Hii Everyone! This is my very first write-up, I hope you people will like it.
Here, it goes-
A shooting pain knocked my head as I tried opening my eyes. With a lot of difficulties, I managed to glance at the surroundings. I was in my bed in my apartment. I sat down holding my head, as I checked the time. It was 7:30 in the evening. There were some messages but I was not in a condition to care about them. It took me awhile to get stable. I recalled that I fell asleep, getting tired of mourning over my state. Not having much work, I came from the office early today and the free time and my loneliness together pulled me again inside my hollow past. Exhausted from those memories when did my eyes give in, I don’t have any idea. I could see a shining moon outside scattering it’s light that is spread in the whole sky but is unable to brighten my dark apartment and my darker life. My past was all set to engulf me again when I heard someone singing. The voice carried the same pain, I was going through. I felt getting pulled to it. My feet unknowingly moved to the balcony. The owner of that voice was probably in the apartment adjacent to mine but I was unable to see him because of the wall that separated the balconies. I don’t know why, but my eyes were getting desperate to see the person. He had something, some unknown power in his voice. The soft guitar chords stirred up the latent emotions buried in my heart and I got down again to those memory lanes.
“You are not going anywhere, and it’s my final decision.”, Dad yelled to a meek Antara who stood there gazing the floor with her blurred vision. Yes, it’s me. Antara Purohit, a girl with thousand dreams but negligible courage. Courage to stand up, to raise voice, to accomplish dreams! “Please dad, it’s a very good opportunity. They are ready to record a song in my voice.”, I mumbled, my words stumbling. Dad gave me a glare and lowering my gaze, I accepted the denial. I accepted my defeat, the defeat of my dream of becoming a singer. I just ended up doing my regular job, sobbing in my room, mourning over a new broken dream. Girls in Purohit family are not allowed to aspire, how did I even forget that!
I was a coward then, could not fight for my dreams, I am a coward now, could not fight with the situations. Escaping has always seemed better to me rather than confronting. But, that day, something crossed the limit. The limit of Antara’s tolerance, or much better to say, docile Antara’s tolerance. I stormed into dad’s room. The sufferings overlapped all the fear that time. “I’ve accepted their call. I’m going.”, I said this time looking straight into his eyes. I couldn’t bear to see this dream of mine scattered into pieces. “Antara”, he shouted on the top of his voice. I flinched but managed to stand there, for me, for my aspiration. “What are you saying Antara? How can you speak to your father like this?”, My mom said. Of course! I couldn’t expect anything better than this from her.
“Dad! Please try to understand. It’s a golden chance. It doesn’t matter what the relatives will say, if I grab this opportunity, it will change my life. You always allow Shekhar Bhaiyya for everything he wants, give me a chance too.”, I said persuading. “Don’t compare yourself with Shekhar. You are a girl and you should know your limits. Girls in our family are not allowed to do such things like singing and dancing and that too stepping out of the doorstep.”, Dad replied. That was enough. “Keep your thinking with you. I’m going and no one is going to stop me now.”, I said fear nowhere to be found on my face. Slap! I felt a piercing pain not on my cheek but in my heart. Dad lifted his hand on me. I ran to my room, packed my bags and came out. I had decided finally to leave that cell or my so called house. “Don’t even dare to show me your face again if you step out.”, Dad yelled shocked by my act. But, this time I had made up my mind. Without paying any heed, I headed outside in a world completely new to me all alone.
“Boarding for the flight SJ-214 to Mumbai will start shortly from gate 3.”, I heard the announcement while waiting for my flight at Varanasi airport. The mustered up courage and savings helped me in taking the first step towards my dream. For the last time, I recalled those twenty one years that I spent in this city. Though I didn’t get much from this city but still I felt some attachment to it. May be because I got my lucky call in this city. A week ago, it was my graduation day when I got the reply of my voice recording that I sent to the Sargam music studio, Mumbai, of course after a lot of storming thoughts. My happiness knew no bounds that day but it was only me who was happy with the news.
The thundering of the clouds brought me back to the present. I didn’t realise when these clouds covered the sky. That stranger was still there singing. I closed my eyes to feel the music, something which is now a mere part of my past. The lyrics, the music everything was like trying to introduce me with another me. Another Antara who is inside a dark pit. A pit that’s deepening with each sunset. His voice was reflecting the pain residing in me. For the first time, I wished that the wall should not have been there. I wanted to see him. The another me. Just for once. I felt a drop on my face. It had started raining. Making the rain as an excuse, I moved inside trying to put a pause at my illogical desire. I didn’t want to get back in my past. I didn’t want to hear him further. I didn’t want to face me.
Precap:- Mr. Stranger’s Entry.
ps:- Please do comment guys, positive or negative, both are heartily accepted.