So-Called Diwali

 

The stomach felt heavy, seems like food from the afternoon still left in the stomach unacidified. Deep sleep after having excessive food in lunch, made it hard for the eyes to open. A sensation of dirt covered over the eyeballs and soothing thin pain in lids took all the energy in overcoming. Realizing that it is too difficult to get on to the feet and stayed in the same position, still struggling to open lids over huge eyeballs.

Finally, could see around, but no difference with eyes open or closed. It is thick dark like eyes closed tight. Moving a limb felt like moving tons of weight, the stomach is sagging down with food and now could observe pain in the neck, maybe due to the awkward sleeping position.

Now the body is fully awake, but still, the mind is struggling to get out of the sleeping mood. But the massive sound of a gunshot stopped the heart-beat. Having no dare to turn around for the source, stayed stagnated on my feet, not knowing when got on to feet. Now could sense no pain in the neck, stomach felt empty yet burning, so heavily large stable legs shivered.

About a few seconds later, the shots from the gun increased, like there is a war going on around me.

“Please save me,” was the only shout, that I could do. But I know, no one around can understand me.

Soon in that thick dark surroundings, I noticed sparks of fire. The color of fire is so bright, some sparks fell into my room too, a few feet away from me. I shouted and shouted; I was running around in the area that I was restricted to. I was sweating, and my heartbeat raised to the fullest. The thoughts like, ‘am I going to die for a gunshot, are they going to cook me’, ran over and over.

Now the only way left for me is to pull of the rope that is tied around my neck and the other end clutched around the pole, which is fixed deep into the ground.

Yes, you guessed it right, I am an animal. “Gomatha,” I think this is the way you sweetly call me. I am such stupid. That, till today, after so many wars, I couldn’t realize, this war called Diwali.