It was again a dreamy night. I always add all my dreams to the archive. Since childhood, I had lot of dreams which perhaps nothing to do with my actual life. I had never been to places, in real which I had visited in my dreams. I think, I try to find in the darkness which is impossible to be dug out in daylight. There is possibility that all the great ideas, theories or discoveries, might be searched out at night. The day is for the world seen and the night is to explore the unseen.
There is light at the window and I am still busy in collecting all that I saw last night. A sparrow is making ‘notes’ at the window pane. It might be a strange experience to confront its own self; cherishing or otherwise.
“When I was looking at the water”, I dried my face, “falling from the height, making splash and silently started its journey towards___ and it looked as if, it was dancing and celebrating the life it had. Then a fish came out, jumped and dived again. There is a strong bond between them; one keeps its life and the other keeps it full of life. Dependence and independence merged together like gushing streams falling into the wide sphere. I was in that lake or perhaps it’s a river or sea, all realities were blurred. The cool clear water turned into hot muddy, stagnant hell. I was crying for help, drowning gradually faster and even no straw was there to catch on. The scene had changed. Those lush green trees had metamorphosed into burnt barren red clay and the pool turned into a boiling tub. I was being tossed as if I were nothing but a helpless Cockroach. I could not even speak and I thought it to be the last day of my life. My skin was being peeled and every bone was falling apart like leaves of an autumn ridden tree. All was happening so fast that even pain was not felt and senses lost their sensation.” I shrugged and zipped up my pants and combed my hair, “it was a hell”, and called my friend to pick me to the place where I was going for first time. I came to the balcony to wait, it was a beautiful morning and there were flowers in the lawn. I rested my hands on the iron grill and started looking at the plants in the lawn.
They were all silent and bowed. Some with flowers were erected but most of them could not keep their heads up. The Sunlight still had not touched them. Standing and looking at them, I felt myself to be a Caesar, addressing to the army who were all still and ready to die for every word of mine.
The dream was still haunting me and that momentary gleam vanished like nothing. The Clock struck eight and there was still half an hour to go. “I got up too early”, I thought and went to the kitchen. There were some small pieces of breads being taken by the small ants. “The kitchen needs dusting”, I thought.
I went to my room, the air was still oppressive. “They were hanging and lying on the bed.” A cold wave struck me again. “Bodies were hanging but no flesh was in them. Their heads were gone. Lying lifeless and dry. I was looking for the blood which perhaps was drunk cleanly. There were all parts; feet and hands, sleeveless bodies too. All bodies were lying here and there. The foul smell made my mind cracked. The walls were not the same. Their color was changed. It was the blood neatly painted but where was the flesh?” I wondered, “But even the curtains were not the same. The flesh was perfectly sliced and hanged in front of windows. They all were human bodies or something else? I don’t know I shrieked”. The horror made me run out of the room. The bell rang but I could not go to open the door and welcome my friend. “Is he the man who did all that? I thought. “He will carve me into skin and cut my head. I should run…….but where could I hide?” At last, my friend entered and I was watching him in frenzy. He shook my shoulder and I came back to my senses with a sigh of relief. I felt his face and body. “Thanks God you are fine”. He was surprised to see my reaction. “Let us go, it’s already late. I have been ringing for ten minutes”… “Bath room….. I was in Bath room” I controlled my breath. “Where are the maid and guard?” The question again made me tremble. “So, it were them. Oh God… I was crying and tears made my shirt wet. I was smashing my hands against the walls… they were bleeding.. I killed them… I de-fleshed them and suck their blood. My eyes were bleeding. I sucked more than my capacity. I will be caught. He will feel the coldness and thirst of my eyes… I am coming…” I went to bathroom to wash the stains and let the water ran through my eyes to clear the blood. “Now it seems ok”. “Anything wrong?” “No, not at all…let’s go. It’s already really late. You stay here and let me collect car’s keys.” “Ok, I go with you” “no no stay here…’m coming”
Now the car was on the main road and we were to go, fifty miles. I gained my senses back. We were chatting, laughing and listening the fast moving air. Perhaps, it was the most joyous moments since morning. I was drinking and driving. The road was plain and empty. “The road, black road…like a tunnel was swallowing us.” I shrugged and stopped the car. “What happened?”. “Nothing, you drive”. Seats were exchanged but the force remained. I diverted my attention. “The snakes longest I have ever seen.” So many heads came out in the center and we were riding beside. “Snakes are alive, having no eyes but their lips were bleeding. They are increasing.” I turned my head and greenery was no more there. It was all red. The trees were loaded with bleeding heads. “The heads were rising high and blood making the road slippery. “They may not be crushed……stop, stop……….I said stop” but the car was moving fast. “What happened to your head?” I shouted. “No response. He was driving on the row of skulls and crushing them. There was sound of cracking and smell of burning skulls under friction of the road”. I tried to get the control of the car but he was still resisting. I used all my powers and it worked this time and the car turned to the left. “Oh it is wall of the river bridge”. I dived out of the flying car and my friend was crying, looking at me. I was drowning in boiling water of the river. The eyesight was gone and all the sounds were also stopped. Perhaps my ears were lost too. The skin was getting peeled. It was hell. The end of my existence.
BY:
MUHAMMAD ANEES.
