THE BLIND WOMAN WITH A
STRANGER MAN
A reflection of the full moon in a deep blue lake, with stars
glittering over it; there sat a frog on a stone submerged in water, croaking.
In this beautiful night, a lady was strolling her way into the deep dark forest. She was scanning the ground with a stick, to
find her way to the forest. As she walks slowly along the bank, briskly strides
chain her feet at the very earth.
Lady, “Stranger, as I acknowledge, you are moving towards
me, are you crossing the forest this night or you have another destiny.”
Stranger, “Yes, I am heading towards north, and I am in bit
hurry, no time to natter, if you have something crucial go on”.
The husky voice of a man, gave a chill to the lady. The
stranger was a handsome man in mid 20’s, with strong masculine features. He has
light brown eyes with beards growing in his face. He was an elegant man wearing
a black coat, converse and a cap, and he has hair long enough to hang out of
his cap.
Lady, “ I am going in the same direction, as I cannot see, I
am looking for an eye as a companion, so I wouldn’t be eaten by a tiger in this
scary dark night.”
He was standing in front of the lady, and he says with a
smile, “Do you cross this forest in day alone?”
The lady was a thin young girl in early 20’s with a dark
scar on her face. She dressed clumsily in long skirt and shirt with long boots.
The blind girl instantly replied, “Yes I do.”
Man, “So, why do you need the companion at night”?
Blind girl, “As I told you earlier, I don’t want to be a dinner,
at this time of my life.”
Man, “Okay lady, if you want me to help you cross this
forest then there are some rules you might need to follow, if these rules, you
agree to follow, then, I will”.
She was a bit surprised with the conditions; even both of
them are walking in the same way, what kinds of rule she needs to follow. And
without thinking much she says, “Yes, I agree with all your rules.”
Man, “hey hold on, hold on, don’t be so quick to jump into
it, before hearing the rules.”
Blind girl, “Okay, tell me the rules or we can discuss this
walking in the way.”
Man, “No, Rule one, you will not talk with me in the whole
way, not even a word.”
Blind girl, “This isn’t that hard, I can do that, but would
you like to tell me your name”.
Man, “Rule second, even if there is something wrong, you
would not speak a single word from your mouth.”
Man, “Rule three, not even a word. Do you agree to follow
these?”
Blind lady(thinking), ‘what a crazy man’.
Blind girl, “Well, I don’t have anything to talk with you,
so it’s fair enough, I agree with all of your rules”.
Man, “Okay lady, follow me.”
And then, the man steps in front of the lady and says, “Well
my name is Eldridge”.
Blind girl doesn’t speak a word and keeps walking.
Man, “You are a smart girl, but if you don’t mind, may I
know, how you got the scar on your face?”
“Is it with this scarring you got blind or you were blind
from the birth?”
She was quiet and busy scanning the ground with her stick
and walking.
She was blind but now she is acting deaf too.
After a long pause, man speaks, “Aren’t you scared walking
with complete stranger”.
And they keep on walking as time passes by.
A slow humming melody was in the air and slowly humming
rises and took a shape of a song, “this is the kind of night where the devil melts
in love.”
It was the man singing in his voice, the lovely voice that
lady has ever heard, she was enjoying the time, his company, and his voice. He
sings with deep integrity, as it was coming from the core of his soul.
She was a bit sad that she isn’t allowed to talk.
She was thinking, why I can’t talk, he has such a lovely
voice. We are the traveler together; the time would have easily passed away.
Well, I don’t regret this condition, as if I were talking then I couldn’t be
able to hear him singing.
This very night in my life has made me curious about how it
would be able to see the world. The strangest feeling I have ever had, I have a
desire to see this man. I haven’t seen myself, as I never have vision since I was
in this world. I never wished once to see this cruel world but this time it was
different.
It seems like to me that the world is the happiest place to
be in, which I never felt before. I was a bit surprised for newer and strange feeling
I have got. I was living for the sake of my tom, it was the only companion in
my life, who waits me in the door, when I got home, welcomes me with hugs and
kisses. It walks with me half way into the forest when I am leaving home to
sell the guava in the city.
I realized within my thoughts, the melody has already died,
and even I was not able to hear long strides made by the stranger walking in
front of me.
The cold chill ran through my veins, as the feeling of
loneliness stroke me. I am bit scared, I lost him in the way, now I have to
walk this dark forest, with fear as every night. Today, in the city, some
people were talking that last night there was a tiger which killed some goats
near the forest.
The deep silence there, not even the sounds of leaves
ruffling. I couldn’t move another step
forward, just sat down in the ground. I was on my knees, putting my forehead on
earth. The things I could feel was cold earth and the deep silence.
Suddenly, the very sharp thing thumped on my back rapidly,
my body jerked up in pain. It cuts through my flesh penetrated deep inside and
the warm blood rushing out, down the spinal line. The shock I had was immense
which instantly dragged me into the clouds of unconsciousness.
Long after, I sense my burning skin, started to scan the ground
for my stick, after two or three attempts I stumble on the rubber handle,
slowly rising up from the ground with the support of my blind stick, was able
to move some steps. I was moving forward at a speed with enormous pain as I can,
the glory of the beautiful night have changed into a nightmare within few
seconds of time.
One never knows what comes their way; I didn’t understand
what happened to me, is that an animal attack? Oh! What if it comes again, I
have a feeling that I can’t cross this forest tonight; this is my last day of my
blackened life. I was walking desperately, stumbling over the tweaks and bushes.
The fear of death was mounting with every breathe I inhale. If
everything is settled in life, then one should be aware of rapidly forwarding hurricanes
that can strike you any time.
Terror was revolving in my eyes, hustling and rushing,
running blindfolded, I banged my forehead on the tree and fallen down.
Everything was even darker than before, dark ……..
Wake up; wake up, lady are you alright. I can barely hear
the husky voice, sooner, it was growing louder and louder and with a jerk, I
opened my blind eyes. I started to shiver, he helped me to get on my foot and I
throw myself over him and hugged him very tight not to let him go, or not to be
alone.
He said what happened, where were you, I have been looking
for you since one hour, don’t be afraid, it's all right you are safe. He soaked
my blood with soft material. I was in shock and the fear inside me was not to settle.
He slowly pushed me away from him but hold my hands to make
me feel better and secure. Stranger man.“What happened lady?”
Not even a single word came out of me, we started to walk
again.
I realized it was uneasy to hold hands of stranger man; I
slowly pulled away mines, Stranger man, “I hope you are feeling better, and
don’t get yourself lost now, walk beside me.
The stranger man talks like nothing happened to me, and
don’t care much. Why should he? Anyway we were just crossing the forest
together. But, I was bleeding, where was he, when the animal attacked me? He
probably saw, the beast in the way and ran away to protect himself, such a
coward.
I just want to cross it sooner, and I started to walk
faster, even faster, strolling quickly with my blind stick even in front of the
stranger man. Stranger man, “hey lady, you walk faster than me, anything
wrong?”
He irritated me with his normal chats, I didn’t understand
him at all, he pretends as nothing happened, such a douche-bag.
I didn’t want to talk with him; everything died which was
growing before. Small hatred arose in me.
I heard the humming voice again, “this is the kind of night
where the devil melts in love…….”
After a while, he started singing, “A special world for you
and me, a special bond one cannot see….”
I was losing myself with his voice, even more lost in the
words of his song? It was impossible to not to adore him, it was hard to stay
away from him, I was falling for him, even he let me be a prey to predator.
I didn’t understand what was happening, is love really so
blind, it doesn’t listen to any other commotion. I wanted to hate him at this
moment, but that hatred which aroused in me was already vanishing. I just
remembered when I hugged him, how he compassionately rolled his hands on my
head and how he soaked my blood.
He was still singing but different song, but I was deep in
my imagination of caring him, playing him and so on. I almost forgot what
happened an hour ago. I was floating with song slowly; he was beside me and holds
my hand and sings,
“My love is like a river
that will never end
my love is like a dove
with a metaphor to understand “
He left my hand and is still in his flow. I was happy even with the cuts on my body and
the barely clotted wounds. I was enjoying the moment, which might not be the
same another day, I was living my fullest with hope to last it forever. I was
being like a child, pure and truthful, honest and joyful.
My desire to speak was getting higher, but I didn’t speak a
word, as I promised him in the beginning and I would never break any rules laid
by the man with whom I surrendered.
(The dream of a blind
girl.)
Long silence was there as we are crossing all the way
through the woods; it must have been three hours and were very close to the
river bank. This is my favorite part of the journey to home, in the morning
when I walked along the bank; sometimes I just like to sit in the bank for some
time and feel the beauty of nature. I
listen to the rhythm of flowing water, the flying birds, sometimes sitting near
to me and chirping a song, in chorus with chimes of leaves. For me, nature is a
melodious music very deep; so many variations of melody, never same every day.
People usually says
nature is the most beautiful things that exist, the colors of nature are so
vibrant, I do sometimes wish to know what are these colors, how beautiful they
are…green, blue, red, violet…
And we are there, already walking along the bank, I was
thirsty and walked towards the river to quench my thirst. I kneeled down in the
river and lowered myself, fetch some water in my hand and sipped it of my hand
and getting another sip.
Something just dragged me into deep river and in a second, was
just under the water, in panic I hold my breath but something underneath has
grabbed my skirt and pulling it even deeper. I made all my effort to come up to
the surface to breathe, after struggling so long and trying all effort, I burst
out and began to gulp the water. I was moving more intensely, and tried for my
final effort to release myself.
On my struggle, I felt a rock and quickly get hold of it and
with all my force, tried to rise up the water. With little more effort, I
ripped some parts of my skirt and was able to get on the surface and inhaled my
first life saving breath.
I am even panicking more as I am swimming in random direction;
I am not far from bank but my choice of direction can make it far away and on
top of that something underneath is wildly hunting me. I am trying to swim
faster as I can, then there a sharp toothed thing pierced through back of my
right thigh. Terrified, and am even moving faster in water with the pierced
teeth on my leg, then huge thing stroke few times on my head, losing my muscles
in sec, trying to get conscious, but inhaling water continuously.
There’s a vigorous movement beneath the water as I slowly
submerged, I was tired to make any more effort for my existence, and I gave up.
I am still dimmed conscious and after sometime, the rushing and crushing of
water fades as I am lying in the dark bed of the river.
Pit-pat……..silence……pit-pit…...pat…. wake up… (Slaps), few
more slaps…… recognized voice-wake up lady!
I slowly regain my consciousness, I was blank as black. I
didn’t move an inch for long and trying to figure out what’s happening.
Voice, “thank god, you are alive”.
I didn’t respond I am tired, I didn’t wanted to be alive
anymore, and run for my life; all those terrors have gone way too far, and all
I wanted is peace in mind, just peace.
Well, lady! If you want to play in the river at this hour of
night, at least you should inform me. I came back to search you in right time,
that’s why you are alive here, now, otherwise, God knows what could have happen.
I ignored, totally, what the man was saying to me, for a
while, I am subtle and the treacherous
night. I don’t deserve this, till now, in my conscience, I am good human being,
and then, why all mighty lord is making me suffer.
Stranger man, “I stroke
the water beast ten times with the dragger and then, it went away. What kind of
fantasy is to swim, in these odd times, oh! Lass these days, I don’t understand
them at all.”
He comes to me and makes
me sit and opens a thin cotton shawl and wraps around me and says, “Now, you
are dry, drink this, it’s only a cup of tea I have, you will feel better.”
I turned my face away,
and he says, “Listen lady, drink this fast and we need to get going, I have to
get away before dawn.”
The tea was warm and gave
me little hope of survival; I got up myself and handed the shawl to the
stranger man.
Stranger man, “Wear it,
otherwise you will fall ill, here is your stroller.”
My face was blank and I
walked away by handing him shawl and with my strolling stick.
I was moving very slowly,
was as blank as my face. Nothing came to me, not a single thought.
The stranger man runs to
catch me and says, “I think you are not thankful at all.”
He adds, “I saved your
life, make you warm and gave you my last cup of tea.”
I was silent as dead.
“Okay, then that’s the
deal, if you are with this much of pride, now, whatever happens, I m going to
go my way”, Stranger man.
I walked slower, so, the
man would be ahead, but, it didn’t work, he was matching up with my pace.
All of sudden, this cloud
of thoughts surrounds me, what if something happens again. I am very weak now,
and all the cuts and wounds are burning, and I am not able to walk with terror,
pain and in everlasting darkness.
I hesitated to walk fast,
and slowly, I felt he was bit ahead.
“Will I be able to walk
through this forest tonight, it must be almost dawn. I need to escape from this
man, I am not feeling secure with him; he is deceitful.”
“No, if he was then why
would he save me from water beast.”
“He gave me shawl to make
me warm; he gave his last cup of tea.”
“I am just being
suspicious. And what he can gain from doing those to me.”
“But, I have never faced
anything like this in whole my life.” Nothing attacked me till this date; I
grew up crossing this forest.”
“I haven’t encountered
anything, for once. And it’s already been twice, how it can be possible.”
“I need to run away from
this stranger”.
There is a cave after the
river; we already walked a long after the river, so it must be close. I started
to scan the marker stone which will lead me to the cave. Help me god, I hope I haven’t
surpassed it. I am so focused on searching it.
This is the only hope for
me tonight; let’s see how luck supports me.
I am very disappointed to
not to find the stone marker. It was the point where there is separation of two
paths one leads through the jungle and one leads to cave.
When, I was child, me and
sage, came to pick up the plum from the tree and then, we started playing hide
and seek. She was lost for an hour, after calling her four hours; I finally
reached the cave where she was hiding. After that it became our secret place.
Ah! Here is the stone, I
was glad to find it; I slowly took the path to the cave, without making single
noise.
After walking long, I
reached the cave and swiftly get inside, and sat down.
“I will wait here, till
morning. I am feeling little secure and safe. I get little rest.
God please, bring the
dawn soon.”
It’s been while, I was
laid there, and my eyes were getting heavier, but I couldn’t get sleep because
I am petrified.
Cecilia, Cecillia…………………Cecillia…………….cecillia
(shouting voice)
Me, “Is that you Sage?
Sage (shouting), Is that you Sage?”
Sage, “Yeah, I am looking
for you, Tom was barking whole night, so I went to check in your house, and
you were not there, so, I was worried, so, I came to look after you.”
I jumped towards the
voice and hugged her tightly, “my dear friend thank you so much, you don’t know,
how happy I am to find you.”
“Yeah, I am so happy, I
found you here in cave, and I am right at my guess.”
“But, what happened?”
I was still holding her, it’s
a scary story, I was attacked by the wild beast twice and a stranger man saved
me from them.
“Yeah” (Voice
of strange man)
I jumped away in terror from
her and woke up petrified.
I am still in the cave,
and so scared.
I am praying to God for
every second. I am not a strong woman; I am weakened by all kinds of fear.
“How was your nap?” said
Ghostly voice.
I get up immediately.
“Don’t be scared.”
I recognized that he is a
stranger man.
Stranger man, “Are you
running away from me?”
I picked up my stroller,
and walked outside of cave.
Stranger man, “No, body
runs away from me.”
After this, I started
moving faster.
“You are very smart lady,
you, escaped; now again, trying to run away from me.”, stranger man.
“Nobody can run away from
me.”, stranger man said softly.
“Nobody runs away from me”,
raises his voice.
“You understand me.” , shouting.
Nobody, means nobody,
yelling at his top of his voice.
I started running.
I heard him running
behind, in panic; I was running as fast as I can, as I am wounded so much.
He stabbed me on the neck
from the back.
I immediately fall down.
It was in tremendous pain but I hold my breath in terror.
I hear him coming closer
to me; I am evening feeling his breath over my face.
I heard him walking away.
I laid there till the
sounds fades away.
I am full of tears and
pain, lying on ground, with dirt’s over me, breathing my last breath, the warm
bloods flowing through both sides of neck.
“Why?”
“Why?”
“Why?”
“Why?”
I gathered single energy
stored on each cell and somehow managed to get up for the last time.
The blood from neck have
reached my chest and wetted it.
I started running sluggishly
towards the village.
I was falling and dragging
myself forcefully, I slowly removed the knife which was still on back of my
neck.
Ahhhhhh!
Taking long breath,
started to run again.
I was finally out of the
jungle, where there is a huge lake. Birds are chirping, it must have been dawn.
I heard somebody in the
bank of lake, pushing the boat for sailing.
“Is that you stranger man.”
He was silent.
I drag myself towards the
bank.
Is that you stranger
man????
Why?
Why? You have done this
to poor blind girl.
Please, tell me why? Before I die.
Why? Why? Why?
I am tired and weak and
slowly trying to get down.
I am forcefully standing
on the bank, was feeling dizzy and just collapsed on the knee and to the ground.
I was lying on sand, and heard
the boat started sailing, still no words from the stranger man.
I was getting conscious in
short times, I heard it was sailing away and away.
(The sound of sailing of boat
vanishes and all gets black)
THE END
(Fictional Story)
August, 2011
(Fictional Story)
August, 2011
