The waterspout stood before me, scattering brilliant golden rays, beckoning me to its centre. I hesitated with my arm extended. Should I or should I not?
Ult Luther says: ‘The paths of two entities if crossed, brings about opportunity,’ while Vici Morse says: ‘Beware of the unknown that comes your way. It harms always.’
Whom shall I trust, I do not know. If there is such a thing as harm then opportunity should also be near…like magic. I stopped thinking as I pushed my arm against the surface of that torrent that could rip it if it so wished.
I felt no resistance, no harm. It went in without so much as a scratch to my skin. Somehow, it felt cool. In this desert of salt without shadows, where I am the only living, I felt the majesty of that hazard.
I did not know how much time had passed. Stream of time eluded me, while the shimmering torrent dazed my eyes. I could not look away. I knew it was not right. I knew I shouldn’t, but my arm had already reached out, and my body betrayed my mind.
I pushed myself inside, ignoring the voice of reason. The cooling sensation that brushed my skin and passed my senses felt rejuvenating. I have known this sensation.
I remember jumping into a clear stream in Horace one summer. The view from back then, as I looked at the bright sun from under the water, existed here too. It was much gentler, but it was there — that brilliant golden.
Suddenly, I heard music. A memory of my mother and my aunt flashed before me. My mother, a great pianist and my aunt, the violinist… I remember them playing together often. The memory of one such evening when my aunt had come to meet us was dear to me. As I was falling asleep in the warmth beside my sister, they played. I remember fighting off grogginess to listen to them.
It was a very sad, sorrowful sound. Rueful to its very nature, it thrilled me. I remember it still. That melody played in my mind. It had been too long since I last played. My mother used to teach, but I did not appreciate it then. I remember those keys — that symphony. It was similar to what was playing in my mind. Perhaps, it was the same.
Water flowed around me, enveloping my very thoughts. It crashed and it danced. Leaving enough space for me to breathe, it lulled me to sleep.
I want to stay, I thought, as my eyes closed. I do not require sleep.
***
Professor…professor…
I heard something.
Professor…
Hey, professor, answer them already.
Professor…!
Professor, where are you? Answer them; it is not very polite.
Professor…Dew…
Oh, that is me… I opened my eyes. They felt heavy, very heavy. I forced them still. I saw a piano and I heard music. Who is playing? It was me. My eyes were still not focused and my mind kept pleading with me to rest and sleep.
Where am I? Something came to mind. Orientation! I turned my head around, scared that I may have missed an event by far the most important in my stay as a professor. There, I saw a woman behind a screen of water. She had blonde hair and blue eyes. There was one more beside her, a brunette. They stood tall, and I realized I was sitting there like I owned acres of land. Lord Dew of Beggarly Hills. I chuckled inside. I would have loved to laugh and snigger openly, but it seemed now was not the time.
A screen of water? I realized belatedly that around me was a torrent that danced very silently. Only the sound of my piano was heard. I could see why I felt stares of admiration and eyes of awe. Behind me, in the corridor, were students gathered to watch me. They hadn’t entered the room. That was a smart choice.
I took my hands off the keys, wishing to dispel my magic. But before I could do anything, the screen of water fell to the floor, dispersing as if it did not exist. What is this? I looked in suspicion. Where did it go?
Clap, clap, clap. I heard the sound of clapping. The students in the hallway were applauding me. I heard murmurs of ’That was beautiful,’ ‘What a piece,’ and ‘Marvellous.’
I would love nothing more than to stand up and take a bow, but my mind was rattled. Where did the water go? The current that flowed around me, where did it go? I hadn’t dispelled anything. Did I even spell anything? I looked around in bewilderment. I noted the scrutiny in the eyes of the blonde. She does not seem to know of magic, but she sees me and my alarm.
‘That was brilliant,’ the brunette said to me. She came close and said with unbelievable ease, ‘Would you like to undress for us?’
Is that a challenge? I thought with daring eyes.
The waterspout stood before me, scattering brilliant golden rays, beckoning me to its centre. I hesitated with my arm extended. Should I or should I not?
Ult Luther says: ‘The paths of two entities if crossed, brings about opportunity,’ while Vici Morse says: ‘Beware of the unknown that comes your way. It harms always.’
Whom shall I trust, I do not know. If there is such a thing as harm then opportunity should also be near…like magic. I stopped thinking as I pushed my arm against the surface of that torrent that could rip it if it so wished.
I felt no resistance, no harm. It went in without so much as a scratch to my skin. Somehow, it felt cool. In this desert of salt without shadows, where I am the only living, I felt the majesty of that hazard.
I did not know how much time had passed. Stream of time eluded me, while the shimmering torrent dazed my eyes. I could not look away. I knew it was not right. I knew I shouldn’t, but my arm had already reached out, and my body betrayed my mind.
I pushed myself inside, ignoring the voice of reason. The cooling sensation that brushed my skin and passed my senses felt rejuvenating. I have known this sensation.
I remember jumping into a clear stream in Horace one summer. The view from back then, as I looked at the bright sun from under the water, existed here too. It was much gentler, but it was there — that brilliant golden.
Suddenly, I heard music. A memory of my mother and my aunt flashed before me. My mother, a great pianist and my aunt, the violinist… I remember them playing together often. The memory of one such evening when my aunt had come to meet us was dear to me. As I was falling asleep in the warmth beside my sister, they played. I remember fighting off grogginess to listen to them.
It was a very sad, sorrowful sound. Rueful to its very nature, it thrilled me. I remember it still. That melody played in my mind. It had been too long since I last played. My mother used to teach, but I did not appreciate it then. I remember those keys — that symphony. It was similar to what was playing in my mind. Perhaps, it was the same.
Water flowed around me, enveloping my very thoughts. It crashed and it danced. Leaving enough space for me to breathe, it lulled me to sleep.
I want to stay, I thought, as my eyes closed. I do not require sleep.
***
Professor…professor…
I heard something.
Professor…
Hey, professor, answer them already.
Professor…!
Professor, where are you? Answer them; it is not very polite.
Professor…Dew…
Oh, that is me… I opened my eyes. They felt heavy, very heavy. I forced them still. I saw a piano and I heard music. Who is playing? It was me. My eyes were still not focused and my mind kept pleading with me to rest and sleep.
Where am I? Something came to mind. Orientation! I turned my head around, scared that I may have missed an event by far the most important in my stay as a professor. There, I saw a woman behind a screen of water. She had blonde hair and blue eyes. There was one more beside her, a brunette. They stood tall, and I realized I was sitting there like I owned acres of land. Lord Dew of Beggarly Hills. I chuckled inside. I would have loved to laugh and snigger openly, but it seemed now was not the time.
A screen of water? I realized belatedly that around me was a torrent that danced very silently. Only the sound of my piano was heard. I could see why I felt stares of admiration and eyes of awe. Behind me, in the corridor, were students gathered to watch me. They hadn’t entered the room. That was a smart choice.
I took my hands off the keys, wishing to dispel my magic. But before I could do anything, the screen of water fell to the floor, dispersing as if it did not exist. What is this? I looked in suspicion. Where did it go?
Clap, clap, clap. I heard the sound of clapping. The students in the hallway were applauding me. I heard murmurs of ’That was beautiful,’ ‘What a piece,’ and ‘Marvellous.’
I would love nothing more than to stand up and take a bow, but my mind was rattled. Where did the water go? The current that flowed around me, where did it go? I hadn’t dispelled anything. Did I even spell anything? I looked around in bewilderment. I noted the scrutiny in the eyes of the blonde. She does not seem to know of magic, but she sees me and my alarm.
‘That was brilliant,’ the brunette said to me. She came close and said with unbelievable ease, ‘Would you like to undress for us?’
Is that a challenge? I thought with daring eyes.
