Reminiscences (standard:mystery, 1588 words)
Author: Raj	Added: Jul 18 2004	Views/Reads: 3488/2258	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
This is a purely imaginary story with no resemblance to any incident or personnel. The readers may determine the type of story I have written

REMINISCENCES 

By Praja P. Shapkota 

Feeble rays from the sinking sun flashed the snowy crests of Phazoding 
hills momentarily. Dusk slowly ushered in the night. Birds, in the 
vicinity of their nests in the willow trees, twittered their last 
chirps of the day. Fluorescent and neon lamps began to glow. The 
streets as usual were crowded. Fat people, with business-like looks and 
screwed up brows sped along the heart line of Thimphu. Buses, lorries 
and cars hurried off. Jiwan crossed the road, turned left and followed 
a deserted lane way from the evening crowds. He was walking home 
leisurely – just half a mile from the main road. Absentmindedly, he 
kicked a pebble. It clattered along the empty drain. A cool breeze blew 
from the valley below. He pulled the flaps of his caps over his ears, 
buttoned his coat, dived into the folds of his bakhu  for a cigarette 
and lit it. Dragging at it he became engrossed in an unwinding string 
of daily thoughts. Fancies and daydreams had their turn till a year ago 
when family care and responsibilities took over. Dusk had swallowed up 
the city – it was deepening. Silence was gaining reins but was defied 
by the piping crickets in the grass, the cool breeze whistling among 
the autumn leaves and the unnerving hooting of car horns. In that 
backdrop only his footsteps echoed. Footsteps in the distance - 
footsteps faster than his, light and rhythmic. Steadily, the intensity 
of the distant footfalls grew. Who could be in this empty lane? Who 
cares? He thought. In this city no one bothers about others save one's 
few near and dear, unlike the old times. Might be a loner on an evening 
stroll. No. They were hastening footfalls! Someone hurrying home after 
a late hour's office work? Could it be the stealthy steps of what they 
called a night prowler or someone in “high spirits”? Obviously not. He 
walked on but heard them louder still – nearer, gentle and feminine. He 
had reached a lamppost. The glimmering light hurt his eyes. Still one 
footfall, another - continuously advancing. He thought of many things 
but the footfalls shattered his thoughts. Disturbed, he turned around 
with mixed feelings and saw moving towards him a whitish figure, 
silhouetted against the shadow of the overhanging willow boughs. His 
heart skipped a beat; a mysterious far gripped him. The figure too 
stopped seeing him facing it. The apparition appeared gray in the dim 
light. He tried to pull himself together and turned to go hastening his 
pace, but stopped short hearing a small stifled voice as if in 
desperation from behind. More surprisingly he heard his name being 
uttered. He turned to face it – whatever it was – spurning all his 
doubts. Then he saw it. Hesitatingly, it emerged out of the deepening 
shadows into the shimmering lamplight. Shocked, he stood petrified by 
the spectacle. He wanted to turn his back and run away from the ghastly 
pale woman but something about her face checked him. Had he seen her 
before? He was too confused to recollect anything. What was that in her 
eyes? Something vivid, some unworded message. “ Do you recognize me 
Jiwan, after all  these weary years?” rather unsure her words broke the 
eerie silence. Ah, that was it. He smiled uncomfortably at the pale 
creature. Gosh, how pale and fatigued she looked. Her voice was the 
same sweet one. It stirred him deep down unsealing the casement of 
memories. Back in time, he recalled the days at the college- their 
walks to the ‘Romantic Jig' and their daily visits to the college 
cafeteria. He shuddered and, “Err.... Dechen, how come you're here in 
this wretched condition? Took me by surprise, eh?” She seemed to blush 
in her paleness, a faint smile hanging from the corner of her thin 
lips. She was the same introvert he had known eons ago. How sweet and 
innocent her looks were even after a lapse of five years. Time had not 
changed her, except perhaps, her smile. He remembered how he cracked 
jokes enjoying her naïve laughter and danced with her at the college 
socials. With Dechen near enough to hear his thoughts, the five long 
years melted away into a timeless yesterday. Head bowed, she was a 
statue swallowed up by reminiscences. “Jiwan, you have been a nice 
friend throughout but it really was my fault, you know, all my...”. 
Words choked in her throat. Forget it, Dechen, it's an old story, 
forget it. We were just too young then.” He was trying to comfort her 
when she broke into stifled sobs. The sobs transformed into precious 
drops springing like a hidden fountain in her eyes. “Come on now, pull 
yourself together, my dear. Be the same old tough ‘Choti'.” His loving 
words, especially ‘my dear' and his pet name for her seemed to work 
wonders. She gathered herself up wiping her tears with the edge of her 
tego , a bit ashamed of herself. “How can I ever forget it...forget 
you!” I've always lived with the old memories. I'm helpless. I simply 
cannot forget though I am the cause of everything.” She nearly broke 


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