Longing for Paradise

Well long back I wrote a story , which I would like to put on this blog . May be , accidentally it might get some viewers. LoL



Longing for Paradise

Harry just felt a cool breeze going across his face. It was so refreshing. He had always dreamt of going to a place like this. And he is here today, leading his friends to this beautiful place. Where was he leading them and why, he don't remember. Neither does he want to ponder over this. He just wants to live the moment, feel the place and the pride of being a leader. The center of attraction which he never was. 

Harry stopped for a moment, just to gather the joy he was having. He looked around .It was really some place. It was green all around. Lush green like huge grasslands of Argentina, which he saw yesterday on discovery. However it was not thorny or sticky grass. It was soft and moist with the rain falling, much like carpet grass. And perfectly bisecting this huge grassland was a river, and what a river it was. Flowing like a snake, across the grasslands, making a huge roar, as if threatening the mountains that it will tear them to pieces .The grasslands were all surrounded by lush green mountains, staring down at the river like cops watching a prisoner. But there were no trees; it was just green and so green mountains. The weather was heavy since morning, and now it has started to rain. He could see the dark clouds, very dark like a patch of kohl, roaring above. Ahh what a beautiful landscape he thought.

“Hey c’mon everyone, can’t you see the water here. It is so clean; you can see your reflection in it. What are you waiting for? Isn’t it what we always wanted.” Harry exclaimed. Without looking back he moved into the river. “I am going inside, it feels great “he roared. “ Why don't you answer”? He shouted inquisitively. Harry looked back for the first time. There was no one in sight. “Everybody left me, not once asking me. I have failed to lead them” he sighed. “But why did they leave. Who would not like to be in such a beautiful place”, he inquired. 

Moving further inside the river Harry yelled. “But why do I need anyone here.” It is so refreshing, isn't it all I wanted .Yeah it is. The music of nature, the roaring clouds, the dripping rain, crackling of river. Such a ‘breath taking place, so ethereal. But no one to whom I can show what I have discovered, Harry sighed. It would have been so great if there was someone to whom I could show this place, admire its beauty, and talk endlessly with her the whole day. The realization that he was thinking about a girl brought a cheeky smile to his face.

He was now in the middle of the river and to his surprise it was not very deep, just above his waist. He swam a little, and then just leaned on a rock in the middle of the river, closing his eyes. “Hello, did I hear something”, he opened his eyes startled. He could hear some footsteps coming towards him. “Hello, hello, who is there”. No one replied. How strange he thought. The footsteps are closing towards him every minute. “Why can’t I see anyone” he cried out loudly. “Harry”. Who said that? Still nobody in sight. “Harry, look up”. Harry looked up to the mountains and there stood a beautiful girl waving at him. Harry heart jumped as he saw her, partly with excitement and partly with nervousness. He had never seen such a beautiful girl in his life. Her wide brown eyes were reflecting a long period of loneliness. Her beautiful round face was shining brighter than a thousand suns. And the redness of her cheeks was like cherry sitting pretty on an ice-cream. Her long beautiful white skirt was contrasting perfectly with the lushness of the mountains. But why is she looking so sad? Why is there so much sorrow in her eyes? I must go to her, ask her and help her out. Harry said to himself.

Harry started rushing towards the shore. The idea of having proximity with such a beautiful girl was filling his heart with joy. “I will make her laugh, make her forget all her pains”. He started pulling faster towards the shore. “Harry, are you coming”, she asks Harry in her beautiful voice. “I am”, Harry shouts back trying to hide his excitement. “What is your name lady?” Harry tried to start a conversation, all the time pulling faster towards the shore. “Harry, are you coming”. “I am dear”, may be she can’t hear me as she is up in the mountains. But then how can I hear her so clearly, Harry pondered. And why I am still in water. Harry gathered his breath and dashed towards the shore, but instead of getting closer the shore keeps on getting away from him. And to his great grief he was now neck deep in water. The more he pulls towards the shore the more he plunges deeper into the river. “Harry, are you coming.” The girl calls again. Now the voice has started to annoy him. Instead of helping him out, she is just standing there and repeating the same words again and again.

Harry took a deep breath. The shore seems to be at the same distance as it was when he started. “There is no point trying. It is of no use. Let me wait here. The water will subside soon, and the girl will come down to help him out” he said to himself rather confidently. He was very tired by now. He looked back. The rock from where he set off towards the shore was just a few yards away. He looked at it with amazement. Unable to make out the reason for the weirdness of the situation, he decided to just let it go. He leaned over the rock and closed his eyes.

Why I am here? Life was not that bad back at home. Even though it was not very great either. Harry sighed. On Monday he needed to submit two assignments. And on Tuesday, he has to make a presentation in front of Mrs. Parker. He had given many presentations before, but every fresh presentation to Mrs. Parker brings with itself so much anxiety and fear. Fear of unknown. Fear of fumbling in front of everybody. Fear of losing his voice, of seeing himself getting embarrassed in front of the class. Fear of seeing his classmates smiling hideously at his disappointment. Harry dreaded the anxiety of the presentation more than he dreaded the presentation itself.

“Harry, are you coming”. Harry has by now started to ignore the voice of the girl. However he was a touch disappointed that she hasn’t climbed down to help him out. He was in the middle of the river, leaning over the solitary rock. But he was calm and not afraid. He had great faith in nature. He had been out in the stormiest of nights, strongest of rains just to feel the presence of nature. And he loves that. “Yeah, I may never have to go to the college again” he mumbled. Never to see those faces. No one has ever cared for me. None of the boys. Well not all, I will miss a few. But why would I miss anyone? He shot back at himself. “I have done everything to help anyone who asked for it, but never got anything in return. Never found anyone who I can really call a friend” he cried out. It’s good that it is all over. Now I will find new people, make new friends. People like me, who loves what I love, who thinks what I think.”

“Harry”, the voice has now become a bit sterner. Not finding the familiar words following, Harry opened his eyes and looked above. He was startled. There were people all around him over the mountains, glaring at him blatantly. The girl seems to have climbed down a little bit, but was still far away. “Who are these people” he thought. He started peering them a little more closely. They were all the people he knew. His classmates, his teachers, his relatives all of them. Standing all over the mountains, staring at him, looking down at him. Some of them were joking and smiling. Some others pitied at him. “Oh poor Harry” he could hear the girls shouting. He doesn’t like that. He doesn’t like the way they were staring at him, the way they were smiling at him. “Why have they come, why don’t they leave me alone”? He shouted. He felt like being stripped in front of everyone.

“Harry” the girl speaks again. “Do you need help?” Yes I do. Come and get me out of here for god sake. Harry yelled out with all his strength. “Harry, your friends are asking if you need help”. Harry sank into the rock. “So she is one of them”. He was broken. She seemed so different but she is not. She is speaking for them. He mumbled with disappointment. Then gathering all his strength Harry shouted back. “No, I don’t want any help, I can manage it myself. Tell them to go away.” He could still see them staring. However they were now starting to retreat slowly. They were going away. He gave a sigh of relief .He could still see some of them looking back at him, annoyingly but at least they are all going away. Harry now turned towards the girl. To his dismay, she too had turned back and was leaving. He didn’t want her to leave. She may be one of  them but she is not like them, he told himself.

The water in the river has now started to rise and that too steeply. It was now touching Harry’s shoulders. He gathered himself and decided to make a last effort towards the shore. He pushed with all his strength towards the shore. The roaring river threw him back. Perplexed, with water now reaching his chin, he cried out to the girl. Please don’t leave me alone, he shouted with all his strength. He could hardly speak now with water engulfing him with each tide. But the girl turned back. “She heard it.” Harry screamed. “Help me please” he cried out, somehow managing to get the voice out of his lips. The girl smiled and said “your phone is ringing Harry”. “Phone, what phone” Harry shot back. I am here almost drowned and instead of helping me, she is asking about my phone. “Your phone is ringing Harry” she says again. Frustrated but helpless, he tried to listen. “Oh yes I can hear some noise, but it’s not very clear” he said to himself trying to somehow keep his ears above water. “Your phone is ringing Harry”, the girl goes again. Now Harry could clearly hear the sound of his phone, but couldn’t make out from where it was coming.

The noise was getting louder and louder till it became unbearable. He could now only see the girl’s lips moving but could not hear her. “I need to pick up the phone, somehow.” He searched everywhere, his shirt his trouser even his underpants, but could not find it. His ears were going deaf with the sound.He thought hard “I left it over the table before sleeping” he told himself. “Sleeping”, he shrieked, “when did I wake up? I never woke up. ..Am I dead or am I still sleeping… is it all a dream? Dream...How it can be a dream, I can still hear the sound of the phone ringing, and the girl...no it cant be a dream ………. It can’t.

Harry opened his eyes startled. He is lying face down on his bed, covered waist below in blanket, his head buried deep into the cushion. And with one eye he could see the rays of sunlight showering his room in golden paints. And yes his phone was ringing too.