Storytelling: Rama in New York part 2

"Rama... seriously where are you...?"

I literally cannot take this much longer.  I've been trapped in this stupid stinky warehouse for like eight days.  I could easily free myself from this little enclosure, but it would be a lot easier if my stupid boyfriend Rama would just hurry his butt up and get here to help me out.  I just need a distraction, and someone strong, but there is nothing here to help me. 

So this is basically what happened: Rama had a brother who got into drugs, killed their rich CEO father to pay a debt, framed Rama- who then went to jail, and then Rama framed a girl who came to see him (the sister of the drug dealer that his brother owed a debt to) and then he was released.  Unfortunately, now the big scary guy that is brother owed money, Ravana, has kidnapped me and he thinks he is gonna keep me here forever until I say I will do whatever he wants- which is NOT gonna happen.  I'm a smart girl, and I can find my way out of here- however, what I have in smarts I lack in strength, so I still need Rama's help.  He will be here any minute though.  When I got kidnapped I dropped jewelry from my piercings on the ground and I am sure he will find the trail and easily find me- then the real fun will begin. 

Jewelry Online Design

Wait... what was that noise??

"Sita!!"

What?? Where was that coming from?? It was his voice but I couldn't see him! "Rama?? Where are you??" I harshly whispered. 

"I'm up here!" He yelled from the ceiling- he had snuck in through a small hole in an air duct and he was crawling on the beams in the high ceiling.  "I'm going to go after Ravana- here use this knife to free yourself and we will get out of here" He said, dropping me a small pocket knife I could use to cut the ties around my feet. 

Rama crawled through the beams to the next room where Ravana was, and I could see through the crack in the door what was happening.  Rama was way outnumbered- there were like 7 big guys besides just Ravana.  But Rama had the advantage- he was a good shot and they still didn't know that he was there.  Unfortunately Rama is a boy and he is not the brightest- he jumped down into the middle of the circle and went directly for Ravana.  All of Ravana's henchmen grabbed at Rama and before he knew it he was no longer winning. 

I knew I had to do something- so I looked around the room for things to use.  I found some pretty heavy old pieces of machinery that I could use to throw at the guys holding Rama back.  I did, and fortunately it hit them both hard enough and in the right spot, and they passed out.  Rama took this advantage and pulled out his gun.  Like I said- he was a good shot, so he hit Ravana right away, but it took several shots to take him down.  We were going to quickly take care of the henchmen and get out of there- but as soon as Ravana was dead, they all surrendered.  Turns out that Ravana had kidnapped the majority of them, or they had owed him debts and they were happy to see him gone. 

Eventually Ravana's sister got herself out of jail in the same way that Rama did- she made a plea deal for information on some other big drug guy in New York City.  We made sure we didn't see her again- we moved across town and changed our names.  We haven't really been bothered lately by anyone and it has been pretty nice.  Rama's remaining brother, Lakshmana, has taken over his father's old company, and he has so much money he doesn't know what to do with it all- so he takes care of us and we provide him with safety from the bad people in NYC.  It worked out pretty well overall- we are all happy and I am just SO glad that we got out safe from the threat of Ravana.  I'm sure Rama and I will run into more challenges- but there's nothing we can't handle!

AUTHOR'S NOTE:  This story is based on the second half of Nayaran's Ramayana (Link to Reading Guide).  The names have been kept the same, and some of the plot ideas, but the story has been twisted to a New York City setting.  My version of the story has two parts- the first part can be found under week 2 storytelling on my blog. 

Reading Notes: The Ramayana Part D

Narayan's Ramayana: Link to Reading Guide

Stack of Magical Books Pixabay

Obviously Rama will fight Ravana, but should Sita save herself or should she be saved by Rama and his brother and team?  I think I will continue with the version of the Ramayana that I started in last week's post and I will create it from the point of view of Sita being held captive by Ravana.  Once again, the names will stay the same, but the details and setting will change. 

Rama and Ravana fight and Rama sends a sword to cut off the heads of Ravana, but every time he cuts off a head, another one grows back.  The fight gets desperate and Ravana faints and Rama calls the fight off until he feels better.  When it resumes, Ravana is desperate for help in any form and uses anything he can as a weapon against Rama. 

Ravana has a weak point in his heart, and that is where Rama strikes him to win. 

Rama wins Sita back but says they cannot be together since she has been alone with another man.  She jumps in the fire, proving her loyalty and they can be together again.  Maybe this can correspond to some sort of fire in my story as well. 

I think I will continue my story from the point of view of Sita and I will involve the character Hanuman as well.  It will parallel some of the fighting but it will have some changes.  The fire will be involved, the weapons will be changed to more modern weapons, and the ending will be similar.  The setting will be New York City. 

Reading Notes: The Ramayana part C

Narayan's Ramayana: Link to Reading Guide

Book and Flowers Pixabay

Vali- Sugreeva's brother-forced out his brother and stole his wife (monkey)

Sugreeva- Vali's brother- forced to leave his community by his brother (monkey)

Hanuman- giant monkey- goes to try to help save Sita

Rama

I may want to continue my story from last week, or I might start something completely new.  I want to see how this book ends, so after reading 2 I will know for sure.  Meanwhile in section C of the book, here are some good ideas to go off of: 

The concept of 7.  It says that Rama shot an arrow that went through 7 worlds, seas, and 7 trees. 
The concept of a really powerful arrow. 
Dundubi- a monster/demon who looks like a buffalo
Sita dropped her jewelry down to show where they were taking her

It is interesting how the men in this book will not listen to their wives but sometimes the wives are smarter.  It would be fun to write something from the perspective of the women in the story.  There are a lot of strong women in this section of the book.  I also wonder what Sita would be thinking and doing on her end to try to get back to Rama.  Although she is portrayed as beautiful and not much else, I am sure she would not be as helpless as the book makes her out to be.  Maybe she is a really strong and powerful woman.  Maybe she has secret training to get out of situations like this.  She was a princess after all, maybe she was raised with secret talents to help keep her safe and to prepare her to help lead a city.  Maybe I will write this as a reflection of the last story I wrote using the New York City Sita, or maybe I will use this book more directly. 

The Rakshasa women guard Sita and try to frighten her.  She is wearing rags and dust and does not let them intimidate her.  Sita refuses the advances of Ravana and gives Hanuman her last piece of jewelry to give to Rama.