Athesse.

(continues from A'theist', http://forlorntears.blogspot.in/2012/11/atheist.html)

Thus Cupid stood by Hercules' chair, his curled hair just touching the armrests. Athena patiently, yet in a stern voice, inquired, "What, O god of lustful eyes, makes you laugh?" Smiling in a heinous way, he answered, "Nothing, O ever wise, nothing. Nothing, but the sculptures of me, Eros, the god of love, being shown as a lovely old man with two flattering wings, and a bow and arrows, hardly carrying them, face filled of wrinkles and an erotic smile." At this, Athesse laughed loud and so did everyone in the court. As the laughter subdued, Athesse, still looking at Cupid, in a fading laughter asked, "And why Zeus, does this feeble mind's arrow that struck the heart of Nesmith, much drugging him in madness of Gloria, the angel daughter of Cyclops, made him stand clapping at the temple of our brother, which Mardeyus, the grandson of your beloved Odysseus, considered as a belief to endow the so-called well wishes, has now primarily turned into a superstition?" Laughing in the same sad tone, he hurled his doubly crossed axe, flicking a little hair of Cupid's forehead that struck deep into the chair, shaking it. The hall became so silent unable to answer what was asked that the flinging blade's tune echoed through the rocks of the mountain.

Zeus himself sat thinking, looking deep into the empty. Clouds and the goddess of wisdom too were blinking in the ground of shame. Owing a ton to his precise shot, and one more to the silent hall, Athesse jumped on words, in an uncontrollable fury into Zeus. He then said, "And today, people made it a business. You all know it. Why you know not, of the fortune tellers? Why, you know not of the deceiving priests? Why speak of all this even? Why you know not, of justice being equal to all, boasted by every rock and the mouth of every follower of yours, here? How then, is some rich and is some poor? How are 2 human beings unequal??” Athesse smiled in satisfaction delighted by the silent hall. But Cupid, in fear, yet in fury, in shiver, yet in stiff posture spoke, "You know when Zeus took over the hall, when you were not even a child, three scores of years ago, and we, you and me, and Athena and Poseidon, were all the same posture. And since then, I made fun of everyone, more often in serious situations and am thrown at the legs of the strongest arms, Athens spoke in wisdom and she stands high above, seated beside Zeus. Poseidon both wrecked ships and saved too, and he lives in a city of pearls. And you", he chuckled. "And you, you challenged the rule, and live in the darkest forts, far from the sea, away from the rich fat of sheep and oxen, and the sweetest honey. Rich and poor, preferred and not, are judged by your own virtues, kid. And so is the judgement  Justice is equal to all, Hades says, yet punishments his guests suffer are different. That's much the same here, Athesse" he continued to be silent.

 Everybody deep in thought, and a hush rose and fell over the mountain, and chatters spread. Athesse grabbed his dagger under his belt around his waist and glared at Zeus. Zeus was lost in thought. And finally, he spoke, "Yes Athesse, Humans created an ideal reference to human race as an idol and help us with our troubles by sharing them and giving us a ray of hope. God is nothing but an imaginary friend who shares one's problems and soothes the pain in when the praying is in troubles. God is a friend one can find only at infinity. People are more fancied by the magic than anything else. And these humans, they will soon tear us down. They will group us and fight. The destiny is so."(Religion and caste) Thus he spoke. And Athesse's image dispersed into the clouds. He faded in the white and the song of Gloria marked the dusk. The fat and wine flowed through the air from the offerings below, and Gloria's song rose above the heavens.

Agent Orange

Pre-script: I request all the readers to turn their logic precise brains off and read the entire tale in one take.

The train quietly pulled off. I could see my cousin waving back as his figure faded black into the evening sun setting behind him. The green flag guard was waving appeared like a freedom signal where I could fly back to my friends. Tired as I was, with the packing and talking job since the morning, I decided to take in some fresh air before I get back to the classic rock and stylish punks. I quietly got back into the bus and soon set my walk on the bank of that small lake, quietly letting my mind write and arrange the records of my cousin's visit.

And there it rang. my phone that was acting dumb for the past few days. "Where are you dude? Did your cousin leave? When will you be here?" Deepak was shouting completely forgetting that he was in a pub. "At the necklace road, taking some fresh air, will be there soon" I answered, repenting for every phrase that I spoke. "Dude, grow up, it's filthy now. Come here fast, It's not your oldie pub. Did you forget?” he went off reminding me of this peculiar day pub that was newly set up at IMAX.

"A day-pub is one that would stay open till early night, and later would be converted into a banquet hall or a disco floor as per the demand" I remembered Manoj defining, much in an engineer's style. I quietly walked thinking of those old days and old IMAX as guards in polythene gloves enacted their checking on me. I caught up with them soon.

I tried not to stare at the name, but could not help myself staring at Urdu printed in green on the white lamp board. It was queer to see a mall have a board written in Urdu. Also, I further answered myself saying that this must have been why I never got to hear its name as but the day-pub. The guards there checked us for a little longer as we walked in. We ordered for a pair of Kamikaze and an Agent Orange and started talking about what we did in the past few days, running into the chicks we saw every now and then, as was our habit. Soon, we drank our first glass and ordered to repeat it. I, out of curiosity and kick, walked to the bartender who wasn't there.

I peeped into the counter to see a man quietly writing the bills on fluorescent foolscap paper records. He was a man clad in white Kurta and a blue chequered Lungi, sitting on the grinding stone, more queerly than I expected. His clothes showed a good quality, much being owned by a pride man, and his Sajjda placed beside showed his riches and beliefs. "Excuse me sir, what do you want?" he said in an old-cityish tone, looking up at me. I pointed at the empty chair and he seemed to have muttered something. "Come with me, sir" he led me into the kitchen inquiring about my tastes, picked up a few bottles and sat down preparing it.

I slowly engaged him into easy talks about the business, lastly asking him, "Why do you have a pub so traditional in a mall like this?" "As long as the drink remains the same, every single customer of mine shall be more pleased at this oldie appearance sir" he spoke in a philosopher's voice. "And why don't you engage tokens?" He simply laughed in a silent cough, his age visibly clouding his voice. After a dragged giggle, he spoke "No need of that, sir. I believe in my traditional techniques." Confidence ringed in his voice as he said it and splashed in his eyes, when he held the drink up for me. I took the drink and walked alone as he walked out of his other door.

To my surprise, the curtains were dropped and I entered into an echoing Banquet hall, wondering if it was the same room I had been in ten minutes ago. I walked back into the kitchen, which too was, empty. A bit frightened, I silently ran through the fire exit and entered into the mall in the lower floor sipping my cocktail. They were waiting right at the entrance with empty Martini glasses. I was happy to see them, sipped my drink up, and we walked, silently slipping the glasses onto an empty table in the lounge. We were walking down the stairs slowly planning for the larger party tonight as it struck me that we didn't pay the bill. Considering it much as an achievement, we walked down the stairs pacing, ending almost in a run at the exit gate where the guard again checked us. "474" he said to the fellow who was writing down some records, and we resumed the run.

I was leading the run when I saw some guys sitting in an orange Jeep, glittering in the dusk. I ran faster passing them by and occasionally glancing at them, as if I was running from them, as if they were the old man's staff, enjoying the mall-break into the necklace road where I finally paused gasping, landing my hands on my knees and bending low, only to see that I was alone. Fear ran along my spine as I tried to figure out what might have happened to them. Thinking of what was happening, I was searching my shirt for what 474 referred to, and I saw it written in a charcoal, one that could not be wiped, on the triple point of my shirt. It was my entry number, I recalled. Panicked, I began running again.

I ran faintly passing by a kid playing his red remote-controlled car, who was as busy in his own work as I was in mine. In desperation, I continued, until I stood tired and panting, as over a thousand thoughts overwhelmed my brain. Then, with sparkling lights, a red Ferrari Italia, that one dream car of my childhood, ran by, pulling over not more than a few yards behind me. I stood thinking.

Post-script: This was an unedited dream. The language is completely grammatical, and any deviations mentioned there-on are discreetly writer's imaginations. The length constraints are responsible for any lack of description, if any.

In a page of excelsior

Four tons of people all around, to meet whom daily are you bound,
read what you feel and write, and in the dark ink you shall enlight.
About your roommates and fights, about the sleepless nights,
about your love for your second home, about that place what once was Rome.

A ton will definitely read, and a hundred will belong to your breed.
And when you meet and talk henceforth, you'll be told what you're worth.
It won't be just a compliment, but an accomplishment,
for not just you are known, but so are thoughts that were blown.

How it feels to be here, in a page of excelsior,
its not about fame, its not just great,
how it feels to be in excelsior, you're in a college's year,
you will be read, and remembered forever.

If you still don't get what i said about how it feels, try it yourself blindly and you'll know. :-D

Lullaby

The time is ripe and the world is quite,
the thoughts do swipe and tangle and fight.
Your cheeks had tears and blushed in dimples,
quivered in fears and smiled in ripples.

It's time to pen all your joys,
and read your writ and again rejoice.
Learn to grow from all your pains,
like a plant from seed when it rains.

The moon and the stars, the breeze amidst the bars,
come to lull you tonight again, as you play the life's game.
It's a dark and cold night, and the world is tired and quiet,
sleep and close your drowsy lids, the days await like the hungry kids.

More and more, memories to make,
good ones to store and bad ones to bake,
more and more, life is to take,
in tears no more, and smiles no fake.