A bet
A lie
All the while
She lived out trying
If not for her bee that stung her
Once or twice in a day
She wouldn't have made it through the crime
"Ray, listen to
me! Don't pay attention to that. Think about your blog. I know you've been at
it since a long time. Now is the time to make or break. I am with you. Your
witch... Sleep baby sleep."
"Ray?! How dare
this mad man talk to her in her head? Was that possible?" Ramen thought
aloud in her room, lying in bed, motionless and thinking how life had become a
roller-coaster ever since returning from post-grad.
What was happening to
her? In tyranny of the suffering, Ramen slept, but like a baby- Just as the
witch had predicted!
8 am, Thursday, A mid month of June, 2017
"My doll needs
to get through this weekend. That’s it. That’s all that’s upon her and I will
take care of the rest. But she is vulnerable and scared. It's her neighbors and
on top of that it's me. I can't imagine the pressure she is facing right now. But
as history of our lords has it, I can’t reveal to her about me just yet.
Damnit! Fuck baby, wake up strong. Just ignore them this weekend and you're
through."
Vishal hadn't slept
the whole night after penetrating Ray's mind last night. All he could worry
about was how his girl was feeling under all the pressure! He forced himself a
shower and got ready for work. The acts witches put on to seize normal
appearances. "God, mom what should I do? I can't let the love of my life
falter right now."
Vishal was tying his
shoe laces when the wind shattered the window panes and rain administered to
cool off of the brutal world outside. Suddenly a light wing appeared on his
shoulder and he heaved a sigh of relief. "Mom, what do I do?"
"Be sacred to my
daughter-in-law. Protect her from this weekend on. She is going to need an
intervention though. The crime is too dreadful for her human fragility -Those
horrendous peasants!"
Vishal Agnihotri felt
better and with confidence left home from Worli's neat studio he called home in
the absence of the heaven behind the mountains and above the skies where the
sun met the moon every night.
Vishal weaved the
wand light in his car and prayed for strength that passed like a current in
Ramen's veins as he accelerated his car and sped off to waste nine hours of his
life at work.
Vishal worked as an
architect with 'Rolling Stones', a French subsidiary of modern art homes
exclusively in Mumbai, India.
8:30 am, that same
morning, June, 2017
Ramen woke up with a
start, feeling stronger and better and she was about to thank God when it
happened right that minute and she lost all hope of feeling good that
day.
Ramen scanned the
living area and her parent's room to find a note on the fridge saying,
"Beta, I am at the supermarket. Dad's gone to Andheri and your breakfast
is in the microwave. Be back soon."
Ramen ran to her room
and opened the windows, looking out at the wired sky scarred with pigeon poop
and lit a cigarette to think for a moment. To take stalk of what was happening
with her; especially ever since she bumped into that V-faced danger
stranger.
It happened again.
Ramen mustered all the brain vita and continued to think despite the disturbance.
So:
Them
The crime
The lie
The doubt
The witch!
Was it her
imagination or was it really a midst of scarcity of humanity?
Just then her mother
came in through the ajar front door; she called Ramen and said, "Its 10am,
you mustn’t have brushed. Freshen up; I've got your favorite chinese
dosa." With that, 57 year old Pankti Zaheer sank in the small couch and
continued panting for another five minutes in the absence of a lift in their
105 year old family building.
Ramen thought, "At
least a tasty breakfast in this calamity." She went to freshen up and in
the bath something occurred to her- "Some tapasya is important, Ramen, to
get through these tough times alone. Pick yours."
Ramen changed into a
pair of shorts and baggy T-shirt that Vishal saw in his mind's eye and smiled
lovingly at the chubby future wife.
Ramen knelt down on
her knees and bargained with God, "Okay so God, I have thought about my
penance- One meal a day from now on. Okay wait, I love food. God, would you
really your child eat just once in a day? Make those two meals a day. Please ha
god, only twice not more. I promise. Now get me through, won't you?"
Vishal almost burst
out laughing wondering at how innocent his woman was and got through the rest
of the work day like a pro.
Ramen half heartedly
went back in the kitchen and refused her dosa until 2 pm. "Good time to
starve until 8." "Mumma, I dont wanna eat right now."
Ramen went back in
her room and locked the door behind her. She was starving but tapasya! She lay
in bed and she only had to think about the V-Face when he penetrated her mind
again, "Hi gorgeous. Thinking about me?"
Ramen had had enough
but no way to fight this she responded to him in her head, "Who are
you?"
"Your partner
for life. A little different than usual but you're the chosen one and you'll
know in time."
"Leave me alone
jerk."
"I can't. I love
you."
Ramen blushed despite
herself, almost convinced she had lost it and stared out the window when it
happened. "Fucking losers. I swear, they will pay!"
She rose from the bed
and went to her mum in search of goodies."God cookies are allowed in the
tapasya ha." "Mumma, got some chocofills?"
Ramen sat in her
mum's room nibbling on the cookie and her brain running on how to proceed to
prove the crime.
Lightning struck
outside in daylight and she was overcome with an idea.
"Beta, what
about lunch? Why aren't you eating your favorite dosa?"
"Mumma, got
bigger things to deal with. Okay bye."
Ramen slipped into
her Nike slipons and rushed to a cyber at the end of her block.
"Rahul bhaiyya,
can I pay later?"
"Yes. Which
one?"
"The last in the
row."
Ramen occupied a
private corner in the cafe and in total privacy googled therapists. She needed
to cover her tracks. She came across one and wrote to Dr. Mrinal Jain.
Dear Dr,
I think I have mental
issues. I think there are cameras at home and I am facing external harassment.
Just no way to prove it yet.
I am writing to ask
how to cope with constant disturbance while working and living in
general.
Can Gpay you the
consultancy. Looking forward to your response.
Signing off,
Ramen Zaheer
Deconstructed montage
of the dialogue timeline between Ramen and Dr Mrinal.
5 days later:
Ramen woke up distant
in depression with the ongoing circumstances. She heard a ping and grabbed her
phone from the bedside table to be elated to hear back from Dr. Mrinal.
The mail read:
Dear Ramen,
Firstly and
objectively, don't react to the disturbance. "Aapne aapna jiv ma lavu ajj
nai."
Secondly, relax. I'll
have to personally meet you to find out if this is an illusion of your mind or
a crime.
Meet me tomorrow at
5pm at my clinic in Girgaum, Haywille Apartments, 3rd floor, Chowpatty,
opposite Bachelors Icecream.
love,
Mrinal
"Okay so I'm not
alone and these losers who are uneducated filths of society are not worth my
mental peace." With that thought, Ramen dressed while wondering why her
witch hadn't visited yet and went into her parents' room to chill with her mum.
She knew, gossiping with Pankti Zaheer was her biggest flex and it made her
feel good always.
Montage moves back to
Thursday evening, June, 2017
Ramen had eaten the
soggy dosa, after returning from the cyber, with so much love for scant of food
that at 5pm she still reminisced its taste now waiting for her next meal at
8pm, rubbing her tummy which was not flat at all. "Who cares? The Witch
hasn't complained about it yet."
She knew she had to
think about her next vlog but all she did was give herself a pedicure, soaking
her feet in a tub of warm rock salt water. She later trimmed her nails and
painted them beige.
A hostel teaches you
to be self reliant and so you learn everything from waxing your moustache to
mastering self-care like manicures too!
Moving on, relaxed
now at 7 pm, she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling when suddenly a thought occurred
to her, it happened again, she thought anyway, was V really a witch? Like
'Angels of Willamstown'? A book on witch world she'd read in college.
"My God, Ramen
is this true, what have you gotten yourself into? Does V drink blood like
Vampires? Oh wait! Is he a vampire?"
She was thinking hard
when she heard the witch, "Lol babe, I am not a Vampire. But your theory
on 'Angels of Williamstown' may just be true."
"Loser, can't
you see I am in the middle of a revolutionary crime? Why me? Will you kidnap
me?" Ramen asked hardly scared and now enjoying the witch more than
ever.
"Ray, wait to
learn magic baby. I'll teach you. You have it in you. Imagine the company of
wolves and big cats and stars gliding through the trees and the moon dancing in
the rain. That's where our home is. Okay bye."
"Whatever, until
later alligator." Ramen was bored now so she went in the living area and
her dad called her in and gently asked her, "Ramy, no work?"
"Pappa, please
ya, I want some litchis."
Zubair Zaheer
resigned with worry for his daughter's future and pointed at the waiting tray
of chilled fruits in the freezer.
Ramen forgot all
about the tapasya and relished juicy, chilled litchis before dinner, feeling
one with the world again. Then it happened and her heart skipped a beat with
stress and she morosely returned back to her room but not before she heard her
mum say, "Zubair, but her challenge in the game is to...She isn't
working..."
Ramen stopped being
happy and she returned to her depression, moaning with anxiety in her bed. She
skipped dinner when she remembered her promise to God. She slept hatching her
plan now clear in her mind.
Vishal heaved a sigh
of relief. Ray had done it. She hadn't stopped functioning normally under the
circumstances. The real test was still the weekend to go.
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