For all those who've been asking; here's the story that got selected for the Regional Workshop of 'The creative writing search for excellence' conducted by Katha.
It was a hot summer afternoon, the place was buzzing with screams and laughter from a mob of vacation charged kids and frenzied parents who ran after them. The giant wheel slowly creeped into the blue sky and the roller coaster had just then plunged down from its 50 ft. high ascent that it had attained seconds ago. Near the large sized merry go round, Devrath a young man in his 20s saw a woman. Her features could not been seen for she had her back facing towards him. He was a few feet away from her, but he could distinctly hear her conversation with the security guard in spite of all the noise around him. “I promise, just one ride! Please!” she pleaded. “Madam, what is this, are you out of your mind? This is for children below the age of ten,” he explained. Dev rolled his eyes towards the merry go round. It was painted in vibrant red and blue hues with tiny horses arranged at different levels. It looked adorable, but he; in no way wanted to get on it and neither could he understand why the woman was so bent on having a ride on it. “I swear I’ll give you 100 bucks. It wont break I guarantee. Just one ride! Please!” Dev went forward to see who this woman was. Crouching behind the vacant candyfloss stall, he could now make out her face. She had an olive skin and she was svelte and tall. He tried assuming how much she’d weigh, just so that the ride wouldn’t break. She couldn’t have weighed more than 55 he concluded. She made a beseeching look at the guard and finally got to get on the ride. The guard shook with fear and walked around timidly hoping that his senior authorities wouldn’t see what he’d just done. Dev looked at the woman who had very happily seated herself on the highest horse available. Behind her were tiny kids who couldn’t have been more than 7. As the ride began, Dev could see her face beaming with joy. Her eyes twinkled with childlike innocence as she let her arms wide open and allowed the wind lap at her face. Dev could no longer control his inquisitiveness, as the woman hopped down from the ride and thanked the guard, Dev ran after her and said, “Excuse me!” The woman turned back and looked at him and mouthed, “me?” “Um, yes. Uh- would you mind if I’d ask why you were so desperate to get onto that ride?” he asked. She made a poker face and then said, “Do I know you?” Dev’s face sulked at that remark, wasn’t that what every woman asked? “Uh-no, just that I was very intrigued by your enthusiasm to get on that ride. I mean it’s a kid’s ride and you must definitely be above 20 if I aint mistaken.” He said. “Look here, I really don’t know who you are and I don’t see why I must answer your question; but since you asked, I did that for someone.” She said and looked at him. “Now if you excuse me.” She said, and walked away. “Strange…” He muttered as he stood at the ticket counter buying tickets for himself and his gang of 5 colleagues who had come to the amusement park to watch a 4 – D film. Watching the film he’d forgotten about the woman and life ceased to go on the same path it was headed initially. It had been two months since he’d seen the woman and obviously he had other important work to do than thinking of her, she had then slowly faded into some corner of his mind; until he saw her again. It was two in the afternoon and it was pouring. Dev had come out for his post-lunch tea break and had forgotten his umbrella. Having no option, he decided to wait under the tea stall. “One samosa please.” He’d asked. He looked around; in spite of the deluge the city seemed alive. The blaring horns had now blended with the gush of the rains and he could feel the city pulsating with energy. He sat on one of the rickety old wooden benches with a black cat for company when he saw this woman, with her hands stretched wide apart, gladly getting drenched in the rain. “What is with this woman?” he wondered. She spun around like a little child and jumped across the puddles and then ran into the teashop. “Brother, one piping hot ginger tea for me! And make it sweet.” She added. She sat beside Dev and wiped her head with a tiny handkerchief. “Hi.” Blurted Dev. “Do I know you?” she asked. “This is exactly what you had asked me the last time we’d met.” He said with a smile. She looked away and then suddenly said, “You’re the guy from the amusement park.” He nodded. “I’m Dev” “Nitya.” She said. “You work here?” she asked. “Yeah, I work as a journalist with India Now. And you?” He said. “I used to be a teacher. Had to discontinue it due to some health issues.” He looked at her sympathetically and she let out a sneeze. He asked. “ Do you mind if I’d ask you what drives you to do all these crazy things? Look you’ve got yourself a cold,” he said. There was a long pause. The girl, whom Dev now knew as Nitya threw the cup and sat back, the rain had intensified and cold breeze tickled Dev’s cheeks. “I’ve undergone an organ transplant; the donor was a 10 year old… These were her wishes. So, I just felt that, if I could fulfill these little wishes of the girl; I’d feel good.” She said, in a low voice. “I have an umbrella. I can drop you if you want.” She said. Dev nodded. They walked for a few minutes and the awkwardness grew greater. To break the silence Nitya asked, “Do you have any siblings?” “A sister.” He said. “Oh! What does she do?” “I don’t know.” She stopped. “What do you mean by I don’t know?” “It’s been 4 years since I’ve seen them.” He said. “Why?” “Same old story. Family against my wishes, I ditched them. Came here. They never bothered to find out how I was or anything; why must I?” he asked. “Are you mad? They’re your family you idiot. You cannot be so stupid. I talk to my family literally four times everyday. Dev, I know this is personal but; what you are doing is absurd.” She suggested. Dev cut her short by saying, “It’s here. I should go. Thank you for dropping me till here.” Dev went back to his cubicle and appeared restless. His deepest fears, his biggest weakness had now been rekindled by this woman whom he hardly knew. He had to face it and the only way to do that was by going back. He walked into the same gully where he’d had a taste of some of his sweetest childhood memories. Four years had passed and the banyan tree still looked the same, wise and strong.There were no new houses and neither had the old ones upgraded themselves. He took the first left and walked into the house where two coconut trees sprang into the crimson red evening sky. Through the gate he could catch a glimpse of the window that opened into their dining room. He clutched onto the gate and gazed into the water pipe. Here was where his sister and he would have their water fights. “Father… Mother… Sister…” he thought. He heard some hushed voices coming from his house and saw someone walk through the main door. It was the girl again. She looked forlorn and in her hands she carried a huge square shaped parcel wrapped in white. “Nitya.” He said, amused. Nitya’s expression was pale. “What happened?” he asked, getting a bit restless. The sun was about to set and the moon could now be faintly seen. There was an eerie silence as all the birds had now retreated into their nests. Dev stared at her expectantly. Nitya took a deep breath and after a long pregnant pause she said, “One of the wishes of the girl was to gift her brother a self painted picture.” Dev was perplexed and fearful. Nitya handed him the painting and said, “Four years is a long time, doesn’t matter anyway; this is yours. Take care.” She said, and gave him a solicitous hug. As she walked away, the lights in the house were switched on. Dev could see a grim bespectacled man and a woman in her mid forties wiping her tears. His parents. He ran in, and hugged them tight. The stars twinkled bright in the sky and the nocturnal kings had now taken over the land, once again the place was buzzing with life.
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