They expected this...I dint...

4th July, 2006

It was a fever I was avoiding to the best of my effort....I did not want to do anything close to what they wanted me to...I had won the day before..But today looked like one of no return...Having made sure all the precautions were taken, I was ready for the worst...Goddess made sure that my young eyes hadnt missed anything mandatory...With all my straps up tight, I ventured out into the unknown...As I descended from my haven I realised that I had made the worst mistake of my life...I should have let go of any positives I held about myself and stayed behind...What if the mass treaded on.? But here I was repenting every minute...

It would have been two micro seconds into my venture, when I was wet from tip to toe...As I stood there waiting for my carrier to transport me to the battle field, my mind raced...It longed for brighter pasteurs...Yearned for the comfort in the breeze...No I had made the mistake of my life...I repented every minute...

In the vehicle....My fellow warriors seemed well equipped...The lashes all around seemed not to worry them...One even spoke of her exploits last time the war was on...She seemed content with the learnings...Why was it only me who looked inadequate for this..? And I knew there was no turning back the minute I stepped foot on base camp...

I could see a sea of trouble (pun intended!!) lie ahead of me...Other warriors quietly treaded forward, protecting themselves from the wind that razed past...As I hopefully looked at the other option available, any remaining hope left me...The only way available was what had left me here and that sure dint want me back...Not many want to tread the path once done..and I was that same person now....Turned my back to it and sent out a silent prayer to the heavens...

With no choice at hand, I lept into action...My guard in position, I lurged forward....A chill ran down my spine when the water touched my feet...As i moved ahead, more of it went under water...My nerves needed warmth now...The water gushed like a convict on his last run for life...The barricade we had built to protect us gave up within minutes of being put to use...We were out in the open at the enemy's mercy now...All I could see ahead of me was water and more water...memories of nights when i woke up with a chill, having dreamt of drowning in the raging waters, flooded back on me...The calmness of the people around me irritated me all
the more...I felt like jostling each one of them with my force and forcing them to return to comfort....This test was fruitless...Why take it...?

I saw water everywhere...and i wondered what creatures might quietly rule these territories...I didnot belong here and I knew it all the more when in it...The end seemed nowhere near and I kept heading forward....I waguely remember a piece of respite somewhere midway, when my feet touched dry ground...only to be flooded by an inundation caused by the red vessels...all the small pleasures in the world are volatile...Leave you craving for more...A fellow companion offered a word of comfort...encouraged me forward...I felt like giving her the smirk and questioning, 'for what purpose, mortal..?'..Thought better of it and smiled on...

At one point I felt I had no hope of looking up at all.....my eyes lay rooted to the bed, to ensure I wasnt sucked in by a whirlpool of sorts...I had heard of many heros who had to give their lives up to these terrors that loomed deep under our feet...At places, the snail would've been faster...for he wouldnt have to worry about drowning am sure...It was after almost an hour of this endeavour that I looked up to see light...A dry patch of ground...and the same continued henceforth...

Did it mean the end was near..? My legs hurried through the remaining and Yes..! I was through...I stopped, took a deep breath and looked back at what had been me for a long time now...Yes, the floods in Mumbai were taking a toll on normal life...

With thoughts blaming the stars, the BMC, my maid's kid's school principal, that lady in red in the news yesterday and a million other things, I entered office...drenched to the tip..and the AC dint help either....