Sleep well!

He was falling. Inside the bottomless dark pit! As gravity was doing its magic, he recognized familiar faces on the way down. He zipped by his family, friends, and other vaguely familiar faces whom he could not place. But he could not find her. Something was wrong. She was supposed to be here too! His eyes were frantically searching for her in the pathway amidst strangers. Until he heard the familiar laughter… the same voice that would set his pulse racing at one time! It was her! Definitely her!! But something was still wrong. He could not locate her. Where was she? The laughter was louder and some how he didn’t like it this time. He glanced back and it was the last thing that he saw. Her face… and then darkness!!

His eyes opened. He checked his watch for the time. 3:00 a.m. it screamed at him. In the pin drop silence around he could hear his racing heart beat. He could feel his body drenched in sweat. “Am I alive?” was the first thing that came into his mind. He glanced at the familiar setting of his room. The same old bookshelf loaded with books, an old almirah with pictures of the Gods who were supposed to watch over him when he was asleep. “Are they asleep too?” “I am alive.” He breathed easy, but just for a moment. The difficult part was yet to come. “I should have died” he cursed and closed his eyes. But sleep was miles away. In disgust he opened his eyes again because he knew who was waiting if he slept again. Another nightmare!! In the still of the night his mind started playing games on him. He started shivering. His sole aim was now to live through the night. “Am I going to die? I know I am. When would these nightmares leave me?” In an instant he was transported back in time.

He was younger. It was a sunny day. Too sunny to be enjoyed! But did he care?? That was a time when he took his chances with everything. Pushed things to the limit! That is what he did that day too! Pushed himself too hard.. a bit too hard!! It was getting late to meet her. He accelerated. 130 kmph the indicator shivered. But you don’t realize that you have erred till you err. The tiniest of things snapped. The engine stopped working and he collapsed. Before collapsing all that his mind could remember was her smiling face. Then darkness!!

He is still shivering hoping that this night would get over sooner. He wants to live. He is not a coward, but he doesn’t want to fight. He is tired of fighting for sleep. When was the last time he had slept nicely?

It was the darkest of nights. The storm was just building up. The heavy rain was drumming on the roof of the house. The storm didn’t bother him. He was lost in her eyes. The ever beautiful twinkling eyes! His head was in her lap and his hand in hers. Nothing else existed!! No pain, no fear, no remorse, no worries. Only love!! Nothing else! When he closed his eyes he was at peace. He slept.

“Where is she now when I need her?” he thinks. It’s almost morning now. He can feel the approaching twilight. Somehow the light gives him hope. It was as if he was waiting for the light and not for her. He closes his eyes and tries to sleep…



This is a fictional creation. I couldn’t think of a good end for this piece. If anyone feels they have a better end for this, kindly suggest.