Flashback

The sunny morning of November had signaled the arrival of winter and the warm sunrays had brightened the gallery with the wind swirling around the wind chimes. The flowers bloomed and the blue sky spread like an expanse of artist’s creations.

Weekend had set in and the honking of the horns by the highway had increased than usual, but it didn’t bother Shane much, who was lazing on the couch engrossed in reading a sms that he had received. After a while, he got up, proceeded towards the kitchen and got a black coffee ready for himself. He slowly sipped the coffee while glancing through the bank statement and switched off the television system. As the clock struck 9:00 he closed the file, leaned forward towards the music system and the living room was turned into a lounge saloon with serene tunes of Buddha Bar being played in the background.

Though his father had asked him to clean the lower shelf of the wardrobe prior leaving for Bay Avenue for the weekend, he was too lazy to wake up and get the work done. Engrossed in reading a novel, making notes and enjoying the music he almost spent an hour. However, soon realized about the task he was assigned and the cell phone rang. It was his cousin at the other end enquiring about the night plan and the time when he is planning to leave; he answered quickly and hung up. Like a responsible officer, this dude got up marching towards the bedroom and opened the wardrobe. Swiftly, he began emptying the lower shelf and while the cleaning process was on, a small grey bag fell of with a thud. Wondering about the contents in it; he lifted it up with curiosity as there was a clinking sound as if it was filled with some plastic moulds.

He slowly began unzipping the bag and upon opening it, he learnt that it was his Mom’s nebulizer machine. The sight of that machine itself took him back in the time when days rose darker and nights spent restless. He sat silently as if death’s coldness had gripped him and was drifting him away in phase which he and his father had passed through. He could hear heavy breathing of his mom, he could see her eyes; those wondered what would be her son’s fate without her and soliciting for a peaceful end. The strong whiff of Savlon & Tesco was once gain felt, cracking of a medicine pack being opened and clinking sound of syringe bottles and a screeching sound of stretchers had crowded over him. The sunny morning seemed cloudy, he felt the vision going blurred and once again the sound of nebulizer motor drowned the mild lounge music. And finally a long continuous beep was followed when the human system crashes down, with cardiogram machine signals for emptying the bed and just the body is moved.

Suddenly, Shane opened his dampened eyes, quickly arranged the shelf clearing the mess and closed the wardrobe in order to leave. He got ready and hurriedly sprinkled water on his face. The sunrays now had gone brighter, the leaves swayed along with the breeze and the music went on. He ensured everything was at its place, switched off the music system, took the backpack and moved out locking the door. Riding over the highway to Bay Avenue he observed a change, it seemed like a new day with sun-drenched brightness all around but silence just about had signaled that a storm had passed away.