I could see the words coming out of my mouth, but instead of flying
straight up in to the air and raining all around, they just fell to the
ground without a sound, the thick mud absorbing them, serifs and all. I
checked the colours, they were just the way they were meant to be.
Bright pulsating red vowels, streaked with lavender, and the deep blue
of the consonants, flickering the occasional green. Even the strings
were shiny white, and I could see no reason why they would not hold the
syllables together.
I looked as the last of the words dissolved in to the thick slush under my feet, never to be heard. How had I got here? How long had I been here? What was this place with this endless expanse of thick mud? And what are these tress that grow impossibly tall in this place? Where are Amulya and Drishti? Where is everyone? Why does no one else call out?
Looking up, I once again saw the canopy of the tree tops that blocked out all but a small jagged piece of the sky. And in that jagged piece, I saw a vision. They were dead, they were all dead. Somewhere in this marshy forest, everyone I have ever known lies dead and buried. But how can that be? I was with them only just now. Amulya had just been initiated as an elder, and there was the big feast in the village, and the whole tribe was there. Even old Mandal. And then, it was back to the hut with Drishti. Funny, I can’t recall if we had sex or not. What happened then? How did I get here? And what was that vision just now? Why won’t my words fly?
I don’t think I can make words any more. Or maybe I should give it one last try. Maybe someone will see them too and come looking. Oh no, why are the strings turning ashen? I don’t even have my medicine bag, else I could have tried healing these vowels that are now bleeding yellow. I guess this is the end for them. And for me too, the vision makes that clear. I might as well let them all out.
What is that? I didn’t have that word! Is that even a word? I can’t tell, I grow weak, sinking in to the mud. It is creeping in to my eyes and dying letters are all around me. Except those few in the sky, dark against that jagged sky. I must know what they are. R… I… P?
I looked as the last of the words dissolved in to the thick slush under my feet, never to be heard. How had I got here? How long had I been here? What was this place with this endless expanse of thick mud? And what are these tress that grow impossibly tall in this place? Where are Amulya and Drishti? Where is everyone? Why does no one else call out?
Looking up, I once again saw the canopy of the tree tops that blocked out all but a small jagged piece of the sky. And in that jagged piece, I saw a vision. They were dead, they were all dead. Somewhere in this marshy forest, everyone I have ever known lies dead and buried. But how can that be? I was with them only just now. Amulya had just been initiated as an elder, and there was the big feast in the village, and the whole tribe was there. Even old Mandal. And then, it was back to the hut with Drishti. Funny, I can’t recall if we had sex or not. What happened then? How did I get here? And what was that vision just now? Why won’t my words fly?
I don’t think I can make words any more. Or maybe I should give it one last try. Maybe someone will see them too and come looking. Oh no, why are the strings turning ashen? I don’t even have my medicine bag, else I could have tried healing these vowels that are now bleeding yellow. I guess this is the end for them. And for me too, the vision makes that clear. I might as well let them all out.
What is that? I didn’t have that word! Is that even a word? I can’t tell, I grow weak, sinking in to the mud. It is creeping in to my eyes and dying letters are all around me. Except those few in the sky, dark against that jagged sky. I must know what they are. R… I… P?
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