As You Sow, So Shall You Reap

It seemed that the biker cranked open the throttle, as the bike danced a thrilling two-lane tango past redwood forests, hard rocks, snaky lanes, zigzagging crazily to deliver its exhilarated effects. Surely it was breathtaking but it wasn't a bike race. It was Rob trying to flee after a murder that he has committed.

 The cops were behind him chasing his bike, there was a shoot out but the bullet just escaped Rob's left earlobe. The cops were determined and another bullet luckily went to his left leg, shrieking with the terrible pain of the bullet passing through his skin and entering his bone gave way to his strength but he was not to be an easy catch for them, with groans he sped away from the bike, more the pain, extra was his bike's speed, it felt that the bike was flying across the road with his last chance he zigzagged the narrow lane smoothly and enter the steep road of the mountain. As he rode off, he realized that there was no way to save himself except if he could enter the dense woods in front of him or jump off the cliff. He took to the dense wood that was home to wolves, jaguars, and reptiles, the cops did not miss him, they followed him until another shot of a gun was heard and the bike hit a huge redwood tree toppling, rolling, sliding overthrowing the biker towards the cliff. The siren of the cop's van stopped when they found their aim was perfect. Two cops ran towards the cliff to find where the biker could have been rolled off however could not find him." He must have been thrown out of the bike into the trench, let's report it to our boss".In the distance, the cab started to siren again and within a few minutes, it faded away. It was dark and silent, all of a sudden a hanging branch started to shiver and it increased. From the edge of the cliff something rose an inch high, in a few seconds another inch slowly and gradually something peeked, it was a face, the face of Rob! He did not topple down the cliff but was saved by a hanging branch from the cliff. Slowly and with great efforts he climbed back. With pain in the leg, he limped and then dragged himself towards the dark dense woods across a narrow lane, the lane was covered with dry leaves and twigs, it led to a victorian aged rusted iron gate leading to a graveyard, which was half broken. A cold bitter wind blew chilling his marrow, Rob tried covering himself with the rough jacket, he had been bleeding hard and it was painful for him to proceed further.

Overhead, dark clouds blotted out the full moon from time to time, casting the centuries-old graveyard into inky blackness, a foul stench filled the heavy air and the only sound he could hear was the rustling of dry leaves. Ravens sat on the top of the tombstones, huge trees surrounded the entire graveyard, not even a shadow was in view. Rob dragged himself further and fell on a tomb bleeding. He lost his senses. How long he had been there he could not say but the howl of a wolf woke him up. He was starving, he had lost a huge amount in gambling, the fight was unknown and the murder was accidental. The chill wind shivered him. He thought of moving out of the graveyard but where would he go? He searched his pockets and got a piece of bun and devoured it. Nothing could he find in this dire night so he decided to spend the rest of the night in the spooky graveyard. Suddenly his eyes shifted to a grave nearby. Candlelit and someone covered himself head to toe sat there. He called out. His fear had given way already. There was nothing to fear for he was bleeding still was in pain. There was no movement from the other person. He called again, "who's it?"No answer...

The human structure was almost 2 feet away, Rob dragged himself towards the structure if it was a criminal then there was nothing to worry about, if it would be a cop (which was nearly impossible at this time) he would be arrested and would get shelter in the prison hospital for the night later he can plan to break out from there, if it would be a ghost then he would have a chance to spend a night with a ghost! He smiled at his luck. He called out again. This time the structure moved and looked towards Rob. His pale face was visible now in the light of the candle, it was dark and felt as if he had not eaten for long." You seemed to hurt"the stranger said in a coarse voice."Yes, and its painful, but who are you?" asked Rob. The stranger said in the same coarse voice, "It's my daughter's death anniversary, I am here to spend time at her grave".His voice was broken. Rob had no emotions, he did not remember when he lost his parents. He listened to the father, he was already in danger and now he had company he decided to spend the night talking to this stranger. The stranger too did not show any movement." I come here every year for long and stay here for the entire night at her grave. My little Anne" he sobbed, Rob felt bad about him." She met with an accident. She was just five. What would she have done at this age to die so soon" the stranger broke out in tears. A few drops of tears rolled out of Rob's eyes. He was not a criminal by birth, being an orphan he was left on the roadways brought up with the orphans of the streets, pickpocketing, stealing bread, he did not remember when he grew up to be a criminal, working as antisocial, ranksacing, threatening, burglary, gambling, fighting and now murder. If he had his parents, he wouldn't have to be bleeding to death to this day. A pain stung him as the man sitting 2 feet beyond him continued"She was a little girl, my dearest one, my princess. What could I have expected more? Why did I take her through the road on that fateful day!"The night grew darker, the stranger continued, "I come to her grave every year, sit with her and talk to her. She comes to me, speaks to me, my child.."The man cried out loudly in pain. Rob had nothing to show sympathy for him but at heart, he was grieved for the man." Where is your wife?" Rob asked. The man was not prepared perhaps for this question, he said"she died in the grief of her daughter.

"There are so many people in this world with so many unknown pains. Whatever it was Rob definitely found a companion for the night. Amongst the trees, the wind whispered. Something rattled against some unknown tombstone maybe a snake. Few crickets seemed to rhythmically play their chorus amongst the dense scrubs. The man started with his life story of how he was a wealthy man and how he married a beautiful lady in the town, had a beautiful daughter, and how he lived happily with his family until the fateful day. Rob once fell in love with a waitress at the local bar, they spent so many memorable days together, they dreamt of marrying one day but her father rejected their relationship and got his daughter married to someone who earned his living by fair means. Rob was alone in the world, today he has got a companion equally despaired, hurt and sad like him. They both had decided to spend the night in the graveyard as per their choice. Rob had no fear now, the wound had started to dry he did not notice, he was no longer feeling the pain, he already had been in pain all along, he wanted to improve now wanted to live a good life, this fugitive life was like a thorn in his throat. He decided the following morning he would take help of this man and go to the nearby hospital he will get himself treated, he would try to earn through fair means."What is your name Sir?" he asked suddenly to the man" Richard Morrison" he said. The dark night was fading away, Birds started chirping, the fog had wrapped the graveyard like a thick blanket, the silence was diminishing slowly, the breaking dawn, the chill atmosphere had no effect on Rob now. He was no longer feeling cold. The candle was slowly extinguishing. The reddish horizon felt like paradise. He will turn into a good man, this new day will give birth to a new Rob. Just outside the gate he heard some whispers, the man had said that there was a village nearby and that the guard of the graveyard visits the graveyard every morning to clean it, still, the graveyard was in use. Was there some funeral, was someone going to get buried today many thoughts came into his mind. He rose, the wound was no longer painful now still he limped towards the gate from where the noises and the whispers came. He saw a little gathering, he wanted to ask them something but then turned towards the grave he had been sitting all night. Strange, the man was nowhere in sight, in the less morning light, the melted candle was visible. He tried raising his voice but stopped, in a low whisper he called out," Mr. Morrison, where are you?"He dragged himself back to the place and looked towards the tomb, the man was sitting at, the epitome said"In the sweet memories of little Anne Morrison-born 1950,died-1955".Yes it was the daughter's grave, suddenly his eyes shifted to the grave he was sitting at, the epitome wrote, "Sir Richard Morrison, Birth 1927, death 1985".The earth seemed to revolve in Rob's head, he was sitting at the man's grave the entire night, a fresh chill ran anew along his spine, he ran towards the gate from where the noises came, "Help help, help me please", suddenly a twig stuck his legs and he fell down, raising his face when he cried for help again, he saw just next to him lay a dead body cold as ice, his dead body...