The Last We Met

Once in a while, I stand watching the rain pour and make some tea for myself,

Not knowing why but I like the stillness of rain and small changes it brings on the street- whether I see the street hawkers cover their vegetables or the street dog run towards a refuge, kids cover their head with school bags and their moms covering them with their saree, such a sweet gesture I believe. In an attempt to dodge the water puddle which gathered while an ago, she makes her kid take an involuntary jump but he purposely splashes the water totally making her pissed at him. In the corner of the street there is a tea stall which is crowded most of the days except for Tuesdays, today there are more people gathered smoking cigarettes. College kids stand in a circle as if they are part of a Raw agency, which makes no sense at all. I look it’s all wet and I wonder that’s the beauty of it. I saw few kids running with a bat also no wonder where.

I completed my tea and I stubbed my cigarette discreetly so my mother doesn’t see why I take so much time upstairs, I saw something shining in the front of the building, I immediately looked carefully I mean I looked with observation.

She wore a saree and a bindi on top of it. There was a bag kept aside, her payal making a sweet mellifluous sound, yes I could hear from other building. She was drenched and her waist was exposed, she cared less as she didn’t know I was looking at her from front. She even slipped once and giggled like a kid and resume dancing. I forgot everything and her every move was as graceful like a peacock.

The next day, I sat downstairs pretending to write something just to see her glimpse, but no sign of her. As few days passed, I didn’t notice her anywhere in the premises.

I happen to forget her image and it didn’t matter much as I got busy with my work. On one such tiring day, I came home early and I lay on the bed just for a while. I felt or heard water flowing beneath my leg and I immediately woke up, the room was dark and there was water all over, to my surprise I saw peacocks loitering around which I didn’t believe. Only when one of them flew dodging me did I finally come to terms with it.

I took a few steps approaching the other room, I saw a girl holding one of the peacocks and feeding her, her face was not visible, her long hair was touching the ground, for some reason I could not talk, I stretched my hand to touch her shoulder. I was near her, it horrified me, her body liquidated. I immediately ran, she was standing against the door facing the other side. I was never before more frightened than this day, sweat was all over the body and I heard a loud noise.

I woke up to a dream and it was 6 am, I checked my watch once again and time was the same.

Although it was a Sunday I just couldn’t sleep thereafter, the nightmare kept on repeating.

Though everything diminishes the mind after a bad dream, I still wanted to see who that girl really was.

Once again I stood on the terrace thinking of seeing her again, but it was empty. Somewhere I was more confused than certain, it changed something in me, I was desperate and inquisitive to really know who she really is and who is the girl in my dream bothering me.

I came about to do some research as to why my imagination is all about her which is making me crazy.

I went to the building to ask her whereabouts, it seemed nobody knew anything about her. Apart from the fact, the last floor is empty and it’s been 3 years nobody occupied that place.

After a point, I started to think that maybe it was all just my imagination but I couldn’t believe that everything was a mere illusion and it was not real. I summoned the courage to walk up to the same apartment to see what really is inside, I felt a sense of abandonment for that place, the doors were locked, the lock had an old look, it was never changed. I looked inside from a small hole on the door, it was all dust and it was obvious that nothing really been repaired or changed. I got disappointed, but there was some story hidden there.

Few months passed and life went on and my investigation didn't really work. I forgot everything and got busier than usual but one particular afternoon I went to the terrace for a smoke. To my surprise, I saw the same girl standing on the cliff of the building, her clothes were torn, there where bruises on her hands. I wanted to help her, so I yelled so loud, but she was more focused on looking down than elsewhere. I immediately ran to the other building and ran to the lift but it was shut. I chose the stairs and tried reaching the top, out of breath.

Somehow I managed to reach up there, I gathered courage and started taking small gasps of breath.

I took small steps to reach behind her back so she could not see me, the wind was heavy and I felt a lump in my throat as I was approaching near. I could feel the end of something, perhaps my body knew something is going to end today. I reached the brink and I couldn’t find her there, I looked down there was nobody. I felt a huge hit at my back, by the time I opened my eyes I saw people looking down at me, I could feel the pain but there was something which was leaving. I felt lighter. Finally, I saw clearly my disembodied body lying on the ground. For a moment I was aghast but it felt like a bubble to float and see myself, I even tried to enter my body but it was broke badly.

She was standing on the other side of the road with a kid, I looked at my wife and smiled.