She was flying into the blue infinity, flirting with the winds and kissing the white clouds. She felt free, the blood running in her veins was powered with adrenalin. With one flap of her strong wings she could scale the highest of the mountains, touch the cold waters of the vast oceans, hover over the green pastures: She felt life; she was a bird; she was alive.
But then, suddenly she was falling, those strong wings of her started to shorten; with all her powers she fluttered; she was scared, she could see the blood oozing out from her body but there was no pain, she wanted to scream but her voice failed her; gasping for air she could see the ground racing towards her. She was losing to herself . She smelt death, but then suddenly she found her voice and screamed aloud.
Panting and drenched in sweat she became conscious of her surroundings and realized that it was a dream; a horrible dream. She reached out for the glass of water and saw it was still dark outside. Too terrified to sleep again, she climbed out of the bed to put on her robe. She went to the window to get some fresh air and felt the morning chill kissing her soft white skin. She looked at the horizon; still dark above the vast ocean. The view was exquisite yet somehow she was used to it. She walked towards the fountain garden of her palace. It was quite and calm, the wind was playing its harmony on the surface of the water in the pool. Bare foot she walked on the damp grass, she liked the touch of the morning dew on her feet. Sitting by the pool she saw the night sky was losing its darkness and the birds have come out of their abode. This reminded her of the dream she had. It was a disturbing experience that was haunting her for many a nights now. She couldn't understand the implication of the same dream every night but it meant something to her. The dawn stole into her gardens quietly; the beauty of the rising sun was breathtaking yet it didn't interest her. It has been quite a long since she is confined to this palace and now she was used to all these amusements.
The white pigeon; Snow she had named it, came and sat by the pool just opposite to her. It seemed there was something it wanted to say. In her attempt to hear a voice she said, " lucky enough you are to have those wings". And to her utter surprise Snow replied "you can have them too my princess. This palace is no place for the bird in you." She couldn't believe her ears but the pigeon continued, " Come with me, my princess, you shouldn't be confined to the walls of this palace. No concrete can incarcerate your free spirit. Come touch my wings and you can have them too." She was confused and thought of it being a dream. She pinched herself but it was no dream at all. She realized her disturbing thought is going to be true. She was a bird indeed stuck in a girl's body. With apprehension she moved towards the pigeon to touch its wings but it flew away. "Is this a joke" she cried out in exasperation. "Hear me out completely my princess", the bird replied "my wings come with a price. You have a choice to make: If you touch my wings you can have wings strongest of all, you can kiss the moon and play with the winds but you will have to pay with your life. Third day from now you will be shot by a charming prince. Or touch my head and you will have a gift of long life, you will have many a brave sons and many a beautiful daughters but you can never touch the sky".
She was deeply disappointed by the words of Snow. She thought hard, judged her life on the balance of the price to pay and then at last she came to a conclusion. She stepped up and with fumbling hands she touched the.......
P.S: Here I leave the climax to the reader. I was not sure of the perfect ending to the story. But I suppose all of us once have a choice to make which decides our destiny. So go ahead and give this story a deserving climax......
But then, suddenly she was falling, those strong wings of her started to shorten; with all her powers she fluttered; she was scared, she could see the blood oozing out from her body but there was no pain, she wanted to scream but her voice failed her; gasping for air she could see the ground racing towards her. She was losing to herself . She smelt death, but then suddenly she found her voice and screamed aloud.
Panting and drenched in sweat she became conscious of her surroundings and realized that it was a dream; a horrible dream. She reached out for the glass of water and saw it was still dark outside. Too terrified to sleep again, she climbed out of the bed to put on her robe. She went to the window to get some fresh air and felt the morning chill kissing her soft white skin. She looked at the horizon; still dark above the vast ocean. The view was exquisite yet somehow she was used to it. She walked towards the fountain garden of her palace. It was quite and calm, the wind was playing its harmony on the surface of the water in the pool. Bare foot she walked on the damp grass, she liked the touch of the morning dew on her feet. Sitting by the pool she saw the night sky was losing its darkness and the birds have come out of their abode. This reminded her of the dream she had. It was a disturbing experience that was haunting her for many a nights now. She couldn't understand the implication of the same dream every night but it meant something to her. The dawn stole into her gardens quietly; the beauty of the rising sun was breathtaking yet it didn't interest her. It has been quite a long since she is confined to this palace and now she was used to all these amusements.
The white pigeon; Snow she had named it, came and sat by the pool just opposite to her. It seemed there was something it wanted to say. In her attempt to hear a voice she said, " lucky enough you are to have those wings". And to her utter surprise Snow replied "you can have them too my princess. This palace is no place for the bird in you." She couldn't believe her ears but the pigeon continued, " Come with me, my princess, you shouldn't be confined to the walls of this palace. No concrete can incarcerate your free spirit. Come touch my wings and you can have them too." She was confused and thought of it being a dream. She pinched herself but it was no dream at all. She realized her disturbing thought is going to be true. She was a bird indeed stuck in a girl's body. With apprehension she moved towards the pigeon to touch its wings but it flew away. "Is this a joke" she cried out in exasperation. "Hear me out completely my princess", the bird replied "my wings come with a price. You have a choice to make: If you touch my wings you can have wings strongest of all, you can kiss the moon and play with the winds but you will have to pay with your life. Third day from now you will be shot by a charming prince. Or touch my head and you will have a gift of long life, you will have many a brave sons and many a beautiful daughters but you can never touch the sky".
She was deeply disappointed by the words of Snow. She thought hard, judged her life on the balance of the price to pay and then at last she came to a conclusion. She stepped up and with fumbling hands she touched the.......
P.S: Here I leave the climax to the reader. I was not sure of the perfect ending to the story. But I suppose all of us once have a choice to make which decides our destiny. So go ahead and give this story a deserving climax......
the princess touched the wings and went off to live her dreams !! .. i gess aisa hona chahiye!!
ReplyDeletewaise sir its an awesome story !! anyone who reads it can realte to himself !! ..
gud job !! :)
Thanks for the comment beta... I suppose your princess cared much for her dream than for her life.... Ya I suppose living a dream for once is more than dreaming about it for the whole life
ReplyDeletelet me fall. Let me rise.
ReplyDeleteSomeone I am is waiting for courage.
The one I want. The one I will become.Will catch me.
So let me fall. If I fall though the phoenix may not rise.
I will dance so freely holding on to no one.
Someone I am is waiting for courage. the one i want. The one I will become will catch me.
Well written Sir.
Thanks Gazal... Deftly put into words by you.... I suppose you gave an apt ending to a story where ends and means could never justify each other.....
ReplyDeleteI am seeing first time ur blog. at first i have objection on ur 'about me' section. In this young age it sounds very pessimistic.Ur commond in language is gud,but again the content is full of loneliness and sad.
ReplyDeleteWell Ganesh I have a hard time placing you... Still Thanks for the comment.. I suppose my blog description gives a clear answer to your objection. And for pessimism its just a perception, for me, I like to find the light behind the dark clouds. The water in the glass holds more importance only when I have seen the glass without it.
ReplyDeletePrincess would touch the head because otherwise even if she gets to kiss the moon and play with the winds, she knows she will have no one to share her elation with..... These things can be experienced vicariously by reading books or in dreams!!!!
ReplyDeletewat say???
garima
for the ending u gave I cant say nythng cos I actually am confused regarding the same.... She may decide nything
ReplyDeletehey jus passed by ur blog.... i cud feel ur story... kp writing...
ReplyDeleteprincess will touch the wings and not fly the 3rd day.kiddish na ....sometimes it helps.u write beutifully.
ReplyDeletepurnima
Purnima...can u only shoot a bird in midflight... death i guess is inevitable.. it can come to u in da least possible way u think.....
Deletenyways thx fr da cmnt...