The sapphire martini stood in contrast with the pearl wall behind it. She picked it up, her fingers lightly feeling the cool glass underneath. Leaning out of the balcony, she let the moist wind beat against her face. November Rain. A sudden chill crept up on her, making her cringe a little, but she did not mind it. Looking out to the vast expanse of deliquescent city lights in front of her, she could not help but feel miniature and more lost. Filled with sudden urgency to shift her concentration she lifted up her wrist to note the time, it was past midnight. Late.. Again.. There were deep lines on her forehead now, he had promised to be here by now.
A pair of warm hands sneaked up her waist, and almost made her shriek. She soon recognized their owner though, smiling brightly, she snuggled against the hard support behind her. She felt his stubble graze against her shoulder. Here is where she belonged. She found home at-last!
She was jolted back to reality by the blinding light that split open the dark sky in front of her spreading a purplish hue all over, it was bewitching. She realized how cold she was. Closing the balcony door she now sat on her chair, placing the glass on it carelessly. She was worried, worried about herself now. Too lost, isn't she? She felt like being amazed a bit too, she chucked to herself, remembering one of her favorite lines,
"Of course it is happening inside your head, but why on earth should that mean that it's not real?"
Looking around she spotted a hard-bound book with the name of its publishers gleaming across the dim room. She walked towards it, opened it, and ran her fingers through the words written on the first page in decent cursive handwriting,
"Hoping to meet you soon.."
Leafing through the pages, she arrived at the one which she loved the most, the words printed echoed her mind,
The last line filled her with nourishing hope..
A pair of warm hands sneaked up her waist, and almost made her shriek. She soon recognized their owner though, smiling brightly, she snuggled against the hard support behind her. She felt his stubble graze against her shoulder. Here is where she belonged. She found home at-last!
She was jolted back to reality by the blinding light that split open the dark sky in front of her spreading a purplish hue all over, it was bewitching. She realized how cold she was. Closing the balcony door she now sat on her chair, placing the glass on it carelessly. She was worried, worried about herself now. Too lost, isn't she? She felt like being amazed a bit too, she chucked to herself, remembering one of her favorite lines,
"Of course it is happening inside your head, but why on earth should that mean that it's not real?"
Looking around she spotted a hard-bound book with the name of its publishers gleaming across the dim room. She walked towards it, opened it, and ran her fingers through the words written on the first page in decent cursive handwriting,
"Hoping to meet you soon.."
Leafing through the pages, she arrived at the one which she loved the most, the words printed echoed her mind,
“Sometimes, people can go missing right before our very eyes.
Sometimes, people discover you, even though they've been looking at you all the
entire time. Sometimes, we lose sight of ourselves when we’re not paying enough
attention.
We all get lost once in a while, sometimes by choice,
sometimes due to forces beyond our control. When we learn what it is our soul
needs to learn, the path presents itself. Sometimes we see the way out but
wonder further and deeper despite ourselves; the fear, the anger or the sadness
preventing us returning. Sometimes we prefer to be lost and wandering,
sometimes it’s easier. Sometimes we find our own way out. But regardless,
always, we are found.”
The last line filled her with nourishing hope..
So...the martini features finally!
ReplyDeleteIn totality, a nice piece but could have been extended, I believe, into a brilliant one. Of course, not saying that it isn't.
Totally loved the first three paragraphs.
The feelings in one's heart is like a glass of drink. One can drain it or one can hold on to it for as long as they can. Your writing says a few things but more than that makes the reader themselves say more things. This is a wonderful quality in a writer. The "promise" is present...always in the subtext. Never talked of. It's always nice to read any such thing as this. The feelings and emotions are there as an undercurrent and come to the reader as an after-shock. A post realization. And hints of things that you have left unsaid...of things that could be.
We love living in a world of delusions and illusions. We create walls for ourselves and hope that whatever we have kept within them, will stay with us. But of course, people don't work that way and eventually the walls collapse.
All in all, a good piece, though personally speaking, I would have loved to read a bit more of it. Good luck to the lady here with her "hope", though personally I would cringe a little with her reading taste!
Thank you for the elaborate feedback and your time! Much appreciated!
ReplyDeleteLOVE THE REFERENCES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! first to HARRY POTTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! then to one of my favourite abstract novels -- "A place called here" ( i see what you did there!)!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteleft me wanting to read more.... a lot more....
these days , most authors don't know where to draw the line when it comes to description of the nature.... either they go on and on about the raging storms or crimson sunsets , etc etc or they dont mention it at all.... You somehow ,have managed the perfect blend... !!!!!!! your pieces always remind me of beautiful Romantic poetry ( the age, not the genre)... the way you subtly match the emotional state of the protagonist to the turmoil in the background is enchanting!
Your pieces have this rare quality.... where no matter what the subject... the reader always somehow dredges up a memory of her own (in my case, minus the liquor).... it is remarkable how seamlessly one can identify with each and every one of your characters...
the worries over losing oneself, losing one's will, turning into someone else- a fear all of us have experienced at least once ... the toxic scent of hope, something that can make you go on living but at times keep you from moving on... a sliver of hope..
and then the sting of disappointment....
God!!!! its atrocious how your writing can generate such a heady combination of emotions in me...!!!!!! okay i will stop now... and try my best to stop mulling over your piece- seriously you should stop and think twice of the effect on your reader before publishing ( you dont want me to fail this semester, do you?)
Now, both the comments above are making me want to hide in embarrassment. People will open the blog next to read the comments, not the post. :-P
DeleteAnyway, good to know that you could relate to the piece. Failing you, neither was and will never be my intention. :D
Thank you for your time!
Being lost...the impatience...the self assurance...the reality and the hope..the space you have so beautifully expressed through her..the imagery is captivating!
ReplyDeleteI could relate to the feelings in this piece the moment I started reading it.
Amazingly written Labani...this is the first one I am reading of your creation, and I already want to read more! :)
Thank you for reading and your time ma'am! The feedback is much appreciated! :)
Deleteit is a very nice piece, but it would be great if you could write a lill more... :P
ReplyDeleteno doubt wat u have written is awesome...but i wish there was a lill more.... all in all excellent work once again...
KEEP ROCKING..KEEP WRITING :)
I believe humanity was born from conflict. Maybe that's why in all of us lives a dark side. Some of us choose to embrace it. Some have no choice. The rest of us fight it. But in the end, it's as natural as the air we breathe. At some point, all of us are forced to face the truth. Ourselves.
ReplyDeleteFor me,this story illustrates that point really well.
Nice sensuous stuff. :)
Brilliantly culminated!
ReplyDeleteA Place Called Here! Rejuvenated the memory of that awesome book!
ReplyDeleteBravo, mate! :)