Pause

My life is changing radically. So much to tell, so much to express. But I'll wait till order returns and I can think more clearly. I promise I'll again start posting when I figure out where my life is headed. Thank you all for your understanding and support.

Last Coffee

The streetlights whizzed past as I stared listlessly out of the window. Orko was driving as usual as Rohan gave him company in the front seat. Orko hated to drive sitting alone in the front row. He said that he felt like a chauffeur!

“So where are we headed?” asked Orko. I glanced at the rearview mirror which was our only way of having eye-contact while he was driving.

I shrugged, “I don’t know.”

“Let’s go somewhere to eat,” proposed Rohan popping the earphones of his i-pod from his ears. “I’m hungry.”

“You haven’t had your breakfast or lunch, have you?” I asked Rohan coldly. It was a daily routine of Rohan to skip breakfast after getting up at noon, and have second thoughts about lunch a few hours later. As a result he frequently suffered from stomach cramps.

“I woke up late and …,” Rohan started repeating his old hackneyed story.

“Yeah, and so you skipped lunch,” I finished for him with a sigh.

“I had Maggi,” Rohan tried to defend himself.

“Splendid!” Orko congratulated Rohan.

Rohan gave him a sarcastic smile.

“Ok, then let’s grab a bite,” I suggested.

“Sounds good to me,” replied Rohan. “Let’s take something from Monginis and head for…uhh…the classroom.” Rang De Basanti had really influenced us!

It wasn’t really a classroom. Actually it wasn’t even a school. It was just a college building (that’s what we had been able to make out of the building). Located behind the township in between huge fields it looked majestic. Leaning against the parked car we looked up at it, impressed. It towered over the neighbouring trees; its wide stairs seemed to beckon us to our college lives we were soon to enter; its tall walls and metal gate seemed to block out its modernism from the rustic surroundings.

“Man, it’s so…so…,” Rohan desperately tried to find an adjective.

“Awesome?” I recommended.

“Yes, exactly.”

We had been there many times but we never stopped getting amazed. As we munched away at our chicken sandwiches, a crisp wind blew from the field making the trees rustle to its tune.

“Man, it’s beautiful,” I added after a long silence taking in a deep breath.

“Yeah. I got to pee,” Orko said looking fervently around dusting his hands after finishing his sandwich.

I winced as Rohan kept on enjoying his sandwich blissfully. And Orko went on to search for the perfect place. He finally decided to do it in front of a small hut which was once a small tea-shop.

It just started to rain as we entered Café Coffee Day. Rohan surveyed the coffee house intently until he found the perfect place. Two couches by the huge glass wall which looked out at the street. Rohan and Orko sat at one couch as I sat on the opposite couch. Orko and I offered a Café Frappe each and Rohan decided to go for a Black Coffee. Actually Rohan had grown a strong distaste for Café Frappe after an unpleasant incident involving the drink and Rohan’s jeans.

The street outside glistened in the streetlights like a polished mirror as cars plied slowly. The pattering of rain was pleasing to the ear. Very few people were walking around not only because it was raining but also because it was pretty late at night. Our parents were used to us hanging around late at night. At first they had shown irritation but our common gift of persuasion had finally made them yield.

“So you are finally going to that university in Chennai?” Rohan asked sipping his hot coffee.

“I don’t know,” I shrugged. “Its counseling is coming up. Then only I can know. And what about you?”

Rohan smiled, “I thought I would stay in Kolkata. I’m not a terrorist like you.”

I laughed. Orko as usual went on to produce his famous hysterical laughter. Nearly everyone in the coffee house turned to look at us. But we were used to that. We ignored.

“Excuse me,” I called out to a waiter. “Can you give me a napkin?”

The waiter looked at me curiously for sometime before going away. After a while he came back and presented me what I asked for and said politely, “Here is your tissue paper.”

I gave him a cold stare as he smiled wryly at me and left. I turned around to see Rohan and Orko smiling.

“So where have you finally decided to go?” asked Rohan this time addressing Orko.

“I told you about Canada, didn’t I? Well I finally got my passport and have decided to go there,” Orko gave a triumphant smile.

Now I know I should have been happy for Orko. But somehow I felt otherwise. Rohan just stared at him disbelievingly. He leaned back on the couch thinking of God knows what.

“Good. Good for you,” I was finally able to say.

Rohan kept quiet. Orko sensed the tension and went back to his Café Frappe straw.

After a long time, Rohan finally spoke. “Are you sure? I mean it is cold out there.”

Orko and I both laughed incredulously at the joke. Rohan also smiled, though it looked unwilling.

“No, I mean it is damn cold there. You might end up freezing your balls!”

“Come on. He has enough fat to protect him,” I chipped in.

Orko looked offended but let me go.

“And…and you’ll only get frozen fish there,” Rohan tried to protest, mockingly.

We smiled at him.

“Come on, man,” Rohan went on. “What is the only way we can keep in contact? Chatting? Chatting is so damn superficial. What I mean to say is that having coffee in person is more fulfilling than chatting. This is a totally different feeling. You know what I mean?”

“Don’t get so upset,” Orko said. “We can still call up each other.”

“Yeah, but it won’t be like it is now. We…we…you know...I…I don’t know.”

I just listened to the conversation impassively. My mind had already gone for a spin. I had it all planned out. Orko had told us that he would be trying hard to stay in Kolkata. So I had planned to come from Chennai every holiday that I got. Then we could hang out together as usual. But it wasn’t to be. Nothing seemed usual anymore.

The conversation had ended by the time my reverie was over. Rohan had composed himself. The waiter had come to the table to take away our glasses and to place the bill in its leather cover on the table. I thought for a moment of a way to reduce the tension. The tissue paper was still right in front of me. The waiter had intentionally not picked it. So I took it and placed it in the bill’s cover along with the money. This was enough to bring a grin to everyone’s faces.

“Let’s discuss the pros and cons of Orko going to Canada,” Rohan started the conversation again.

“Cut it out man,” Orko protested as he slowly maneuvered the car expertly round wet corners.

“No, no, let’s do it. I’ve already given two points.”

“And I’ve one,” I finally spoke.

Orko gave a quick glance at me, a curious smile stuck to his face.

“You are not going to come back,” I said slowly.

Orko’s smile disappeared immediately. Rohan suddenly seemed to be dead still too. Damn it, I thought. We didn’t talk for a while as the rain kept battering away at the windshield.

“But finally my dream is coming true,” I tried to lighten up the mood. “You remember the plan I made about how we could change India? Well, Orko’s going to Canada and he will return a rich man. Rohan’s going to stay in Kolkata. What better place to become a good politician? And I’m going to become a scientist. I hope. Then we can team up and change India!”

But no one smiled.

I tried again. “Okay. Orko’s going in August. So what say we go to Goa for a few days?”

Rohan gave me an impressed look and Orko finally smiled, “That would be great.” Dil Chahta Hain had really influenced us!

New

Starting afresh was never my wish
But I'll have to let go of everything
With one last painful kiss.

Treasuring those memories forever
Won't be easy, but I will try
To always remember.

Tunes in my head will never fade
And colours will never dull; but still
New memories will be made.

Tugging and pulling at my heart always
Will you always remain even if
You forget all those days.

I'll follow my fate and so will you
But before I start, this I promise,
I'll come back when I'm through.

I'll come back for you
And we'll start anew.
I promise.
I hope.

Hope

Darkness all around me;
In search of light I roam;
Stumbling and falling down;
In search of light I roam.

Light inside me flickering;
Trying to protect and shelter it;
Flying away memories;
Trying to protect and shelter it.

Cold and dying hope;
But still holding on;
Long lost sunshine;
But still holding on.

Futile banging on the wall;
Harder and harder and harder;
Blood flowing down my wrists;
Harder and harder and harder.

Broken and empty heart;
Gathering the pieces;
Groping in the dark;
Gathering the pieces.

My First Novel: Chapter 8

Previous: Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7

8

For sometime we both kept quiet but she was the first to break the silence. “Isn’t it beautiful? The stars?” she asked. Her voice was amazingly sweet. “Yeah,” I replied still looking up at the sky. “What is your name? Are you new in this area?” she asked me, turning her head towards me. I looked back and replied, “My name is Jeet and I surely am new,” and extended my hand towards her with a smile. “I am Lisa,” she smiled and accepted my hand. Her hand felt warm against my cool palm.

“Well, we shifted here yesterday evening.”

“Yes, I saw your van pull up the road last evening.”

“Actually my father has been transferred here. Where do you live anyway?”

“Next door,” she said with a soft smile.

“Oh. Yeah, or else how could you have seen us? That was silly.” I smiled and gave myself a small pat at the back of my head.

“Do you come here often?” I asked.

“Well, sometimes. Like when I am in a bad mood.”

“Is your mood bad today?”

She smiled and said, “Well, I had a row with my elder brother today.”

“Your brother?”

“Damien. Anyway how did you come to know about this place? This place is very far away from the town.”

“I discovered this place today, in the morning. You know, I like ‘discovering’ places.”

“So how many places have you ‘discovered’ until now,” she asked, mockingly.

“Well, if you really want to know then I should say that I have discovered…ummm…at least ten places.”

“Like?”

“Like a well in the small forest behind our old house. And all such strange places.”

She laughed softly. “Have you ‘discovered’ anything else around here?”

“No, nothing else,” I replied, with a smile, “But I would like to explore.”

“I know some interesting places around. Would you like to explore them with me?”

“Be my guide.”

Next: Chapter 9

Don't Know What To Do

As I lie on the grass looking up at the moon,
Many thoughts cross my mind,
How we met, how you used to look at me,
How I would get tongue-tied whenever I saw you,
But it has all been left behind.

Now I am alone again.

Joy and pain strike my heart at the same moment,
As I glance around and see
The place where we would sit together;
You would keep on talking and I would gaze at you;
The bench under the tree.

Only what's now left is the pain.

You have gone away and refuse to talk to me,
Why - I don't have a clue.
You have left me alone in the darkness,
I feel so helpless like I haven't felt ever before,
I don't know what to do.

There was no aim in my life,
No reason to survive,
Before I saw your eyes;
From darkness it helped me rise.
I loved you with all my heart,
Then why did you depart?
Help me rain, save me rain,
Wash away the unending pain.

Nature: Sound of Silence

Listen to the sound of silence
Creeping through the night,
Wet by the silvery light.

The moon above is shining
Ruling over the sky,
The stars twinkling by.

Listen to the words the breeze is trying to speak,
Stay quiet; it's slow and weak,
It may be the answers that you really seek,
Listen to the sound of silence.

I'm calm and collected,
My heartbeat is slowing,
Soothing emotions flowing.

The breeze striking my face
Lets down a chill,
With a touch of heal.

The night reveals the nature's beauty,
The heart wants freedom and liberty,
The soul seeks the secret of eternity,
Listen to the sound of silence.

My First Novel: Chapter 7

Previous: Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6

7

At first it was fun but soon I grew tired and bored. I stood up and brushed the grass blades off my back and trousers and headed towards the moonlight-bathed tree. I sat under it resting my back against the trunk. The moonlight was filtering through the leaves above and small round fragments of moonlight fell on the ground beneath. I looked at the milky patches on the ground for sometime absent-mindedly.

Then I looked up towards the sky and took up the impossible task of counting the stars. When I just finished counting eighty-three stars I heard a distant noise - somewhat like the sound of bicycle wheels on the grass. I turned my eyes from the sky to my fore. I saw nothing, only the intensity of the sound increased. Then the bicycle and the rider came in view. At first I was not able to distinguish the face of the rider with the darkish sky in the background. But as the cycle came nearer I was able to recognize the cyclist as a girl who seemed to be of my own age.

She drove to the middle of the hill. She got down from the cycle and put down the stand and rested the blue bike on it. She began walking up to the tree under which I was sitting.

She was wearing a white top and a blue skirt, which was flapping a little. As she neared, her face became slowly and slowly clear. Suddenly she noticed me and stopped dead on her tracks. I was also taken aback by her sudden reaction and sat there, unable to move.

The moonlight illuminated her face. She was fair, just like the moon above. Her straight, shoulder-long, brown hair was dancing on her shoulder to the light, cool summer breeze and unveiled her ears a little, which were adorned by a pair of tiny sparkling earrings. Her lips dropped open a little but were pulled up immediately. Her deep blue eyes were fixed at my black eyes. I had a feeling of drowning in her eyes. I was unable to move my eyes away from hers. She had an enchanting stare! She kept looking at me. And I at her.

The twinkling stars behind her, above us, behind me and all around blinked at us and wondered at the sudden silence of the surroundings. It seemed as if the water had controlled itself from falling over the precipice; the river had suddenly stopped running and was standing still. It seemed as if the stars, the moon, the waterfall, the river, the valley, the hills, the mountains, the grass; everything around us was looking at us, at our silence, in astonishment. The world seemed to have stopped. And we, the only two living things on earth, had been made motionless by some ancient, incurable, eternal charm!

The breeze was the first to recover from nature’s sudden amazement; it blew her hair over her face, covering her eyes, ripping the strange ‘eye-bond’ apart. That is when the waterfall again lost balance and fell off the cliff; the river again began to run, tumbling on itself again and again. The world was back to normal; the magic was broken.

She brushed her hair off her face and then resumed walking towards me, though at a slower speed, and sat down beside me resting against the trunk. She kept quiet and looked up at the sky. I also resumed counting the stars (I had to start all over again).

Next: Chapter 8

Nature: Night

The winter night had already muffled any sign of civilization. The wind howled through the empty streets. The street lights seemed to shudder in the cold. The moon and her army of stars kept a wary vigil over the numb city. A sole dry leaf kept circling in the gust.

Raj stood staring down at the road from his window. He didn't seem to notice the beautiful picture the night was painting. He was lost in his own thoughts.

He had a story to tell.

My First Novel: Chapter 6

Previous: Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5

6

In the morning when I had last visited the hills I hadn’t taken much note of the road or the town, as the bliss of riding a bike with the breeze striking your face is distracting. But now the surroundings looked more impressive. Though the street was devoid of cars, I jogged along the footpath. There were big trees planted at regular intervals on the footpath. The street was well maintained with strategically placed dustbins. Nearly all the houses had beautiful gardens. Beautiful flowers, some known, some unknown adorned the flowerbeds of the gardens. Every flower now looked golden because of the setting sun. Some houses also had small garages.

Soon I reached the bridge. I stopped jogging and leaned on the rope railing as the wooden planks underneath my feet creaked. Everything was much clearer than it seemed last night. The river, which originated from the snow-capped mountains, flowed below. The bridge hung over the ravine between the town and the hill, cut out by the river. One side of the bridge looked upon the valley, which looked much nearer now (I wondered why). The waterfall could be seen more clearly from here.

I suddenly noticed that the sun had set and the stars were now quite bright. And so was the moon, shining above. The moonlight fell on the waterfall and made it look very mystic. I stood there enjoying the pleasing music around. The soft gurgling of the river beneath was a contrast to the faint roar of the faraway waterfall. The stars also looked enchanted by the soft melodious atmosphere.

In a little while I was again jogging towards the hill. The school came in view in a very short time. The silvery light of the moon had lightened up the school in a silvery paint. It looked beautiful! I jogged up further till the meadow came in sight. The grassy field now looked very different. It now had its own charm!

The hills all around looked pleasant. The faraway mountains were not visible anymore. It had mingled with the dark, deep-blue night sky. The darkness had crept over the valley and it looked soothing. The lake beneath was reflecting the moon. The moon glistened along with the stars in the middle of the lake; while on the other side of the valley the swift-flowing river frantically mirrored it. It looked as though a colossal diamond was shining and a river of pearls was flowing across a greenish heaven.

I sat on the grass in the open. The earth was breathing heavily, hot with fatigue, whilst the wind tried to cool it down. The oak tree looked like a tree of precious gems as the moonlight reflected off the leaves, watered by the evening dew.

I laid flat on my back looking up at the sky. Numerous stars, blinking down at me, studded the sky. The moon was right at the middle of the sky in between the twinkling stars. Faint white strokes of the Milky Way also streaked the sky. I tried to join the stars and weave them into artistic patterns and shapes. After I failed many times, I tried to amuse myself by finding earthly shapes in the white strokes. It felt foolish but as long as no one came there, it was fun!

Next: Chapter 7

The Cage

Raj sat looking out of the window. The trees and fields ran past in a hurry. The tracks slithered along below. The warm breeze struck him on his face, tousling up his hair. The heat and the noise inside the carriage were suffocating. Some college guys were discussing the recent defeat of India in cricket and were trying to determine who was to be shaved bald as a result. A middle aged man snored away blissfully in the opposite seat unmoved by the noise, which his family, sitting around him, was creating. Raj gave them an empty glance before turning his eyes back to the outside world. He didn't care about what was going on inside.

"Get out of the class," yelled Mr. Raha, his eyes glowing like those of a nocturnal rodent. Raj looked back at him not knowing how he should react. Should he plead, should he do as his teacher suggests or should he just say, "Go to hell" and walk out? "I say, get out," repeated Mr. Raha, ferociously. Trying to pretend to be sorry, Raj slowly trudged out of the class. Last night he had returned home late from tuition and as a result was not able to complete his homework. And this grave sin had blown his mathematics sir's fuse. When he had tried to persuade his mother to discontinue his tuition, his mother had replied, "Don't try to escape your studies, Raj. You won't study if you don't take tuitions. In class 10 you have to take tuitions..." Next day he had his Chemistry tuition where he had an exam of which he knew nothing. Looking out at the school field, Raj felt that familiar feeling of despair.

The train stopped at an unknown station. People began pushing each other trying to get off before the person in front stepped onto the platform. An equal number of people were trying to get onto the train. Some unlucky guys, caught in the hustle, were trying their best to stay on the train and also to stay alive. Raj looked at them impassively. Whenever he had tried to reason why people act so inhumanly at times, he had failed to find an answer. That’s why he had given up burdening his head anymore. He no longer cared.

Raj stopped walking. A group of four twenty-something boys were tailing a girl. It was getting late and Raj was taking a shortcut home, when he came across this sight. The guys were shouting lewd comments at the girl but the girl tried to hurry on not taking note of what they said. Then suddenly the boys ran unto the girl and surrounded her. She stopped dead on her tracks. Raj sensed trouble. Without thinking, he ran up to the girl. "What's going on?" asked Raj. "None of your business, kid. Go home," replied one guy. "I am not talking to you," shot back Raj. "Wow! Got guts, huh? I am giving you one last warning. Get lost." Raj just stared back. "Abbey, chokhh kake dekhachhis be? Chokhh khule haate diye debo." Raj turned to look at the girl and said, "Go home." The girl hesitated for a moment, before running off. "You bastard!" cursed one of the guys and landed a punch on Raj's face. Raj fell on the road. All the guys landed kicks on Raj. Soon a group of people gathered and watched as the guys kept beating Raj mercilessly. After Raj had nearly lost his consciousness, the boys stopped kicking Raj's limp body. "This will teach you a lesson," said one of the boys before landing a departing kick on his chest. Raj looked around and saw a mass of people staring down at him. In spite of the tremendous pain rending through his body, Raj grinned to himself, not knowing why.

Raj ran his fingers on the still new bruises on his lips. The train had become more crowded. The stinking smell of fish, the howls of infants and the rustic conversations between the commuters had become more pronounced. But it still had no effect on Raj. He was lost in his own world, in his own cage.

Raj slowly and with great difficulty was able to push the key into the lock and unlock it. His parents were out of station. He walked unsteadily into his room and fell into his bed, his head swooning. He still felt the pain, but strangely it was more internal than physical. For the first time Raj felt an urge to break free, from what he had no idea. Raj shut his eyes hard as if to block it from any light although the room was dark. A teardrop ran down his cheek.

The bruises had started to bleed again. Raj covered it with his forefinger. The train had again started moving with a jerk. He had no idea where the train was going, and he didn't care to ask anyone. All he wanted was to escape from the cage...

Nature: The mist

The mist had silently descended down the mountain onto the valley. The mysterious rickety bridge hanging over the torrid stream seemed to lead to nowhere. I stood thinking for a moment. I had no option left. So I decided to take the bridge.

The bridge creaked under my weight as I walked cautiously across the bridge. Looking down, I couldn't see my feet. There was only fog all around. It felt as if I was floating in the air.

Nothing else seemed to exist except me. Even the gurgling of the torrent had died down. Neither did I know how high I was nor did I know where I was headed. I groped around in the mist for the railing but it seemed to have disappeared.

At last I was finally able to reach the other bank.

A chill ran down my spine as I found myself standing alone staring at a solitary cottage stooping over the stream, the water wheel at one side beating the darkness.

My First Novel: Chapter 5

Previous: Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

5

The sun was slowly and slowly being hidden behind the distant mountains. I got up from my chair and headed for the balcony adjoining my bedroom. As soon as I opened the balcony-door, the golden evening light burst into the room. I walked up to the railing and rested my elbows on it. The houses were a pleasant golden-yellow colour painted by the dying sun. The breeze carried a promise of rain. Clouds were visible again in the far horizon. Stars were beginning to appear in the evening sky. The moon was also visible but it looked insignificant in the golden sky.

People were walking up and down the road - evening walk. Suddenly a thought struck me. I had nothing to do, so how about a pleasant evening walk!

I ran downstairs, excited. Mother was fidgeting with the newly uncovered sofa. “Mom, can I go for an evening walk?” I asked. “Okay, but come back before dinner-time,” mother answered, without even looking back at me. I ran across the living room and bustled out of our ‘strange’ blue door.

The cool breeze outside welcomed me. I felt rejuvenated. My mood was fine again! I looked up and down the road. Most people were jogging down the road. But my choice was a little different. I began jogging up the road towards the ‘familiar’ hills.

Next: Chapter 6

The Class

The moment I entered the classroom I had a feeling that the experience would be memorable. Looking around the class, I saw a crowd of fifteen nine-year old children creating a ruckus. Running kids, jumping kids, flying paper planes – I knew this wasn’t going to be an easy job.

All this started a few days back when our moral science teacher assigned us social science projects. I got the one I dreaded the most – teaching mathematics to a junior class for one day! I had never liked babysitting. Last time when I babysat our neighbor’s child, the kid succeeded in putting my pants on fire! From that day I made it a point to stay out of sight of that evil kid and pledged to never babysit again. Unfortunately, I was forced to break my oath.

Man, this is going to be real tough, I thought as I stared in bewilderment at the feral third-graders. I decided acting tough would do the trick for me. So, mimicking our mathematics teacher, I knocked at the door with my duster and barged in. The kids suddenly stopped whatever they were doing and swung their heads towards me.

As fifteen pairs of keen eyes stared at me, I stood behind the teacher’s desk shuffling my options. Thinking of giving an introduction wouldn’t be a bad idea, I boomed, “I am here to teach you mathematics. I don’t want any disturbance and I won’t tolerate any indiscipline; and I mean none.” Surprisingly, the children quickly rearranged among themselves and were soon sitting at their desks. That wasn’t bad, I thought, pleased with myself.

It was all going smoothly and I had been able to finish two chapters peacefully. The students were being very co-operative too as most were dozing quietly in their places with their heads down, and some were gazing up at the ceiling thinking, perhaps about Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse. I smiled to myself – at last my plan had succeeded. But trouble began when I turned around to write a sum on the blackboard.

Suddenly I felt a wet thing strike the nape of my neck. I ran my hand over my neck to find a wet paper ball stuck to it. After thinking for a moment and figuring out my next step, I swung around to see the whole class giggling away. “QUIET!” I shouted, banging my duster on the table, scaring myself in the process. “Who did this? I asked, WHO DID THIS?” I glared ferociously around looking for an answer. “If I don’t get an answer in one minute I am going to punish the whole class; and I mean it!” I threatened.

The giggling had died away and the kids looked tensed. At last I will have the last laugh, I thought revengefully. Waiting for about one minute, I went on with my grand plan. “Stand up on your benches. All of you. NOW!” I yelled. The monkeys slowly climbed up obediently onto their chairs. “Now hold your ears.” They obliged without a word. I feasted my eyes upon my masterpiece. That’s how a teacher should be. I am just great!

Just like the whistle of a train approaching from the horizon, I heard a strange humming noise, which slowly seemed to become louder and louder. Without any warning, the faces of the kids started distorting and within a few seconds an orchestrated crying concert commenced. I stood there rooted to the ground gaping at my crumbling magnum opus.

After that incident, I was so shaken up that I wasn’t even able to go to school for one straight week. I got a D in my project but it had no effect on me as I was still recovering from my numbing experience.

Nature: After the storm

As I flung the window open, sun rays invaded the room accompanied by a cool breeze driving the mustiness out of the room. I took a deep breath and leaned on the window sill, looking out.

The wet leaves of the trees lining the muddy road to the outhouse reflected the sunlight giving the trees a golden glint.

The battle was over. The faraway hills, like a victorious army, basked in the glory of the sun. The towering mountains had slowly begun to emerge from their dark caves. White clouds floated across the sky like spirits. The breeze flowing over the meadows seemed to soothe the wounded soldiers.

I smiled to myself, not knowing why. I just felt happy.

My First Novel: Chapter 4

Previous: Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

4

It was noon when I reached home. Mother was still busy in the kitchen. Hearing me coming in, she yelled out to me, “Jeet, your lunch is on the table. Have it.” I washed my hands and sat down to eat my lunch. It was soon finished, as I was very hungry. “Any luck making a friend?” asked mother as she came to collect my plate.

“Nope.”

“Well, I am sure you will make one tomorrow. And one more thing, we have been invited for dinner by our neighbours tomorrow night. You don’t want to come, do you?”

“No.” I hated parties. That is why my parents used to keep me at home to ‘look after the house’ when they were out to a party.

“So, you look after the house and try behaving yourself from now on because I don’t want to see any mess when I return home.”

“But I didn’t behave badly today and I am never messy,” I protested.

“No, I was just warnin…I was just telling you beforehand,” replied mother. I could have started an argument, but I controlled myself and ran upstairs to my room.

My room possessed a bed, a folding mirror and many unpacked boxes. I walked up to the mirror, unfolded it and looked at my reflection. The same familiar face with his wavy hair scowled back at me. The mirror had three panes – one middle pane, which I considered as my ‘good and bad self, mixed’; one left pane - my ‘bad self’; and one right pane - my ‘good self’. I liked to talk to my reflections, taking turns to talk as my reflections and myself. I sure was lonely!

My left pane-reflection said, “Again behaving badly, huh? You will never learn, will you?”

“Hey, I didn’t behave badly today! I didn’t even stay in the house for more than an hour today! Then how can I ‘behave badly’?”

“But you sure are messy, aren’t you? Now don’t lie. I know everything. Don’t you remember? Weren’t you messy when you broke that beautiful glass painting? When you took your bat, which you thought was your magical sword, and, like He-man, smashed the glass, like you were cracking the ugly head of Skeletor, wasn’t that messy? Weren’t you messy when you dropped the glass chandelier, when you tried to help out mother in arranging the living room yesterday? And didn’t mother shriek at you? Tell me, tell me!”

“But I was still a baby when I broke that glass painting and…”

“And you will always be a BABY!!”

“No, I am not a baby. Shut up!”

“No, I won’t.”

And the never-ending battle started again. Soon I was enraged and was tempted to smash the mirror with my bare hands, the temptation that had always crept inside me whenever I was in a heated debate with the man in the mirror (rather boy in the mirror). But I did not succumb to my temptation and held myself back, as usual. I had spoiled my own mood. I looked away from the mirror to my room.

My room was all in a mess; I was to arrange it that day. I looked at the clock. It was three o’clock. I decided to complete arranging by five o’clock - a good way to calm myself down. First, I unpacked all the boxes, neatly arranged in one corner of the room. It contained all my clothes and my other necessary things. I systematically arranged the clothes in my cabinet. And slowly and steadily I continued working and soon I finished my work. I looked at the clock, which showed that I had finished half an hour before my scheduled time.

I settled down, tired, in my rocking chair by the window. Rocking gently, I looked out through the window. The sun was about to set. The pyre of the dying sun had reddened the evening sky. The horizon was painted in many bright colours. The sun was orange-coloured and looked rounder and larger than it had when it was directly overhead in the afternoon. The road, which meandered in and out of the cottages, got lost in the horizon. I rocked on the chair looking blankly and unblinkingly at the far horizon. A flock of birds flew towards the sun in the quest of glory.

Next: Chapter 5

My First Novel: Chapter 3

Previous: Chapter 1 Chapter 2

3

I cycled up the road to the hill. The road was unpaved and lined on both sides by grass, which danced with the wind blown by my revolving cycle tires. A big school was situated near the edge of the hill. Its big, brown, wooden gate was locked with a large, rusty lock. The school was so big that it looked like a palace, with a big field and a majestic oak tree in the middle. That was all I was able to see by peeping in through the gap between the gates. This was where I was going to study after the summer holidays.

I cycled past the school where the road slowly disappeared into a sea of grass. I found myself in the middle of a huge meadow. Cycling was tiring and the scorching sun made the conditions worse. I looked around for shade. The hill rose up but the slope was gradual, which gave the meadow a flat field like appearance. I was surrounded all around by grass. A line of coniferous forests marked the far horizon of the hill. There were two-three pines growing in the open far away. Only one tree was near me - a stout, shady oak tree. So I pedaled towards the tree, laid my bicycle on the grass and stretched myself under the tree.

The morning sun and its rays were ruling the sky overhead. Not a cloud was in sight though it was cloudy last night. Some eagles dotted the bright blue sky, flying in circles. It was a breezy day. The leaves of the tree rustled in the breeze. The green grass, covering the rest of the hill with some blooming asters here and there lost in the grass, moved along with the wind like calm waves in a calm sea. The hill lingered with the smell of sunshine.

The surrounding hills formed a beautiful scenery. They were also covered with a coat of green grass dotted with small patches of woods hither and thither. Some parts had huge farms and small villages could be seen lining them. The farms gave a checkered appearance to the hills. Spruces masked the summits. Far away a high mountain range could be seen which I hadn’t noticed last night. The sunlight fell on it and made the snow-capped peaks flash now and then like fire.

Down below I could see the dark valley covered with coniferous and deciduous trees. A small lake could also be seen in the heart of the valley. Along one edge of the valley flowed the river, which originated from one of the nearby hills and flowed down its slope as a lovely waterfall. The other end was lost in the foliage. How beautiful it all was!

I lay there looking blankly up at the endless sky reigned over by the sun. I was tired. I didn’t realise when I fell asleep.

I was woken up by a bird, singing, hidden between the leaves of the tree above me. I was unaware of the time, as I had forgotten to bring my watch. But the position of the sun told me that it was nearly noon. I decided to go home. So I picked up my bicycle, which was hot by being in the sun for a long time, and pedaled homeward.

Next: Chapter 4

Apology

I'm sorry guys for not being able to update my blog. Actually the problem is with my computer. As soon as I get it fixed I promise to post the next chapter of my first novel.

Thank you for your understanding and support.

My First Novel: Chapter 2

Previous: Chapter 1

2

I was not able to sleep that night and soon enough the bright rays of the sun woke me up. I sat upon my bed still sleepy. Today won’t be an eventful day, I thought, as I knew the day would be fully dedicated to unpacking. So without thinking anymore I left my bed.

After getting dressed I trudged downstairs to the living room where a small table, along with three chairs, stood. That was our temporary dining table. Dad, as usual, was behind the newspaper, but, ‘fully’ unusually, he was ‘fully’ dressed in office clothes! As soon as I settled in a chair, Mom appeared from the kitchen with a plate full of sliced bread and a slab of butter, which was still unopened!

“Good morning, Jeet,” Mom greeted me as she hurried up to the table and placed the plate on it and again bustled back to the kitchen. Dad kept aside the paper (which was two weeks old as we hadn’t subscribed for the newspaper yet!) as soon as he heard the slam of the plate being kept. He picked up two slices of bread and stuffed it into his mouth along with a spoonful of butter after tearing the butter-cover into shreds, picked up his suitcase kept beside the table and ran towards the door yelling, “I’m going.”

I was stunned and rooted to the chair by the sudden change in my father’s character! Dad was usually a silent-type of person, who did not know the meaning of time, who took an hour to coat a single slice of bread with butter! The change was so incredible that it took some time for me to gather myself! I finished my breakfast and went inside the kitchen to help Mom.

“Mom, can I help you?” I asked. “No, I'm fine. Why don't you go and take a ride around the neighbourhood?” Mom suggested. I was thrilled by the suggestion and ran to the backyard, which was large and was dumped with a large number of unpacked boxes. After a lot of search I finally found my bicycle hidden behind two big boxes.

Next: Chapter 3

My First Novel: Chapter 1

1

The howl of the wolves, faraway in the valley of the distant hills, woke me up. It was still night. The silvery beams of the full moon flowed through the window of my bedroom.

I sat up on my bed staring out at the street beneath my window. The small cottages lined the streets on both sides. The streetlights were dim, flickering like a candle caught in a breeze. One end of the road rose up onto a hill while the other end sloped down towards the valley.

The howl was the only noise, which rent through the silent night. Soon the howling stopped and the soft gurgling of a rushing stream overtook it.

Everyone was asleep. But I could not get back to sleep again. The howl had really awoken me. I decided to go for a small walk; perhaps I would feel sleepy; better than sitting and doing nothing. I slowly crept out of the house unseen.

We were still new to the town; we had shifted there that day in the evening. I still hadn’t ‘inspected’ the town simply because I didn’t get anytime. I was busy helping my mother around in arranging the house for our very first night. That night was a result of a series of changes in my father’s office a few months back. We used to live in a far-off city. A new branch of the company had been opened here. My father, due to his competence, was selected as the officer-in-charge of this new branch. His main job was to start the work of the branch and to supervise its working till it had gained a suitable pace.

But leaving my city was not easy; I had lived there for thirteen years of my life. It was very difficult to leave my friends. My friends…my neighbourhood…my house…my city! I could feel the tears reappearing in my eyes as it had - when I saw my house for the last time from the departing car window - when I saw my city being hidden behind the clouds from the aeroplane. I brushed it off my eyes.

I walked up the road towards the hill until I reached a bridge, which joined the nearby hill and the town. Standing there, I looked around. Far away the full moon light illuminated the spooky hills. The distant hills enclosed a dark valley, which could be seen from the bridge. A swift-flowing stream cut across the valley, covered with a thick covering of green coniferous forests, and ran under the bridge to the other side where it got lost in between the surrounding hills.

The night was cool and pleasant. A breeze brushed against my face. It made me shiver for a while. Above my head the moon shone brightly and a halo could be seen encircling the silvery disc. I walked up and down the road wide-awake.

The summer breeze again brushed against my face only to ruffle my hair. It was the middle of May. The surrounding hills created a mysterious appearance. The far away valley looked even spookier than the hills. A cloud had suddenly appeared and hidden the moon behind itself. The breeze stopped. All this suddenly caused an eerie atmosphere. I felt a shiver run down my spine. I did not want to be outside now.

I ran down the road towards my house, which was distinguishable from other houses because of its bright blue door. I entered the living room carefully, trying my best not to make any noise. I was cordially invited by the grandfather clock, which struck three.

I slowly crept back to bed, still awake. The moon reappeared from behind the cloud again filling up my room with its eerie silvery light.

Next: Chapter 2

Imagine

We live in an era of competition. To make our dreams come true we have to work hard and take on huge amounts of risks and tensions because in this world the slow and steady never wins. But what happens after you reach your goal? Do you live happily ever after? Or do you look back and sigh at the futility of this rat race? Do you wish that you hadn't given up what you loved for what you wanted? Do you feel incomplete? I've been there and I know how it feels.

But it isn't over as yet. Of course, I've many more dreams and ambitions left to fulfill but I've decided that on my way I will keep on doing what I love - imagining.


According to me, life is full of misery. That is why I think there is a need for us to imagine and think beyond reality to free our minds, even if it is for a few minutes. Thats God's gift to us - the power of thought - and we should not only use this for the betterment of mankind but also for the betterment of our lives.


"Think of all the days you’ve wasted
Worrying, wondering
Hopelessly hoping
Think of all the time ahead
Don’t hesitate, contemplate
No it’s not too late

Have you ever wanted more?
Wanted more?
Don’t you know there’s so much more

You got to keep your mind wide open."

(from the song Keep Your Mind Wide Open by Annasophia Robb, OST Bridge to Terabithia)