In the Midnight

Heartbeats…..I can hear it…..its beating fast….very fast…..

Its 1 am, a cold February night, calm breeze touching my neck, sometimes shivering, curtains blowing, moonlight on my bed, no one around, watching the huge painting of  Niagara Falls in my room, heard some one calling me…..*****, I suddenly realized I was in a different world, again heard it…*****. Looked down the window, a very known face, I have seen him some where, but couldn’t make out.

He said... “Come down *****, u promised we will go down to the river side, come soon am waiting”. An unknown power forced me to go down. He was standing there in our courtyard, moon light falling on his smiling face. He was tall, well built, not so fair, but his smile, was telling many things. I stood there looking at him, trying to recognize the familiar face. He shook me up saying, “what are you thinking, let’s go”. I simply nodded my head and started walking with him towards the river side.

The roads litted with moon light, both walking side by side, he broke the silence saying “see what I have brought for you, fried green peas, I know you like it right?” I just stopped there, and astonishingly looked at his face, how did he know I liked fried green peas, I never said this to him. He smiled and said “now don’t get surprised, I know all your likes and dislikes, lets walk”.

Sweet smell of Jasmine flowers, we both along with the moon, sitting and hearing the flow of river water, eating fried green peas, the cold river-side wind, blew my hair, made it unmanageable, I was about to tie my hair, when he said, “don’t tie it, u look beautiful with opened hairs”. Looked at my watch its 2 am, I said I have to leave, his reply again left me spell-bound. He said “don’t you want to know my name, who I am, my address, my back ground?” I realized my mistake and to cover it up, had this conversation.

Me: What’s your name?

He:  My name is ******

Me: What do you do, I mean do you work or study?

He:  I am a painter, I play with colours

Me: Where do you stay?

He:  In your colony, haven’t you ever seen me?

Then I remembered that I have seen him few times at the bus stop and on road. I continued….

Me: But how did you know me?

He: The huge painting of Niagara Falls in your room, its my work.

Me: That’s fine, but that was gifted by my aunty, she bought it, how did you know its in my room?

He: My paintings are my blood and flesh, so where ever they go I stay with them, by this way I know you as well..

However his answer did not convince me enough, it again forced me to think something, immediately he said, “you will never change, why do you think so much, its better not to find out certain answers”. I still continued with my questions.

Me: But when did I promise you that I will go out with you?

He: (Smiling) I knew you will forget, remember last time when we spoke over phone you promised me that you will come out with me.

I was completely surprised to his words, he gave me hundreds of instances where we had spoken to each other, but I didn’t remember even one….

It was 5.45 am in the morning, when I woke up with the sound of birds chirping, and found myself on the river banks. He was not there with me, I shouted out his name couple of times but couldn’t find him. I walked back to my home, finding out the reasons for what happened last night, but couldn’t find none, just thinking of it….left me realize that he was not in real but just a mere imagination of mine…..

By Panchali (a dear friend of mine)