Ghost of the past ....
Nov. 2nd, 2018 06:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
nayanawritesAll of us have bridges that we burn at some point of time ... Burning bridges of the past is understandable. But sometimes we burn those in front of us ... those that we need to cross at some point in time. And that is .... well ...
Charu woke up at the sound of the calling bell. ' who could it be so early in the morning ? '. She turned to the right side of the bed where the clock displayed that the time was well into reasonable hours of the day. She grumbled as she got out of bed - the second ring pushing her out from under the cosy blanket.
She opened the door to find plumbers who had come by appointment and after incessant calls to the toll free helpline numbers of the company. ' There was nothing like being woken up after a few hours of sleep to put your life into perspective ' she mused. Charu looked around the apartment - Wine glasses , Beer bottles , Sink full of dishes , yesterday's ghosts and literally a freaking mess every where.
' Happy Birthday to me ' the Ghost voice that spoke the most to her whispered. These days it was her inner soul that kept her company. She had stopped celebrating her birthday when she had looked around one fine day and realised that there was nothing to celebrate.Every bad day of her life had turned out to be her birthday. And hence the firm belief that the date of her birth was the devil's idea of a cruel joke.
She made herself a cup of black tea - a habit she acquired from him - and walked out to the balcony. It was her favorite space , from where she could look at life as it moved around her. Moved while she stayed put at the place he had left her. ' Oh yes life loved to move around and just sometimes it loved moving into her space and mess everything up by a whirlwind of dramatic entry'. Those times when she just wanted to get up and run away from her life. Charu was a fragile being and those days it took almost nothing to knock her off her feet and make her tired of living. ' But I am strong - I always hang on and hold on even if the effort is gargantuan '.
She looked up at the clear skies and the tall buildings and the millions of lives that were lived outside her balcony. Day In and Day Out. With a sigh she turned and looked at the life that was being lived inside her apartment. She saw infinite possibilities on the outside and looked straight into the eyes of Hades as she glanced inside.
The sounds from the bathroom reminded her that she needed to go and check on the plumbing team. She needed some flushing out - perhaps the plumbers were a sign of sorts. She looked into the mirror in her bedroom - She was a pale ghost of her former self. ' The smiles and the confidence were replaced with eyes that carried immense pain and a demenaour that spoke dejection in volumes. 'But you know me - I always come through even will all the scars '. She touched her cheek - Her clear skin had started complaining of uneven skin tones and dark spots. Her eyes had darkened as much as she believed her world had. ' Nothing stops you all the love you carry in your heart is more your strength than the weakness it seems to be. ' The flush sound from the bathroom told her it was going to be alright. Life had immense possibilities. ' Your crooked tiara and every single diamond in it reflected all the light in you - You are indestructible .'
Her phone had been buzzing for a very long time. Whatsapp birthday messages and alerts on Facebook posts on her wall. ' I will need to keep time to reply to all those.' She paid the plumbers and she opened the door to let them out when she heard the familiar sound shout out from the lift " Wait up " Charu smiled as she looked out to see Grace stumble out of the lift and walk through the corridor leading to her apartment. The girl has the power to bring light into the darkest days with her cheeky grin. She carried the customary cake - a ritual she religiosuly kept up as an ode to their friendship of 22 years. "Happy Birthday Honey " she said as she walked up and gave Charu an awkward hug with the cake box preventing a really tight hug as Charu would have wished at that moment. A quick peck on the cheek and her BFF walked into the apartment and laid the cake box on the table. She turned and spread out her arms as she motioned Charu to come close. The tight hug even if it came a moment late was so much needed.
They sat down on the sofa. Grace with a cup of coffee - it was one of her lifeline. The other being their 2 decade old friendship. Grace had been with her through most part of her life. ' She has been with your more years than the years you spent without the pillar of Grace.' A comfortable silence in the apartment. That was the thing about their friendship - the silence was as soothing as the sounds of it. " Do you know what Ghosts are Charu ? " she suddenly broke the comfort in more ways than one. "She's gonna start on you " the voice chucked. "Tell me darling ", Charu replied as she rolled her eyes.
" Ghosts are secrets that haunt the memories of the living ... So long as we acrry their secrets they refuse to leave. They wait Charu. "
" Wait for what ? "
" To be forgotten darling. " That's life - that's how humans live. It's not just animals - we have to move on and we do - we always do. "
" He left a long ago Grace. He isn't coming back - he doesn't want to no matter what."
"No girl ... That's where we differ - I still see him. He's here even as we speak - in you. " She tapped the side of her head " Inside here - you need to let go dear."
' Aaaaarrgggg ... We have had this conversation so many times. Change the topic . Let's go elsewhere and not tread that path. It's not as easy to do as easy it is for you to say '
" I have tried " a whimper from Charu's lips.
" Try harder - burn the bridge , lock the doors of the past , don't look back " She came and sat closer as she took Charu's hands in hers. " Get rid of the suitcase under your bed that holds his white t shirt , that stores the gifts he gave you , that keeps memory of your 75th milestone in the form of a half burnt candle. Throw away the sand you keep in a pouch from his house - throw away the soap you keep as a souvenir from your stay at his house. Delete all those emails all those chats that you have saved in your phone and backed up on your system. Remove all his photos from your phone. Stop taking screen shots of his online status. Don't save his display pictures. Change your wardrobe where every dress gives you some memory of a day spent with him. Stop listening to the voice messages he sent you. Embrace the future - there is endless possibilities out there for you. Let him go baby. "
' Burn the bridges behind you - lock the door behind ... there is nothing but sentimental ghosts back there. '
" I wish I could Grace ... I wish I could. If he goes I go too. "
( This is my entry for the topic of Week 4 of LJ Idol Literary Prize Fight. The prompt was Ghosting. I have tried to incporporate as much of ghosting into this as possible. As always Concrits and Reviews are highly welcome and much appreciated.)
Charu woke up at the sound of the calling bell. ' who could it be so early in the morning ? '. She turned to the right side of the bed where the clock displayed that the time was well into reasonable hours of the day. She grumbled as she got out of bed - the second ring pushing her out from under the cosy blanket.
She opened the door to find plumbers who had come by appointment and after incessant calls to the toll free helpline numbers of the company. ' There was nothing like being woken up after a few hours of sleep to put your life into perspective ' she mused. Charu looked around the apartment - Wine glasses , Beer bottles , Sink full of dishes , yesterday's ghosts and literally a freaking mess every where.
' Happy Birthday to me ' the Ghost voice that spoke the most to her whispered. These days it was her inner soul that kept her company. She had stopped celebrating her birthday when she had looked around one fine day and realised that there was nothing to celebrate.Every bad day of her life had turned out to be her birthday. And hence the firm belief that the date of her birth was the devil's idea of a cruel joke.
She made herself a cup of black tea - a habit she acquired from him - and walked out to the balcony. It was her favorite space , from where she could look at life as it moved around her. Moved while she stayed put at the place he had left her. ' Oh yes life loved to move around and just sometimes it loved moving into her space and mess everything up by a whirlwind of dramatic entry'. Those times when she just wanted to get up and run away from her life. Charu was a fragile being and those days it took almost nothing to knock her off her feet and make her tired of living. ' But I am strong - I always hang on and hold on even if the effort is gargantuan '.
She looked up at the clear skies and the tall buildings and the millions of lives that were lived outside her balcony. Day In and Day Out. With a sigh she turned and looked at the life that was being lived inside her apartment. She saw infinite possibilities on the outside and looked straight into the eyes of Hades as she glanced inside.
The sounds from the bathroom reminded her that she needed to go and check on the plumbing team. She needed some flushing out - perhaps the plumbers were a sign of sorts. She looked into the mirror in her bedroom - She was a pale ghost of her former self. ' The smiles and the confidence were replaced with eyes that carried immense pain and a demenaour that spoke dejection in volumes. 'But you know me - I always come through even will all the scars '. She touched her cheek - Her clear skin had started complaining of uneven skin tones and dark spots. Her eyes had darkened as much as she believed her world had. ' Nothing stops you all the love you carry in your heart is more your strength than the weakness it seems to be. ' The flush sound from the bathroom told her it was going to be alright. Life had immense possibilities. ' Your crooked tiara and every single diamond in it reflected all the light in you - You are indestructible .'
Her phone had been buzzing for a very long time. Whatsapp birthday messages and alerts on Facebook posts on her wall. ' I will need to keep time to reply to all those.' She paid the plumbers and she opened the door to let them out when she heard the familiar sound shout out from the lift " Wait up " Charu smiled as she looked out to see Grace stumble out of the lift and walk through the corridor leading to her apartment. The girl has the power to bring light into the darkest days with her cheeky grin. She carried the customary cake - a ritual she religiosuly kept up as an ode to their friendship of 22 years. "Happy Birthday Honey " she said as she walked up and gave Charu an awkward hug with the cake box preventing a really tight hug as Charu would have wished at that moment. A quick peck on the cheek and her BFF walked into the apartment and laid the cake box on the table. She turned and spread out her arms as she motioned Charu to come close. The tight hug even if it came a moment late was so much needed.
They sat down on the sofa. Grace with a cup of coffee - it was one of her lifeline. The other being their 2 decade old friendship. Grace had been with her through most part of her life. ' She has been with your more years than the years you spent without the pillar of Grace.' A comfortable silence in the apartment. That was the thing about their friendship - the silence was as soothing as the sounds of it. " Do you know what Ghosts are Charu ? " she suddenly broke the comfort in more ways than one. "She's gonna start on you " the voice chucked. "Tell me darling ", Charu replied as she rolled her eyes.
" Ghosts are secrets that haunt the memories of the living ... So long as we acrry their secrets they refuse to leave. They wait Charu. "
" Wait for what ? "
" To be forgotten darling. " That's life - that's how humans live. It's not just animals - we have to move on and we do - we always do. "
" He left a long ago Grace. He isn't coming back - he doesn't want to no matter what."
"No girl ... That's where we differ - I still see him. He's here even as we speak - in you. " She tapped the side of her head " Inside here - you need to let go dear."
' Aaaaarrgggg ... We have had this conversation so many times. Change the topic . Let's go elsewhere and not tread that path. It's not as easy to do as easy it is for you to say '
" I have tried " a whimper from Charu's lips.
" Try harder - burn the bridge , lock the doors of the past , don't look back " She came and sat closer as she took Charu's hands in hers. " Get rid of the suitcase under your bed that holds his white t shirt , that stores the gifts he gave you , that keeps memory of your 75th milestone in the form of a half burnt candle. Throw away the sand you keep in a pouch from his house - throw away the soap you keep as a souvenir from your stay at his house. Delete all those emails all those chats that you have saved in your phone and backed up on your system. Remove all his photos from your phone. Stop taking screen shots of his online status. Don't save his display pictures. Change your wardrobe where every dress gives you some memory of a day spent with him. Stop listening to the voice messages he sent you. Embrace the future - there is endless possibilities out there for you. Let him go baby. "
' Burn the bridges behind you - lock the door behind ... there is nothing but sentimental ghosts back there. '
" I wish I could Grace ... I wish I could. If he goes I go too. "
( This is my entry for the topic of Week 4 of LJ Idol Literary Prize Fight. The prompt was Ghosting. I have tried to incporporate as much of ghosting into this as possible. As always Concrits and Reviews are highly welcome and much appreciated.)
no subject
Date: 2018-11-02 06:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-11-03 12:19 pm (UTC)This is wonderfully written yet again..well done <3 *Hugs*
no subject
Date: 2018-11-03 03:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-11-03 06:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-11-03 10:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-11-04 06:37 pm (UTC)Her friend is right-- those little mementos are not helping, and he isn't coming back. They're hurting more than they help.
no subject
Date: 2018-11-05 07:06 am (UTC)Thanks for writing.
no subject
Date: 2018-11-05 06:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-11-05 08:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-11-05 09:34 pm (UTC)Very clever. Very touching. Very true.
Brava!
no subject
Date: 2018-11-05 09:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-11-05 10:12 pm (UTC)On a different note, the gray text was hard for me to read against the light background. :/