The world was upside down. As she lay on her bed with her head dangling off the side, she quietly contemplated her life. In the darkness she could barely make out her table and book shelf but her eyes were on the mirror- fearfully expecting a ghastly figure to pop out. A childish scare. She felt older now. The tables had turned. No longer was she the one taken care of, she was now the caretaker. No longer did she need an escort everywhere she went, she had become the escort. When had this change happened?
It was a sunny afternoon, she was in the front seat for a change, in-charge of notifying any upcoming speed-breakers on the road, while the ladies dozed in the back seat. She gazed outside over the valley, the little canal lazily flowing through, the monkeys jumping from tree to tree, the little children who flashed a big grin and waved back at her, the random purple bungalow, the WB truck with eyes of a woman painted over his headlights, the shimmering pond, the dense trees, the women working in the fields, the mirages up ahead... She was just about to push the stop button of her walkman to tell her father about the mirage when she was sucked back into the darkness of her room. How long ago was that? Have so many years really passed away so quickly?
It was midnight. The city was asleep but she wasn't. Under the white spot light of her table lamp, she worked on her math for school when she heard someone mumble. She turned around to see her tiny sister sit up, glassy eyed sleep talking. She screamed out her name frightened and terrified. Her eyes snapped open. Her head had begun to hurt with all the blood gushing downwards towards her head. She is all grown up now, older, wiser, a tiny bit more responsible. I feel so proud.
She sat up and lay down flat on her stomach.Straightening out her stuffed toys as she did. She was in her pretty skirt and painful shoes. The irritating stage lights were flashing again when she felt him take her hand and twirl her around the dance floor. How instantaneously he could get a smile on her face! She laughed like never before and noticed a mischievousness twinkle in his eyes. But before she could stop it, he had had her in an awkward dip. She playfully hit him. She looked up smiling and saw his droopy eyes wink at her as his face disappeared into the darkness of her room. Is he going to remain a mere bundle of photos and memories?
She rolled over her back and looked at the fan. Was it already time to say goodbye? Didn't we just have a farewell the other day? Clad in a copper sulphate blue saree, she tried to strut around the school assembly hall, nervously and very self consciously catwalk-ing for the crowning of the schools' fashion title. The slam books, the photo sessions, the outings, the empty promises to meet again, the long distance phone calls, the inland letters that eventually stopped being delivered...
She glanced nervously at the mirror again. Maybe I should cover it with a cloth... and she looked elsewhere. Her eyes fell on the obese books that were stacked on one another on her table. Its time. she thought, It's time for the next chapter. The new tide is rising, slowly moving in, unstoppable. And I am at the beach. The tide, that will fall over it and change the entire landscape around it, is on its way.
She was lying on a sandy beach, the sea licking her bare feet, the breeze toying with her lush open hair. She is in her room, the reflecting mirror troubling her again, she frowns. Her lids are heavy. What time is it? She sees the sun peeking out of the horizon, causing the waters to shimmer and dance as she drifts into her sweet slumber...
It was a sunny afternoon, she was in the front seat for a change, in-charge of notifying any upcoming speed-breakers on the road, while the ladies dozed in the back seat. She gazed outside over the valley, the little canal lazily flowing through, the monkeys jumping from tree to tree, the little children who flashed a big grin and waved back at her, the random purple bungalow, the WB truck with eyes of a woman painted over his headlights, the shimmering pond, the dense trees, the women working in the fields, the mirages up ahead... She was just about to push the stop button of her walkman to tell her father about the mirage when she was sucked back into the darkness of her room. How long ago was that? Have so many years really passed away so quickly?
It was midnight. The city was asleep but she wasn't. Under the white spot light of her table lamp, she worked on her math for school when she heard someone mumble. She turned around to see her tiny sister sit up, glassy eyed sleep talking. She screamed out her name frightened and terrified. Her eyes snapped open. Her head had begun to hurt with all the blood gushing downwards towards her head. She is all grown up now, older, wiser, a tiny bit more responsible. I feel so proud.
She sat up and lay down flat on her stomach.Straightening out her stuffed toys as she did. She was in her pretty skirt and painful shoes. The irritating stage lights were flashing again when she felt him take her hand and twirl her around the dance floor. How instantaneously he could get a smile on her face! She laughed like never before and noticed a mischievousness twinkle in his eyes. But before she could stop it, he had had her in an awkward dip. She playfully hit him. She looked up smiling and saw his droopy eyes wink at her as his face disappeared into the darkness of her room. Is he going to remain a mere bundle of photos and memories?
She rolled over her back and looked at the fan. Was it already time to say goodbye? Didn't we just have a farewell the other day? Clad in a copper sulphate blue saree, she tried to strut around the school assembly hall, nervously and very self consciously catwalk-ing for the crowning of the schools' fashion title. The slam books, the photo sessions, the outings, the empty promises to meet again, the long distance phone calls, the inland letters that eventually stopped being delivered...
She glanced nervously at the mirror again. Maybe I should cover it with a cloth... and she looked elsewhere. Her eyes fell on the obese books that were stacked on one another on her table. Its time. she thought, It's time for the next chapter. The new tide is rising, slowly moving in, unstoppable. And I am at the beach. The tide, that will fall over it and change the entire landscape around it, is on its way.
She was lying on a sandy beach, the sea licking her bare feet, the breeze toying with her lush open hair. She is in her room, the reflecting mirror troubling her again, she frowns. Her lids are heavy. What time is it? She sees the sun peeking out of the horizon, causing the waters to shimmer and dance as she drifts into her sweet slumber...
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