Running Away
The following day was her big day. One of the most important days of her life. And yet, she didn’t want tomorrow to come. She didn’t want to close her eyes to sleep. She was afraid if she did, she’d lose the precious hours of freedom she still had.
Tears welled up as she thought of the days to come. She’d be married. Married!
She still have a lot of things to do. She wanted to study more, do a job, earn for herself, travel. But those dreams are far-fetched for her. Her fate had been decided the day she was born. Perhaps even before that. That she was to be a bride. Yet, she couldn’t bring her heart to accept that fate.
Run away!
Her heart screamed at her.
But the logical part of her did know that she had no one to turn to and no money. She had no education. She’d die out there in the world.
Death is better than this. Run.
She went through all the possibilities of what would happen if she did run. And none had a happy ending.
She turned to her side. Her mother was sleeping right next to her. Any movement from her, would stir up mom. And the room was littered with relatives. She can’t run without waking anyone up.
But you got to try. Nothing is worse than this. Hopefully they won’t beat you when you get caught. But hopefully you won’t get caught. Get up. Run.
She slowly kicked off her blankets. She grabbed a scarf and wrapped it around herself. She tip toed around all the relatives, the uncles and aunts and the cousins, second cousins and so on.
Now, how to open the door without waking anyone up.
Her heart beating rapidly against her chest, with shaking hands, she lightly touched the latch.
“Ayyyy….” A shout from behind.
She quickly crouched down and covered her head with her hands, as if expecting to be beat up.
Nothing happened. It was just Ritish uncle sleep talking. Some of the people stirred at the sound but soon went back to sleep.
With only the dim moonlight illuminating the room, she was half sure no one noticed.
She got up and tried the latch again as quietly as possible. The latch opened with a small thud.
She closed her eyes and prayed to god no one awoke from sound. After a few beats, when she was sure no one had woken up, she opened the door slowly and slipped through it.
She let out a huge sigh of relief.
“Where are you going?”
Busted.
“Uhm…water.” She looked down at her feet and wrapped her scarf around her a face a bit tighter. It was her dad. How could she forget that dad had to sleep outside because of lack of space. Dad will surely not tolerate this.
“Okay, get me some too.”
“Okay.” She muttered.
She walked away to get some water from the well.
Run. This is your chance.
And go where? Dad will surely find me if she runs away now.
I can’t run. I have to take care of my brothers and sisters.
And thus she obediently got some water and went to bed.
And before she knew it, it was morning.
She didn’t sleep. She was crying silently the whole night, praying that the day wouldn’t come.
And yet it did.
She was woken up by her mother at the break of dawn. The hustle and bustle of a marriage home was evident in the house. People lining up at the only bathroom of the house, doing various random chores, the chatter and all those usual wedding things.
But her heart didn’t match the excitement around her. She was pushed around by all the elders, many were telling her to do this and do that.
She walked in a daze, allowing herself to be pushed around, still not believing that all this wasn’t a terrible nightmare.
Some shouts and pushes later she found herself in front of the bathroom, with a ton of dresses shoved onto her hand.
“Go and take a bath quickly.” Her mom ordered.
She looked at the dresses she had in her hands. A red saree. She didn’t know to drape a saree. So much different from her usual skirt and top.
She looked at her mom in question.
“Put on your blouse and call me when you are done.”
An hour later, she sat in front of a mirror, her mehandi filled clicking with bangles. Long earrings and a hell lot of heavy ornaments later, she was finally away from the fuss of the elders.
“You look so pretty.” Her mom smiled tearfully. “I almost don’t want to give you up.”
Then why don’t you. I don’t want to marry. I just want to go to school. I want to at least complete my eighth standard.
But she didn’t scream that out loud. Because girls like her didn’t have a voice. She had to do what the man of the house tells. She didn’t have any freedom to choose how she wants her life to be.
And now, she was to go from one hell to another.
If only she had the courage to run away.
— — — — — — — — — — — — —
#challenge
The Quest
She stood by the window, staring out at the traffic below. With millions of indefinite emotions running through her, she felt disturbed.
She felt her husband’s arms around her as he hugged her from behind. She leaned into his touch and let herself be controlled by his warmth and love. Those disturbing feeling vanished and she felt safe in his arms again.
“I love you.” He whispered into her ears, his voice sending shivers down her spine. He turned her around and kneeled down. He put his hands on her swollen belly. “And I love you too princess. Your dad will be back soon. Don’t trouble your mom too much. ” He said with a kiss on her belly.
She laughed. “It’s a prince.”
“Whatever you say my queen.” He placed kisses all over her face.
She giggled. And stopped. Caught his face between her hands. Tears welled up and she stared at him, taking in every inch of his face. And he stared back, his smile unwavering.
“Please come back. ” Her voice broke as she said the words.
He put his hands over hers and leaned into her touch. He closed his eyes. “I will. I promise.” He gave a small kiss into her palm and pulled her closer.
She gasped.
“What? What happened? Was I being too strong? Are you hurt?” A series of neverending questions came from him.
“No silly.” She laughed. “Hope you are not this scared on the line of control too.”
“I am scared only when it comes to you and your health darling.” He pushed hair strands out of her face and nudged his nose against hers, making her smile again. “So why did you gasp?”
“The baby kicked! ” She exclaimed. Her eyes wide with happiness, her smile reaching the ends of her eyes, a smile so wide and bright that he just kept staring, taking her in, until the words she said registered in his head. When he realised what she said, he mirrored her smile.
He kneeled down again. Hugged her belly and said, “I will come back. I will come back to see you kicking again. I promise.”
She felt the baby kick again.
“Looks like he’s kicking you out. ” She laughed.
“Haha very funny. ” He sulked. “You wouldn’t do that would you. ”
A kick again.
“See, he just loves my voice. ” He decided.
The room was filled with the sounds of her giggles again.
“Wait, I will sing to him. ” He decided yet again.
The baby kept kicking throughout the song. And she cried throughout the song.
Tears of happiness, or sadness she did not know.
“It’s time. ” He declared after an hour of cuddling with his wife. He donned on his uniform. She watched him get ready. The same sense of dread she is overwhelmed by whenever he leaves, magnified by the pregnancy hormones.
They shared a one last kiss.
“I love you. ” She said. “Come back.”
“I love you too. ” He kissed her forehead. ” I will come back. For you. For us. For India.”
He picked up his duffel and left.
He turned back every few seconds to smile and wave at her and she waved back. She watched from the balcony as he got into the car. He looked at her one last time and waved yet again. She waved back, already missing him. Tears streaming down her face as it did always as he left. He blew a kiss. A she let out a laugh admist the tears.
And indeed, he did come back. Wrapped up in tricolour.
His sacrifice will not be forgotten.
Heaven
Heaven is a place on earth
It's that place you go to
When you feel down
It's that place you go to
When your heart is ripping
With sadness
It's that place where you feel calm
Even though there is a storm
Inside you
It's there whenever you
Are happy
It consoles you when you cry
Heaven is that place
That relieves you
A place where you belong
Heaven is where your heart is
Heaven is where your soul is
Heaven is where home is
Heaven is where you are.
Invisible
When I see
Myself in the mirror,
I don't see
The smile that everyone wear
I try to smile
But it seems fake
Not even for a while
A true smile I can make.
The person before me stares at me blank,
With no emotion left in the eyes
No joke, no prank,
Could ever make me smile, for I
Am broken beyond repair.
The pieces can't be picked
Nor can it be mended.
It's not visible
And no one cares.
I just try to
Escape this wicked dark world.
Masterpiece
Sometimes beautiful, other times not
Sometimes it's just about the battles we've fought.
For some it's dark, for some it's bright
It's all based on the painter's sight.
Only the painter can understand
The painting he drew with his own hand.
Others can only admire or criticize
But no one can understand, no matter how large the size.
There are many meanings and possibilities,
But you'll never know his true abilities.
His life may be tragic
Or perhaps romantic
He may have made mistakes
And not considered the stakes,
Perhaps he learned from them
And never tried to repeat them.
Maybe it is a success story,
With lots of ups and downs that made history,
Maybe it is about failures
With all work and no pleasures.
Maybe it's a commoner's tale,
With no success and no fails.
But the true meaning
Of the painting
Is only known by the painter,
After all it's his life that he is painting.
Insecure
"You have gotten fat."
Four words so simple,
Yet enough to bring out
My fake smile and say
"Thanks"
"You are eating well, I see"
They laugh.
They don't know I haven't eaten
Properly for days.
They haven't heard the sounds
Of me lurching out
The food I took in.
They don't know
How I cry seeing myself
In the mirror.
"Ah, I look great."
I think.
"Ew..you look fat.
Change immediately."
They say.
A piece of me broke,
As it always does.
Maybe I am fat.
Why does it matter
To you stranger?
Why are you staring?
Why am I not allowed
To be as myself?
Weren't you the one
Who told not to care what
Others think?
Then why are you
Making me care,
Even though I don't.
And I don't
Care, I mean.
I don't care what
They think.
But you,
You make me
Feel insecure,
All over again.
And I don't like it.
I don't like that
Even one bit.
The Woman Who Ruled
All heads bent down to touch the ground as she entered the throne room. Her flame red hair flowing behind her, her dark floor length dress hugged every curve of her body. Her purple eyes gleamed with mirth as she looked at all her bowing subjects.
Her presence was so powerful that they dared not to stand an inch above her. They waited in patience as she strode up to the podium and sat on the throne. The throne itself, forged in gold by the best of blacksmiths, embedded with the gems of the seven seas was a sight to see. Seated upon it was Lucifer also known in many cultures as Yamadharmaraja in Hindu myth, as Hades in Greek, as Shinigami in Japanese, as Satan in Christanity.
She waited for everyone to raise their heads and called upon Cerberus to give his daily report.
"Well.. to start with we have an invite from Heaven"
"Oh" Lucifer tilted her head in intrigue.
"Ehh.." Stuttered Cerberus adjusting his glasses on his second head, the first and the third trying to peep into the invite. "The Lord invites you to...I hope I am reading this right...the Lord invites you for a party on earth."
Everyone eagerly waited for her highness's response. An invite to a party means absence of a ruler in Hell.
"Declined" scoffed Lucifer at the thought of it. "Last time he invited me, he defied the laws of earth and made himself known to be a god. What's the point? Even if the God himself paves out the correct path for humanity, they defy it anyway. Next"
"Well... For news on earth," the third head started slowly.
"Just get on with it..." Yelled an impatient Beelzebub, one of the ministers of the six membered sin council."I bet I can report way better and faster. "
"Oh.. Shush." Drawled Asmodeus crossing her legs making the slit of her dress slit, showing off her dark skinned legs. "You are just jealous."
"I would like to have that position too. " put in Mammon.
"You'd like to have every position out there Mammon. " countered Asmodeus. "Be like Abaddon, he doesn't want even his post."
"Aye.." Affirmed Abaddon too lazy to utter more than one syllable.
"Shut up everyone." Shouted Sathanus "Let's just hear the report shall we."
"Proceed" prompted Lucifer, too used to their banter to even care.
"Humans have declared World War Three on account of shortage of water."
"Oh goody" exclaimed Belphegor beating his pot belly in excitement " More deaths, so more humans to roast."
"They brought that upon them themselves" shrugged Beelzebub.
"Serves them right." Laughed Mammon.
"On news of hell," started the first head. "Souls demand for the rules for the sins to be revised."
"What?" Gasped the entire council collectively. The spectators, who had already heard this news nodded grimly.
"There are too many sinners," explained Cerberus "No one is going to heaven anymore."
The crowd whispered among themselves. The sin representatives waited for a response from Lucifer.
"The sins shall not be revised." Announced Lucifer without even a second of thought."Humans need to understand that just because everyone else is a sinner doesn't mean they can be too. All will receive same punishment. Court adjourned."
As she got up, automatically all heads bowed. She walked past the seats of the representatives which were placed parallel to each other with three on either side. No one, once again dared to rise above the highness. If they did then they would have seen each of the representative dissolving into her.
They would have realized that the counsel actually consisted of only one person. They would have known the extent of her power as she single handedly ruled hell.
#ProseChallenge #itslit #getlit