A Wounded Silk-II

For connecting better to the story read the first part, A Wounded Silk.

Just as no story should be left untold, no story should be left unfinished...Incomplete stories have possibly many ways to end it and one can leave it onto time and probability or uncertainty…this can happen, that can happen, this could also have happened…But mine had already been written.

It must have been few weeks since I got stuck to this tree but, it seemed ages. It must have been few storms, rains and sunshines but I counted centuries of them. Waiting gets tough when one doesn’t know for what he is waiting and for how long he is to continue hoping? It was the same thing happening to me. I used to get tired after my failed attempts to get free and often got irritated and scared. I don’t know from whom I was angry...the tree, the wind or my wish to fly like the wind. And I know those two cannot be blamed because they are not wrong. It was much later when the purpose of waiting struck me...It was to stop and see the world in a different way. It was my halt for a moment.

It was only when I heard the echo of the wind I realized what place was it. It was coming from some snow covered mountains! I was for a moment awestruck and looked around with rapt attention. The place was surrounded by high mountains artistically drawn with white and brown colors…the earth below was quiet and humble…The stillness of the place could not be shaken otherwise by the echo that swings around majestically before vanishing to the skies…the sky, where the wind lived. It was a dreamland. All this while and I was totally unaware!! A valley so beautiful, shy and splendid in its appearance. Mountains have stood there from ages and thus are wise and humble. How do I know? I don’t know. I could hear shepherds guiding their flocks at some distance and children hopping and singing playfully. It was a pleasant distraction from the pain. The tree provided a vantage point and I enjoyed the little chatter around.

At that moment when the day was descending and the snow was turning back from silvery to white, I saw a little girl standing just beneath me. She was scared and seemed to be hiding from something or someone. She was wearing a woolen single piece dress that covered the whole of her and covered herself with a white muffler. She looked like a cute ball of yarn in that attire. And this cute thing was hiccuping. I was amused. A scared face that was perfectly cut round and red dry chubby cheeks. Her brown hair tightly locked into two plaits that could barely make up to her neck. What was making her hide?

Maybe I should make her aware of my presence and that she is not alone. I tried to reach to her hands...wanted to touch her to comfort her but I couldn’t reach her. My stuck part hurt and I couldn’t pull myself further. Maybe I could get to her shoulders, just rest myself onto them. No success. I swung a bit and managed to stroke her hair. She screamed, jumped and fell down. Oops! I scared her even more. And then she sat looking at me...with her small green eyes wide open. They were the most fine and stunning crystals I have ever seen. They brought a nostalgic feeling...they looked innocent just as I had been once. For a moment I saw a glimpse of my reflection in them. When was the last time I saw myself? Time must have stood still as she stared at me and I swayed between her eyes and my reflection in them. God only knows what was that feeling...fear of seeing me alone trapped in there? Or guilt of scaring the kid? They say if I had a heart I would have known.

A boy came running to her, knelt down and said to her laughing, “Got you, little meow!!”. Oh! Was it a hide and seek? How stupid I am! The little meow picked up a stick and ran after the boy around the tree. Ah! One tough fighter with no more hiccups. And then the boy suddenly turned, lifted the kid and tickled her before they fell down. The kid was still laughing loudly, the fear gone. So was mine...it was so much fun that I laughed and fluttered to my full length.

“Let’s go home kid”, the boy told her. I stopped waving. Is she leaving? Just like that? Does she know I was concerned about her? Does anyone know for how long I have been here? I wanted them to stay. I tried to pull down myself again hastily. Maybe if they return tomorrow they can find me. Wait. I can see those little hands coming up for me. YES! She cares. She unsuccessfully jumped to reach me. The boy then came near and took me off the branch after some efforts. At last! I was free. I remember he wrapped me around her neck and said, “What are you going to do with it. It is without any owner”. And things (people) without any owner are unfortunate. But she lightly touched me…the softest I have known in my span of existence.

For some next weeks, I was in a totally different world. She kept me with her and took me out to play with her friends. I enjoyed with the village kids. The kids kept me busy and happy enough. They used to run around, shout and play and return home at the end of the day. Sometimes she would tie me to a stick and ran. Sometimes she used me to hit some stout boys and I loved it. Sometimes the kids pulled against each other at my opposite ends. It made me weak but this new way of using me was interesting…I often slipped off from the other child’s hands. Little meow laughed when they fell clumsily. I used to get anxious when she slept. Can’t I be out and away? Maybe she can take me to the snow someday?

At those moments, I missed the wind. But now I had no hurry to go back to the wind and no wish to stay with the kids. I knew once she gets a new toy she would leave me but I was not afraid because this was certain that something next would come up or the wind again. Since I was no more useful and beautiful no one could steal me and no one could feel like keeping me safe in a cupboard.

One fine day, I was out with the kids. They were having a bonfire and this time the boy from the first day was also present. He was making them sit in a circle and was probably making them play some new game. Everyone was excited. It required lot of running and when kids are allowed to run they are on wheels! Soon there was chaos all around…chattering, hopping and laughter. It was getting way too lousy for me and I started having an uneasy feeling. I couldn’t hold on longer and didn’t notice when I fell on the ground near the bonfire. I could feel the grass beneath me, hot enough to harm me. I looked out for Little meow but couldn’t make out as every other kid had the same dress. The boy then blew a whistle and directed all of them to a nearby stall. Wait. You forgot me!! Everyone was leaving and I laid there and waited for that single face to turn back. No. Few moments gone. No one returned. I was forgotten.

Now I knew no one will return and if they return they won’t find me. I was finally on a journey…journey from a silk scarf to the wind. As I felt the burning sensation on my end I knew it would take me only few moments. I looked up to the sky. I thought of my people. I wondered where they were at this moment. What were they doing? Did they know I have come this far? Did they know all that I have come to know? Well, they must be safe and cozy somewhere. I had no regrets either. I had an ideal life till I fell in love with the wind, became an outlaw afterward…I saw the world, learnt to fly, learnt to be humble and patient, learnt to serve my purpose…

And what else can I ask more…I will be flying with the wind…after the fire will burn my fabric into fumes that will get dissolved in the wind…No one can stop me then...I will be free...I will be the wind.


P.S. You might think the end is still missing. I have tried  my best to bring it closest to the climax. Still, by nature I like to keep a story incomplete so to allow the mysterious forces to make changes if they wish. So that one can say, And life goes on!