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Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Tears from a wounded sky...

Jagged bolts of lightning criss-crossed the sky like two Jedi warriors battling it out with their light-sabres. Dark, menacing crowds gathered together and rumbled threateningly. Suddenly, without warning, the rain came. It was as if the heavens were trying to wash the earth clean of mankind's sins.

People ran helter-skelter, trying to shield themselves, trying to seek shelter underneath the nearest canopy they could find. He watched from his window, his lips curling in an amused smile, as he enjoyed their misery. He watched, as he always did, when She alighted from her 6.00 pm bus, and walked home.

Today, he had to look out just a little bit longer, because the normally crazy Bangalore traffic does get crazier when it rains. Anyway, the bus arrived at 6.15 pm. She took a little longer than usual to get down, because it was pouring like there was no tomorrow.

She wasn't carrying an umbrella, and he smiled at her futile gesture of trying to protect herself against the sheets of rain by holding her hand above her head. It was like using a straw to protect oneself against the wind.

He moved away from the window, and decided to brew some hot tea, so that she could relax after coming in. By the time she walked home, the tea would be ready. She'd greet him with her customary smile, and he'd smile back at her. He decided to change quickly, before she came in. Since she had the other key, she would obviously be able to let herself in.

By the time he changed and got back, he found the teacup still there, filled to the brim, with the tea grown cold. He frowned. Where was she? Oh, she must've gone to the nearby bakery, to get his favourite muffins. He smiled and shook his head - she was so thoughtful!

But after 15 minutes, there was still no sign of her. He was starting to get worried now. Maybe, she was sheltering at the bus stop itself, trying to protect herself from the torrential downpour. He couldn't see her there. A couple of frantic calls to her mobile phone elicited no response. He went back to the window to see if he could spot her.

There seemed to be some kind of hold-up there, quite a traffic jam. There were vehicles honking, some people gesticulating wildly, and speaking in angry tones. Someone seemed to be grabbing the collar of the driver of a truck that was parked lopsidedly across the street. He silently cursed Indian traffic and drivers who lost patience at the slightest of incidents.

But, this didn't seem like a normal traffic jam that is all too reminiscient of our cities. There seemed to be someone lying on the ground. His heart skipped a beat as he realised that it was a female form. He pushed some unpleasant thoughts out of his mind, and continued to peer out into the darkness. If only, he wasn't bound to his wheelchair!!

Could it be her? NO! His mind shouted. She had no business to be there, nearly an hour after she was supposed to be home.

He sank against the curtain, as he caught a glimpse of a battered body, and a wrist that wore the silver bangle that he had got her last week, for her birthday.

No one saw the chocolate muffin roll into a gutter and flow away with the rain water.

The rain continued to fall, like tears from a wounded sky, even as the wind wailed like a soul in distress.

16 comments:

Indrajoy TBA- The Born Attitude said...

Some wounds never heal, they go with us to our deathbeds.... we may face it in our life somehow, but we can't run away from it......Nicely Written Sumit!!!does make a lot of sense if taken in a bigger picture!

Indrajoy

Abhi said...

whoa! m a fan! :)

very well written.. its great how u capture essence of each and every emotion and thought, it feels so real at times.. :)

Kadambari said...

This was written wonderfully! I didn't know you were a story teller. What narration! :)

Sumit said...

@TBA... thanks! I'm glad it makes sense :D

@Abhishek...thanks bro :)

@Kaddu... I didn't know I was a story-teller either. :)

MangoMan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
MangoMan said...

got goosebumps at da sight of da word "wheelchair"...dat says it all...masterpiece!

Ninja said...

honest opinion - loved it! but go a
bit less on the adjectives & phrases

:)

Sumit said...

@Bunty aka Varun... thanks!

@Ninja... thanks for the comment and the advice. I'll keep that in mind in the future. :)

Anonymous said...

"A couple of frantic calls to her mobile phone elicited no response. He went back to the window" - My heart stopped at this part, sensing trouble. It didn't prepare me for the wheelchair though :(

& Whooaa!!! Thanks for commenting on my blog. Cause that comment lead me here & I am sold :))

I'm a follower too!!!

Sumit said...

Thanks Choco... btw, I was already a follower of your other blog. :)

I discovered the new one just today, and 'Cattitude' was brilliant. :D

N said...

You should totally write stories more often. The shift happens at just the right moment and the emotions are always brilliantly captured. :)

Tangerine said...

u r a born story teller. i can't wait to read the next one.

Dazediva said...

A fantastic read ! I love the way you have captured the essence behind the rain storm and tears of loss ... Keep up the great work !

Sumit said...

@Nikita.... thanks a lot!

@Tang... thank you! Coming from someone who writes nicely herself, that's high praise! :)

@Divya... thanks again. :)There was a rainstorm the other days, and somehow the beginning to this story just appeared... then, the rest wove itself around it.

Me said...

Hmmm. The story came out at the right time..glad didn't wait to pen it down...
:)
As Tangy said, the way u put it..it makes the reader feel the emotions..raw n fresh..as if it's happening to self...

Prateeksha said...

Brilliantly crafted.. Hats off!