Myriad Grains

Myriad Grains. Grains those lie low in the oceans, beyond the depth of vast expanses of water, hiding from the mob. Grains those lie beyond our foot, brushing the rough skin of beach people, travelers and nomadic creatures. Grains those are there in the air, flowing via the thick rays of sunlight, through open windows in the early hours of the day, signaling with them the dawn of a new era, an era marked by hope and ambition. A day heralds that brings with it unparallel enthusiasm, zeal and the desire to succeed. Yet the grains lie low, far away from the crowd, in their own desolate world, uncharted and desolately safe.

High up in the sky my gaze goes, and I am blinded by a sudden gust of wind. I rub my eyes in pain; confusion and anger slowly rising in my body, traversing the entire length of my vast torso, till it finally rests on the back of my mind. Dust winds are frequent in this part of the country, and are at their mischievous best at dusk. I standing on the beach, with my fists rolling over my eyeballs, perfectly resembled one of the monkeys of The Father of Our Nation, which symbolized “do not see bad.” However, I was in no mood to crack jokes on my own helplessness. Grains of sands, though tiny, can make you cry, as I realized now.

My vision blurred as water started flooding my eyes, in pain, despair and helplessness. I tried to look through the tiny hole created by the joints of my fingers, and my vision stuck on a stray dog barking aimlessly at the roaring waves. Towards another side of the sprawling beach, I could see a couple getting cozy in the sand, pretty oblivious to the prying eyes that pierced through them. Finally, after much rubbing, I was able to vanquish the last bit of dust grain that had invaded my eyes. My vision gradually cleared, and the perception of view that I had earlier, changed. The dog was not barking at the waves. Rather it was howling at an emaciated human body that had some how been washed to the shore by the cruel waters. I stepped ahead and looked down straight at the decaying mass. It was withered, like a dead rose crushed on the roads under the wheels of a speeding truck.

It started to rain. However, I was in no mood to return. I looked around, trying to fathom and decipher more meaning in this unspoken land. The clouds billowed, attempting to shake me off, but I was not willing to run away. The dog was now galloping ahead in full speed, perhaps too scared of being gobbled up by the deathly combination of rain and sea. I moved in the direction of the cozy couples, but they were gone. Gone were the people surrounding them, and also gone were the other passers by who were aimlessly strolling the beach. I looked up at the sky, and it was dark. The rain had suddenly stopped, making a mockery of my derailed condition. There was no moon, no star, just a thin veil high up in the horizon, which engulfed the entire beauty of the night. Somewhere far I heard the distant chatter of monkeys, probably enjoying a hearty meal with their families, reminding me of the loneliness that I was dwelling in. I wandered in the dark, blindfolded by a blackness that I was unable to get rid off.

My legs slipped and I fell in the sea. Sea not of water, but of sands, distant sands that looked so close now. I didn’t realize when I had become a part of them. The transformation had come too soon, too fast to be true. I felt relaxed, my mind finally gaining its composure, attaining a state of rest. There was no fear, no worry, no greed, no desire, no anxiousness, just a distant light that peered through the darkness, commanding me to embrace its formless structure. It promised me a new world, a better world, where dog won’t drag out decayed bodies from water, where people wont become animals for their little greed and hunger. It promised me a new territory where I would rule according to my wish, and I pledged to fulfill the expectations that it had on me. Slowly it asked me to close my eyes. I obeyed, and in a fraction of second, had become a grain. A Grain among Myriad Grains.