“Because no retreat from the world can mask what is in your face.”
Gregory Maguire
I just came back from a real short trip to Srinagar. It's not called paradise for nothing, I'll tell you that. I thought I should give ya'll a short story I wrote. As always, I'm completely open to criticism. Enjoy.
He skipped merrily along the cracked concrete sidewalk. The umbrella was swinging in coordination with his strides. It was really surprising to him how things could work out so easily and magically. It had been a good day for him, except that he cut his little finger against his desk. But I am a strong boy, he thought, I am very strong for my age, and held up his clenched fist against his heart. He was five years old.
He strolled towards his best friends house, his blue eyes noticed a car parked at the front gate. How could he have forgotten?? His friend was expecting guests today. Never mind, he thought. He planned making a quick entrance, take what he needed and make an even quicker exit. Perhaps a bow to the strangers to impress them.
His train of thought was interrupted by a short bark from an animal. Dog, probably one of the guests'.
The front gate opened with a creak, he stepped in.
To his right, the young and jet black rottweiler rose from his position of rest.
"Hi, black doggy" he said, waving his tiny hand with a beaming smile. But the next instant his face bore an expression of horror. The dog barked and pounced on him, eyes blood red. Now standing on its two hind legs, it snarled and bit off a small part of the boys sleeve. The boy stared at the sleeve and then the beast, with a face as pale as the moon.
The little feet retreated, till they struck a fateful rock and the boy fell on his back. The dog shook his small head as if confused after the recent happenings, it's focus again shifted towards the boy, it stood on two legs and growled, drool dripping from its mouth.
The dog was very hyper, it now looked only at the boy. A sudden pang of fear, rage, instinct kicking in, a jerk of reflex and the boy swung the umbrella at the dog, striking precisely between the large eyes.
The boy opened his eyes a bit, just after the dog hit the ground. There it lay, bruised and bleeding, leaving a scared little boy in its wake.
Has the doggy died? He thought, i am not responsible, am i?
A flurry of thoughts, images and voices flashed through his mind. He could make out one voice distinctly.
"Thou shalt not kill, remember this. Always.
Nobody has the right to end the life of others. People like these ought to be punished."
It was that of his teacher. The little feet ran, instinctively. It was his mother's voice now. "Harming someone does no good."
His body felt heavier now as he entered his home.
He made an excuse of not feeling well to go to his bed early. His dad peered over a thick book and stared at him from above his perfectly round spectacles. "Get some sleep, son. You look like a ghost, a young, four-foot tall ghost." He grinned. The boy didn't seem to hear his father, and silently went up to his room. That night he was wide awake. He was afraid the dog might come in his dreams. Eventually, his physical tiredness and the influence of his body-clock drove him to sleep. He saw himself standing in an open field beside a grave, with the tallest tombstone he had ever seen. His face was twisted in an expression of grief. Subsequently, everything merged into a continuous blur of brown and a stone came flying towards him out of nowhere. Then more, an endless flurry of stones hurled at him. But he remained motionless as if oblivious. The stones hit him one by one, but the boy did not bleed instead the rocks took away a chunk of his body with them. Soon, there was nothing remaining and the stone-pelting ceased. Then, another boy was mourning at the grave.
In the morning, he mechanically performed his daily tasks. His school bag felt too heavy that day, he entered his school with regret for the dog's life.
In the hallway, his teacher was walking toward him, smiling. Fear gripped his mind. His bag slipped from his shoulders and fell. His body was feeling very heavy , he looked behind him. He saw a trail of blood where he had walked. His knees could not bear the weight.
They buckled under the pressure and gave away. He collapsed. Before darkness rushed in on him from every side, he wrapped his arms around himself tightly.
Gregory Maguire
I just came back from a real short trip to Srinagar. It's not called paradise for nothing, I'll tell you that. I thought I should give ya'll a short story I wrote. As always, I'm completely open to criticism. Enjoy.
He skipped merrily along the cracked concrete sidewalk. The umbrella was swinging in coordination with his strides. It was really surprising to him how things could work out so easily and magically. It had been a good day for him, except that he cut his little finger against his desk. But I am a strong boy, he thought, I am very strong for my age, and held up his clenched fist against his heart. He was five years old.
He strolled towards his best friends house, his blue eyes noticed a car parked at the front gate. How could he have forgotten?? His friend was expecting guests today. Never mind, he thought. He planned making a quick entrance, take what he needed and make an even quicker exit. Perhaps a bow to the strangers to impress them.
His train of thought was interrupted by a short bark from an animal. Dog, probably one of the guests'.
The front gate opened with a creak, he stepped in.
To his right, the young and jet black rottweiler rose from his position of rest.
"Hi, black doggy" he said, waving his tiny hand with a beaming smile. But the next instant his face bore an expression of horror. The dog barked and pounced on him, eyes blood red. Now standing on its two hind legs, it snarled and bit off a small part of the boys sleeve. The boy stared at the sleeve and then the beast, with a face as pale as the moon.
The little feet retreated, till they struck a fateful rock and the boy fell on his back. The dog shook his small head as if confused after the recent happenings, it's focus again shifted towards the boy, it stood on two legs and growled, drool dripping from its mouth.
The dog was very hyper, it now looked only at the boy. A sudden pang of fear, rage, instinct kicking in, a jerk of reflex and the boy swung the umbrella at the dog, striking precisely between the large eyes.
The boy opened his eyes a bit, just after the dog hit the ground. There it lay, bruised and bleeding, leaving a scared little boy in its wake.
Has the doggy died? He thought, i am not responsible, am i?
A flurry of thoughts, images and voices flashed through his mind. He could make out one voice distinctly.
"Thou shalt not kill, remember this. Always.
Nobody has the right to end the life of others. People like these ought to be punished."
It was that of his teacher. The little feet ran, instinctively. It was his mother's voice now. "Harming someone does no good."
His body felt heavier now as he entered his home.
He made an excuse of not feeling well to go to his bed early. His dad peered over a thick book and stared at him from above his perfectly round spectacles. "Get some sleep, son. You look like a ghost, a young, four-foot tall ghost." He grinned. The boy didn't seem to hear his father, and silently went up to his room. That night he was wide awake. He was afraid the dog might come in his dreams. Eventually, his physical tiredness and the influence of his body-clock drove him to sleep. He saw himself standing in an open field beside a grave, with the tallest tombstone he had ever seen. His face was twisted in an expression of grief. Subsequently, everything merged into a continuous blur of brown and a stone came flying towards him out of nowhere. Then more, an endless flurry of stones hurled at him. But he remained motionless as if oblivious. The stones hit him one by one, but the boy did not bleed instead the rocks took away a chunk of his body with them. Soon, there was nothing remaining and the stone-pelting ceased. Then, another boy was mourning at the grave.
In the morning, he mechanically performed his daily tasks. His school bag felt too heavy that day, he entered his school with regret for the dog's life.
In the hallway, his teacher was walking toward him, smiling. Fear gripped his mind. His bag slipped from his shoulders and fell. His body was feeling very heavy , he looked behind him. He saw a trail of blood where he had walked. His knees could not bear the weight.
They buckled under the pressure and gave away. He collapsed. Before darkness rushed in on him from every side, he wrapped his arms around himself tightly.
