Ascension : “Antithesis”

This is my entry to Short Fiction writing contest "Ascension" @ www.clarityofnight.blogspot.com.

Visit the above blog and I am sure you’ll have a treat reading the entries. There are over 120 entries and you can delve into the insight of various minds, who have written their perception of the picture.

My take goes like this :

Antithesis

It seemed like an eternity, flying in the sky. His impatience was reaching the acme as he craved to breathe the fresh air of his homeland. He peeped outside the window thinking about his folks, desperately waiting to see them. He slipped into a Utopian fantasy imagining the wonderful times that were in store. Raj's face lit up as he heard the announcement. His lashes were wet with joy as he waited intently for the jet to land...

She tried to hold back the tears as she parked her car in the parking lot. She'd never felt so helpless in her life. She walked towards the foyer and wished that she'd disappear for a moment. She moved towards the escalator with all the strength she had.

Meera felt numb as the crowd rushed hurriedly towards the entrance. She realized that the flight had landed.

Raj walked towards the exit and scrutinized all the faces, trying to spot a known one. He eagerly waited for someone to rise up the escalator.

As the escalator moved up, Meera relived all the moments of terror, bloodshed and shock. The dead, wounded faces of Raj’s parents sent a chill through her spine.

She saw Raj walking towards her. She couldn’t hold back her tears as she saw him wave elatedly.

He held her close, pressing her cheeks with his wet ones. Tears were inexorable.

He looked deep in her eyes and she wondered what to say..

They cried together - for different reasons…

ME

Bonded in chains
Chains of desire, wishes and pleasure
I am lost in a maze
The walls seem high
The path seems strange
Every time I take a road
Towards You, and decide my aims
I realize I am bonded in chains

Closed in a shell
A shell which encompasses all pretty things
I know not how to escape
The door seems so tight
The latch seems invisible
Every time i try to see the Real world
Where all's so well
I realize i am closed in a shell

Tied with a rope
Rope that portray both friends and foes
The rope seems unbreakable
I wonder at its might
Its me who has made the bond so strong
Every time I yearn for freedom, with hope
I realize i am tied with a rope

Soul is free
Free of bonds, ropes and chains
It can soar high
Break barriers, overcome pain
Every time it rebels and fights to become free
I realize, the chain, the shell, the rope is ME.

Forty Winks and a Dream

The usual afternoons are rather boring. The classrooms are dull; the teachers seem to be talking to walls. The college canteens are deserted and if they are not, they seem like rehab where students are trying to overcome their weaknesses, relaxing, sleeping, doing everything in slow motion.

Talking about the IT industry, the training rooms are filled with faces that have no clue of what they are doing. The desktops hide the sleepy eyes, which are tired of staring into the screen, from the trainers. The chairs and the tables serve other purposes. The AC does its job quite well. There are some minds who pretend to be working with a minesweeper or a solitaire window minimized. All the others are either working or trying to prove that they deserve much more than what they get paid for.

The meeting rooms act as Pseudo theatres where none of the presentations seem interesting, unless you are giving them. The audience (oops...should I say the project team members?) try to stare at the screen, occasionally getting up, pretending to attend calls- calls from wife, house-owner, room-mate, friend or for that matter, nature as well.

The souls who have to spend the afternoons in cubicles have a hard time trying to keep up pace with work in the post lunch session.

This reminds me of a dream that I saw a few days ago. No prize for guessing that I was indeed taking a catnap on my desk, in my cubicle.

I remember I was reading a mail from my friend, Muggs, telling me about her sister's experience in IPS training…. And I slipped into a reverie….

I am at Muggs' place, sitting on the couch, munching our favorite snacks over a cup of coffee, viewing some pictures on Picasa. We talk..

Muggs(M) : My sister just learnt how to load a revolver in her IPS training.


Me (Y): Awesome yaar. Sounds so interesting.

M: I think she has really lived her dream. Very few can do it.

Y: It is easy to talk about the crime and the criminals but it is really tough take a decision like this. I am sure she'll be role model to many complacent people....ummm...... like me.... Actually I feel this is the time to do something.

M: Then why don't you appear for the civil services exams.

Y : I am scared. It isn't that easy... I am not scared about getting through, but the nemesis we may have to face once we pass these exams. The criminal nexus is strong and normal people like us cannot do it. It’s just not possible.

M: Tai did it.. Today I realize that to overcome 'that' fear we need to have power. We can only change the system by being a part of the system.

And when we realize that we can do it, realize the positives of power, which can do good to the society, we end up deciding something good -for ourselves, and for the society.

Y: You are right, girl... very right.. You have put me in the thought process. I will do something for myself, for the society... IAS.. IPS...

My set of aims needs a makeover. I will know how to load a revolver then... ..;) ;)


“Dhishkyaauu Dhishkyaauu...”

"Yamini....Yamini....What's wrong?" questioned my TL staring back at me. I found the entire row looking at me intently.

“You need to get the task reviewed. Let's deliver it before 6… “, said my TL.
I got up, gave a forced smile and mumbled,” Sure!”.

Only if I had a revolver…

I cursed the afternoon, the forty winks and my dream...

I walked towards the restroom, like a zombie.... only to come back and work like one.

Buh byee 2008 :)

It’s the New Year’s Eve. It may sound clichéd, but indeed it is time to recollect all the things that made or marred our lives. Whenever you think about the next year, you resolve to do something. And before we zero down upon our New Year resolutions, we need to think how well we materialized our last year’s resolution. I hope there aren’t any disappointments ;)
I actually forgot what I had resolved last year…. So I really can’t make a statement ;)
For the next year.. I resolve to 1) umm….. .yaa…
2) arrrrr……. Ok.
3)…Alrite… Done… ;)

I am done with my set of resolutions.. All the best to you :)

Looking back, all I got to say is :

I smile and smile as I look back
Some things were white and some things were black
There was goodness in all bad-bad things
There was a cheer in every mood swing

The time that went by in days 360 and six
The last day is here, if all errs I could fix
But I chose to keep the lessons along
And promise never to repeat the wrong

To all who were hurt by my stupid talks
And to all with whom I refused to walk
At times when they needed a friend
And I failed to show, that they could depend

And to all those who just stuck around
When I was on cloud #9 and when I was on ground
To the one who taught me about little things
And the winters that taught lessons before the springs

In all gratitude I wish you happiness
Lots of joy, blessings and togetherness
May the sun shine bright and may there be contentment too
A very Happy New Year, to all of you...