The Chocolate Volcano

Jim stood at the bottom of the hill and looked at the broken pieces of wood from the well that were strewn down the slope. He recently turned forty and every time he came to this spot an overwhelming emotion imprisoned him. This is where he lost his siblings, well almost. The reality of what happened still sends jitters down his spine, though his siblings were world famous after this incident. But the truth remains hidden till date and he is the only one alive who could testify the fact now.

They were just like any other chirpy kids in the neighbourhood. Jim was all of six years when it happened. Just like every other day, mother asked his brother to fetch a pail of water. As Jack got the pail from the store, his sister, Jill joined him and they took Jim along.

It was quite a climb for a six year old and hence Jack asked him to wait at the bottom of the hill. He looked up the hill, just the way he did now, and saw the well from where his brother used to draw water. Jim loved the tiny yellow flowers that were aplenty at the foot of the hill. As the siblings climbed up, he started to look around and started collecting the flowers. Their mom loved them and he always had a basketful for her every time they returned from the hill.

Everything happened in a jiffy. Jim heard some noise and as he looked up, he could first see Jack rolling down the hill with the pail of water promptly followed by his sister. He could hear their cry and almost started climbing up the hill when the cry suddenly started to fade. The sound seemed like they were far away and then it was gone, totally. Complete silence followed.

Jim did search the whole hill but was unable to locate neither his brother nor sister. He was scared to go back to his mother without the siblings and decided to wait near the well. He even tried to follow the path took by his brother and all of a sudden he tripped on a dry twig and fell down exactly how Jack fell. He started rolling down the hill and as he was half way through the slope he felt like being suddenly sucked into a hole.

He was taken down a large sand dune, the likes of which you only see in deserts. As he was made to slide down the slope he noticed the texture around him slowly changing. From the sand like form, it gave way to what felt like coarse grass and finally something quite soft and squishy was all around him.

Jim didn’t know how long he slid down through that tunnel. After a while with a loud thud he landed on a soft bed of what appeared to be dark brown mud. He was almost fully covered with it though it smelled like anything but mud. He took a bit of what was around him and brought it closer to his nose. The aroma was heavenly and something which he loved when mom made it, once a while. He was so tempted that he even took a small portion to his mouth. Voila! It was delicious chocolate!

He couldn’t believe that he was literally inside a mountain of chocolate! Without wasting much time he started to fill himself with the best chocolate he ever tasted. He was so overjoyed that he remembered about his siblings only when he heard someone calling out his name. It was Jack along with Jill who was already full with loads of chocolates and was equally surprise to see their little brother down as well.

Together they started to devour more and were about to take something along with them to mom when it happened. A loud rumbling sound and soon the whole ground filled with chocolate started to shake. Before they could even move a muscle, were immediately jolted up in the air and along with the rich tasty magma they were thrown out of the chocolate volcano. All of them landed on the slopes of the mountain which were now covered with multi-coloured soft chocolate pieces that trickled down from volcano that spewed out the best chocolate in the world!

Jack, Jill and Jim grabbed as much chocolates as they could and walked back to their village. It was a long walk ahead, but a sweet one indeed!

It is a jungle in here!

As the practice these days, Sandra checked her Outdoor App which still showed a red icon that meant danger. She awaited the green icon to appear, the signal for humans to leave their house safely. Ever since the crazy scientist at the genetics lab innovated and spread the animal survival virus, the whole of animal kingdom has multiplied and spread unlike any other time in the history of mankind.

People can no longer go out as they wish. They must wait for an update from a complex combing operation that keeps scanning the entire locality to ensure that none of the dangerous animals are lurking in the region. Once the safety is established a message is sent to all those in the neighbourhood informing them that it is safe to leave their house.

Even with this arrangement, the risk is always at large. There are these occasional beasts that manage to dodge the radars that are meant to detect their presence. Cases were plenty on how a quick pit stop to get a coffee turned out to be a horrendous experience for many. Too many precious lives were lost and many more at stake.

Jungles across the world were brimming with life. Amazon, Jim Corbett, Black Forest and many others across the globe were overflowing with animals. Naturally they’ll look for alternate dwelling places. Villages were the first ones to fall, smaller towns followed. Literally the animal dynasty spread its wings and conquered the places one after the other.

There was a massive exodus to larger cities which offered a safe place to stay to all. But it was only a matter of time. Giant trees now thrive where the villages and smaller towns once stood. Soon the borders of the concrete cities started to see an influx of greenery. It was as if the jungle had its mouth wide open and slowly swallowing the city from all directions.

Initially people in the cities were too busy to notice the change. By the time they realized the gravity of the situation, things started getting out of hands. The military was called in to help. But the army barracks faced an unprecedented series of attacks. Humans knew very well to fight with their race, but this was the first time they faced an enemy that was attacking totally using their instincts. It was absolutely a new experience for humanity, and they simply failed in predicting the next moves of the enemy. Finally, it reached a point where even the most powerful of the nations in the world announced Code Blood Red, the highest order of danger for human civilization ever.

When all hopes seemed to be lost, a shimmer of faith came from the deep forests of Alaska. A previously unknown strain of virus seemed to have broken out that deeply affected the survival abilities of animal species. A team of brave young scientists came together from a dozen countries across the world.

Their Mission: Save humanity and retain animal kingdom.

The work has begun.

Father’s Day

It had been twelve years since his son started at the new place. As a father, it was heart-breaking to let his son be taken away and allow him to grow up elsewhere than at his own home where he was provided everything. It was a strange situation, one he prayed that no father ever had to endure. These are the times even the mighty ones seem to be helpless.

One solace was there though. He had a palatial house at the capital city which was a centre of attraction for many. People from far and near used to flock to this place which he was kind enough to open for the public. He had promised his son’s new guardians to bring him once every year to him. They kept their word always.

As usual they came to the father’s place this year as well. They used to take some of their relatives also with them. After spending a considerable amount of time, the group returned to their native place. Father and son met near the main hall of the house. They had lots to catch-up from the previous year, starting with his recent twelfth birthday celebration. As they spoke, a few of the elders and prominent citizens of the city happened to walk past them. They heard the child speak to his dad and was quite impressed with his depth of knowledge.

They invited him for a debate which was the custom those days. The son loved it. He promptly said yes. Debates those days were serious affairs. People got engaged in conversations so deep that they seldom realized how time flew.

Three days went by and he was right in the middle of a very interesting argument, when he was interrupted by a startling cry of joy! It was his foster mother who found him after three days of frantic search, after they realized that their foster son was not with them when they returned to the native. She was a bit annoyed at him for staying back and even expressed her displeasure openly.

His father was watching this from the far end of the hall. Interestingly he didn’t make any move, though the eyes of father and son met. They knew it was time for him to leave.

Nevertheless, the son didn’t conceal his disappointment. He told the mother, “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”

Joseph, his foster father touched his shoulder and looked into his eyes. They had the same glow as his father’s. They returned home, together.  

The Crown

Longinus marched into the open hall of the Praetorium. He was accompanied by three soldiers representing major legions that belonged to Judah, a significant province of Roman Empire. He was the chosen one to be crowned as Centurion of the newly created group of legionaries, the fearless infantry men.

After Caesar, the Roman Governor alone is authorized to crown the new Centurion. As the custom was, Longinus stepped forward and knelt down in front of the Governor. A silver tray was brought to the Governor on which a beautiful crown rested, made of red flowers of Euphorbia milli. The red appeared quite intense. Longinus remained kneeling.

The Governor lifted the delicate crown and placed it right on his head which appeared to fit well. To ensure that the crown stays safe, Governor pushed it down. Longinus writhed in pain! Right in the middle of the crown along with blood red flowers of the beautiful Euphorbia milli, there was a sharp thorn which pierced directly into his flesh.

Help arrived in no time. Before Longinus was further affected, they removed the crown and tossed it aside. A soldier brought another crown made of a different set of flowers. The crowning ceremony went ahead without any further interruptions.

The Praetorium was soon empty with the Governor returning to his palace. The guests had all gone back. The hall was cleared of everything unwanted including the crown with the thorn. The trash was dumped behind the Praetorium near the scourging pillars, including the crown.

It was destined to rest there, adjacent to the wall for the next three years and grew itself into a plant with sharp thorns all over. A man was brought in one fine day for scourging, apparently of no fault of his. Longinus was the Centurion still and one of the soldiers took a long stem from the same plant and made a befitting crown, but this time instead of one, it was covered in thorns.

The man cried in pain as Longinus pressed the crown on to his forehead, precisely the way he cried three years ago. They mocked at him and gave him the name ‘Rex Judah’…

The Bowl of Pilate

Claudia had been in labour for a few hours now. Word was sent to him that it was an unusually painful time for her. Pilate walked to the balcony of the court, feeling helpless while looking into the endless boundaries of Judaea, the province he ruled. It was not too long ago when he stood exactly at the same spot and assessed the agitating crowd which was getting even more restless with every passing moment.

There stood the man right next to him who they called Messiah. They wanted him crucified. Pilate wasn’t helpless then, but was confused. That was a new feeling for him. Being the Governor he was usually clear on his decisions. But it was different this time. His conscience seemed to be troubling him a lot. Decisions appeared hazy. But the mob kept pushing him to the wall against his will.

He was about to make up his mind when the note arrived. It was quite unusual for Claudia to interrupt him in between a trial. He knew it must be that important. What he read made him realize even more, but didn’t help ease the situation. On the contrary it added to the gravity. "Don't have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him."

If there was one man who could free the accused, it was him. He was the last word now, since Herod also sent the man back. It was a fight between honesty and power. He didn’t want to upset the sentiments of the mob and always preferred to portray himself as a pro-Empire man. The accused meant nothing to him, compared to the throne he will stand to lose if the decision was to free him. He crumbled the note from Claudia and his conscience died along with that.

There was only one thing left. He ordered for a washing bowl, took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. "I am innocent of this man's blood," he said. "It is your responsibility!" The verdict was given.

His thoughts were interrupted by a messenger. The man had a grave face. Pilate had been summoned to the inner chamber where he could see Claudia lying down. She no longer was in pain. He looked around for the baby. The midwife was trembling while trying to wash her hands covered in blood. One look at her face and Pilate knew something terrible happened!

She kneeled down in front of him and pleaded for mercy. The baby couldn’t be saved.

That was the moment when the train of thoughts that got interrupted earlier, returned to him.

All the people answered, "Let his blood be on us and on our children!"

Katie’s Mystery

She was welcomed home with a cry of joy! The round little eyes seem to have sparkled when the entire family greeted her as soon as she stepped in. She was truly delighted and was literally flying high!

Katie, that’s what the family decided to name her. Dad, mom and the two little ones in the family were all excited to welcome the third child into the family! She was a born charmer and carried herself with an air of power that held her together. Katie was such an active creature that she was seen all around the house. One moment she’ll be seen hiding behind the curtains in the hall; a few moments later she’ll be hanging besides the kitchen door. She loved to float around and enjoyed the attention everyone bestowed on her.

She was the precious jewel of the family who had this uncanny ability to make everyone filled with happiness! All went well till one day when the little boy of the family noticed something strange about Katie’s legs. They seemed to be losing its strength. The girl appeared to be losing weight from one of her legs! They tried every possible cure that can be given in the world to her. But soon, things went from bad to worse. Katie’s second leg also started appearing malnourished.

None of the medicines seem to have an effect on the little girl. Sadly enough in another few days the mysterious illness got into her arms as well, first affecting her left hand and later the right. They all prayed for a miracle which is all what was left to do for them.

Katie survived for a few more days. With each passing day her body became weaker and weaker. On that fateful day as everyone in the family gathered for an evening prayer, they could see Katie with droopy eyes and a very fragile body looking at the picture of God as if she was receiving her last rites. Soon she slowly descended and let herself lie near the prayer mat.

The little ones in the family tried to lift her up and place her on their lap. All what they heard was a gasp. It was the last bit of air that was left in the helium balloon in the shape of a girl. Ten days back dad was holding the thread while bringing her home from the carnival ground.

RIP Katie.

Battery Low

‘A real pervert you have become!’

Tony could scoop the sarcasm out of Ann’s voice. ‘Who gave you the license to talk all these nonsense?’ He could easily make out the pseudo seriousness she added to her tone.

‘Your dad and mom, precisely three months back!’ He said. That was when their wedding was officially fixed in the traditional Central Travancore way in Kerala where the culture of arranged marriage still exists at large among the Catholic community. Three months since that lovely day, Tony was on his way from Bangalore, where he worked, to Kottayam, his home. He counted the number of times they met in between. It was exactly eight times and this trip will be his ninth, his lucky number! Two days later they’ll be a couple, officially engaged.

‘This seat is so uncomfortable’, he started complaining. He was seated on the left side towards the back row.

Ann couldn’t hold back her discontent. ‘You truly deserve it! How many times did I remind you last month to book the train tickets? The lazy bum you are. Finally ended up on a State Transport. Now better shut up and enjoy the bus ride.’

He was miffed, but all what he said was, ‘I can see an empty seat behind the driver. Let me check if I could shift there.’  Beep… Beep... Tony saw the alert for low battery. ‘This thing may get switched off soon.’ He told her.

‘Can’t you charge the phone in the bus?’ There was a silence for a while. ‘Hello… Tony, can you hear me?’

‘I forgot the charger.’ That was all what he could manage to say. Silence spoke for her. He didn’t want to provoke her any further and so while shifting to the front seat he quickly changed the topic.

‘Did you think of the destination yet? I’ve told you I’m not into beaches. Why don’t we look at some of the hill stations? It’ll be awesome with the winter chill and a perfect setting for a honeymoon trip.’ Three months were more than enough for them to realize that they were designed quite differently. But somehow they managed to find a middle line.

Decision making came naturally to Ann. ‘Let us settle on Mauritius. You’ll get your mountains and I can enjoy the beaches as well’. By now, Tony had started to develop the skill to differentiate between the arguments he at least has a scope to win and others where he stood no chance. This was a classic case for latter. He conceded without much debate. There was a hidden agenda as well. She agreed to do all the planning and he was super happy that he doesn’t have to break his head for the trip. The fact is she didn’t trust him with the bookings, just the way he goofed up the train booking and ended up travelling on a bus which they both disliked.

Half way through the trip, the bus stopped for dinner. The battery icon lost all its charm and was reduced to a delicate single bar. The conversation continued. She was still confused about deciding on a wedding gown as against a saree. He tried to make informed suggestions, but ended up doing a pathetic job. Attires planning was never his strength. 

Soon after bus left Salem border everyone in the bus was in a deep sleep except for the one soul who was having an awesome time with his sweetheart. The time in between a wedding fixing and actual tying of the knot is purely magical.

‘Hey, you never said anything about meeting tomorrow?’ Tony was getting quite impatient. He could hear her chuckle at the other end of the phone and it was promptly followed by one of the final alerts from the phone announcing a critically low battery.

‘I’m really sorry, Appachan said no more meetings till the engagement is over’. As soon as she said this, his face turned a deep crimson red which could be seen in the blue light of the phone even in the darkness inside the bus.

‘For God’s sake we are in the 21^st century! When will these ever change?’

While Ann could feel his frustration, she almost half wittingly enjoyed the moment since these will never come back to life once they are pronounced man and wife a couple of months from now.

‘Patience dear, patience. Learn to appreciate the value of waiting. I can assure you that the wait will be worth it.’ A mischievous smile found its place on her face as she finished the statement.

Tony lost it and snapped, ‘Your trash can, that’s exactly where this philosophy should rest. I’m going to come over to your place tomorrow, you better be ready’.

‘Tony no! Let us not make a scene at home. You know how much I love to be with you, but this probably is one last time I’ll have to be daddy’s girl’. She pleaded.

‘I’m going to hang up’ Tony was furious and he almost banged the phone to the seat.

That’s exactly when the last bar from the battery icon disappeared and the cabin became completely dark. Ann barely heard his last words but she was sure she heard a loud thud and heard Tony screaming.

Beep... Beep… Beep… The call got disconnected. She tried dialling him. ‘The number you are trying to reach is either switched off or not reachable’. She hit the bed with a smile and soon was in a deep sleep. The beautiful emerald green waters of Mauritius slowly started filling her dreams.

She was up a little late in the morning. She knew that he wouldn’t call her. As always, she kept aside her ego, took her phone and called him. His phone was still switched off. ‘That’s strange’ she thought. ‘He should’ve reached home by now and charged his phone’.

As soon as she walked into the living room, saw the newspaper lying on the sofa. The heading read, “Truck crash into a KSRTC bus from Bangalore, 20 feared dead”.

She had a strange feeling. It felt exactly like the sand disappearing under your feet when the waves recede into the blue green waters of the ocean. 

The Christmas Gift

The school bus stopped right in front of the mansion partially engulfed in mist on that chilly December evening. As she got down, Jessy pulled the cardigan closer to her chest to protect herself from the cold wind. She waved goodbye to her friends and was welcomed back home by the glittering lights that were adding to the celebration scene getting ready for a double delight. Jessy and Jesus shared birthdays! The sentry opened the gate for her and the familiar sight of her beautiful home unravelled in front of her, this time even more beautiful with the lovely lights sparkling all around.

Three luxury cars adorned the main porch, adding to the pomp and glory of the mansion. But to Jessy, there was one eyesore, a car that was parked a bit aside in a dedicated porch. It was an Ambassador painted in yellow and black, the one that was typical of taxis in India in 90’s. This was the only thing about which she fought with her brother John. Even on her last birthday, when she turned fourteen, she asked him as a wish to get rid of the strange car. Her brother as always, with lots of love, promptly turned down this request.

The Ambassador reminded John of his humble beginnings and he wanted to retain it as a sacred memory. There wasn’t anyone else to whom Jessy could complain since from the time she could remember, her brother was the only relative she ever had. There was an old black and white picture of their parents that was prominently placed on the majestic wall of the living room.

Jessy vaguely recollect her past when they did not have all these luxury in their life. It was her brother’s dedication alone that made him the successful business man the town knows today. She still can’t believe that he used to be behind the wheels of the same Ambassador which she hated from the bottom of her heart. If there was one thing her friends ridiculed her for, it was the strange presence of that car right in front of their grand residence.

There was another weird practice in that house associated to this car. During Christmas and her birthday, the house got decorated with lights of all colours except for the porch where the Ambassador stood. The porch will always be decorated with lights shining in bright red colour. There were strict instructions from John to the staff not to use any other colour for this porch. The car and the porch appeared to Jessy as nothing short of a bad omen bathed in red. Jessy had asked him why and this is one mystery for which she never got a convincing answer.

She had made a decision this year. Christmas this time was not going to be the same. She was not going to turn fifteen without changing the bad omen at least as the first step. She’ll bring more happiness by decorating the age old car and porch with bright and beautiful colours than the depressing red. Next step will be to get rid of the car altogether. She had to plan well for this since it was pretty evident that she was treading dangerous waters on this with her brother!

She invited a few of her friends over. Together they plotted a secret plan. ‘Mission Red Devil’ was launched! First they’ll ensure that the red lights got replaced and then they’ll find a way to get rid of the car altogether. For the first objective, they managed to get hold of one of the staff members in the house and convinced him to get them a bunch of multi-coloured lights.

While they were at it, a familiar face of an old man appeared at the gate. Jessy identified him as the second mystery associated with the Ambassador. This man promptly came during Christmas time every year. John took great efforts to receive him and treat him well. They both will be seen talking for a long time and most of the conversations happened right next to the car. He was introduced once to Jessy as an old friend of John who helped in the days when John was driving the taxi. Nothing more was said about him.

Soon John went out with the old man. While they were away, Jessy and friends acted quickly. Within an hour, they applied garlands of light on the porch with every other colour than red. As they plugged in the light, the gate opened. John was received with the shocking view of a brightly lit car porch where the good old Ambassador was covered in a multi-coloured robe. His expression was priceless! All the red that were missing at the porch found its way to his face. He was furious and the girls had never seen him like that. He didn’t say a word except for asking the staff to put the red lights back on.

Jessy dropped her friends back shortly. She returned home, but to a different one than the one she left. It was a dead house. Even the lights that shined did not seem to bring the life that once filled the space. John was sitting right below the picture frame of their parents and looked devastated. Jessy was quite surprised. Was it all because of the lights? Why was it so important that the change brought such a drastic transformation to their home? She demanded an answer from her brother which was greeted with a terminal silence and that silence killed her.

This was it! She had been patient for the last fifteen years. Each time the question was raised about the car and the strange ways about it at their home, John was quite evasive. She sat down next to him and looked right into his eyes and said, “I really need you to tell me brother, what is the secret with this car and why is a mere change of decoration lights bothering you so much? I’m not a baby anymore for you to hold back the truth. You act like a total stranger each time I come up with this question. You are so weird when it comes to this topic and guess what I feel? I don’t belong here!”

As soon as she finished those last words, John burst into tears with a loud cry! A bunch of emotions that were buried deep down in his mind for the last decade and a half finally found its way out. His memories took him back to a Christmas Eve fifteen years ago. It was quite late in the evening. He was driving the taxi and was about to drop home a young couple expecting their first baby soon. This was his seventh trip for the day and possibly the last one since he was really tired with all the traffic of the season. He badly wanted to get back home and have a peaceful evening all by himself celebrating Christmas. The couple who owned the taxi which he drove had told him to take a day off on Christmas and nothing could get better than that.

As he was taking the final turn to the young couple’s home a flash of a bright light hit the car. He could hardly make out the shape of a truck and took a sharp turn to the left. The truck hit the side where the lady was seated. The impact was huge that he remember the car spinning for a few times before it came to a halt. The young man, soon to be a father, died on the spot. While John though had broken a bone or two, couldn’t help but hear the heart wrenching cry from the fully pregnant lady. The pain was unbearable, yet he managed to crawl out of the car. A passing car stopped by and the man who now visited them every Christmas helped John to take the lady to a nearby hospital. She was unconscious by the time they reached the Emergency section. He was soon taken inside as well and while they prepared him for a surgery, he vaguely remember hearing the doctors speak that the lady won’t make it.

A few days later as he was ready to leave the hospital, the nurses helped him onto the taxi that was waiting to take him home. But just before that, he was directed by a nurse to the neo natal ward. The place was all decorated for Christmas with bright red lights everywhere. The nurse took him to a tiny girl among the other babies there. They called her Jessy, the one that was miraculously saved from a dying mother a few minutes after the clock struck twelve on the Christmas day that year! He looked into her tiny eyes and saw the reflection of the shining red lights in them. They were shining like the Star of Bethlehem. Jessy, his sister, was born in his mind.

He took her to the couple who owned his taxi. For them, John and Jessy became the kids they never had. John inherited the taxi from them and moved to this town later, along with her. He also brought a priceless item along with him. An old black and white picture of the couple which was duly placed on the living room wall.

John finished the narration and looked at his sister. She got up and walked towards the window from where she could see the car that was parked in the porch. He reached out to her and they looked at each other. They could see the reflection of the bright red lights in their eyes. For Jessy, those were the most precious rubies she had ever seen in her life!

The Purple Carrot

Mia, my four year old, called it a day and closed her colouring book. She was quite fond of the book and experienced the bliss of giving life to the black and white images by doing her magic with the bunch of colour pencils she has. The book she was colouring, had a lot of images with jungle theme including a few rabbits and carrots.

Keeping aside the book, she jumped on to the bed and snuggled under the blanket and hugged me tightly. Then came the default demand for a bed time story. Since she was colouring a few rabbits and carrots earlier, I decided to tell her a story of a rabbit searching for carrots through a jungle. Even before the story got over she slipped into a sweet dream where she found herself following a cute little rabbit in a jungle that was known for its bright orange carrots!

Eddie, just like any other rabbit loved carrots. He was out on a stroll searching for the sweetest of the carrots the jungle could offer. He searched and searched the various locations where he could possibly find carrots. Finally Eddie came across a large area where he saw countless carrot plants. He jumped up and down with joy!

Mia followed Eddie as he dashed across the garden of carrots. As soon as he found a plant that seems to carry ripe carrots he dug up the earth and promptly pulled out the carrot bunch from the soil. He gave out another cry! But this time it wasn’t a cry of joy. He cried in surprise to see a bunch of carrots which was purple in colour!

Mia saw the colour of carrots and was totally taken aback. She was equally confused as Eddie about the purple colour carrots. Carrots ought to be orange in colour and why are these purple?! That’s when it dawned on her. 

A while ago, before she closed her colouring book, the last picture she was colouring was a bunch of carrots. She looked for the bright orange colour pencil. Since she couldn’t find it, she made an announcement, “Dad, I can’t find my orange pencil and so I am going to colour the carrots purple!” I remember asking her to find the orange colour pencil since carrots cannot be purple. She didn’t bother to find the orange colour pencil, instead coloured the carrots purple as she said.

“Goodness! What did I do?” thought Mia. “I turned all the carrots in the world purple!” She had a very disturbed sleep and woke up the next day with a heavy heart. I had never seen her with so less energy levels in the morning. I asked her what was wrong. She said nothing except that she badly needs an orange colour pencil. She pestered me so much that I had to find the orange colour pencil for her and only then she let me head to my office.

As I was starting from home, she gave me a hurried kiss and saw her heading to the colouring book. Since I was getting late I didn’t ask any further.

It was evening soon and I returned home. I had a grocery bag in my hand. I placed the bag on the kitchen table and started taking out the groceries. As soon as I placed the carrots on the table I heard a gasp followed by a cry of joy behind me!

Mia was standing right behind with a beaming smile holding her colouring book and looking at the carrots on the table. She held the page open where I saw a bunch of bright orange coloured carrots!

Forsaken!

The train rolled on to the darker side of platform number 13 at Bangalore City Junction. The ominous number made Alex a bit uneasy, yet he got up from his seat even before the engine reached a full halt. Travelling by train along with Nisha and two of their little ones was his last preference. But this was a trip that was forced upon them since no other modes of transport were available at such a short notice. Luca who turned six last month and Leya his little sister who will soon celebrate her third birthday were still sleeping on the middle berth.

Alex started pulling out the luggage and told Nisha to take care of the kids while he unloaded the bags to the busy platform. He had to struggle a bit to get the luggage out and still keep a check on all the pieces from the prying eyes of possible luggage snatchers. Nisha somehow managed to wake up Luca and gave a helping hand to Alex to offload the last piece of luggage, it was the biggest of the lot. He placed all the pieces safely on the platform and helped Nisha get down by taking Luca in his hand. That’s when they realized, Leya is not with either of them!

“Daddy!” A spine chilling cry came from the compartment where they were! Alex felt his heart in his mouth as he dashed back into the compartment where Leya was left sleeping. In a flash of a second he reached the middle berth where a few minutes back the little one was seen cuddling her favourite teddy and covered in a baby pink blanket, for she loved to be wrapped even when it wasn’t cold.

The blanket and teddy were still there. Only them! Alex for a moment felt completely drained off his blood. But he gathered himself quickly and looked around. All of a sudden he got a glimpse of a man, face covered with a chequered woollen shawl carrying something on his shoulder trying to head to the other end of the cabin.

Alex saw what was on the man's shoulder. It moved and a tiny hand reached out to him. The very hand that he had held numerous times in the past and lifted all the way up to his shoulder. His precious little gem, daddy’s adorable little princess was struggling for dear life in the arms of a stranger, trying with all her might to reach out to her hero, her dad.

He sprinted at the stranger who was seen stepping down at the end of the compartment. Alex barely reached the exit when he heard the shrilling sound of a whistle and felt a jolt. The train took off with him trapped inside.

Alex looked through the window. The little hand was still seen at a distance stretched out with the hope of her dad coming and rescuing her. As the train chugged ahead, Alex stood there not able to move but merely stare at a warning sign board posted inside the compartment. It read, “The railways will not be responsible for any valuables left unattended".

Alone with a guest

The taxi dropped me right in front of my building. Got my luggage and took the elevator to my apartment. The sheer thought of being alone for the next few days was quite depressing. An emotionally draining experience many expats go through especially in the Middle East. This happens during school holidays when the families go back home and you are forced to live as a bachelor. This will be the eight time I am destined to feel this agony. Little did I know that things were going to be different this year!

I turned the key and the apartment door opened unwillingly as if it woke up from a long sleep that lasted for two weeks when we were not at home. I switched on the air conditioning and looked around to see the layer of dust that has quietly creeped in while we were away. I reached out to the windows and pushed it open by turning the dusty latch. A sudden gush of air came in as if someone was waiting impatiently outside the door to be let in. The breeze brought with it some more dust which blinded me for a few moments. By the time I could open my eyes, the room was back to normal with the breeze nowhere to be seen.

I unpacked the bags quickly. Soon enough I was ready since it was a working day and had to head straight to office. I closed the main door behind me as I stepped out of the apartment. Just before the door got fully locked I felt the breeze again, the same wave of air that greeted me when the windows were opened earlier.

It was a busy day. I returned home a bit late. The empty house that welcomed me back, gave quite a gloomy feeling to the evening that was soon getting darker. I took a shower and stood in front of the giant mirror we’ve in our hallway to comb my hair. While I was thinking of what to have for dinner I thought I saw in the mirror a flash of movement behind me! I swirled back, but saw nothing. I blamed my tiredness from the flight last night and headed to the kitchen to make dinner.

Soon after the dinner, I emptied the trash can and headed to the chute on my floor to dump the trash cover. The hallway was completely empty and there was an eerie silence with most of the houses devoid of kids. I deposited the trash cover inside the chute and closed the door back. That’s when it happened! I was quite sure this time that I heard a sound. The sound so distinct that I could clearly identify it as a flutter of wings. What was strange was that I couldn’t see a bird anywhere nearby. Did I really hear that or was my mind playing games with me? I felt the silence thickening around me and decided to head back to my apartment.

Shortly after the prayers I hit the bed with a book and soon my eyes were becoming heavy with the weariness from the long day. Before I fell into a deep sleep I thought I heard someone whispering a soft good night wish into my ears. I was pretty sure that my tired body and mind was making up all these and with a smile I embraced the depths of the much needed sleep.

I woke up quite fresh and before heading to the bathroom noticed something lying on the floor of the bedroom. It was a long and beautiful feather. The building complex was home to a few pigeons and had occasionally found one or two small feathers in the balcony. But this one was unlike anything before. I’d never seen a feather like that in my life and was equally surprised to see that inside my house! It even had a very peculiar fragrance but I couldn’t figure out what it was. I kept it away and got myself ready for office.

Though there were enough tasks to keep me busy at office, the thought of the feather came back to me once a while. I mentioned this to my sweetheart when I called her, but she didn’t seem to give much importance to it. I reached home and headed to the shower. I thought a warm shower will save me from my thoughts and was enjoying the feeling of hot water on my skin. Suddenly I thought I heard a noise at the bathroom door. I parted the shower curtain slowly. The bathroom was half filled with steam from the hot shower. Through the mist I watched with horror the handle of the door turning quietly! Time was standing still. The door opened and to my pleasant surprise I saw a golden haired girl with beautiful blue eyes coming into the bathroom. For a moment I even forgot that I was half way through my bath!

When I managed to get my senses back, I asked her who she was. She smiled and said, “I’m Angel”. Then just like that she vanished! The door remained closed. I couldn’t make any sense of what just happened. Did I really see a girl who forced her way into my bathroom? Or am I going crazy from all the loneliness that surround me? The night was eventless but was quite startled when I woke up the next morning before the alarm went off. I felt someone wishing me “Rise and shine”. No feathers were found that day though.

With a confused mind, I headed to office. I spoke to my wife about all these and after a while she made me feel at ease. Reached home, but no one came today in between the bath.

I sat on the couch with my dinner to watch a TV show. As I was about to change a channel there she was! Sitting right next to me. I could see the bright blue eyes shining even more. We started speaking and topics were so varied that everything related to my life especially from the day I got married kept flowing. Interesting enough she never let me ask more about her personal life. I finished the dinner and got up to wash the dishes. She vanished again.

This continued for the next few days. Angel gave me company at home. We talked a lot and laughed even more. I didn’t even realize how quickly days went by. I told my sweetheart about what’s happening here at home. She sounded amused at my story but surprisingly her reaction was not quite what I expected. Strange were the days.

One of these days my wife called and said she and our little one both developed a fever. They met the doctor and got the medicines. It took a couple of days before they got better. It was quite a chaos with all the confusion back home that only on the third day when I returned home and saw Angel, I realized that I didn’t see her for the last two days. Though I asked where she was, she avoided giving me a straight answer.

Soon the day came for me to head back home to bring my family back to Dubai. As I locked the door to head to the airport I could see a pair of bright blue eyes and a hand waving at me wishing me a happy journey. A few days later along with my wife and kids we were back in our apartment again. I opened the door with a pounding heart, half expecting to see Angel there greeting us. But nothing happened.

Days went by. Life was usual. I realized Angel was only a figment of my imagination. One evening my wife and I were having a conversation in the hallway where the giant mirror was placed. Our little one while riding her cycle accidently hit the thick border of the mirror. The impact was quite high that the mirror got off the hinges and started falling towards my wife. My reflex told me to reach out to the mirror. Though I could get hold of one of the edges it was too heavy for me to balance it. The other edge of the mirror was bound to hit my wife’s head and with a splatter of blood, the glass was to break into zillions of tiny pieces!

What happened instead was nothing short of a miracle! She had raised her hand in reflex and it almost touched the other edge of the mirror. As I tried my best to balance the mirror, I could see her hand barely touching the edge on her side. That was the moment when I felt a breeze, the same breeze that came through the window a few days back when I was home alone. I looked at her eyes expecting to see a deep shade of fear as she struggled to hold the mirror.

What greeted me in fact was a beautiful blue tinge in her usually brown eyes. As the mirror was getting balanced I could see the eyes sparkle even more in blue. I looked deeper into them and there she was! Angel. I asked her, “Where did you vanish?” My wife’s lips moved and out came the words, “I was always here where I am to be. I am your sweetheart’s guardian angel. Last week when you were alone getting lost in a sea of despair she was the one who prayed for bringing you peace. I couldn’t help but hear her prayer and loaned myself all those days except when she really needed me back when there was a bout of illness back home”.

We placed the mirror back on the hinges safely. I turned around and hugged by sweetheart. I then heard a flutter of wings. As the sound faded, a beautiful feather descended and landed softly on our palms. It had the same unique fragrance.

The fragrance of love! 

Living in the dream

It was a bright and sunny morning in the summer of 1962. Ralph woke up with all the excitement in the world! It has been a while since he was part of a military training academy stationed in a peaceful neighbourhood in the city of Nowark. Armed forces were not called for any action for a long time and he was getting quite bored with the mundane life at the academy. To make things worse, being the most junior commissioned officer he was always the butt of the jokes from senior folks around.

The day promised to be different. He was finally getting introduced to the Kalshnikov, one of the most widely admired piece of weapon used by all major armies across the world! The training was scheduled for early morning. He reached well before time which gave an opportunity for the seniors to make him do a bunch of sundry duties. Hiding his displeasure he finished all what they asked him to do by keeping his mind focused on the AK-47 rifle that was placed on an elevated stand nearby. It was a long cherished dream he was going to live soon!

The moment of truth came and he finally got to touch the beauty. He had read all about the power of this beast and how he should be careful handling this mean machine. But even before he could apply his learning, he was called again by the seniors for another round of senseless exercise. This time he couldn’t help but to let out a grunt which was duly registered by Sergy, the Commander-in-charge. He spared no wrath on the poor chap. Devastated will be an understatement to refer to his state of mind by evening. Kalshnikov remained a distant dream.

He entered his bunk tired, but more so, dejected. Shortly after he let the comfortable bed receive his depleted self, he could feel himself walking the border of the kind of sleep which only comes with absolute exhaustion. All these years of hatred against the high ranking officers was taking a toll on him. Without his conscious mind even being aware, the disgust in him was turning itself into a monster. He could barely see the Kalshnikov still standing high at a distance through the window of his bunk.

He started feeling quite strange. The rifle appeared to turn itself in the direction where he was lying and started nodding its head as if beckoning him. All the images of his tormenters started doing a parade in his mind. He couldn’t hold his anger any longer. The next moment he was out of his bunk heading to the stand. Just before he got out, he saw his reflection in a mirror that was hanging on the wall. His face appeared quite different and features distinct. He was a new man!

Fraction of a second and the rifle was in his strong hands. He held on to it as if this was his last resort to regain his life. He went around the academy and unleashed his fury on all those figures marching in his mind. He kept a count. 11 in total. All that was left was just one more round of ammunition in the rifle and one last man to be addressed.

Ralph turned around and faced his worst fear! Sergy was standing right there. The moment of truth. The final opportunity to finish off what he started. He aimed at the Commander and fired expecting the body of the officer to land on his toes asking for his pardon post his death. Instead he saw Sergy reaching out for his own revolver. The muzzle of the Kalash got jammed! An unheard disaster for this legendary rifle. Even before Ralph could attempt anything a severe blow from Sergy with the revolver knocked him out and he hit the floor head first!

As soon as his head touched the floor, Ralph woke up and sat straight on his bed. For a few moments it was a state of absolute delirium before he could realize how terrible a nightmare it was. The clock struck three in the morning. He emptied the bottle of water in the room and giving himself a whack at the back of his head, went back to whatever remaining of the sleep he could catch.

Voices of chaos woke him up the next day while the sun was beginning to seep through the cracks of the bunker. He got out to see a state of commotion around the academy. His eyes caught the headlines of a newspaper lying on the floor which read “Unknown man attacks military academy: 11 dead, Commander missing”. There was even a picture of the attacker.

It looked exactly like the face he saw in the mirror in his nightmare!

The Lost Love!

She stayed in the corner of that house which was dark most of the times. Though surrounded by many known faces, she lived in constant pain of loneliness. It has been months since she lost her sweetheart. One day he just vanished leaving no trace at all! They were always together and had travelled to faraway lands. He ensured that she stayed right next to him all the time during each such trip.

No one really could console her since there was no news at all about him. The modern world was mocked at, for all its advanced technology and communication. None of that could find her love and bring him back to her. She cried in silence mostly during the nights and during the day, she’ll sit idle remembering the good old days when they were together.

Here is the irony of life! Not too far from where she stays, in a completely messy house, deep down in the cellar was lying her sweetheart gasping for his breath! He got locked in this dungeon from where there seems to be no escape. He could hear the wailing from his dear one but was absolutely overpowered by the mighty forces above him.

When all hopes seem to have ended, one day he started feeling the pressure on him getting reduced. The forces that tie him down seem to be getting lighter. With each passing day the chamber where he was held a captive was getting filled with fresh air and good light. Finally a day came when he was freed up from the clutches. The first thing he did was to get a perfect hot water bath. He then got himself dried in the sun which was denied to him for all these days!

Finally, one of the grey socks lost deep down in the laundry basket was united with his love who was sitting all alone in the cupboard for the last few months.

They lived happily ever after…