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He died.
He now walked into a world he had never known before. Hell. As he walked on, terrified, he met murderers, rapists, sadists and the lot. Everyone stared at him as he moved. There was a clamorous activity all around, with everyone hurling abuses and throwing things at each other. The air smelt of treachery and blood and sweat and hatred and jealousy. He kept walking.
And then he saw her – who was standing with a nonchalant attitude, in the midst of all the vicious men – whom he considered his cruel mistress, the one whom he thought was responsible for his death, the one whom he loved with all of his heart, the one whose name he never knew.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, arching his brows.
“I followed you,” she said.
“Why? After all, you left me.”
“No, I didn’t. You left me,” she said, phlegmatically.
“Ha! Really?”
“Yes. You never acknowledged me,” she said, looking straight into his eyes.
She continued when he put his head down, accepting his defeat, “I can take you back, if you want me to.”
“And how is that possible?” he asked, meekly.
“Simple. You just have to close your eyes and believe that I’m real, that I exist.” She paused for a few seconds and then said at the top of her voice, “Acknowledge me.”
He didn’t flinch. He closed his eyes and said to no one in particular, “I know you are real. You exist. You are here.”
Moments passed and he experienced a mammoth change around him. It was drizzling and the sweet smell of soil titillated his senses. The music – a combination of flute and violin – which was being played somewhere in the distance filled his soul and warmed his heart. And when the girl ruffled his hair and caressed his cheek, a delicious smile flitted across his face. His mind had attained its state of tranquility.
He slowly peeled his eyes open and saw her. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen in his life. And when she smiled, with a twinkle in her eyes, she looked divine to him.
“Where am I?” he asked.
“You are born again,” she said.
He looked around and found himself in a world filled with beauty, with happiness…with life.
“Take care,” she said, and turned round.
The moment she turned her back on him, the world around him started to fall apart. No rain, no sweet smell of soil, no music, and mainly, no life.
“Wait!” he cried. “Please don’t go. Please don’t leave me.”
She stopped and swiveled round. “I’m not going away. I’m not leaving you. You just have to believe that I’m always there with you.”
He considered it for a moment and looked around. The world he desired was right there, ready to embrace him.
She laughed. “See that?”
“You never told me your name?” he said.
She took a few steps towards him, lifted his chin with her soft, delicate hands, and said, “You know who I am. I am and was always there with you. We grew up together, played together, laughed together, built dreams together. But somewhere along the way, you deserted me, you stopped acknowledging me, you stopped believing that I ever existed.”
He kept looking at her, trying to remember her from his past. She waited.
It finally struck him after several minutes. “Are you –,” he was cut in.
“Yes, I am,” she said, and kissed him on the lips and hugged him, tightly.
‘I’ll never leave you as long as I live,’ he promised himself in the privacy of his mind as he ran his hands through her hair.
She was one. She was all. She was hope.
********************The End********************
Copyright © Karthik 2011
Indeed.. hope is what keeps us alive in this world.. hope is what keeps us going.
I do not have the right word to describe what I feel after reading this post. Everything feels short. Poignant does not cover it all, and awesome falls short. So, lets just say this is the best post about hope that I have ever read.
Beautiful Karthik. Thanks a ton for this. Hope is what keeps us going; every moment. What a beautiful way to put this. Awesome!
I liked the fact that you personified hope with a beautiful and gentle; delicate lady; than a macho-looking man :) That says it all. :)
Yo!! way to go K, just write every thought you get :P, no matter small or big story that it makes, its there to be read and savored :)
thanks for the hope :)
beautiful indeed....it just is very what should i say...but i wish you the hopeful year ahead...happy new year..
beautifully woven tale!
What a crazy start and a beautiful end:)...loved this one:)...a happy new year to you:)
I am so glad you are back, Karthik!
Loved this story. For a change, it was short! :D
And lovely ending! :)
Happy new year to you too! A bang on way to start!
Rohini,
Exactly. Hope is what that keeps us moving, keeps us motivated. Rest of the things follow later.
Thank you so much. So glad you found it good. :)
Insignia,
Thank you! :)
If I'd not personified, this would have been a boring philosophical article, na? :P
And yeah, hope is a delicate and beautiful girl. Maybe I'll personify a macho-looking man as "attitude" in some other story someday. :D
Thanks a lot, again. Happy you liked it. :)
Sundeep,
Thanks, man.
Righto! Will put anything that comes to my mind on paper, as long as it can be written in the format of a story. :)
Tweety,
Thanks a bunch, Tweety.
Happy New Year, once again.
magiceye,
Thank you.
Raksha Bhat,
Welcome to Eloquence Redefined.
Thank you so much. Glad you liked it. Keep visiting. Happy New Year! :)
Preeti,
It was short? It was supposed to be shorter. I intended to write this in not more than 420 characters and put it as a status message on FB, thereby wishing everyone. But just like always, it went on and on. I always need a few extra words to make my point, you see. :D
Thanks a million, Preeti. Happy New Year, once again! :)
I loved this one. The story is beautiful and especially the ending is amazing. Hope.
Happy New Year to you too :)
one of d best reads n recent past, the way it proceeded was mmaculate man n kinda inspirational...lovly wrk indeed :)
Beautiful! Good work!
Wow.. Awesome. The ending was really surprising, I was expecting a rather human element, but it ended on a more philosophical note.
Great work and keep them coming.
Thanks
Bharath
Beautiful.
A very happy new year to you. I 'hope' all your dreams come true. :)
Harini,
Thanks a lot, Harini. Happy New Year! :)
Vineet,
Thank you so much, Vineet. So glad you liked it.
vadakkus,
Welcome to Eloquence Redefined, and thanks! Keep visiting.
Bharath,
Welcome to Eloquence Redefined.
Thanks a bunch, man. Yeah, it is a bit philosophical. Wanted to wish everyone a happy new year in a different way. ;)
And yes. I'll keep them coming, and you keep visiting. :)
Destiny's child,
Yo, Veens! Thyaank youu! :)
That was a lovely wishing. Happy New Year, once again! :)
Wow... that was a really beautiful story... well presented... Hope is everything... Life goes on because of hope and human beings live because of hope... liked it very much!
The Thoughtless Thinker,
Welcome to Eloquence Redefined.
Thank you so much. You are right. Hope is everything.
Keep visiting. :)
"Immaculate". This beautiful portrayal of hope, definitely reiterates the significance of it in life.
The way your words so graphically describe the world of a difference hope or lack of it can make, is such a heart-warming read :)
The graceful manner in which hope is represented, would even make a non-believer want to believe in its power and potential.
Happy New Year!
Raksha,
Thanks a million, Rock, for those heartwarming words. :)
Nothing can be done, nothing can be achieved without hope. That's what keeps one motivated, isn't it?
So glad you liked it. :)
One of your shortest ever. Yet brings a powerful message. I am really amazed at the variety you present.