Chennai at night...

Here's another story. Enjoy - Chennai at Night:

Ever wondered why the tree rustled in the dark. Ever wondered what that voice was. That inaudible one, but you could swear you heard it. That eeriness and spookiness that darkness gives you. Well, it's all thanks to me. Who am I? Why, I am you humble neighborhood ghost!

Don't worry. I am not in the neighborhood anymore. As a matter of fact I am just leaving my hometown; after 17 years of life and 8 months of death. Figured no village deserved more haunting than that. Not that I freaked the hell out of anyone or anything. I was a harmless fellow. But I did have my share of fun. In life I was a good boy. A diligent student, who never went after any mischief. Well, now you are dead. Whom are you going to impress? 

But not everybody has the same idea of fun. That is totally unfair. I mean when the naughty child breaks the pots in your kitchen, it is cute. When I do it? What kind of havoc you make!? And the worse part is people know it's me. They scream, "Oh! It is Akhil's ghost! We have to get rid of him! JEEM BOOM BAM!" They all knew I was a nice kid at school, then why the hell are they afraid of me? Anyways, that got totally boring in the end and I decided to flee. Find some place new to haunt. Hopefully someplace with a sense of humour. 

Didn't I tell you about the rustling in the dark. I don't know what you feel about it, but I really enjoy it! And Heaven, how many trees do you have in Kerala! Amazing! Beautiful! I have always known its beauty during day time, the lush greenery, those splendid lakes, magnificent paddy fields, grasslands speckled with cows having the fiesta and the milkman his siesta. And now I cherish its beauty at night. Swimming through the ice cold lake, brushing through the mid-night trees, listening to the songs of the nocturnal, and scaring the crap out of every Homo sapien on the way; that is Life. No! That is death.

How I died you ask? Car accident! You see, how much God has given Kerala, that much humans have managed to take away from it! Cut down trees, build roads and do whatever you want on it. Throw you garbage on it, spit on it, piss on it, and when it comes to driving, kill on it. I was one of the victims. Never went to find out who the killer was,what good would that yield? His conscience will serve his punishment. He or she might not even know what happened. You know how they mix drink with drive. Wish those nocturnal's ruled the cities instead of humans. Well, if you consider mosquitoes nocturnal, I guess they do.

Did you know, that blind people can hear better and deaf people can see better. When God takes something away, he gives you something in return. God took my life away; well, God or that stupid fellow needs to take driving lessons, but he did give me a bunch of awesome super powers in return. And he means God, just to clarify. Why so, feminists may ask. Just to annoy you actually! I don't know God's gender. You expect the dead to know all this stuff. Well, I have been too busy haunting people to find out. Hey, don't blame me! I died at the age of 17, 12th board exams just got over, I still have a LOT of fun to have!

I was talking about the super-powers God gives the dead right? Well, one of them is super-speed. Other's include invisibility, mind reading power and many more. Death kinda rocks actually. I laugh my head off when I see people crying for the dead. Only they know who much fun they are having.

And using that super-speed, in a matter of minutes, I reached Chennai. Random choice! Was a huge Rajni fan! And let me tell you, it was kind of like how Rancho and Farhan went to Raju's house in 3 idiots. All of a sudden, everything changes to black and white. Well, in the particular case, the transition is from lovely and beautiful, to horrifying and ugly. Been through the streets of Chennai at night? When all the pollution of the day settles down, and the ghosts wake up! Even I felt haunted.

"New to the city huh?" A fellow ghost asked me. I spoke too soon I guess. I don't know how he looked for ghosts don't have looks. Yes, ghosts don't have fangs, they don't drink blood, and they don't wear old shabby clothes. Although this new friend of mine seemed to satisfy all the conditions. He did creep me out.

"Yes, sir" I blurted. I was afraid he wouldn't understand English or Malayalam. But he didn't have to. Ghosts can read minds, remember.

"Sir? Well, respect always sounds nice. Anyway, what I need right now is some sleep. So GET LOST!" He sounded rough. And I got angry! But I wasn't stupid enough to shout at some strange person. And moreover, I too was pretty tired. Maybe he could find me a place to sleep. And yes, ghosts do sleep.

"Oh, okay! Well, I am new to the city and don't know the place. Could I come over to your house?"

"Oh sure. You are always welcome to my 'house'. Would you like to use the bath-tub, or maybe have a shower before you sleep? I even have a jacuzzi, would you try that out." Epitome of sarcasm. I could smell the bitterness in the old man's voice. "Dude, since as long as I could remember, I have been sleeping over here. On this road! The new prince of the city may find it hard to believe but this is how things are." And no he didn't say 'dude'. I just made it up. For effect you see. 

But even I couldn't sustain the humour. I could almost see the old man's red eyes, and tired body. His rib-cage showing, clothes shabby and torn, hair undone. I could his stench from his voice. His words stabbed my heart, as if stopping it for the second time. "You might find this ghost business difficult. You might find it hard to stay in your home-town and might have to run away. You might keep running away for the rest of eternity, not finding salvation anywhere! But I don't feel anything strange about this. I have always been dead. There was never any purpose. And there was nothing I could do! I have always been worthless. And now, so are you."

"You are wrong!" I shouted. Was it the conviction in me, or the fear that he might actually be telling the truth?  But I couldn't bear his words. 

"Get lost you quirt! Leave me alone..." He didn't have to complete his words before I dashed from the place. Vanished from his vicinity. But however fast I moved, I couldn't ignore what lay around me. Everywhere people lay on the pavement, curled up under a tattered blanket. Men and women.

There was water on the road. Gutters were open, pavements were dirty, the floor was dusty. The stink of latrine was there in every corner. And as saw each blanket, my mind raced back to voice I spoke to. Reluctantly I reached into his mind and saw glimpses of his life. How he lived in the streets all his life, the odd jobs he did, and the contempt with which everyone treated him, no matter what he did. Be it work, be it stealing or be it begging -  he was scum. And he was convinced of that. 

These thoughts troubled me. Ugh... they didn't trouble me. They tortured me. Raped me again and again. To imagine being worthless. Being unable to do anything. Was that where I was going? Pulling silly pranks and scaring village folk, was that all I could do now? Years of imagination and ambition. How I had excelled in school. What all I wanted to achieve. All of it was reduced to this? Worthless! Useless!

The wind went through me. I had stopped moving. Everything stopped moving. And I started to walk back. What was it you call it? Introspection. All of us, youngsters, chanted all the time - Nothing is Impossible! We admired challenges. We looked forward to obstacles that life threw at us, waiting to opportunities to do the unthinkable. We had always known, that we were the west wind. Nothing could outrun us! 

I flashed towards to electric train that ran across the city. It was mostly empty at that time of the night. But who I was looking for was in the train. A blind boy singing praises of the almighty God. And his mother, holding him by his elbow, bent over herself, guiding her son through the train and collecting the blessing that the benevolent passengers poured upon her. She was the wife of the voice I had met. And he, his son.

The blind boy was my same age. He walked in his father's footsteps. Worthless scum! "How are you?" I whispered in the boy's ear. "Who is that?" The boy asked back in his mind. Blind people could hear very well. 

"I am..." I stuttered a bit, but the right words rolled out, "I am your conscience"

"What is that?" The boy asked innocently.

"I guide you", I whispered into the boy's ear. And I swear on everything good and true in the world, he smiled when he heard that. "Your mom seems to be doing a decent job already. And I cannot do what she does. But I can help you out"

"My mother is tired and weak. She won't be with me for long. I want her to take rest. And fed well"

"I will guide you" I could not let him be worthless.

"I will help you" I could not let him be scum.

"You will be happy. I promise!" I entered the boy's mind and occupied a tiny corner of his brain. I became his conscience.

I had to make a few sacrifices. Just like the boy, even I lost sight. I lost all the memory of worldly knowledge, like how to use a computer, how to speak English and all that. But only as his conscience could I speak to his heart. And I spoke to his heart. Filled it with imagination and ambition. I filled his mind with colours. And he saw many colours, much more than a normal person could see. For he wasn't limited by his eyes. I inspired him. Taught him that there is more to the world. That great things could be done. I convinced him, that he could rule the world if he wanted. I forced him, to use every last drop of his potential. Everyday, every second, I encouraged him. Every time the world said he was scum, I asked him to prove them wrong. I supported his adventures. I cared for him when he suffered. I protected him, when they tried to corrupt him.

What happened from there on is an entirely different story? That is his story. The story of the blind boy, who reached greatness. I can only tell you two things; 

I did the impossible. And we both lived...

Happily Ever After

Love