The Visit, Changes and Uncertainty

When my eyes were gazing at the fast moving train on its solid track, the mind constantly lingered on an unpleasant occurrence happened this morning. The train station had been a faithful companion at times of agony through wretched moments.

The undesirable noise made by the trains and passers-by disrupted others calmness but definitely soothed many broken hearts who had wished to cringe themselves among the crowd. It seemed like they were clinging on to the slightest hope that never assured to dissipate their turmoil.

The station was unusually crowded with passengers making bee lines along the ticket machines and counters in order to purchase their ticket before the arrival of train. There were some senior citizens panting and shuffling their way through the wide platform, employed workers rushing in a winding movement avoiding the congestion at the platform and young couples strolling through the alleyway attached within the station to segment varieties of shops established.

There were also a few parents struggling with their little ones whom required deliberate attention and those children were wincing, screaming and trying to release tight clutches enveloped around their wrist as a protection.

The very same station, two months ago celebrated the arrival of Aunt Nina, our favoured close relation from India. The amiable and kind aunt had slight traces of grey hair peeping out here and there. She had always been a backbone to the entire family. Many of the deep family secrets were often shared with her without hesitation. Aunt Nina was like a diary that concealed private matters within its pages and yet provided solace to the troubled heart.

Exaggeration of human emotion not only excites an individual but also exhausts with too many hugs, kisses and compliments after meeting the beloved family of a different country. That evening was an ideal weather to enjoy the scenery of rare tropical trees planted in an array along the tiny little brooks or trenches marked from last night’s heavy rain. These trees have started to bloom with flowers and sweet-smelling cempadak, a tropical fruit found only in Asian countries hanging in abundant clumps all the way to the ground. They permanently infused the pungent yet exotic smell in a lightly ruffling wind.

Aunt Nina settled down on one of the benches opposite those trees. Her mind was engrossed on something but it was not a disappointment that I could see on her unwrinkled face. My pace towards her was quick yet careful with a tray consisting two cups of piping hot tea and some banana fritters that had already been contracted after submerging in the hot oil.

Aunt Nina smiled at my approach and exclaimed cheerfully, “Come on Shilpa, why you have taken so much of trouble to prepare the evening snacks. I longed for your company and some private discussions are important to clarify the rumour that I heard just now”. “Well, aunty, I was just engaged in some paper works towered in my room” I lied. Before I could even finish off my lines, Aunt Nina chipped in saying “You are not good at lying just like your uncle Damu….I have been married to him for the best part of forty years. Damu is ten years younger than I but owing to his short-tempered and solemn nature, he managed to deny the fact that he can’t be a good liar”.

“Seriously, aunt, both of you are a complementary couple, that’s why uncle was so forgiving in every aspects” chuckled to divert the topic. The fake smile that I wore was no longer valid as Aunt Nina’s face grew stern and serious. She snapped with serious tone yet caring gesture “Shilpa, my marriage was not made in heaven as it was a concoction of both happiness and bitterness that steered our life. Uncle Damu and I were separated by different attributes but those same qualities drew us together through great understanding and love for each other. I am not educated as you are but administering my own culinary school in Mumbai. Every good thing transported into my life after a blissful marriage. Your uncle’s immense support and trust unleashed my hidden passion and talent”.

“You are right in every saying”. After a series of denial, finally I gave up to Aunt Nina’s notion. “My career is falling apart and it was no longer a choice but mere unworthy responsibility that I carried for the sake of family and society” I sighed heavily. I added “Ahhh...marriage has not been a favourable option to find peace in life after five years of sincere love; courting and unexpected break-up with a male chauvinist was indeed a misery of its own. My mind has not gained immunity to accept your notion about marriage and I do admit rejecting every marriage proposal” my voice trembled as I recollected my earlier relationship with Rahul.

She listened attentively to my explanation while her left eyebrow rounded disapprovingly at the intelligence received. At the age of sixty, Aunt Nina is as fit as a fiddle and a little meaty with the muscular structure developed from the yoga workout she does every day. She often says that health is wealth. She lowered her shoulder to pick the tempting banana fritter, slowly sinking her teeth into a soggy piece, tasting only the sweetness of the ripened banana.

As the garden dimmed by the sunset and ended with silent performance of a flock of birds returning back to their habitat, Aunt Nina abruptly stood up, flapped her skirt up and down as if she had encountered an army of red ants marching above her curvy knees. I curled my arms around hers and smiled. A light pat landed on my shoulder reminding me that the conversation hadn’t ceased. “Shilpa, dream big, have your own vision, and spread your wings to achieve them. Failure is not an option but it’s a step to realize your life and potential. Hurdles are like tide in the ocean but remember human’s strength outwits everything. An intuition whispered softly that your life is about to change for betterment. Soon, you will settle with the right person…” She winked as she finished her last line and her eyes twinkled mischievously.

A stout young man was carrying a bundle of clothes on his head and few bags dangling violently on his right hand shouted in an audible voice calling out for the wife who staggered trying to keep up to his pace. His aggressive voice pulled me back to the platform that I was sitting for at least two hours. A sealed letter guarding a secret till this morning was unfolded and later it was left unattended on Rajesh’s table. The short and rather beefy man in the mid of his 50’s sank his torso into a custom made black leather chair. He nervously tapped the edge of his palm on table top and smoke from earlier lit cigarette curled towards my direction. Feeling unease by the revolting ardour, I jerked a little pushing myself to stand close to the entrance window of his room.

Rajesh, the manager of this private firm had not been civil since the day he was transferred to this branch and persistently compelled me to be part of his evil cunning plan. To falsify company’s account was his attempt to cover his previous culprit activity in this company and tried numerous times to escape from black and white evidence asked by the auditors from their last inspection. Questions will soon arise about him squandering company’s money for his personal use. My resignation and disinclination to cooperate with his design boiled his temper more than anything. He sneered at my fidelity and snapped “You will not going to survive elsewhere after resigning from this well paid job. You are such a useless imp!! Don’t ever think you can slip away with my secrets”, pounded his fist angrily on the table. He immediately dashed out of the room with contempt shown clearly on his face.

Now it’s time to venture other possibilities out there and withdraw myself from the initial mess. Ring, ring, ring, ring… I swiftly picked up the phone “Where are you now, Shilpa? We are all worried about you. You should be here by this time”, panicked my mother. I did not answer but said, “Mum, I am accepting Deepak’s proposal for marriage, I will be there in an hour, bye” I switched off the phone rather uncertain by the decision made on the spur of the moment. I tilted my head, staring at the sky and there a mirage sentence appeared and vanished “every cloud has a silver lining”. Perhaps, the uncertainty might bring positive transformation in my life as life is always unpredictable.

Loud thundering noise travelled speedily to the end of the platform where I was sitting. As I turned over my shoulder, a gang of masked men plunged from the pedestrian bridge adjoining the railway track. Passengers and passers-by were all terrified by the sudden attack, several shots of gun perforated the air and crowd’s screaming raised a hue and cry. Out of the blue, one of the gang men aimed his gun towards my direction. Although it was a disguised face, I could sense a familiar countenance; I realized it was too late for another escape.

BANG! BANG! BANG! The gunman’s bullet missed the aimed spot but it smacked a platform signboard attached behind me. It was close to a fatal death. I shuddered at the second explosion caused by a series of continuous shooting and therefore, immediately, I knelt down to avoid another dangerous shot speeding to the same point. A lanky man with blue denim jacket rolled and knelt on the rough surface of the platform releasing several shots at the armed men. His shot proved his efficiency and advanced practice of shooting. He abruptly pushed me to the other side of the platform when another masked man assailed from the side of the wall where the elevator was. Frantically, the anonymous guy wrestled with the gunman until last shot of bullet rang on his forehead marked the gunman’s death. I was just rescued by an unknown man whom the identity arouse curiosity but I hardly had any time to breathe or clarify the doubts with the constant intrusion of gang men They were chasing us madly without failing to lose trail of us. Every narrow passage within the station was fully utilized through our rapid running. Eventually, the rear alleyway of the station temporarily became our hideout spot and we managed to elude from being caught by those guys.

The silent moment away from the commotion, prompted me to solicit questions that already been stored in my head which ended up with expressionless response. At the same time, he kept turning apprehensively towards the scorching sun. After some time, the sun was gradually coming down which made the man next to me brim approvingly. He then swiftly rummaged into the pocket of his denim jacket, drew out an object resembling a small discus with an emblem of a sparrow. This discus had solidified transparent liquid in the center encircled by a protective glass. Something unusual started to happen in a quick moment of time, when the ray of sunset projected directly on that liquid, it began to melt, got rippled and later evaporated like gas. The gas dispersed itself in a circular motion gathering every invisible atom around in order to form prism of multiple colors moving technically high above us. Minute by minute, the prism expanded its area and prodded out four flat broad metal blades at every diagonal sides of the prism that left me in amazement at its own brilliant transformation.

The prism was able to rover in the air without the aid of the four blades but through my observation I found that they do have some other reasons to be attached there. A spiral staircase rolled out like a red carpet from the entrance door of the prism to the ground signalling us to ascend on it. Anticipation overwhelmed my entering into an elevated prism while the man maintained rather composed attitude. I have heard about crashing flying saucers and human kidnapping aliens but seeing believes after all. As we took our final step, the other boxes of staircases behind us folded themselves under a fitted prism compartment. I was flabbergasted by the shimmering crystals of all sizes, shapes and varieties fixed as a wall paper. Every wall and ceiling cast our images in a way envisioned by our mind but only visible to the viewer. Surprisingly, none of the technical part in that prism operated by human expertise but some kind of higher power regulated every activity within and out.

The prism was assembled with modern embellishment. Half of the room was extended with hand crafted wooden sofa set with soft cushion. The place was neatly carpeted without a speck of dust. Dangling chandeliers fixed onto the ceiling which lit the room even more brightly. Besides that, a few photo frames mounted in a staggered position on the wall next to a bookcase across the sofa. An old man in tuxedo with long grey beard and bushy moustache and slightly tousled hair winked at me as I peered at his countenance in the photo. The young man’s voice broke the silence that endured between us since the rescue, “Sparrow realm is an invisible world from different dimension. People who had lived their lives with accumulated good deeds, achievements and fruitful contribution to the society, later transformed into immortals after their last journey on earth. They are then transcended into our plane to serve awaiting higher purpose. Their soul beamed as a luminous light which was empowered with an extraordinary capability to incarnate in various appearances unobtrusive to human mind but advantageous to mankind living on earth. As the bestowed name ‘Sparrow’ might be amusing to the layman but it implies freedom that every individual strives to achieve during his lifetime on earth but more often shattered after series of failure, dilemma and mishaps. This dimension provides liberation not as an option but necessary criteria to transact some benevolent task. The chosen one with all the qualities to be a guardian or angel will be given an extensive training at Angel School in Sparrow realm”.

He sat on a sofa with his body leisurely sprawled after imparting the intelligence about his kingdom. I drew a chair close to a coffee table to join the conversation. “If you had observed, every wall cast our images in a way envisioned by our mind but only known to the beholder. This indicates us to think and act in a positive manner. By the way, “My name is Tuga”, he said with air of proudness felt through his loft voice. Suddenly, we heard squeak of the door in a narrow hall behind the sofa set and both of us turned unanimously towards the noise. “Well, my brother is the guardian of Sparc Temple in Sparrow realm’, a voice of a lady had chipped in before she appeared. I was awed by the beautiful divine demeanor where she dressed herself in a white satin gown with pink ruffs stitched at the edges of her puffed sleeves. She then walked in a graceful pace moving herself in our direction. She carefully sat next to her so called brother and smiled at the new visitor, “That indeed a lower ranked position for a legendary warrior who battled with ferocious one-eyed monster, wrestled with a giant alligator and cleverly outwit perverse clown who had been harassing subjects of Sparrow realm with his vivacious yet vicious jokes. Should I also tell her about the love proposal carried on your behalf by your constant friend, Jeda? ”, sarcastically gushed by the lady in white. All these characters now and then emerge from the Red dungeon located zillion miles away from our world. My brother, Tuga is the most favourite soul of the wizard called Zora for his genuine heart but his bragging and foolish tendency always puts Zora out.

Rain was pouring heavily and incessantly for more than two hours followed by series of deafening thunder. This made an unwelcome guest at Gupta’s villa to be resented and fidgeted. However, grandchildren of Mr. Ram Gupta seemed to be unaffected by the stormy weather as their doting grandma had deferred her vacation to Gujarat. While the maid added more coal, poked some of the escaped one into the grater of the fire place allowing flames to warm the grandchildren who had now sat encircled their grandma in the living room. Romi started narrating a story about Uncle Long Leg that she left unfinished two days ago. As the narration went on, children burst into boisterous laughter whenever Uncle Long Leg’s silly gestures and acts tickled them. Little Samyukta cuddled towards her older sister, Natasha who scared both boys Ashik and Arman sitting across them with black rubber spiders. Half an hour later, grandma’s story-telling was interrupted by knocks on the door. Samyukta scampered hurriedly to open the door and as she struggled to reach the door knob, Ashik came in as a helper with lopsided smile clearly teasing her sister’s height.