I walked .
The reddish golden sands burned under my feet.
The heat from the overhead desert sun, beat down on me. I felt the overpowering human sense of thirst. I focused on that feeling. My mouth was dry and my tongue felt swollen .
Why do they do this?
Its what they want.
Why this need to limit themselves? To enslave themselves? To understand themselves through mortal flesh and faulty senses?
Its how they want it.
Why are you being dragged into all this?
Because they have chose to forget in order to remember.
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She sat by his side. His broken body was dwarfed by the machines around him, sustaining his flicker of life.His breathing sounded magnified by the ventilator.
She sat by his side. Holding his tiny hands in her palm. There were no more tears. There was only a coldness towards the inevitable conclusion she knew will unfold.
She felt her husband's presence behind her. She did not turn.
' The lawyer is here ; again' He said softly. His eyes swam over his son.He turned away. Unable to look without the fury blinding him.
She nodded.
' What do we say to him?' He asked. His hand rested on her right shoulder.
' What we had decided.' She replied in a voice barely audible. She let her face tilt and rest on the top of his hands. He moved closer to her.
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He shared the cell with 12 other prisoners. The cell had concrete beds built on to the three walls. There were no segregation according to the crimes they had committed. He sat on his bunk. They had shaved his head on the second day of his detention.
The Shariah law gave him 15 years imprisonment and Dirhams 30,000 as blood money, which will earn him another 5 years more upon failure to pay.
The court appointed lawyer had appealed.
He knew that he looked forward to about 20 years in prison and a deportation upon completion of his sentence. His life was over. His wife. His family. Over.
He bowed his head and prayed that the child lives. He accepted his situation with a calmness that he didnt know was capable by him. He only wanted the child to live.
He heard the cell doors being opened.
The jail warden called out to him in Arabic and gestured him to come outside.
He got up. Nervous . The Arabic language seemed crude and incomprehensible to his hears. He feared the worst. Whatever that was.
The warden locked the bars behind him. He stood there, watching.
'Yalah habibi, yalah' (Hurry my friend, hurry) the warden barked , gently pushing him on his shoulder.
He turned to look at the warden, frightened , when they reached the wardens room. The lawyer was sitting on the chair opposite the large wooden desk. The lawyer stood as they entered.
'Mubarak Habibi', the warden said, as he patted him on his shoulder.
'You have been pardoned by the parents.' the lawyer interjected,' They have requested the court to let you go. They have not pressed any charges. You are free to go.'
He looked at the lawyer, his eyes brimming with tears of gratitude.
' So,the child is safe.' He asked
' No, he died last night, a little after they signed the pardon statement' The lawyer answered.
Velayudan Siva Shankaran walked out of the prison a free man. As free as any man in his situation.
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The sun beat down on me.
The head scarf I wore offered me no respite. I felt His burning touch on my cheek.
How long will you go on, my friend?
Until I understand.
What dont you understand?
They are a fickle race. They can never return.
You are wrong my friend. They always return. You have to have more faith in them.
They need You?
No. They do not need me. My existence is not dependent on their belief in me.They dwell upon me due to their fears, that their self imposed limitations have generated.
For what purpose is this silly game?
To be me, my friend.
A cool gust of wind swept over me. The sky darkened with grey clouds.
Then it rained.
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4 comments:
I read the epilogue beofre I read this. :(
I've often wondered. Does God really need our gratitude? What good would it do Him? If He gives us all our fortunes, isn't he equally responsible for our misfortunes?
Totally agree with you. I believe He'll be there, whether we believe or not. He's a pretty great guy, don't you think? :)
@AP : I personally think that god is over rated..if it does exist, it will not be in our scope of vision to understand or recognize it..therefore the search for god , to me atleast, is a futile one. In stead, I believe the true search shud be inward..
If there is a god, i dont think it matters to him if Iam grateful, worshipful, devoted, or believe in his existence...because, wud it to you?
If u r better thn ur concept of god, then his existence is rather a letdown isnt it?
So I choose to ignore God and recognize us...
Adichu polichu... superb superb superb. I am a bit visualistic so my eyes welled up. Yes I am still attached to the strings...
About GOD... Letme say this first. I pray everyday... without fail. I believe in god... however I believe in god, the true god, ME. I am yet to come to terms with it, it seems realising the truth is like falling in LOVE. One just knows it. I think I am falling in LOVE.
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