Yellow walls, patches of white, marble floor, paint stain.Open window, red sky, tired birds, dusty lane.One football, big small boys, little small girl, figures of mud.Running shoes, strong push, tilting body, resonating thud.

The tranquil atmosphere acted as a balm to my bruised mind, but it could heal only the dark shadows. The smallest of the tragedies might even fade away, leaving behind ugly scars of past memories. But the cuts and wounds; the gaping holes in my consciousness that had warped reality into a twisted web of lies…could they ever be fixed? Could the damage ever be repaired?

The salt mines seemed to climb to the moon with their pyramid peaks. Cedes and Alistair felt like ants amongst giant grains lost in an industrial soundless landscape. As they walked, their steps made crunching noises under their feet. After a few minutes, Alistair began to call out, “Hello!” gradually getting louder as he met nothing, but silence. Quite suddenly, a loud tremor shook the earth with violence. Something had answered them.

“Hey! I will be picking you up in an hour”.“Okay! I will be waiting for you” she said and hung up the phone.I never wanted this day to come. It would be the last time I would be seeing her. I love her and I shall do the same after this evening. But we are friends, friends with a purpose.

“Emotions are beautiful, but sometimes, momentary excitement can ruin your future.”It all began on the first of April, six years ago …That afternoon, I was to become the first member of my family to join a residential school and it was hard for my family as they had never let me live on my own, ever before. My family bade me farewell at the hostel gate and then the warden and my new classmates accompanied me to the dormitory.

Having you with me was my dearest dream.I thought your favorite place on the earth was my lap.I gave my best to you and dreamt to see you at zenith.You trap someone and it pains me to see you doing it blithely!

As the gentle winter breeze decided to roll by the crooked streets of the Ramfal Chownk, I decided to give her company. The lovely angel of the night was looking beautiful, dazzling in the glittering lights of the decorated market. Shimmering! It was her night today. She was all set to greet her lovers. And they had always loved her; loved enough to rejoice in the anticipation of her arrival.

Rainy days are the worst since I get completely soaked. Each morning, I’m filled with textbooks and notebooks and binders and who knows what else.The good part is that I get a ride to and from school on my owner’s back. Even though sometimes I think it would be fun to go whizzing along on four wheels, I pity the rolling backpacks, who are dragged around everywhere on the dirty floor.

31 December, 2012. Half past 9 in the evening. Westwood Hotel.Somewhere in Mohali, India.She stood by a round table, wearing all black. I had never seen a girl as pretty as her; just one glare, and…boom!…you are on the ground, flat! She was the kind who could rule your dreams, make you fall in love, and get you to chase her like a dog…forever!

Beating,Pounding,Racing. It leaps out of your chest,Pulling you out of the blackness.It urges you on,It pulls you along. Dwelling on possibilities,On what-ifs and maybes.Throwing aside your pragmatism,Wrenching your feet off the ground.