i'm scared

during my primary school days, we used to witness communal riots in our area, in bombay.. it used to happen all of a sudden, and people ran helter-skelter first, and then locked themselves in their houses..

i remember, i was 10-11 yrs old, driving a small bicycle in a local scool ground, a few meters away from my home..

my brother was also playing around..

and then, suddenly i heard the rushes.. a bunch of people running madly, warning everyone to get back to their houses.. it is as if you could feel the fear in the air..

at that point of time, everything around me froze, blinded.. i threw the cycle away and ran for my home with my brother by my side..

the cycle lay with the wheels whirring,

how far I threw it, fearful strength, I don’t know;

my heart was pounding, my hands shivering..

reflexes or by fear, the legs motored, I don’t know.

I ran and the few meters were gone,

as fast as they can, I knew scampering scurrying;

it was sunset time, the light was also gone;

the gloom and timid fear added to the hurrying.

‘mother, where are you?’ probably my thought

‘mother, why do they do this?’ my reasoning;

‘mother, when does all this end?’ I tried to agitate

‘mother, they keep scaring me?’ I was weakening.

midway, I found light in that, I saw my mother,

why nothing else mattered than that sight, I don’t know;

she took us inside, now seemed nothing to bother,

locking ourselves, I gasped, looked at a picture, I don’t know.

the rustling outside I heard, a lot blood I did not see,

yet the moment, like a black smoke, fiercely wrapped around;

the senses were rivaled, as the pounding continue;

‘this will pass’, i heard within me, hoping to never come around.

‘mother, I’m scared’ I garbled in the real nightmare,

‘mother, I feel alone and lost.’ beginning to understand;

and then she hugged me, wrapped me around her, all in a hug;

and she told me, 'there is nothing to fear ever in life.. only to face.'

and then i knew, 'the sky will look like falling, every once in a while.'

and then I knew, ‘my sky will never fall, all one ever needs is that hug.’