“I know it’s a dog’s greatest pleasure to bark at people whom his master dislikes.” The man turned purple and clenched his fists threateningly but Shiva remained completely unfazed. “But try it with me and I assure you that it won’t go well.”
The man took several steps towards Shivani, huge arms half raised into the air. “What did you say?”
He cracked his knuckles threateningly.
“I know it was you who spread all kinds of lies about me. And I know who made you do it. Do it again and you’ll be sorry. I guarantee.”
“You...You…” The man completely broke loose. This thick brown lips parted and uttered one obscenity after another. I shook myself, wishing with all my heart that I could cover my ears and block out all this horrible mess. What a place! What kind of people!
“My name is Shivani. If you address me by any other name, I will drop into the nearest police station and have you hauled away for assault, harassment and…” She paused dramatically. I moved towards him, ready to give him a really painful hit at the first sign of physical violence.
“And?” the man stepped closer to her, his arms ready to strike. “And stalking. These things, if you don’t know ignoramus, are enough to put you behind bars for a long long while. This time my father or mother won’t stop me. Understand?””
The man’s footsteps faltered. He continued to stare at Shiva with contempt but he didn’t move closer, as if he was afraid of what would happen if he did. Some people who had gathered around looked shocked too. And some even disappointed. Well they would be…The show didn’t go on like they wanted. For humans, everything’s just that – a show, unless it happened to the people they actually cared about. If a misfortune befalls a neighbor, they’re like “Happiness and sadness are the two sides of a same coin.” Blah blah blah. But if it happens to themselves they’re all “Oh god! What have I done to deserve this!”
Forgive me if I can’t comprehend all this nonsense.
“Will you let me pass or not?”
Shiva’s voice rose, perfectly calm, perfectly polite and perfectly chilling. I’m sure I’m not the only one who sensed the ‘‘listen to me or else’ feeling. The man bit his lips, his eyes bulging out of their sockets. His face slowly turned purple. It was rather fun to watch. Him- the bully- coming to a decision that he didn’t like at all. Jolly good show! I know it makes me sound all drama-prone and ghoulish but that’s just what it was! Much better than all those miserable soap operas that these people watch on TV.
“I won’t stop you.”
The words came out grudgingly, one after the other, like a thick stream of water trying to poke it’s way out of a tiny hole. Shivani laughed softly. A soft and eerie laugh that sent shockwaves through me. It must have been the same for the man as well for he recoiled and returned to his buddies fairly quickly. The people who had gathered around too drifted away.
“The show’s over! The curtain fell! Time to go!” I murmured to myself, angrily as I watched a man disappear into a house, talking animatedly with a woman I presumed to be his wife.
Shivani too looked around, her eyes unemotional and indifferent. Something about her composed posture and rather serene expression reminded me of a person on a suicide mission. I moved closer to her trying desperately to detect some anger or despair. I got none. She was remarkably like a blank canvas. No hope. No happiness. No sadness. It frightened me. I wondered again what she was up to and whether I could possibly stop it.
Shivani’s immediate destination was a quiet little bus stop just beyond the next corner. There she stood and waited, her eyes staring at the vehicles rushing past. A car…several motorcycles…two buses…An entertaining scenario for sure. Even more so to me since my sight is a tad more ‘detailed’ than Shivani’s.
Several blues(two men and six women) drifted absently past the road, throwing about their arms and legs in an enthusiastic dance. I suppose they were celebrating something unpleasant. Not my business to inquire though. I’m not nosey like these humans.
Some yellows, both girls, their bright forms glittering in the sun jogged across the street to meet us. One of the yellows, the one that was glowing the brightest came over and extended a pretty hand, while the other ran straight past us without another word.
“Hi there Violet girl! Good to see one of you around.”
I laughed.
“Good to see you guys around too.”
The yellow instead of responding, looked at Shiva with interest.
“Is that your…?”
“Yes.” I replied
“Not a very cheerful soul, is she?”
She asked, shrugging in an offhand manner. I have to admit I did feel a tad annoyed. I mean, I knew how extreme Shivani’s emotional state was and to hear someone quipping about it was…But I really couldn’t blame the Yellow. We spirits usually don’t have a lot of sympathy to spare.
“Would I be around if she was?”
The yellow stared at Shivani for a little while more before replying.
“Guess not. But I’d be careful if I were you…You wouldn’t want anything unfortunate to happen, would you?”
“Hmm…I” Just at the moment, a bus hissed past us and came to stop some distance away. It was a rather mangled thing – all dented and chipped. It reeked too of the fuel that fed it. Pah! I wouldn’t get inside it even if someone promised me the greatest treasure in the world.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t beneath Shiva’s dignity. She raced towards it and climbed in, her senses oblivious to everything that affected me so badly. And poor me, I didn’t have much of a choice other than to follow her.
It was even worse inside the bus. Loads of loads of humans packed inside barely leaving any space for the precious air they needed to live. The situation wouldn’t have been too bad if it was only humans in there…But it wasn’t. It was full of spirits too, crawling and dancing about in the barely visible gaps between the passengers. Especially the Greens! Ugh! No wonder if felt so unbearable and toxic. To say nothing of the wrestling match that started just as I looked in through the door. A woman, a rather good looking one, got up from the seat she had been sitting on. At the very next moment, two ladies, distinguished in dress(And I did like the saris they wore so prettily) moved towards it. Pushing…Pulling…Tugging……How could they move so fast in the cramped up space and how could they fight so furiously with such restricted use of their limbs? God knows! Humans could do some extraordinary things when they really set their minds to it. That’s all I’ll say on the matter and I do not mean it in a good way.
At least one good thing came from the fight, at least for me. I decided I wasn’t going to ride inside at all. Instead I flew up and took a grand, comfortable and less suffocating place above the bus just as the thing started up.
The sky floated with me, it’s pretty clouds set in all kinds of shapes for me to enjoy. Houses and trees blurred ahead as the bus gathered speed. A mesmerizing kaleidoscope. It made me rather philosophical. The houses, to me, looked like cages. Humans the poor creatures trapped inside their small minds centering on their own tiny world. Well……As long as I didn’t annoy anyone by preaching these things, the thinking was fairly harmless.
The bust halted at various points, letting out several varieties of people and spirits out. I kept a sharp eye out for Shivani when that happened. I didn’t want to lose her in this chaos.
But Shivani didn’t get down till stop number 10. It was a bustling noisy city stop full of shiny new cars, whizzing motorcycles. Shiva didn’t look too comfortable getting down. A sense of not belonging was stuck on her face even though her new attire matched perfectly with the crowds and crowds of people I saw all around. Was her husband, whom I have yet to meet a member of this fast moving city crowd? I thought so. If so, Shiva and him didn’t get along at all. Just like her mother and father. Where people who don’t get along were forcibly united, there were always tears and heartbreaks. And everyone loses in the process. Unfortunately humans didn’t know
such sensible things. They keep making all the wrong choices…I felt sad for them as I watched Shiva standing alone in the pavement, a frightened and lost look in her eyes.
CHAPTER 3
When Shiva said she was going to a park, I expected a well trimmed piece of artistic greenery – well tended flowers and bushes, glossy well painted benches..,That kind of stuff. But the place Shiva ended up in after weaving in and out of the busy street was anything but that.
In the midst of two sky-kissing apartment buildings was a medium sized lot. It must have been a beautiful sight once upon a happier time, before these huge constructions invaded the place. At the moment, it was barely recognizable as a park except for some faded writing on a iron gate which read ‘Clemency’. Hmmm…Nauture sure could have used a bit of ‘clemency’ by the looks of the so called park.
As Shiva walked through the gates, I saw a few trees standing tall, dull and lifeless. Poor things! They must be dying day by day, smothered by the poisonous smoke that shrouds these urban streets. Horrible way to go out really! Inch by inch!
Sorry remains of once well groomed hedges poked out through the masses and masses of weeds. Here and there a few birds chirped. The park must be their oasis in the city. They too were disappearing, their vibrant spirits seeking greener pastures.
Shiva looked around, her eyes impassionate. If the park was once her favourite place, its slow death didn’t bother her at all. I couldn’t blame her though. She sure had a lot on her mind. Peaceful minds have the leisure to philosophize. Worried and turbulent souls don’’t.
Waving off the leaves and branches that got into her face, Shivani made her way to the centre of the park. I followed, grumbling. I didn’t like the aura of decay all around. It stung my senses and made me want to take off into the sky. But I couldn’t of course. Shiva had some bad ideas in her head and goodness knows what she intended to do in there.
The centre of the park looked the worst of all. A pile of stones which was perhaps once a fountain of an intricate sculpture lay in a corner covered by bird droppings. A few benches covered by smelly decaying leaves stood near a group thick overgrown bushes. The sight made me sick. ‘Clemecy felt like a cemetery. A place where people came for a single purpose –– to mourn.
Shiva, on the other hand, looked supremely unbothered. She walked straight ahead to the benches, her footsteps, strong and decided. I wondered if she intended to sit down on them…Ew!
Well…she didn’t sit down on the disgusting benches but instead she sank on to the ground, not even noticing the wet, slimy mud. I almost grabbed her but then decided to let her do her own thing. If that was her way of healing...None of my business. It to let her do her own thing. If that was her way of healing...None of my business. It
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wasn’’t doing much harm except to her clothes that I sensed she didn’t like. Shiva rested both her hands on the benches and sat staring at something straight ahead. I moved closer to her to check out what it was. All I could make out were some speeding cars and some more grand buildings. Nothing worth noticing. But something at this rundown place must have appealed to Shiva. I tried following her gaze closely but still nothing.
Suddenly, the bushes around us rattled and shook. Several spirits poked their head out
– mostly greens. Just my luck! Everywhere I went, these things seemed to follow me. There were as much thrash on this earth as the stinking pile by one of the trees. Who knew from what millennium they came from! All beautiful places are cursed if you ask me. People like to vent their feelings in parks or beaches and the result…The anesthetic in nature runs dry and gets replaced by something not too good.
Three violets, who were in a bust far apart from the Greens came over and surveyed me in an interested manner.
“We haven’t had a spirit visitor in a long time.” One of them said, “Are you punished?” “No!” I replied, feeling a drop of fear awaken inside me. The mere thought of endless roaming and taking refuge in places like this was chilling. I glanced at Shivani, whose head was now resting on her hands.
“Not yet.”
Laughter spread among the Greens. I looked away, ashamed. I wasn’t a coward! I would deal with whatever that comes.
“She doesn’t look so good.” The Violet said. The other two nodded in agreement, looking at Shivani with interest.
“Found out her sob story yet?”
“I have some ideas.” I replied matter-of-factly. “She’s not a bad sort. I feel as if she’s decided to fight.” The Violet snorted.
“I beg to differ. She’s no warrior.”
Believe me, I wanted to argue. I wanted desperately to shout that Shiva was some sort of a great fighter but…When I glanced at the girl and saw the silent tears streaming down her cheeks, I couldn’t help feeling hopeless. She was wearing a mask of bravado and those tears were leaking through it bringing out the broken, scared woman underneath.
“Well…She’s a nice change from that weirdo comes here daily.”
The Violet sighed. “Sticking around on earth’s not cool. Buck up girl or you mind end up the same way.” I was about to reply when a strange squeaking, dragging noise came from the gate. “He’s here!”
The Violet cried out and dived into the nearest bush. The other two followed. So did the Greens. I admit I became curious. Weirdo…That was the word they used. But I wasn’t scared at all. I felt that I would rather meet him than watch Shiva turn on the water tap all day.
Trees and branches rustled as the strange squeaking noise grew closer. I moved towards Shiva and stood in front of her like a shield. If it was a crazy guy dragging his chains, he would have to pass me and I, goddammit, wasn’t easy to pass.
The branches directly in front of us moves and a metallic wheel chair made its way painfully through them. I relaxed my defensive stance, as the rest of the wheel chair came out through the trees.
The man sitting on it didn’t look the part of a weirdo lunatic at all. He was skinny and weak with rough untidy hair that stood up in spikes. Two blue eyes stared out a distorted face, staring at us. They felt like blown out lamps. Souless, empty…
Another man followed behind, pushing the wheelchair. Rather on the plump side, he had a joker like, kind face. One glance was enough to tell me that he adored his invalid master. The expression on his face was really rather sweet. It’s often only seen in little puppies who literally worship those they love. Well...It was rather good to know that loyalty was still alive in humans. We spirits always thought that it was long gone from this earth and was rotting in the depths of hell. He was talking animatedly, his eyes glancing now and then at the hot blue sky.
“The park’s really beautiful Jacob. Loads of flowers all around and you should see the butterflies…Lovely. Everything’s in tip top shape. It’s a wonder, you know, considering all the new expansions and constructions going around in this area.”
What! I glanced this way and that, wondering if I missed something about the garbage heap I was in. Flowers? Butterflies? Try as I might I couldn’t see a single one. Who did that man think he was fooling?
Jacob smiled softy. The effect it had on his face was beyond belief. His empty looking eyes lit up and for a moment, his distorted face looked handsome. “Dan…Why do you do this every time? My eyes may not be alive but there’s nothing “Dan…Why do you do this every time? My eyes may not be alive but there’s nothingVIBGYOR wrong with my nose and ears.”
Dan turned red.
“I know that. But I can’t bring myself to tell you what things are like now.”
Jacob smiled again. I felt sudden warmth spread all around. Suddenly I understood why the other spirits called this man weirdo. What did he have to be so happy about? He was blind and he couldn’t walk. Yet he was smiling…Not a thing many humans would do. A different human……A weirdo. Well…I liked him. Quite the cool guy.
“Dan…What’s the use to turning blind to the truth?”
Dan was about to reply when his eyes fell on Sh
ivani. He whispered something to Jacob, who nodded curtly.
“Hey! Hello there!” It was Jacob who called out to Shiva. His voice, I noticed was soft and rather singsong. Pleasant to the ears. I wondered if he had once been a singer. He certainly had the looks of one.
Shiva raised her head and turned, staring at the newcomers in puzzlement. “What are you doing over here?” Dan asked his voice crisp. “Not exactly the place for beautiful young girls.” “I was about to say the same thing.” said Jacob, laughing “This is the kind of place for broken down guys like me who hold on to their old memories like a kid holding on a worn out teddy bear!”
“Who are you?”
Shiva asked after a minute’s silence.
“I’m Jacob, a first class invalid and this man here’s my legs and eyes. His name’s Daniel. We live around here.”
“I’m Shivani. No. I just came to visit this park. I was here once…a long time ago and I thought I’d like to see it again.” “Ah lovely! A nostalgic trip. How lovely.” Jacob said dramatically, “But I thought you were weeping. I may be wrong but people don’’t do that in cozy ‘memory lane’ moments.”
“She was weeping?” His companion asked, bewildered. “How did…” Shiva frowned. It was too obvious she didn’t appreciate the manner of the two men. “Why don’t you shut your eyes and ears to the things that don’t matter to you and stop being a nuisance to people who simply want to be alone?””
Jacob laughed again.
“I don’t know about my ears but my eyes…They’re kind of already shut. I thought people could tell by looking at them. Also…I kind of told you that a minute before.” Shiva started a bit at this and went red. I had to smile too. I mean, how often do humans make such ridiculous mistakes? They don’t see what’s in front of them all along. Or rather they don’t bother to look closely enough.
“I’m sorry…I…” “Hey! Don’t apologize.” Jacob waved his hand dismissively. “But I would recommend against crying your heart out in lonely places. Doesn’t help at all. Trust me on this one, girl.”
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