#4: Night dreamer

In a timeless place, no awareness of night and day,
The conscious awakens, threads of pictures,
scenes, moments, feelings, breaking through the surface.

Eyes don't open, for threads begin running loose,
Already losing a dream or two,
Quickly recalling the ones that remain,
Thinking them over and over again.

Hands reach out to the spiralled-together paper,
Tucked next to the pillow, pencil in place,
Readied in the night.
Hands scrawl memories, eyes open merely a shadow,
Mind rushing through dreams, about adventures, laughter and flowery meadows.

Together the papers get thicker each year,
Bearing dreams of a collector,
With no sure purpose, other than to remember,
There's a world wholly created, a world of one's own,
That's as beautiful and ugly,
As the one the body owns.

***

This got thought-up while I was going through a notepad I had kept for a short while, intermittently, to record dreams. To say I was astonished would be an understatement. It was full of WEIRD scenarios with the most unusual characters (Batman's Joker, people from my junior school I haven't thought about in years, Dracula, people as vampires, friends conjuring up spells using wands--I managed Lumos!!--my childhood toy pygmypuff, Frankenstein's creature, to name a few). The best thing was the way I'd written them down. Good sentences that I might not have managed in wakefulness. Straight in lines, despite being in the dark, eyes nearly closed. Am I awesome or what!?

In case this is the first NaPoWriMo poem you're reading on this blog, check out the NaPoWriMo website here to know about it.

I'm also in a personal, very healthy competition with this friend (click here) whose writing makes me want to think hard before I write, and to write the very best, because that is what he does. Trust me, (because I'm an editor) there's an undiscovered gem. 

#3: Exhaustion

Drooping eyes and sallow face,

Curved-down lips and a grimace,

Heavy steps and a heavy heart,

Dragging self along the path,

White sound ringing in the ears,

A sore comment will downright pierce,

Painful eyes red with tears,

That have stayed there over the years,

Gasping breath and dry mouth,

Snivelling nose, uncouth,

Need a soft bed and soft words,

Need to hear the chirping of birds,

To remove exhaustion.

Src: www.rebeccaanhalt.com

#2: Forsaken soul

"Don't go out yet!" we said. "Your talks with that friend are ever on the rise. 

Talking about our household is not wise."

The light left her eyes, shoulders stooped, she slunk back on her chair.

"She's back from the village with a gift. Taking it, I think, is fair."

We stopped short of words. Yet again we were too hasty and judging.

The househelp across the lane had the comfort only a friend could bring.

Staring at the soppy serial on TV, her only distraction, her eyes welled with tears,

"You wouldn't know what it is to be alone, and to live in fear."

A sharp intake of breath we took. She was right, and we hadn't thought,

What it could be like to lose every loved one life had brought.

There had been a home with Mother and Sister and Goats in a far-off village,

Before it crumbled while she had been away, all mercilessly pillaged.

The Mother and Sister killed by some kin,

And no one to arrest them for committing the sin.

For we live in a country where the mighty rule,

The honest and the hard-working man is just a fool.

So it was that she lost her family, for the kin lusted for her life too,

She gave up her hard-earned money to another greedy sister, for there was nothing she could do.

The greedy sister, sent off at birth to a kin-woman who wanted her, became bitter,

To the birth-mother; she felt no sympathy for her remaining sister.

Yet we wondered what made this lonely girl do things for the greedy one,

"She's the only family left... I'm doing what I would anyway have done."

Cleaning, cooking, washing, answering throughout the day,

A few minutes of solace with a friend are for play.

Yet she is hindered. By the time we realize our mistake,

She has taken to sleep, lost in a world we are not allowed to take.

---

The hero on a rainy morning...

Thank you for reading this poem. I'm glad I wrote it. It makes me feel more aware and empathetic towards a girl I've known for more than eight years, a girl who isn't my sister, yet I've lived under the same roof as her, a girl I've seen striving to be good at everything she learns. It was a hard blow to her (and us) when news of the tragedy that befell her home reached us. We cannot really imagine how she feels to live in such a world. Yet, I've seen her laughing more than I've ever done, and I wonder at that. I don't like the communication gap we have. We don't have long talks. It gets awkward when we do try. I'm annoyed at something most of the times, and it nearly always goes to her. Sometimes I feel like crying if I think of my behaviour considering her situation, because it makes me feel ashamed of myself, of all of us who, after an initial "I'm sorry", tend to forget all about another's tragedy. Every life counts, and each one of it should be celebrated with love and care. Thinking about it just now, I think it would be a good amend to renew what I had started long ago and left too soon without completing it--to teach her to read and write in Hindi. What's the point of being a lover of words when I can't share the love with someone I actually do care about? You rock, V. You'll never read this, but from among this love-hate relationship, love rules. 

***

I am participating in the National Poem Writing Month (NaPoWriMo). It was a suggestion by a friend, and I readily accepted mostly because I had been craving to get back to blogging, but somehow had not been able to manage it. I've never been into poems. The only poetry book I own was acquired a few days ago, as a gift. But I hope to express my thoughts, realize some truths in the process of writing, and share it on this blog with NaPoWriMo. And oh, the most exciting part about this "project" is that I'm competing with this blogger-friend. We're going to see who writes better, each day. We realized that to get into that writing frame of mind, we needed to be regular, and this could just be the thing. And to keep us motivated, what's better than a challenge? We can self-judge (assuming you guys would be too busy to comment or anything), but you are free to give your opinion! It would inspire us even more! This is tagged #2 because it is April 2 today. We forgot to begin it yesterday. :P

You can participate in NaPoWriMo too. Click here. 

Some Awesomeness!

Y'know you're a goner, a pure victim of injustice if you're in a college where they take your Sunday and exchange it with a fully packed day and you still go to every single class because one, attendance issues and two, you're saving the holidays for later. You have any idea how such 14 days can be? 14 straight days of classes from 8.30 to 5.30, with every single class requiring you to take some tests or assignments or presentations or cases? Total stupidity. So when a teacher takes mercy and postpones his assignment's due date and you get one day when you don't have any submission the next day, you're so confused that you don't know what to do! You feel sleepy but you feel that'd be wasting time :P You sit down to send sane replies to pending emails, you feel emotionally awesome because an email would be from someplace you don't know, sent by a person you don't know, saying how they can connect to what you write and what they feel about it. That is when you feel like you're actually achieving your goals in small increments, because that is what you really wanted. :D

Anyway, that is also the time when you know you desperately want to blog but you're in no state to think and write. You would then consult your writer-friend and he'd give you a really awesomely weird prompt. This is what I got as a prompt:

"Write ten things about yourself that make you so proud that you want to hug yourself!"

Source: Google

Weird, right? :P I actually had to consult this friend who gave no more than one point, saying 'You're supposed to do this yourself.' Consulting with mom led to simple but cool answers (and I feel awesome my mom thinks so ;) ) And as much as I believe and think we're supposed to stay humble and not mumble (it's okay dudes. We are allowed to write words just to make them annoyingly rhyming :P ), I also feel like doing some self-motivation thingy and list some things about myself I feel are awesome! ;) I mean, it's cool, you guys. Please don't run off to the International Commission for Searching and Awarding Insanely Awesome People to nominate my name. I'm above all such materialistic stuff. ;)

# 10: I love to read. Many people love to read, I know, but I love it. I love more the fact that I have been reading ever since I could. In a place where there is hardly any culture of bedtime reading, I'm lucky that even as a kid I had the brains to read books my age :P (Yeah, it's obviously because of my parents who encouraged me, but still). I read children's stories and classics when I should have, Enid Blyton and Nancy Drews, and yep, I was 12 when I started reading the Harry Potter books, so that is awesome! And people who read are nevertheless awesome just by virtue of being readers, so that's an added plus!

# 9: I have amazing blogs. And I find them amazing because I completely adore them. This blog contains my evolution as a person, witnessed through the stories I've typed here. This is where I have always come when I needed to bring something off my heart, where I felt awesome while writing. This here, my second baby, is where I can freely (and super-enthusiastically) talk about my favorite topic: books. And it led me to many more book lovers, including an amazing girl from another country who is now a pen-friend. :D These blogs are not popular, nor do I wish for them to be. Popularity brings with it too much noise and distractions and yes, spam, and I'm better off without having to deal with those. ;)

There's one fact I love about these two blogs, that I don't actually do a rigorous promotion for them, because of which they tend to have people who are genuinely interested. This holds more true for the book blog, because I'd rather have a few reader, book-lover, genuine review-seekers to be on my blog than many random people just because I know them from somewhere. Genuineness adds such a feel-good factor! :)

# 8: I'm one of those 'old-school' characters. I've never really understood the term properly, but despite being the kid of the 21st century, brought up in co-ed educational backgrounds, among super-fast technological developments and super-fast people, I'm the kind of person who'd have been happier living in 'the good old times'. I rarely identify with the modernities, I refuse to believe in changing roles and behavior of people where everyone is convinced that being fast and chant is the way to success. I'd prefer to go slow and steady in any kind of relationship. I'm aware of everything new and modern, but I'd rather not live that way.

# 7: I love writing. It's one activity that never makes me feel jumpy or anxious when I have to do it. I feel nervous about a lot of things, including group activities in class, presentations, and wherever else I'm supposed to answer. But that's not the case with writing. It's something I've always been comfortable with. I don't write great, I don't have a good vocabulary, but I'd just always prefer writing in simple words (because okay, no great vocab -_-) for everything I need to convey. Well, maybe not everything, but most of the stuff. I was that weirdly awesome kid in school who loved English classes and looked forward to them; the one who loved doing grammar exercises, who never had trouble writing answers, who wrote short essays that got read in class. :D #nerd mode on. 

# 6: I don't get bored. Seriously, that makes me a boring person for others but I don't get bored myself. :P There's always some thing roaming around in my head, for my brain never sleeps, and if there's nothing (or no one :P ) interesting enough to observe, there'd be whole sentences forming in my head, as if it's writing a book on its own. It's crazy, but I love it. Considering how I anyway don't get much time to write, at least my brain has taken it upon itself to practice. ;) And yeah, lack of boredom tends to make you patient because you're not restless when nothing interesting is happening around you. 

# 5: I have interesting interests. Y'know, they're interesting to me. The thing I've noticed about people who're patient, and weird and fun, is that they have interests outside or not strictly based on their main area of academics. There has always been something I've had when I got bored of studies. Books, art and craft, some online course, blogging, learning and practicing photography, reviewing books, collecting clothes' tags, etc. One more reason I can't get bored! 

# 4: I'm 16% tomboyish. Mostly girls might not like to call themselves tomboyish and count it as an 'awesome' thing about them, but duh. I feel awesome when guys in class play cricket and I can ask for an over to bat, when we have a fun play-thing and I am the rare girl who actually can bat and ball and catch (seriously. Some don't even know how to hold a bat. o.O ). I loved my childhood days when I played with G all sorts of games; cricket (how I loved it), basketball (making a swiveling motion and saying 'Basket!' was awesome), cycling (I still would run off on a bicycle if useless dogs don't run after me), skating, taking the remote controlled Renault awesome car to the park and operating it with ultimate cool-girl attitude, etc etc. I can seriously go on and on. :D 

# 3: I'm kind of above the trivial things. I don't mean to dismiss those who do talk about such stuff, but for me it's cool and I feel awesome that I can't be bothered about little things like who's hot on TV, or what's "in" in fashion, or how someone acted because someone told them how someone else said something about them. o.O This took a while to think to form the sentence, I can't imagine how people get the energy to gossip about it. I'd rather discuss the book I'm reading with someone who seems to understand. But when people themselves tend to be critical about everything, I don't feel like they'd understand the point and so I'm left with just a few who allow me that liberty. And I love it! :D

# 2: I'm the slimmer, older, pink-loving, cheesy version of an amazing girl with an amazing blog who happens to be one of the closest friends and my soul-sister. :) 

A note to those who don't believe in making friends online: I used to think like you too, and then I discovered blogging. And if you are at the right blog, you'd get to meet and talk to the most amazing people. Evidence is here. ;) I have awesome people in my life. Those who love me even when I seem to behave like the craziest person ever, who actually laugh at my jokes (and they are actually good if you have that awesome level of understanding 8| ) and these people include my family and best friends. Thank you guys. ^_^ 

# 1: I have faith in my dreams. Even though from where I am right now, I can't see the destination, I do know I'd get there. And I'd make most of the journey, because the means is important to me, not just the end. I make achievable goals and aspirations too. For everything I love. I always wanted to see more people reading, not just because "I" like it, but because it is an amazing thing. Sometimes unfortunately it might not work, if you ask and force someone to read a book, but I got to know how one can indirectly influence people and facilitate their discovery of books they love. Whenever someone says that they started reading more, or have read books based on my reviews, I have felt that feeling of success and happiness that I really can't describe. :)

***

I started writing this post almost a month ago. This prompt was given a month ago. After the introduction, I had points 10 to 1, numbers written. I did not know what to write, I couldn't figure out the awesome things about myself. Even today, I had to take help because I was sitting blank. I asked the two best people, I asked my mom (who invented a term called 'negative awesome things' because she wanted to point out the bad ones too -_- Thanks, mum.) and then when I finally started writing, it came to me. I have a lot more points in my head now!! And I can't really say a lot on it because the fact that I felt so good after so long, is something no one can understand fully. I just need to say Thank you to all who facilitated this. Keep looking out for more awesomeness! It's sure to come! ;)

Theandric Thursday # 4: Living the dream.. part 2!

Theandric Thursday is a fortnightly feature on my blog, where I'll be having fun with putting down those weird thoughts and stories that occupy my mind most of the times. The dictionary definition of 'Theandric' is 'Relating to the joint agency of the divine and human nature'.

If you're interested in participating, write your own Theandric Thursday post and drop your link in the comments section. Feel free to write reality, part-reality-part-fiction or fiction, anything above the 'normality' of our world. ;) You can use the above picture on your post and link back to this post.


Hey, I know I was supposed to post this last week, but you know what I'm going through, right? Some sympathy please. ;) As it is, this part of the story is very long. So I won't chit chat more, you just leave whatever you're doing and read this! :P

This story is continued from TT post #3, Living the dream...and something else.

***

I hadn’t realized when it got so cold. I was shivering, but maybe that was only fear. As much as they were terrifying, my eyes were still drawn to the four white, beautiful creatures towering over me. Who was this one? Blond hair, almond shaped brown eyes and red lips forming a tight line.

“I’ve seen you before!” I blurted out, not being able to control that emotion anymore. If I’m already stuck with these weirdos, I might as well know who they are.. or what. The female stepped perilously close and snapped, “Oh Goddamit! Not again! Does this look like a fancy party to you?” I winced. She was too close for comfort. I could feel the distinct smell of salt in her. Weird. “Just shut your questions and tell me, what is it that Lomar’s after?”

Despite all the nerves, I couldn’t help being surprised. Lomar. It was a very familiar word.... a very familiar name. Though, there isn’t really anyone I know who’s called Lomar. It was a distinct memory, something I thought I could put behind if I never thought about it again, I didn’t want to. If these creatures are connected to him, I was sure I was in for something really unpleasant.

“I don’t want to talk about it” I barely whispered. But that was enough. She was literally nose to nose. This wasn’t the response she was after, I realized as she caught me by the shoulders and pressed her nails into my skin. “You’ll have to. There’s no time. Tell me now!” she hissed, her salty breath on my cheeks. The next moment, she released me. The familiar guy, whom I decided to call FG in my head, stepped forward.

I might have missed what he said had I not been looking at him, he spoke so softly. You would think it was just one of those lost words and whispers carried by the wind. “Listen, I look like Liam Hemsworth, don’t I?” Gosh! That’s it! I’d been gaga over that character ever since I saw the Hunger Games! What is Liam Hemsworth of all people up in a tree house with me, not to forget three other scary creatures and doesn’t even look like a human!

“But,” I stuttered. He was unsmiling when he put up his hand all tired-like, as if I’d already exhausted him, and continued. “I’m not him, of course, which is where our truth comes in. We’re ancient Aymara* people who...” He stopped seeing my awed expression, since I was sure my jaw had dropped listening to the words ‘ancient’ and ‘Aymara’. He continued and I noticed his voice had taken on a slightly higher pitch. “Hey! Don’t go on looks. I know this must be hard for you but you have to understand. And that would be easier if you just listened to me, alright?” He settled himself on one of the soft pillows, so we were face to face. I didn’t fail to notice the female twitch, though. The other two simply stood staring at FG, whom now I mentally referred to as LLH, short for ‘Lookalike of Liam Hemsworth’. I nodded and he spoke. “Maybe you don’t know, but Aymara are traditionally people living in and around Lake Titicaca in South America, since centuries before outsiders discovered our abode in 1535. Our great ancestors did their best to make them leave us alone, but they wouldn’t budge. They loved the Lake, but only because it’s a convenient waterway for their big steamers, not for reasons our ancestors worshipped the Lake and worked so hard to preserve its sanctity.

Lake Titicaca. Pic courtesy: The all mighty Google!

 “Anyway, there was one particular outsider who found an unnaturally high interest in our beliefs. Our ancestors knew better, of course. He wasn’t someone to be trusted, they could look right through his pretence. He pretended to be interested in becoming one of us, he said he wanted to worship our Lord, Viracocha*. They tried all means to send him away to his country and when our ancestors were successful, they celebrated. However, the celebration didn’t last long, for the land was swarming with bloodsuckers a few days later. They came in hundreds and started killing our people off. The few of our ancestors who managed to survive by running to their special hiding places, later realized that the creatures were vampires sent by the intruder, who was agitated at being turned down. The Aymaras, furious at their loss, tracked down the intruder and killed him off. They returned to their land, which now reeked of blood and loss and worse, a few hundred of their population who were just bitten, not killed. Those bitten were kept in cellars and behind bars for a while.

“You can imagine the plight of the ancestors; they had to keep their own wives, husbands, friends and children, tied up and confined because they suspected they would be dangerous. However, the bitten ones, like they were called in those days, never showed signs of meanness, anger or evil. The ancestors thanked their Lord, for they believed that the magic, love and purity of their lord Viracocha was too powerful for vampires. There were signs, of course. They looked different, like vampires, to be precise. Like us. Thus was created a new mix, and we were born to our parents almost 60 years ago. We have a mixed blood, so we grow very slowly. Sometimes we get bored with the way we look, so we sneak up to humans in different countries, take a part of their skin and through a painless process, we start looking like them. Anyway, a few years ago, as was predicted by our ancestors, we had some intruders. They didn’t attack, but one of them wanted to be a part of our community. We aren’t as smart as our ancestors, but we know their teachings. This was almost like the case of the previous intruder, just Deja Vu, and so we tried to capture and kill this one before he could leave. Nasty business, but we couldn’t have vampires raiding our land again. Due to a real sad case of inattentiveness, the intruder escaped.

“You know what happened then, don’t you?” LLH spoke like wind. The way he said, it wasn’t a question. It was a fact I had to acknowledge. He put one hand on my knee and as I glanced down, I saw how bad I was shaking. There were goosebumps on my arms and I had trouble breathing. I realized he was trying to calm me down. How touching. What did he say about his age? 60? Damn! Before I knew, I was speaking in a voice that seemed totally unlike my own, a mechanical one like a robot. “I’ve seen all this many months ago. All in my dreams, or call them nightmares, for that’s what they were. This whole story you recited, you could’ve saved your breath, I know this. I saw this. He stayed on the land 10 days, hiding in a spot very near your shrine of Lord Viracocha. One night, seeing his opportunity, he dived into the Lake and stayed there 5 hours 49 minutes, finally emerging with a golden cup laid with silver at the rim, kissed it once and took off. The Aymaras didn’t realize something was wrong until after a few months when their people started suffering. There were health problems and they had a hard time performing the simplest of magic. Their prayers weren’t answered. All this while, he misused the power and made hundreds of slaves. That intruder is Lomar, who’s been torturing people all over the world.” I finished speaking. All was quiet as they all stared at me. Some parts of this story must be new to them, I thought.

The female was the first to recover. “I can’t believe this! A human?” She used the word as if it was like acid on her tongue. LLH leaned forward, making me shiver involuntarily. “Are you sure that’s what Lomar took? Our Lord’s most precious tool?” His voice was almost breaking, as if he couldn’t believe something of this magnitude could ever happen. “I didn’t know that’s Viracocha’s most precious tool, but that’s what I saw,” I whispered. He brushed his hand over his blond head, the one that was on my knee, I realized with a pang, an expression of agony distorting his features. I had to blink twice and shake my head to understand what he was saying next. “You realize we tracked you down with great difficulty. There was certainly a glitch in Lomar’s plan. Your dreams and your head wasn’t affected by the immunity curse he spread all over.” He smiled. “You’re special, you know that?” I couldn’t help smiling.

“All right!” came a harsh voice and the female, whom I mentally called the SI, short for ‘Stupid Intruder’, pulled LLH up by her side and continued, “We’re going to track him down, because you don’t possibly know where he is, do you?” I shook my head. “Fine” she snapped, turned away and held LLH’s arm, pulling him along with her, out of my tree house. Thankfully, LLH had the sense to stop and say something. “Hey, you know your information is immensely helpful. I’ll try... I mean,” he glanced back with a shy smile, “we will try our best not to come looking for you again. Hopefully, we’ll have Lomar killed before you next go to sleep.” He winked, smiled and stepped down the ladder Xavi made. His cronies followed him dully. Huh, interesting company he keeps, I thought.

I peeked over the side of the tree house, but couldn’t see LLH or SI or anyone anymore. Seeing a shadow of movement on the left, I snapped my head over to that side, only to see Xavi looking angry. “You were supposed to meet me at 7!” he called from below. “We’ll be late for dinner. Better get down here right now and don’t whine all the way when I ask you to walk faster!” Great. I wished LLH could be here, if only for his speed and strength, so I wouldn’t have to walk all the way with my over-sentimental brother. As we walked anyway, I let my mind wander to Lake Titicaca, Aymaras and their Lord Viracocha, the white and bearded representative of the Sun on Earth, carrying all his worshippers’ troubles in his gold and silver magical cup. I found myself wishing LLH would find and execute Lomar, that demon, and retrieve the cup.

So many things happen in life, that you can’t really keep track of it all. That’s why some information is repeated to you in your dreams so that when the time comes for a varied breed of an ancient magical community to visit you for information, you’d know what to say.

***

*Aymaras are real people in Lake Titicaca who really worship Lord Viracocha. The story’s mine, of course, based on what I read about the Aymara people. Nothing like the sort happened, really. :P The inspiration came when I was reading about Lake Titicaca in the book, 'Discovering the Wonders of our World' by Reader's Digest. 

PS- Please. Do. Not. Kill. Me. For. This. Crazy. Story. And. The. Length. I mean, you have to understand, right? I’ve written something after weeks! The weight of emotions would be something! ;)


Read Usama's awesome Theandric Thursday post 'The Girl at the Bus Stop'

Theandric Thursday # 3: Living the dream... and something else.

Theandric Thursday is a fortnightly feature on my blog, where I'll be having fun with putting down those weird thoughts and stories that occupy my mind most of the times. The dictionary definition of 'Theandric' is 'Relating to the joint agency of the divine and human nature'.

If you're interested in participating, write your own Theandric Thursday post and drop your link in the comments section. Feel free to write reality, part-reality-part-fiction or fiction, anything above the 'normality' of our world. ;) You can use the above picture on your post and link back to this post.

I was certain it was a dream. I mean, seriously? A tree house in the woods? That's what I get as a birthday present? They stood with me grinning, clearly satisfied with my awed expression, if that's what it was. I was certain no human even had the capability to open and hang their mouth as I was doing at that moment. It was too superliciously awesome to be a reality in my plain life. But hadn't my family always made sure my life isn't really plain? Haven't they always tried to make me live whatever I'd dreamed of? "Bu...but", I sputtered. "Dad!" I finally cried and hugged him tight and clung on to him till the moisture from my eyes was dried and well, stuck on his shirt. 

"Yeah, we had nothing to do with this", snorted my younger brother Xavi, sweeping his arm all around as if graciously unveiling a palace. Which it was, to me. Much much much better than a palace! Mom came forward and hugged me tight. "It's a delight to see you happy, darling," she said softly and kissed my forehead. I stuck out my tongue at my brother, to which, surprisingly, he replied with a sly grin. "Want to see if your weight breaks the poor ladder I spent hours making?"  

Pic from Google.

I saw the wooden ladder again. "Neat job," I admired. He tugged at my hand and we were at the bottom of the short steps. I still couldn't believe these wonderful guys built me a tree house! It's less than half a mile from our place just outside the woods. I never imagined what I'd continuously been dreaming about, aloud, they would go ahead and do it! Well, I always said it'd be fun to climb up this tree and settle somewhere in it and read books. Especially since the tree overlooks a stream nearby. I hadn't really imagined a tree house! But I guess Mom would've freaked out over the thought of insects and all, which really don't bother me and which would still be a problem anyway, since I'd still be up on a tree. Well, whatever the reason, I had not a thing to complain, for just as my head popped up and I saw the house from the inside, I felt like I couldn't breathe! In a very good way. It was small, but warm and cozy, big enough for four and had a small bookshelf, some board games and a couple of the softest pillows we owned! "Oh boy!" I nearly whistled. Nearly because I don't really know how to whistle. "Did you guys know you're the bestestest people in the world? Ever?" I sang loudly while putting one foot into the tree house. It was even tall enough to hold me! Though not my brother, I saw. He had to slouch. 

I peeped out from the side and flashed my biggest smile for the camera. I knew I never look good in pictures with my teeth showing, but that time I just couldn't stop it. And I didn't care for a silly picture! 

"You guys can stay up there, but be home by dinner time!" Mom called. I saw my parents walking away slowly towards home, holding hands and talking softly. Once or twice I saw them looking back at me, half hanging off the side as I looked at them. I waved and they did too, smiling. 

"You know, Dad worked really hard on this house and you can show your appreciation better than trying to break that log over which you're hanging" Xavi said in a voice that seemed almost..... reprimanding? And I was the elder sis! 

"Don't you have anything better to do than hanging out with your sis up on a tree house?" I snapped at him. I know it was wrong to hurt him like that, especially since he was the one who made that ladder and I was sure the board games idea was his, too and I knew he was also an emotional kid. What kind of a girl am I, anyway? My family gifts me my dream-turned-into-reality and I thank them by speaking rudely with Xavi? Not fair. But before I could sort my thoughts and apologize to him, he was already climbing down. Great. We hadn't even spent more than 5 seconds together in that tree house. I seriously don't deserve anything.

"Xaaa...aaaavi" I called out to him, "I know I'm an idiot and it wouldn't be fun here without you. You know that and you can't go just now and make Mom and Dad upset with me." No answer. "Xaaa....aaavi, what about the games? I'm S-O-R-R-Y! Please show me the ladder isn't weak and climb up again!" 

What is it with guys? He wouldn't speak a thing. He just looked up at me all tired-like and said, "I'm not going to tell Mom and Dad anything. I'll be at Bill's place, err..football match up on TV. Meet me at 7 at the birch tree." And off he went. I sighed and leaned back inside. It wasn't because of the football match that he was going to Bill's. I knew it was because of my big, stupid, fat mouth. As awesome as the tree house was, it lost its appeal to me. I realized things looked beautiful and appealing to you especially if you're with a loved one, or if you have some love inside. I seriously didn't, I thought, for even the stream running outside or the green and red bird perched atop the next tree couldn't do anything to uplift my mood. 

I nestled against the soft pillow and closed my eyes, feeling the sweet afternoon scent of the trees and wilderness blowing with the wind. In good spirits, I might have felt a bit like Katniss, up in a tree. Though she slept in a sleeping bag strapped to the branches and I was way more comfortable than she could have been, but still. It'd have been fun pretending our enemies are lurking somewhere out there, if Xavi had been here. I let out a long sigh. I'd really have to make up with him. It's just not fun, not having him around. 

        * * *

I felt something real soft under my cheek and something real hard under the rest of me. I drew my eyes open and propped up on my elbow. Right, the tree house. I was sure it was all a dream, but here it was. But then, I certainly had been dreaming of something. Going to sleep and getting up not dreaming of vampires was something that was rare with me these days. My bad. I decided to start with The Vampire Academy series right after the Twilight series. What can my poor brain do anyway if all I give it are stories of blood-sucking vampires? But then, it had seemed so real. No, I didn't see Edward or Dimitri. That's just what I wish I could be dreaming, but those vampires are always shrieking, red haired, evil-female vampires, running after me all the time. 

I looked at my cell phone. 6pm already! I slept for more than 4 hours? My Lord, I must have been a log in a previous life. And I didn't fail to notice that Xavi hadn't called or texted either. Since it was almost dark now and I couldn't read, I thought I'd go to the stream and just hang around for a bit. I put on my shoes and climbed down. As I trudged along the short path, I thought I heard slight hissing and it was quite creepy. I mean, crunching of leaves beneath someone's feet was okay or even the voices of someone talking or breathing was fine by me. After all, I wasn't the one who owned this place, as much as I wished. It was public property, well, except my tree house. But hissing? That's weird. I didn't see anyone though, so I continued and clambered onto a small rock-like structure at the edge of the stream we liked to call Miss S, I don't know why, and waited for time to pass. 

Google again

I love the stream. It flows towards the east and the water's so clear that I could see a trout or two flowing with the stream. I leaned forward a bit and liked the way my reflection looked back at me, all distorted and flowy. I smiled and pulled my hair open. I looked again for the effect. Perfect. Most people wouldn't think a distorted image would be nice, but I liked the way it was, especially with my hair now billowing about. I wished I had my camera to click a picture, though I doubted it would look this beautiful in the picture. If there's anything I've learned with photography, it's that some things the camera looks at with a better view and there are some other things you find so beautiful that the camera cannot keep up with the beauty.

I hadn't heard a single thing, not even the hissing, so when I saw another, absolutely white reflection in the water, hovering right above me, I was every bit surprised. And terrified, if the way my heart jumped to my throat was any indication. It wasn't Xavi. I didn't think it was even anything human, but it sure looked like one. A familiar one? Before I could turn around or completely process the fact that there were, in fact, three more, a cold hand clasped around my mouth and the hissing I had heard earlier was right at my ear. "You make a sound and all I would need to do is turn your head the wrong way. And no one will ever know what even happened." Now I was completely terrified, if there were any less terrifying feelings earlier. In another second I was hanging upside down, my open hair not seeming like a great idea at all, the hand still firm on my mouth and we were off. I hadn't even noticed I was crying before it blurred my vision. Since my hands were tightly bound with another pair of hands (what did he have? Four arms?), I blinked continuously till I could see better. I saw two pairs of legs walking sideways and one at the back. If what I gathered from the makes of their shoes and jeans was a right guess, two were guys and one was a girl. Every one of them made those hissing noises after every few minutes. That was creeping me out. Not that the whole situation wasn't creepy anyway, since I'd just been kind of kidnapped by a bunch of things I didn't think were human, but that hissing was even creepier somehow.

I really couldn't think how I could escape, because one, I was heavily outnumbered and two, they seemed pretty strong, even the female maybe. The one holding me seemed to be made of stone. What? Stone? Really? A..... vampire? I couldn't breathe. No wonder they moved so easily, stealthily and that hissing! What does it mean? How can a freaking group of vampires find me and kidnap me for no reason? What did I do except dream about them and that isn't really something I can control. If there's anything good about all this, there better be some Edward-or-Dimitri-like vampire. But why? I'm no freaking Bella Swan or Rose. 

After what seemed like a million years, they stopped. "Where do we interrogate her?" I heard the female voice for the first time and it sent chills down my spine. It reeked of pure evil. I still couldn't see anyone's faces. The next second I was on my way up a tree and was put down, not very gently, I might add, on the floor of my own tree house! I looked up at their extremely beautiful, but terrifying faces and felt myself shuddering. One of them was very familiar. Xavi couldn't stand straight since the roof wasn't high, but these guys loomed over me, upright and I was pretty sure they were taller than Xavi. 

Xavi! If I managed to stay alive till 7pm, I was sure Xavi would come looking for me. But was that a good thing or a bad thing? Xavi was obviously not as strong as a vampire and there were four! Will he be in danger too? 

***

This was turning out to be a very long story, since I'm incapable of telling anything in a few words. The second part of this story will be continued in Theandric Thursday post # 4.

PS- My brother isn't really called Xavi. I asked him what he would like to be called and he came up with a few great-sounding names, before settling on Xavi. I never thought he had a creative streak in him, so I had to ask how he thought of the name. "Huh?" he said. "It's the name of a football player." 


PPS- Read Usama's Theandric Thursday post # 3 at his blog, Randomized. 

Tea for Two Tuesdays # last!

When Preeti Shenoy said this is going to be the last prompt, I never thought I would feel this sad. After all, the last three weeks I've only posted here thanks to her creative prompts, or the blog would've been February-2012-empty! So before I start I would like to convey my heartfelt thanks to Ms. Preeti, because of whom I've come across some amazing people with equally amazing blogs! Thanks a million and I hope we'll get to participate in some other kind of prompts sometime later. :)

This time there are questions to answer, the kind of questions that tell what kind of a person we are. I guess I'll have to answer seriously; I don't want to be taken as a self-criticizing-lunatic who's always talking about her clumsiness. :P

Question# 1. If you had Rs.50,000 to just blow up (you have to spend it on YOURSELF. Giving to Charity or buying gifts for others not allowed), what would you spend it on and why?

 My Answer: My plan of travelling solo here won't do because one, I'm still too young (:P) and two, budget constraints ;). Sooo, I'll work towards my other mission- to have a huge room with wall to wall bookshelves, filled with all the books I've ever read (including the kiddie ones) and all those I want to read. I guess I'll spend around Rs. 30,000 on this or add another 5000. That would give me approximately 175 books (if the average's Rs. 200). Not bad, I could live a couple of years easily with such a haul! For the rest of the amount, I'll buy a Kindle. Probably Amazon. Even though I'm kind of opposed to the idea of e-books (but that's only because I'm kind of 'traditional', loving all things old and ancient), I think I ought to have one, just for the sake of it! :P

Question# 2. Name three of your closest friends (not family or spouse) and say why you love them.

My Answer: That's a tricky question. There are many people I love, but two are really close and those I'll choose over the rest in a situation that demands it, like this one.

Apoorva: For being kind enough to let me stay with her during the first day in college, when I didn't know anyone (she was with her Mom, but I was totally alone), for staying through with me all these three years, having fun, providing help and guidance and being a face I could turn to during all kinds of situations- happy or sad, and who's always the first to know whatever's happening with me. :)

Kanika: For being the person who gestured to me to sit with her in Class X when we were shuffling seats and I couldn't find any free bench, for being the only person I've sat with since that day till the end of school, for bearing with the snob that I used to be (don't believe it, I'm only exaggerating), for bringing along friends, ready to celebrate the birthdays, for telling me about stuff not related to books! :)

Since I'm not actually cruel (just try to forget the last prompt post. Please!), and I would feel terrible if I left anyone out, I'm categorizing the third person as a group (sorry!). Shivani, Shruti, Sunmeet- for being the buddies I've had the fun of my life with, Aneesha and Richa- for making our group studies the fun it ought to be, Rachit- for hearing out my ramblings and helping with all things technical. :) :P

Question# 3. Name three books which have profoundly affected you and which you would recommend to everyone to read.

My Answer: Tricky question again! I love 99% of the books I've read, but the three that have had a profound effect on me would be:

1. The Harry Potter series: Though I've always loved reading, my real mania with novels began with Harry Potter. It isn't just a magical story. There's a strong message on the power of "love" behind it, which I feel has been expressed in a subtle, yet strong manner. If you haven't read all the books yet, I would ask you to read it.

2. The Secret Garden by F.H. Burnett: It's the kind of classic I can read over and over again. Wonderful descriptions about everything- the war, the ruins, the new towns, the feelings and emotions the little girl protagonist goes through- all of it left a deep impact and kept me thinking about how lonely life could be for some people, why we need to appreciate our life the way it is, for it could be a lot worse. 

3. The Star of Kazan by Eva Ibbotson: Among the first books that threatened to make tears spill out. I read this a long time ago, but I find myself going back to it often. I love it for its descriptions of the beautiful city of Vienna, for the wonderful story line and the way it's been told, for giving out the message of innocence and love and how pure relations needn't be only blood relations. :)

Question# 4. If you know for certain that you can never ever fail, what would you attempt to do?

My Answer: Well, there are a lot of things I want to do and if it's given I'll be successful in that, I would attempt to:

- Go Scuba diving. I would anyway do that, I never thought about failure! I've always wanted to do this, ever since I learnt its full form in school. A funny kind of inspiration, but that's true! (By the way, SCUBA stands for 'Self-Contained-Underwater-Breathing-Apparatus' ;))

- Ditto Paragliding and all adventure sports.

- Write as many books as possible!

Question# 5. What is THE ONE THING that you want very very badly?

My Answer: That's harder than I thought it would be! I'm grateful for whatever I have, but the thing I want real bad is- freedom. Freedom to do all things I've always wanted to, most of which I haven't still done thanks to this city that's gradually turning into a crime city. With news channels blaring with horrendous news, parents feel pressed not to let their kids out on their own, and this has stopped me along with many other kids, from living the carefree life our parents lived. (I'm still grateful though, when I see kids these days. It's even harder for them!).

Judging by the length of the post, it seems I tried to put in the most, from among the things I wanted to. Dismayed as I am with the end of the Tuesday prompts, I'm hopeful for more new features I can participate in and there's always Preeti Shenoy's lovely blog! :)

After all, 'the end is the beginning of something even more beautiful.'

PS- Don't forget to grab this best-selling author's latest book, 'Tea for Two and a Piece of Cake'!

Confessions of thyself...

Anndd it’s Tuesday! Meaning author Preeti Shenoy’s Tuesday meme, which for this week is: “Write a sentence about yourself, first sentence starting with T, second with E and third with A (as it spells TEA). If you want to write more, write four more sentences, but they have to start with C, A, K and E respectively. (CAKE).”

Though I’m going to bend the rule a little and write a little more than a single sentence (I admit, I have a problem with anything ‘short’, clothes included.), I hope I’ll be able to pass it off and readers wouldn’t want to kill me. (You wouldn't be able to anyway, I’ve hidden my contact details! Ha!)

Considering how I’m always told that people love the ‘honest’ side of me, I decided to completely overwhelm them and write nothing but pure facts. After all, people matter in life, right? 

Sooo, brace yourselves guys! Here goes:

T- Totally a Thinker. I’m one of those rare species who really appreciates God’s greatest invention- the ability to talk to yourself in your mind! I might look aloof on the surface, but there are a million thoughts about you zooming around in my head! (Hey, you! Your cap’s a little lopsided. Check the mirror, will you? :P)

E- Enviousness is a trait all Scorpios have (technically, it’s called jealousy, but I like to keep myself in a positive light). Especially with all things branded and cute, and stuff related with my personal interests. Anyone’s spoiling it for me, or if they’re not being grateful for the stuff I could kill for, I've developed a strong dislike for them. And it’s very tough to change it. Very. (Jeez, I sound so......dangerous. :P)

A- An over-sentimental who would look for meanings in all words you utter (or not utter), pauses included! (Why did you pause? Was that followed by a lie? I can’t believe you!!!). Yeah, I know that’s too much. But that’s it, as well. I dunno why my sibling calls me a Drama Queen! Huh!

Since I already mentioned how I don't like anything short, I'll type down 'sentences' for CAKE as well. :)

C- Cruella-de-Vil’s long lost step sister! Yes, I’m very cruel, especially towards my younger brother. Sentence over, now I’m Rs. 500 richer! Before you stop reading further because it’s not making sense, I asked my family to describe me with these alphabets. That’s what my dear brother said- “Cruel”. And challenged me to write it for all to read (the poor guy has no clue how meagre the readership for this blog is!) and said I’ll get 500 bucks for this! (Yeea, now you know how much I’m cruel ;))

A- Attentive to everything weird. ‘Normalcy’ doesn’t excite me much, so I’m always on the lookout for stuff that’s out-of-place and get so involved in it that the real, ‘serious’ world lies ignored, on the side. No wonder I get funny looks if I compare some evil person to a parsimonious pixie!

K- Klutziness is my domain. I really believe I could do a P.hd in the subject and excel worldwide! Breaking fragile stuff, tripping over practically flat pieces of land, speaking when I know I shouldn’t, taking the wrong turns- these are everyday things for me. :)

E- Exclusive. Everybody wants to go boating, I want to go Scuba diving (though that hasn't happened in reality, yet. Just an example). I would find something interesting, and then a whole group of people would find that interesting too, then it wouldn’t be long before I opt out of it. Sad, really, but it can’t be helped.

So, that sums up things, about me, stated very clearly, that some would already know and some would find so amusing they wouldn’t even believe. *Sigh*, nobody even takes me serious! 

PS- Sunday, World Book Fair, Pragati Maidan, Delhi. I’ve got an interesting event in the morning I would like to participate in, but I’ll try my very best to arrive at the WBF by 2.00pm and meet Preeti Shenoy herself! :D

Incomparable relations...

I'm scurrying around my room, grabbing things and stuffing them in the shapeless bag, refusing breakfast to the annoyed maid, feeling a burst of corticosteroids that make me unnecessarily nervous at the prospect of entering late to class (that's a different thing that actually I'm let off without even a warning, but I still remain a sincere student. Just not sincere enough to be on time!) The only thing that keeps my palpitations in control is the continuous stream of text messages from my bestie, who always reaches college on time (I say that's because she lives near college, but she says it's because she's habitually punctual). It's these texts that say "Class not started yet" or "Just a couple of students here" that give me some unidentifiable satisfaction that I'll not be embarrassed after all. 

                                Being a weirdo who takes longer than necessary to understand if a situation is problematic, I would have landed in many useless arguments or worse, embarrassing moments, had it not been for my bestie who has super powers and knows precisely what's going to happen and helps me out without even me knowing about it! Be it changing the direction of the discussion if she senses it's picking on me or helping me deal with raucous extroverts who're intimidating, she does it on her own. I don't ask, and most of the times I don't even know. What is it that brings out this selfless action? LOVE.

Apoorva (to your left) and Me. (Don't ask what made us pose with a huge flower pot :P)

There's a party to attend and I'm wailing. I don't want to go, I create millions of excuses just to skip the event, because I don't want to make a fool of myself. Because the theme for the event is 'Indian'! I've always been the T-shirt-Jeans sort, and the prospect of having to wear an Indian suit is unthinkable! But I'm always present at the event, having a good time, feeling good about myself, comfortable in the Indian attire. That's only because four superb people I call my super-friends have been pouring an incessant stream of encouragements, helping me pick and choose the dresses and accessories, linking arms and walking at the party as one amazing group, with five confident girls. Including me.

                                  I missed out a lecture (OK, lecturesssss), or announcements or the special samosa at the canteen or the latest gossip (hey, I don't miss out on everything! There ARE things I don't miss out on, like........... whatever. I'm not going to overuse my brain for this, you see). Or when I have an unfinished assignment I need help with, or when the maid's on leave and Mom hasn't packed my lunch (she's a very good Mom, okay? She's working and leaves home when I'm not even awake!) or when I need help buying a gift for a family member! I have four saviors who will enable me to cover up for all the 'misses' and help me with every and any random thing I ask for! What is it that brings out this selfless action? LOVE.

(From top) Sunmeet, Me, Shruti, Shivani, Apoorva

I'm seven and running home from the bus stop. She takes me into her arms as I fling myself at her and start chattering about the day's adventures at school and in the bus (1.5 hours in the bus calls for some fun ;)). She listens patiently, nodding and shaking her head at appropriate intervals, helping me get comfortable and lays down the scrumptious lunch she's taken hours to prepare. Years pass and I know stuff about my religion, about our relatives, about India's past, about the art of stitching and every little thing parents don't have the time to talk about. I'm thankful to you, Grandma for instilling the power of patience and gratitude I learnt from you, I'm thankful to God for choosing ME to be lucky enough to be brought up by you.

                               I suddenly wake up from a horrible nightmare and immediately feel a soft wrinkled hand across my forehead. Before she says anything, I feel better and stumble off to sleep the next instant. I'm reading the mystery/horror novel before bedtime (again!) and feel too scared that the characters will somehow come live and meet me in the bathroom. It's her, who voices soothing words, holds my hand, prays with me and makes me sleep peacefully. What is it that brings out this selfless action? LOVE.

Me, Grandma and my brother (This is the old me. Like 6 years ago!)

I'm a capable student. I have all the books I've always wanted (well, almost!) and I'm fairly well behaved. I feel comfortable at all times I'm in the heaven called home. I can do my room as I want, I can sleep in late during holidays and I receive constant encouragement in any thing I wish to do. The academic awards that adorn the drawing room cabinet have my name, but the real stars are those whose names it does not hold. My FAMILY. They have made me who I am. I might not be the best, but they certainly see me as one. And the wonderful feeling it gives makes me feel privileged. 

                              I can laugh like maniacs without feeling self conscious, since they too, would join me and we would become a laughing-like-maniacs-family. I can play scrabble all the time I want, though I'm not so lucky with the time I have the laptop (I have a sibling). I can bring forward an overcooked and half burnt parantha and still it would be relished by them. I can make crazy demands (like a sudden urge to tour the historical monuments or the zoo) and they would patiently listen and reassure me that it would be done (with sarcastic remarks from my brother, of course. And that's a different issue I still haven't toured those places!). What is it that brings out this selfless action? LOVE.

My family...

I'm greatly thankful to Preeti Shenoy for this creative prompt that enabled me to ponder over and value the wonderful people in my life. The prompt was, "Can a relationship be like a tea stain? Why, or Why not?". 

While I've talked about the people who literally make me live through the day, I say I connect with them through just one simple bond. The all powerful - LOVE. I don't believe in defining relationships. I just know I love them and that's it. A tea stain is something that's undesirable; a blot that attaches itself to you when you don't want it and sticks there, looking ugly and getting furious and frustrated expressions for its presence. Sometimes it takes a long hard wash or aggressive scrubbing to make it go away and sometimes you have to abandon the affected cloth because it refuses to go. I wouldn't say a relationship is like a tea stain. Tea stains are undesirable. Loving relationships are not.

(Preeti Shenoy's third book "Tea for two and a piece of cake" is releasing tomorrow!)