NIBEDITA MOHANTA

Drama

4.0  

NIBEDITA MOHANTA

Drama

Voids in the universe

Voids in the universe

3 mins
28


The other day in the park I saw a dead tree, frozen in its moment, waiting till it melts away into the soil, where it was born from, leaving behind a tree-shaped void in the universe.

I thought to myself, when I leave, there will be a me-shaped void in the universe. My mother and my father will look into the void for me. My brother will walk past the void, to catch an imprint on his heart. My husband will hug the void at night and sleep next to it, throwing his arm on the pillow so the void could place its head like I used to.

Never have I thought any of my friends would acknowledge that there is a void in their memory after I am long gone. To discuss all that we discussed, to laugh on things we used to laugh on, to sail away gifts on my birthdays or on New years. But that evening when I was sitting with an old friend in a dimly lit room, we talked about everything then she said, "You have become so silent. Who are you? Do I even know you?" I said, "maybe maybe not. Would you care if I leave a void on your memory and in this universe?"

She said nothing. Her eyes leaked and she avoided eye contact with me. She was searching for words in thin air, her throat was parched of words. Her smile betrayed her intentions and she lifted the phone to dial in the kitchen's number. She ordered a huge pizza and a bottle of rum. We waited nervously for the order to reach our room, she switched on the television to make room for the silence to sit between us, I desperately searched for a meme on my phone to ward of the uncomfortable air.


The doorbell broke the awkward silence, pizza and rum were patiently waiting outside the door. After we clinked our rum-mixed-with-soda glasses and dug into the pizza, two tipsy souls hugged. Then she said, "I don't want to share pizza and rum with anyone but you. When we grow old, I want us to sit by a beach, get tipsy on beverages and give a toothless smile to each other. No one's leaving a void in the universe before that."

That was more of a demand wrapped in rum-painted tongue and words soaked in love fell from her lips. We hugged a little tighter after that, I squeezed her tiny frame a bit more, as if imprinting her love and words on me, to keep the negative thoughts outside my door, whenever they knock, I must ignore their calls and never look in their eyes. 

I hope I could be her cushion, so that when she is tired she can just crash and rest upon.


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