Djinn in My Dream

The Jungle was lush green. It had rained quite a lot and each leaf was more of Kelly and harlequin. The brightness made me shudder as one ray of sun pierced through my skin through the darker canopy above.

Where was I?

I couldn’t see the mud. Lavish moss spread like a king over the dead sycamore.

A loud hiss took my fascination. I turned around to see a giant creature standing tall, overpowering everything around. It was mighty and the scales were shining as the rays fell on him as if honoring his presence.

The car honked to a stop. We had reached the destination. We crossed the lanes to reach the office premises and as I waited for him to summon the meeting, it returned.

I was tired. I had been running for miles now. The jungle seemed to close in. I could see no way out. I was scared. I ran hysterically though the woods. The spider webs had walled me with an uncertainty. There was a small cavern in the vicinity. It was dark inside and I was vacillating my choices. It seemed erroneous.

The distance was closing and I could feel the heat of the fangs. The hiss grew louder and clearer.

We have rescheduled the meeting to 1300 due to some emergency. We had 40 minutes on hand. I took a sigh and tried to relax.

I turned around; he was looking straight into my eyes. There was nowhere I could run and I could see the evident end. The jungle was unknown, ruthless with the beast. It showed no mercy. I looked into the deathly eyes, red and appalling. It was staring at me, mocking my perseverance.

Why was it following me; that ghastly creature?

It was time to confront one last time. It did not look exasperated but what could a lady as docile as me do to save herself from the horror. There was nowhere I could go.  I closed my eyes, my heart was sinking. The ship had no life-boats and land was not insight. I was in the state of acceptance. Tears rolled down my cheeks.

Your bank accounts have been frozen due to heavy debts.

It was then that I realized it wanted to say something. It was my gates to freedom. Never did it harm me or even tried to harm me. I just had to stop running away and find my answers to the riddle. I followed it to the maze and the smell of the sandal-wood was ravishing. I knew the slithering death that the woods held in its chest. I had to find a way out. He was the djinn.  I was running away from my only assuage. I smiled and moved towards it.

I handpicked every piece of my strength that had dissipated, bundled it up and went into the conference room.

My son was in the hospital. He needed treatment and this deal needs to close.

Into The Night

The night was growing darker with each passing moment but life had just begun in frenzy for a bunch of enthusiasts. I was walking under the dazzling stars and as I looked towards the dark empyrean, I felt a chill that ran straight down my spine. The smoke in my hand fell and I quivered in an attempt to save it.

How long have I been up? It was past midnight and the hum-drums of the day had almost come to an end. Half the world was in deep slumber dreaming of their own demons and angels. The rest half was fighting it.

He had shouted at me that day. I was in tears. And I was clueless. What mattered to him more?

It has been 2 years. It’s all afresh and I can still see the smile and looks that we shared now and then. The text messages, the calls that went on for hours during the tours, meetings and lunch breaks. But time has wings, beautiful wings and it flies fast decomposing the episodes even faster.

The phone was ringing and I was frantically texting using all the social media apps with a hope that he might check one of them. Hard luck. It had been 3 days since we had any point of contact. 

When did I start becoming a Bête noire?

A car honked past me and I realized I had been smoking again. The night was growing eerier with bats flying all across the dark grey & navy hue.

At the end of the road I could see faint colored lights glowing and a distant music that was playing on repeat. I sauntered unmindful but captivated towards it. I could see faintly now the exuberant crowd and amidst it a beautiful silhouette draped in the orange fuchsia lehenga. A handsome groom proud to have her stood like a guard with a promise to keep her happy and let her live her life. I could now see how glad he was to have her. Will it remain like this forever?

What had gone wrong? The question is how we let it go wrong.

It had been 2 years since I wore a similar Lehenga. I was skeptical about the future. I was wearing the rainbow colored bangles. I was the Bride. He had the same promise in his eyes. Apparently it was just 3 weeks back when I found out that I was pregnant. And he was happy about it. I was in a fix.

‘Congratulations! You are going to London to head the new project.’

Dream of the lifetime! I had to choose. The road had bifurcated into left and right.

Why didn’t he keep his promise? Why couldn’t he live my dream?

I had been smoking for the entire night pondering over the turn of events; the choice that I made and the choice that he made. I felt my knees go weak. But then a geyser opened somewhere inside me. Warm and comforting, I bathed into the strength that flowed. Life came back and I trudged back home.

I packed my bags. I had a flight for London at 0310 hours tomorrow. As I lied down, I felt something under the pillow. He was divorcing me.

I closed my eyes and a deep breath helped. I had a new life waiting at the doors. 

The Satan Within

The mornings are surreal with cool whip of breeze now and then that fills my nostrils with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the fragrance of the white lilies and bougainvillea that host upon the age old walls of the building next door, both redolence’ amalgamated in a fashion of oneness.

Yet another Mumbai morning!

Rains came pouring down my window pane and it demanded a huge effort from my end to just move out of the mollycoddles of my furs. It is a huge task. I surrender.

It was 9:15 AM and I recalled the last night’s conversation. It was after midnight and none of us wanted to leave the company we had.

[What an invention! Graham Bell, you rest in peace buddy.] You have brought the world together.

And lo! The Satan in me lives! Yet again I let loose my Frankenstein. I am basking in pure love. I am being selfish. I am drawn in by the desires of race. I unveil the alluring side and let the dark chide away. But it exists! And the prominence of its presence is stunning. It lives in the camouflage of my goodness.

Dark is beautiful, it is magnetic.

My phone rings and breaks the continuity of my thoughts.

The Lady in black takes the back seat but the desire is overpowering me. I need to fly back in time and let loose the wings that I kept folded. Let myself be loved and pampered. I deserve it. She is screaming from behind the dark caverns. Let me out. I am you and I live!

Voice at the other end murmured something I couldn’t comprehend. I nodded in consensus.

We have nothing. Absolutely nothing between us! But this nothingness is beautiful. No judgment, just a bowl full of right proportions of all that makes a human ‘a human’ basically. Technically, this could be the best that a life can offer. I will not relinquish the gourmet in accord.

But the much coveted fruits come with a price. That’s where you find the dead end. It’s either a right or a left.

The rage begins!

The tempest tears me apart and I choose to unfurl the insatiable desire.  I choose you but I do not let go of my lady. She is beautiful. She gives me pleasure. Her dark soft mane is comforting. I am a traveler of different ships and I drown in chivalry.

Its 10:30 AM.  I cut the ends loose.