It was still a few minutes to sunset, but the sun was fast closing in. Dusk is a beautiful time. Especially that day, on that road. I was on my usual evening run, albeit late by a few hours. I usually try and run while the sun is still out. It was good that I had chosen not to on that day. I would never have been witness to that incredible vista otherwise.
There is an uphill slope at the beginning of that road and as you rise up, you are granted a vision of the shimmering lake, glowing in the sun's setting rays. While the lake is one side, the other side is a wall of houses. Houses of a disarming similarity all basking peacefully in the twilight. It was a sight of ponderous beauty and I stopped for a second at the crest of the slope. I took a deep breath and tried to take the entire sight in, with one swift sweep of my eyes. It was not enough; my greed was not satisfied. So, I slowly turned my head from one side to another and as I did this I noticed tiny details that enhanced the beauty of this panorama. The houses were not as similar as they had seemed before...
The changes between the houses were tiny and pleasant and added to my sense of wonder. There was a french window here and a tall chimney there. A house in stark white and another in brilliant purple. But in these multitude of minuscule and trivial changes, I detected a sense of ownership and also, more powerfully, a flowing harmony. As I stood spellbound and wordless, the scene was broken by the sun: setting.
The street lights had already been burning for a few minutes, but now the lights in the houses began to go up. As the lights started turning on, I noticed a harmony in this as well, from the farthest house barely visible to my youthful eyes to the nearest house looming before me. Shaking my head in bemused appreciation, with a wide smile on my lips, I began my descent into that long, incredible road.
As I ran, I noticed my shadows slowly lengthening as they left the comforting shelter of one street light and shortening again as I approached the next. I looked up and was at once struck by a strange phenomenon. My sub-conscience kicked in and I remembered noticing the same phenomenon in the first house as well: None of the houses I passed seemed to have anybody in them. They were all well lit, with their living rooms and sometimes their kitchens clearly visible, but there seemed to be nobody about. My brain had previously dismissed this, but the continuation of this theme had made me consciously notice it. Any residual satisfaction I had at that previous sight of incredible beauty, on which, the evening curtain had fallen a mere minute ago, up and vanished.
I scratched my brain for a logical explanation: maybe they are all resting inside their bedrooms, or, maybe they are all out. All these I rejected. It was not the case with a few houses, but with every house I had encountered so far on that road. There was just nobody on that road. I began to itch for any sign of humanity. Of civilization there were many signs, but not one sight of human life. As my ears strained and my eyes searched, I heard it: A loud bark followed by a long howl. It was not a wolf or any other wild animal. There was no doubt; it was a dog. There was a note of cultivated terror in the howl. No ordinary dog either, a huge beast. My shadows lengthened and shortened much faster now, as I sought the comfort of the next light, even as I passed the one.
Then again, my curiosity was insatiable. "WHERE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE?", my mind screamed. I just had to know. As I approached the last two houses, I formulated a desperate plan. I would knock on one of the doors and if anybody answered I could always ask for water or directions. At the first house, the door was painted red and the whole house seemed a little crooked. The storm drain was at a weird angle and the windows were very big. So big that I coud clearly see the TV inside (off), and the empty couch and the empty chairs. I decided the next house would be the one. It was the last house. I did not have a choice. Adrenaline was pumping through my body and my inner demon kept whispering "The dog is in this house, you fool." But I pressed on. I had to know.
By this time, I was heaving, my lungs desperate for air. I sounded like a man in the final stretch of a sickening disease, about to die. My eyes were burning with the sweat from my brow. But as I gingerly stepped towards the brown door, I clearly noticed the number 2314 boldly written in a bright scarlet. There was a little paint dripping from the circle around the numbers, drying out. The sign had been painted not very long ago. My heart pounding and my lungs heaving I raised my hand. I had no idea then, if my legs were shaking from my desperate run or my desperate fear. I knocked on the door and rasped, "Anybody home?"
As I heard the approaching footsteps, I could clearly make out a set of paws along with them and took an involuntary step away from the door. The door opened. At that very instant the streetlight right in front of the house gave out and a strong wind blew. It cooled my sweaty brow and my hot face. But I could not feel much more as I heard a shot fire. I saw the muzzle flash from a double barrel gun, blinding me. I did not make out the figure behind it. Incredibly, the first shot missed and I heard the bullet whistle past me. However, the second one did not; not at that close a range. It was not painful.
There is an uphill slope at the beginning of that road and as you rise up, you are granted a vision of the shimmering lake, glowing in the sun's setting rays. While the lake is one side, the other side is a wall of houses. Houses of a disarming similarity all basking peacefully in the twilight. It was a sight of ponderous beauty and I stopped for a second at the crest of the slope. I took a deep breath and tried to take the entire sight in, with one swift sweep of my eyes. It was not enough; my greed was not satisfied. So, I slowly turned my head from one side to another and as I did this I noticed tiny details that enhanced the beauty of this panorama. The houses were not as similar as they had seemed before...
The changes between the houses were tiny and pleasant and added to my sense of wonder. There was a french window here and a tall chimney there. A house in stark white and another in brilliant purple. But in these multitude of minuscule and trivial changes, I detected a sense of ownership and also, more powerfully, a flowing harmony. As I stood spellbound and wordless, the scene was broken by the sun: setting.
The street lights had already been burning for a few minutes, but now the lights in the houses began to go up. As the lights started turning on, I noticed a harmony in this as well, from the farthest house barely visible to my youthful eyes to the nearest house looming before me. Shaking my head in bemused appreciation, with a wide smile on my lips, I began my descent into that long, incredible road.
As I ran, I noticed my shadows slowly lengthening as they left the comforting shelter of one street light and shortening again as I approached the next. I looked up and was at once struck by a strange phenomenon. My sub-conscience kicked in and I remembered noticing the same phenomenon in the first house as well: None of the houses I passed seemed to have anybody in them. They were all well lit, with their living rooms and sometimes their kitchens clearly visible, but there seemed to be nobody about. My brain had previously dismissed this, but the continuation of this theme had made me consciously notice it. Any residual satisfaction I had at that previous sight of incredible beauty, on which, the evening curtain had fallen a mere minute ago, up and vanished.
I scratched my brain for a logical explanation: maybe they are all resting inside their bedrooms, or, maybe they are all out. All these I rejected. It was not the case with a few houses, but with every house I had encountered so far on that road. There was just nobody on that road. I began to itch for any sign of humanity. Of civilization there were many signs, but not one sight of human life. As my ears strained and my eyes searched, I heard it: A loud bark followed by a long howl. It was not a wolf or any other wild animal. There was no doubt; it was a dog. There was a note of cultivated terror in the howl. No ordinary dog either, a huge beast. My shadows lengthened and shortened much faster now, as I sought the comfort of the next light, even as I passed the one.
Then again, my curiosity was insatiable. "WHERE ARE ALL THE PEOPLE?", my mind screamed. I just had to know. As I approached the last two houses, I formulated a desperate plan. I would knock on one of the doors and if anybody answered I could always ask for water or directions. At the first house, the door was painted red and the whole house seemed a little crooked. The storm drain was at a weird angle and the windows were very big. So big that I coud clearly see the TV inside (off), and the empty couch and the empty chairs. I decided the next house would be the one. It was the last house. I did not have a choice. Adrenaline was pumping through my body and my inner demon kept whispering "The dog is in this house, you fool." But I pressed on. I had to know.
By this time, I was heaving, my lungs desperate for air. I sounded like a man in the final stretch of a sickening disease, about to die. My eyes were burning with the sweat from my brow. But as I gingerly stepped towards the brown door, I clearly noticed the number 2314 boldly written in a bright scarlet. There was a little paint dripping from the circle around the numbers, drying out. The sign had been painted not very long ago. My heart pounding and my lungs heaving I raised my hand. I had no idea then, if my legs were shaking from my desperate run or my desperate fear. I knocked on the door and rasped, "Anybody home?"
As I heard the approaching footsteps, I could clearly make out a set of paws along with them and took an involuntary step away from the door. The door opened. At that very instant the streetlight right in front of the house gave out and a strong wind blew. It cooled my sweaty brow and my hot face. But I could not feel much more as I heard a shot fire. I saw the muzzle flash from a double barrel gun, blinding me. I did not make out the figure behind it. Incredibly, the first shot missed and I heard the bullet whistle past me. However, the second one did not; not at that close a range. It was not painful.
What's 2314?
ReplyDeleteThe door number.
DeleteYeah, did get that the first time around. Thought the number had some significance.
DeleteIt does have significance to the narrator. Unfortunately we may never know what.
DeleteWhat a douche! He had it coming.Knocking on doors like that !!
DeleteHa ha. Did you like it though?
DeleteWow! That was some incredible story-telling!
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you. I am glad you enjoyed it.
Delete