STORYMIRROR

Shivansh Choudhary

Abstract Drama Others

4.3  

Shivansh Choudhary

Abstract Drama Others

Nature’s Own

Nature’s Own

13 mins
145


I can see the ceiling fan slowly rotating, singing in its usual sound. I am currently thinking about a really urgent meeting I have today, but I don’t feel like waking up from bed. I kept laying there for around one hour or ten minutes, I don’t know, I tried not to think about that stupid meeting. At last, I stood up. I usually take my phone and go straight into my bathroom, but today I really want to see outside’s weather. When I opened my window a sudden breeze of warm air (or call it dust) hit me straight in my face. “I will not go today” I said.

 

I am fed up with this schedule, it feels so sad and depressing when you have to follow a particular routine day and night. I am suddenly felling very lonesome and sad.

 

It was today’s morning when I decided to take a day off and go to hell with that meeting. I am an orderly person and rarely take a day off from my work especially when there is something important (like today). I am the kind of person who thinks that every day counts. But today something is different.

 

People do not sleep in this city. You cannot see an empty road in this city.

 

“What should I do hmm?” I said. It always happens to me that when I am in the middle of my interesting stuff comes in my mind but in a situation like this, I don’t know what to do.

 

“Let's go for a hike!” I said.

 

That’s a great idea because I also want to go away from this city, somewhere silent and calm. My hate for this city is growing a little every day mostly because of all the pollution. Who can like a place where they cannot even inhale some clean fresh air? Whenever I take a walk outside for a minute also, my face is always loaded with dust and all. It feels like I have not seen any plant or any other living being except Homo sapiens and urban wildlife .

 

Well, I want to plan where to go but I forgot one crucial, which is telling my Team Lead Madelyn (we usually call her ‘Maddie Boss’), and she is really strict. And my all-other colleagues actually host a secret little party when she was not their team lead for a particular project. Now you can understand how strict she is.

 

“Hello Madelyn,” I said.

“Hey, Rookie,” my boss said. I hate it when somebody answers me that way. And Madelyn does it all the time. 

 

“Well, I am sort of ill Mam kaff! Kaff! And I think—uh— I cannot attend today’s meeting.”

There was a long pause.

“Well if you are ill, I don’t think you should come today and by the way—“

“Thanks, Mam.” cuts off the phone. 

I really am surprised that it was that easy.

 

I am the most terrific liar you ever saw in your life. It's awful. If I'm on my way to the store to buy some snacks, even, and somebody asks me where I'm going, I'm liable to say I'm going to the opera. So, when I told her that I was ill today, that was a sheer lie because she knows I was alright yesterday.

 

Now comes the fun part, I have to decide where to go. The first hiking spot on my phone is perfect, it will take 2 hours by driving, and oh I do not want to drive.

 

I took out my blue tracksuit, that’s all I can think a hiker should wear and then I went in the bathroom and washed and changed my clothes.

 

“Bye-bye my dear”. I am trying to be away from my mobile phone a bit, so it will stay at home today.

 

But here is a problem how I would go to that spot. I took my phone and opened Google Maps and checked its location. I don’t have to take many turns it is mostly straight but I will write it in a notebook, just for safety.

 

“Let's go,” I said.

 

 But wait I have to pack other stuff also. First of all, I do not even have a travelling backpack, I guess I will just use my laptop bag. I am really excited about today. 

 

Now I have my backpack with some snacks, my water bottle and my notebook, some money for emergencies and that’s all a hiker need, I think.

 

I hate driving because of the Traffic and all, and I even hate my car. It is a second-hand sedan of I don’t know which year model, I took it from my friend and well I really hate this car.

 

‘Beeeeep Beeeep’. Well, it's been fifteen minutes and I haven’t even moved yet. Why do people call it driving if they just want to sit in front of an air conditioner for several hours listening to songs? 

 

I hate this city. This city is the most polluted place I have ever seen. Not this city, I think every city is like that. We humans, destroy everything, I mean, if we observe something, our mother earth is giving us many boons but what we are doing, instead of living associated with nature we intelligent humans are destroying it, right. Well the thing I most hate is probably these mountains, yeah they are made of waste dumps , nowadays. I hate the smell of the air here it is like I can not even breathe freely. These tall buildings, their colour fading at some places, sharp sunlight, dust particles touching your face and many eagles flying over those dump cliffs like a dead body is there, how can anyone like that place?

 

Finally, I am out of this stupid place, now the traffic is pretty less, and I am now like in a different place. I have opened my car window now and I am inhaling a different air now.

 

These infinitely never-ending roads can make you very sleepy sometimes, it is not like I always get sleepy while driving, but that continuous little vibration can be very comfortable sometimes. And that’s where music comes in. I usually listen to my playlists but today I don’t have my phone with me, and I hate listening to music on the radio.

 

I can see my destination. Well only a few mountains, not much. I am very excited about today.

 

Well now this car cannot be my companion anymore, I have reached my destination, well according to my notes it is.

 

The first thing I notice is the change in my background music, back there it was car horns and all but here it is, I don’t know, an airy sound of the wind and some birds chirping in the distance.

 

Well, I have got my backpack. Now the real hike begins.

 

I have been in a quiet place after a really long time. In the city, car honks were my music, I do not remember being in a peaceful place. 

 

The weather is quite amazing now, those large white clouds and light blue sky with sharp but not disturbing sunlight, falling from spaces between clouds. I can see this view my whole day. 

 

Well, there are two ways ahead of me. One is going straight and the other is going somewhat upward, not much but it has wooden railings on its side, probably for safety, I think. I will take this road but I don’t want to be wrong.

 

Anyway why are these wooden railings at this height . 

 

My path is partly covered by shadows from the trees on my left side, where I am walking, and it is partly covered by sunlight, sometimes it is wholly dark due to clouds. 

 

As I am going up I am realising that hiking is hard, it really is. 

 

I suddenly stopped and sat down on the path looking toward the mountains, it was all calm suddenly, I don’t know why I was walking so fast until now. Why was I rushing?

 

 The view is amazing, the fresh cool air is slowly striking my face. I tried to suck in this air until my lungs were full, I don’t know why I did it but I was feeling like it. I don’t want to move now I just want to sit here. This is so relaxing, seeing so many trees on these mountains. This is just amazing.

 

I just sat there trying not to think about anything, but some thoug

hts were randomly coming in my head like my yesterday’s conversation with my colleague Josh about that meeting and him telling me that he wanted it to go perfect and all.

 

I can see many small and high cliffs all around me, there is so much greenery. I can see two or more houses far away from me, I don’t know why are they here, but they look very beautiful in all this. If you think this is not peaceful, you’re crazy.

 

I just sat there for an hour or more. My nerves were so slow for this whole time that I could feel the blood in my veins and feel every inch of my body moving while I was breathing.

 

Then I saw a couple coming towards me, I think it is a couple because they seem quite close. 

 

“Hello. Are you okay sir?” Both of them said.

They asked me as if they were younger than them. For a moment, I thought that I needed help, by the way they asked me.

“I am alright thanks, what about you?” I said.

They didn’t answered %me.

“Well there is a rest house up there, just ahead, you can come with us if you want.” They said. 

I could have stayed there for a couple more hours but it is nice to have a company.

 

That rest house is just ahead of us, not even a five minutes walk.

 

We didn’t get to talk much, but they were not new to this hike. 

 

As we were heading towards that rest house I saw three dogs playing near us in this small patch of grass and flowers. They all were looking very cute playing.

 

This is a nicely build house, made of dark brown wood and that yellow lighting is actually suiting it. There are five more people there. And one of them works there, she is an old woman, who is serving tea to the couple I was with. They both knew her. I think her husband should also be there around but I can't see any such man around. 

 

There was a big round table around which everyone was sitting. 

 

“Sorry, this seat is taken.” A military-aged man said pointing towards that old lady.

“Oh, okay,” I said.

Then I sat right next to those couple. Why am I calling them a couple I should ask their names at least.

 

“Hello!” I said.

“Hi,” they both said at the same time.

“Myself John”. We both shook hands.

“Oh myself Henry” and at the same time the woman said “me Hannah”

Oh, Henry and Hannah. They also have similar names huh.

“So are you both together?” I asked. Well, they are together anyone can see, I always ask some stupid questions to strangers and I can’t help it.

“Yeah, we’ve been together for almost 4 years now,” they both said.

“Good for you!”

“And we both always make this hike every year,” Henry said.

“Not last year honey,” said Hannah.

“Oh sorry —uh—I forgot, was it due to—“

 

And they both started talking to each other.

 

I ordered tea and it was given to me right away, it didn’t even take two minutes.

 

I started a conversation with this guy who was sitting right next to me and we are literally identical. He also came here because he wanted a break, and he hated pollution. In fact, he was actually trying to aware people of the adverse effects of pollution. We both talked for about an hour and it was pretty nice.

 

After a while, we decided that we will cover this last part together. 

 

Gradually I am getting higher and There is a large mountain covered in snow in front of me and on the right, I can see so many pine trees. This view is so much serene, I can hear birds chirping all over the place. There is a small patch of flowers scattered on the left side of our path and it is very beautiful. I can see the cloud on that mountain they are covering the tip of that cliff and it is like that mountain is wearing a—.

 

“Hey, that cliff is wearing a hat,” George said.

Oh if I did not tell you, his name is George.

“Yeah, I was about to tell you that,” I said.

 

Our path is steeper now. I am not that tired now. I guess it is because I have a companion now.

 

There are so many pebbles in our path now. I am trying to concentrate on my steps but I am still stepping on some stones here and there. 

 

Wooden railings are not present now. Why would anyone do this? There were railings at the start of this hike but up here they are not. I can only imagine someone who was very motivated at first to lay down these railings, but at the end, he was like ‘eh I am not getting paid enough’. That is just like me whenever I start something new.

 

I am at the end of my hike and The funny part is that when I was there in that rest house I didn’t eat anything, except that tea. I will probably eat my lunch now.

 

The view is totally worth it. I am not even tired now, but I am hungry. At the top, there is this plane area fully covered with grass, like it is a plateau or something. I can see many small and big cliffs from here, the clouds are laying between these cliffs, it is just like a river of clouds is flowing between them, it is so refreshing.

 

“Do you wanna eat something?” I said.

“No,” he said, “I have already eaten, thank you for asking.”

 

I spread my blue blanket on the ground and it is quite long for a person. I can feel the grass beneath me from this blanket, some are quite pointy. 

 

Anyway, I opened my bag, and I have chips with me and a bottle of cold drink. Who brings this in a hike? In a way, this is quite funny.

 

I was just sitting there for a while seeing the blue sky, and it was like the earth was merging with the sky, at some places clouds were down below the mountains, and at some places, mountain peaks above disappeared in the clouds. It was quite amazing.

 

“Do you want to play?” George said.

“What?” I said.

I always say ‘what’ after anyone tells me something.

“Do you want to play frisbee?” He said.

He was having this light pink coloured frisbee in his hand.

“Yeah, sure,” I said.

 

I am quite lame in frisbee. I can not even catch it once. It seems quite easy, but I don’t know why I am not getting it. 

 

“I am tired,” I said.

I was all dripping in sweat, it can be due to my schedule of not making many movements in a day.

 

“It's been-uh- five minutes,” he said.

Who checks his watch for such things?

 

I lay down on the ground, it was quite nice actually, as I was so tired and all. It was very fun doing such activities after a very long time. 

 

I am only seeing the sky now. I am not sweating at all, thanks to this cold breeze. 

 

I just wanted to sleep there, it was so peaceful. All I could hear is the wind blowing, leaves fluttering. It feels so peaceful now.

 

Suddenly I see several butterflies gliding over me. I stand up and see these butterflies, they really are beautiful. I haven’t seen these creatures for like a century.

 

“We don’t see them in the city,” I said.

“Yeah”

“You know they are being endangered from the city due to us. The waste and pollution we are spreading are actually killing these little guys” 

“Well, what about that plastic you threw over now, isn’t that pollution?” George said.

 

It really struck me, I don’t want to spread pollution, I hate pollution. I made this trip because I wanted to be with nature, I will not ruin it, right. But I think I was spreading pollution without even knowing.

 

 

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.

 — Native American tribes


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