The pigments were warm,dark and brown. All of them came together to form a skin which never captured layman's eye. Dark was beautiful, brown was epic. Also, there were coral pigments that only appeared when elation followed the mood, all of them hand in hand, cheering and dancing. Such was Maisa's skin. In a young little body she conquered countless battles and lost some!

She dwelled in the part of world that was still pure, a place located in northernmost part of Punjab, a village, that was one of a kind in Pakistan. That's what Maisa knew her hometown was, her world, the only world she had seen. She lived there with her grandmother and her papa, more with her grandmother, her Bibi.

She was fascinated by the little presents nature had to offer. The well, where Bibi and the little miracle went everyday to fetch fresh drinking water. And Bibi an example of bravery beautifully balanced three pitchers at a time along with chatting with other women of her age. The well was surrounded by ridges with contorted trees where sat the wood pecker creating inaudible sounds. A steep path was the way to well. lThere were guava trees where sat blue-throated Barbet hiding as if it never belonged.

'Maisa, come hold my hand', said Bibi with a smile as luminous as the full moon. Her eyes were always filled with an unknown hope. The hope that remained for Maisa after Maisa's mama passed away. The hope for her better future. Bibi poured all her love in Maisa'a heart so that she never feels alone. Papa kept working tirelessly to make little amount of money to run their household. Mama died of Breast Cancer but she was brave and Maisa had to be brave as well because she was her mother's reflection.She knew little about mama and that little knowledge was treasure she never wanted to let go of! Maisa's favourite were starry nights when she gazed at the brightest star 'Sirius', she thought it was her mother. When she looked at it , even the moon and other stars blurred in the background focusing at the brightest star, the only one. One day after a hot tiring day, she laid next to Bibi and said,' Bibi, you seem like a ray of sunshine in a dark four walled room'. Upon hearing this a shine crossed Bibi's face. Bibi hugged her granddaughter tightly and asked her to sleep with her.

Later that morning, Maisa woke up on hearing mourning and cries hinting her that it is the time that she has to find another star.