grieving cricket fan for nearly three days.
Emma imdiately rembered the match.
The sixes.
The ridiculous shots.
The poor fate of her father's favorite Andrew Flintoff.
And most importantly...
Her father's expression afterward.
She had never forgotten it.
A smile slowly appeared on her face.
"Let him in."
The security guard nodded imdiately.
After all, she was the one renting the beach house.
A few monts later the gate opened.
Outside, Karuppu looked mildly surprised.
The guard who had been treating him like a potential criminal a minute ago suddenly stepped aside.
"You may enter."
Karuppu blinked caught off guard.
That was unexpected.
Still, a volleyball was a volleyball.
Without asking questions, he entered the property.
The gardens were larger than they appeared from outside.
Palm trees swayed gently in the sea breeze.
Decorative shrubs lined the pathways.
A small private swimming pool overlooked the ocean.
anwhile, upstairs inside the villa, Emma stood up.
"I'm going down."
Her father looked up from the television.
"Why?"
"The cricket fellow is here."
For a second Chris Watson didn't react.
Then realization struck. His eyes widened seeing the smirk on his daughter's face.
"The one from Mumbai?"
"The Flintoff destroyer?"
Emma rolled her eyes hearing the ridiculous nickna her father cos up with.
"Yes."
Chris imdiately stood up.
"Right."
"I suddenly feel very interested in eting him."
Emma laughed hearing his response.
"-Haha!!!"
"You want revenge."
"I want answers."
Chris corrected as he corrected his shirt.
"What kind of human being hits Flintoff like that?"
anwhile, completely unaware that he was being discussed upstairs, Karuppu continued searching through the property.
Eventually he spotted sothing white hidden behind a cluster of decorative bushes.
The volleyball.
"Found you."
Muttering quietly, he walked over.
Then crouched down.
One knee touched the ground.
His fingers reached toward the ball.
And froze suddenly.
A low sound reached his ears.
"Grrrrrrrr..."
Karuppu's hand stopped instantly.
"...."
Years of instinct scread at him.
Danger. Not human.
It's definitely a Animal.
Very close.
Then he felt it. A hot breath.
Hit him Directly against the side of his head.
Every tiny hair on his neck stood up.
"...."
Slowly... Very slowly...
Karuppu lifted his head.
And imdiately regretted everything.
A massive black face stared directly back at him.
Pitch black fur.
Huge jaws.
Powerful shoulders.
Intelligent eyes.
Not a normal dog.
Not even remotely.
A Great Dane.
And not a small one either.
The animal looked almost horse-sized from this angle.
Its head alone seed absurdly large.
The dog's deep growl vibrated through the air.
"Grrrrrrrr..."
For perhaps the first ti in several weeks...
Karuppu genuinely froze.
Not because he was afraid of fighting. Not because of danger.
But because he knew one universal truth.
You could punch a thug.
You could tackle a criminal.
You could even survive a bouncer from Flintoff.
But if you accidentally angered sobody else's giant dog...
Your day could beco very complicated.
The volleyball suddenly seed much less important.
Karuppu slowly glanced toward the ball.
Then back at the dog. Then back at the ball.
The Great Dane imdiately growled louder.
ssage received.
The ball belonged to the dog now.
At least temporarily.
For several long seconds, man and beast simply stared at one another.
Neither willing to move first.
Then from behind ca a feminine voice trying very hard not to laugh.
"-Fufu!"
"He's called Zeus."
Karuppu's eyes shifted toward the source.
Standing near the pathway was Emma Watson.
Her arms crossed. Her lips visibly twitching.
Doing everything possible not to burst out laughing at the sight before her.
A famous cricketer. A fearless fast bowler.
A man who had recently terrorized international bowlers.
Currently frozen motionless beside a volleyball.
Because a Great Dane had decided to claim ownership of it.
A few steps behind her, Chris Watson arrived.
One look at the scene.
And the Englishman imdiately started laughing.
Loudly. Very loudly.
"-Haha!!!"
"Flintoff couldn't stop you."
"But apparently Zeus can."
For the first ti since entering the property, Karuppu looked genuinely embarrassed.
And the Great Dane seed extrely pleased with itself.
Karuppu remained crouched beside the bushes for another few seconds even after Zeus had moved away.
Not because he was scared anymore.
Because his brain was still processing two separate shocks.
First.
A Great Dane almost the size of a horse had nearly adopted his arm as a chew toy.
Second.
The owner of the beach house was standing right in front of him.
And she happened to be Emma Watson.
For a mont he simply stared.
"...."
"...."
Then looked at Emma.
Then at Chris Watson.
Then back at Emma again.
The realization finally settled.
The famous Hermione Granger.
Even though Harry Potter movies were still continuing, her face had already beco recognizable almost everywhere.
Seeing his expression, Emma imdiately understood.
"There it is."
Karuppu blinked hearing her response.
"What?"
"The mont of recognition."
A smile appeared on her face.
"You finally figured out who I am."
Karuppu laughed awkwardly.
"-Hehe!!!"
"I was more distracted by your Zeus planning my funeral."
That imdiately made both Emma and Chris laugh.
anwhile Chris finally called out.
"Zeus!"
The massive dog imdiately abandoned his claim over the volleyball and trotted toward his owner.
Karuppu let out a dramatic sigh of relief.
"Thank God."
He carefully picked up the ball.
Then stood and walked toward them.
"Thank you."
"Seriously."
"Another ten seconds and I would've donated a few kilos of muscle to him."
Chris laughed loudly.
"-Haha!!!"
"Oh, he's harmless."
Karuppu looked at Zeus.
"...."
Then looked back at Chris.
"That's exactly what people say before becoming news headlines."
Even Emma burst out laughing at that.
"-Haha!!!"
The atmosphere relaxed imdiately afterward.
*******************************
(Author note:)
I hope you guys give your opinion and idea's.
-->
Don't forget to review guys...
User Comments
0 comments from readers