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Srishti-2022   >>  Short Story - English   >>  Innocence in Wilderness

Vinu Varghese

Clinipace Private Ltd

Innocence in Wilderness

One last time before I close my eyes forever, once again wanted to fly higher than eagle but people said I couldn't because I was human. My grandfather flew high, when everyone kept crying at his death bed, couldn't see my mom weep much. She didn't weep this much when she was playing around with Shridhar Uncle the other day in his backyard. Cherries outside Shridhar Uncle's backyard were very desirous, my grandfather saw Shridhar Uncle and my mom playing together. Having my grandfather around, I ran away, he was a temperamental. When I came to Dison house to run along the road, saw lot of people gather around my house and my mother told me my grandfather flew away. So, my father came after 3 years of his stay in faraway gulf, my aunt's used to taunt my mom very often that he was locked up in prison for murder, I guessed weapon would have been belt. Sridhar Uncle no more used to give chocolates to me. When my father came at my grandfather's funeral, shock waves moved in my skin. I didn't much like him since my birth, other day he came and beat me up for selling up his old belongings. I was haunted for days as he kept yelling at everybody how precious box was. Govindan kutty from neighborhood paid me for the box from his girlfriend's pocket money, yet I didn't tell my father. Box went to Govindan's girlfriend, she told me there were old pieces of lady's clothing which her mother took away from her, she said her mother had the other half of piece in her wardrobe and their backyard was my only favorite place where I get cherries.
 One day I ran away from my house when my dad beat me up calling me 'Bastard', I didn't knew what he mean though. I kept running as a far as possible. New place was warmer and at many railway station distance from home but there was no place to sleep and food had to be borrowed when nobody was around, willing to give among people were scarce. Day after day, learnt some tricks to borrow food and got a shelter at a nearby building, no body used to live there. Other day when I was borrowing food when nobody was present in that hotel, owner used to yell at me many times. He gave food and all I had to do was take vessels with water to people. He was a photographer, he used to click photos from his table, one-day one customer didn't like the photos so customer was screaming too, customer looked at me which reminded me of my father with his belt, I ran again, this time I was flying down the streets from one narrow lane to another. 
A good Samaritan saved me and pulled me into his home, he had huge black bricks, which were taped and had wires coming out, there were other people too with long beards and no mustache. They were very helpful and pulled me inside into further rooms, there were many kids like me but they were thin and looked tanned. Day later, I was given a uniform to wear and it had those black bricks with wires in them. I do not know if they were giving jacket for free as I did not had any money, they sealed it tying around my waist and I could not show off any of those amazing good looking wires while I was walking down the street with those kids. A man was leading us, suddenly there were people running around us, somebody caught me, took away my new jacket and made me run when I heard a sound in my backyard. I saw people falling down, may be they wanted to rest may be they would have run from home too after all everyone was running and there was no body who had any shops open where I can borrow any food. Next day I was roaming around to get something to eat, a food stall owner asked if I can work for him, I said ok and then I was getting daily food, he was very kind. Only I had one problem I missed playing around with Govindan Kutty. Stall owner was the kindest person, he used to be angry like my dad but he would give me food like my mom. I wanted to work forever for him. One day, a group of people came and took me with them scolding stall owner, I was not willing to go but they gave me fresh clothes, a place to bathe in and then there was a feast without having to borrow anything, everyone around me were so nice. They took me to a home; they were saying word 'Shelter' too often, I could not understand. When I went in, place was different from those bearded men, nobody spoke anything for days. When I was accepted one amongst many, I too became a member of silence with the rest. One fine night, I heard a boy crying from a distance from Warden's room when my roommates turned to me quietly, asked me if I could join them. It was dark and we ran out of that home. Warden caught hold of me while rest escaped. Feeling was not so nice afterwards. Days were not so energetic anymore and I could not understand why warden does not appear nice to me. There were no more feasts no borrowing besides I had not strength, closing my eyes seems natural, peaceful and sun above did shine manifolds. I wish I can fly again. Suddenly a dog came, left food. I ate, it was not tasty and smell too was not so good. All the nice feelings just swept away from me, city now looked stranger.
Hence, I went to Stall Owner again.

"Wild Wild city
What a maze you are?
Innocence is lost somewhere
All one see is brick and mortar"

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