A JOLT, THEN A RELIEF
I was petrified to such an extent that I did not care whether I
had my clothes on or not. All that was in my mind at that moment
– which I never could forget – was whether I would succeed in my
desperate attempt to save my life. I turned across the corner
and hid in a large barrel meant for storing water for
passers-by. Luckily for me, it was empty. I had received such a
jolt that I had nearly forgotten what I was running from. Then,
it all came to my mind – I had been lying on my bed snoring away
to glory when I was taken into a van by some intruders. They
threw me inside so carelessly that I woke up with a start. I
somehow became aware of y surroundings. I protested, but my
mouth was clamped shut by a hefty man who wore a look of
astonishment on his freckled face, apart from a pair of blue
spotted pajamas and a rag, which he used as a shirt.
I had no other option at that time apart from going back to
sleep, as I knew those people were not a bunch of amateurs. It
is really not a joke to slip quietly with someone you have just
kidnapped in the presence of a capable watchdog and a guard
outside. As soon as the strange men ordered the driver to stop
the car, I woke up again. But the men did not notice this action
of mine. They casually walked out for a cup of coffee and I took
maximum advantage of this and slipped out of the car. I ran as
fast as my legs could carry me.
One of the men, who had a weird accent, saw the car empty and
cried, “Hey, de Leethe Chappie has gone!” I could hear his cry
from a little distance away and increased my speed. I soon found
myself in a horrid, smelling barrel and squirmed with
displeasure. I looked down and was comforted to see that I still
had my pajamas on. I was dressed in the same manner as when I
had gone to bed, except for a gaping hole in my pajama near my
right knee – through which my kneecap projected like a cannon
could project through a gun hole in the ruins of an archaic
fort.
I began to hear footsteps and I heard someone approaching the
drum in which I was. I waited silently for fearful death to come
and embrace me. I knew that in any case, I would never see my
home again, my parents, my relatives and friends. Tears welled
up in y eyes. I wondered what I would become in future – a drug
addict, a smuggler, a thief, a what? There were many
possibilities ahead of me. But then I didn’t want to accept any
of them. If ever I became any of the above, I would exist, but
in my eyes, I would be as breathless as any of the people of the
underworld, whom I despised. My throat swelled up and it was
like a lump of dryness. I felt as if I was as good as death. I
would never be able to count on myself to be of any service to
mankind. I had thought I was safe but I wasn’t.
Then, the voice of an old lady cried out – “Joe, dump this
barrel into the old dump,” I was horror-stricken. The old dump
was a yard where garbage was dumped. It was at a low level –
only 2 meters high. I began to hear the motors of the
dilapidated dumper only a foot away. Then, there was a
tremendous jolt, and the barrel with me inside plummeted a
hundred feet below. I let out a scream and found myself on my
bedroom floor with my mother staring at me, an amused look on
her face.
“Ashwin,” she said. “Get ready for school, it’s already late!”
Author – Ashwin Kumar IX B.
