Fropper.com Blogs – Free Blogging

I write because that's all that I can do...

<< The urge... | Main | Luck pushed too hard! >>

Posted on: Oct 22, '08

The Migration

Asha was cooking in the kitchen when she heard the now familiar squeaking of a Crow. Wiping her sweat, she picked up a piece of Chapati, came out in to the sitting room and put the piece on the window sill. Rushing back inside the kitchen, she turned the chapatti over. Gasping for a second, as the steam escaped through the borders of the chapatti, she blew on the burning fingers. The crow seemed not to have touched the piece of chapatti, as she heard it still squawking. She reduced the flame and came out one more time.

"You can't even eat it by your self?" Looking at the Crow, she muttered.

The Crow just looked at her and waited. She picked up the piece and fed it to the Crow. Only then did it fly away with fulfillment.

Right from her childhood, Asha was fascinated with Animals and Birds. She, along with her brother Vijay, stayed in this two room apartment. Her brother worked in a private company and she went to college, studying Fine Arts. After their Mother was no more, their Father married again. His new wife was not willing to stay with his children and so he lived in the same city and bought this place on rent for them.

Her day would typically start at 6, preparing food then going to college and return home in the afternoon. Each day, some or the other Crow would come visiting and eat a piece of Chapati. Some would eat on their own; some would wait for her to feed them. For her friends and onlookers, a Crow would look like any other but not for her. She could always distinguish between them. Why, she had given them names too!

One was called the "Tiny menace" because although small in size, it croaked like the world was coming to an end! And another was named "Big daddy", for it would sit little afar and watch all who came and ate their share of Chapati, then descend from where it would be sitting, to have a go! There was one who had sharp feathers and a short tail, as if it was clipped to make it look smart. She chose to call it "Page3". And there was another who would look in such a manner, that she was tempted to call it the 'Lurker"!

All these crows had become an integral part of her life. They looked to her for their daily share of food and she would lovingly feed them. Though Asha didn't believe in any super natural elements, she felt her relationship with the Crows had its roots in her past life. For her, they established some connection with her last birth.

Asha befriended Parag almost the moment they met. He was a newcomer in her college and studied in the same class. It was closing time at the college and they walked outside the gates together, chatting about the project work then proceeded to their own way home.

Once Asha invited Parag to her house which was just a fifteen minutes walk from college. It was around 5 in the evening when they reached her home. Asha asked him to sit and went in to the kitchen to fetch some water. As Parag looked around the room, he noticed some frames on the wall; they all had pictures of Dogs, Cats and Birds. As Asha emerged from inside, a Crow perched on the window sill. Looking with anticipation, it squawked once, then was silent. Parag looked on but wasn't very surprised; as such a sight was common in some households. But when Asha brought a piece of Chapati and began feeding the Crow, he sat up and took notice.

"It's the first time in my life that I am seeing such a thing!" He couldn't conceal his surprise.

"Haha! Really?" Asha asked.

"Yes, really… It's quite a revelation that the Crows aren't afraid of you".

"They are a part of my life now, you know. Ever since me and my Brother came to stay here, they have been coming, many of them actually. Sounds weird to you?" She asked.

"Not weird exactly…" His voice trailed.

"Don't worry; I know how you feel about it. In fact many feel this way. My brother too thinks their existence in my life doesn't mean much. You know, he shoos them away many a times". She eased him out of the situation.

"It's not that they don't eat anything except what I feed them I am sure. But it's a fact that they come here for their share of food each day". She added.

After spending some time with her, Parag took a bus home. His house was a half-hour ride by Bus. As he was nearing his home, he saw a Crow passing overhead. As his Mother opened the door, he heard the now familiar squawking. He rushed towards the balcony and saw a Crow sitting on the window sill. His Mother followed him and was quite surprised, for he was looking at the Crow intently. And the Crow too didn't fly away in fear, as they generally did, she noticed. After some moments the Crow took flight.

"This Crow has been coming to our house since the past few days; you know…I am damn sure it's your Uncle who expired recently. He loved Chapatis cooked by me. I think it's him no doubt! She told Parag.

"Oh! She also can't differentiate from one Crow to the other". As only he knew, this one was following him up to here from Asha's home. He was amazed that the Crow could pursue him at such a long distance.

It was almost two days since Asha was absent from college. Worried, Parag went to her house to inquire if everything was alright. The door was locked so he asked the neighbors. What he heard numbed him. Asha was no more. She lost her life in a car accident.

It was only a few days since he had been friends with her. But he felt a void somewhere inside him. Like he had lost a part of him. He couldn't fathom why he felt so but anyone could see that he was shattered. And it wasn't for the suddenness of what had happened only. It was also for he had taken a liking for her as a friend. Asha was unique in many ways. But now there was no way he could find out more about her. He realized the uncertainty of human life in a rather harsh manner.

Parag didn't go to college the next day. He felt lethargic and despaired. He woke up a little late in the day. He would go to Asha's house and console her brother, he thought.

As he sat up on the bed, he heard the noise of loud squawking, one after another. Getting up, he approached the balcony and was stunned to see a whole lot of Crows lined up on the window sill, squawking, moving their wings up and down, shifting, changing places and attracting attention.

He went in to the kitchen and fetched a lot of pieces of Chapati and one by one, began to feed them, with his own hand.

Tags: short story

30 Comment(s) |

Share | Permalink [?] |

Digg!

Post Rating:

[ Votes: 7 ]

Comments [ 30 Comments ] [ Post your comment | Subscribe (?) ]

notjustart said:
Arre! My fan? Aw! You are flattering me, I am just another writer...

November 20, '08

thepatriot2008 said:

Fantastic!! that was very touching, it wasn't the obvious ending...hmmm different

loved it.! I'm ur fan!!

TC!! God Bless!!

November 18, '08

khushidey said:
aaaaaaww..its indeed a heart touching story..
I too feed doves on my window sill everyday..if am late to feed them..they flock around the window sill & wake me up...

November 05, '08

notjustart said:

Thank you creative, your comment is encouraging!

October 31, '08

creativefront said:

Not only in poetry, you are expert in story writing too.
God bless you my buddy.

Five star too for this story.

October 30, '08

notjustart said:

Thanks Joyze for your comment!

October 29, '08

Joyze said:
What a lovely "slice of life" story!

I felt both Parag's suffering as well as his joy when he saw those "connecting" crows!

October 29, '08

notjustart said:
Thanks Ladyinred, your comment answered the questions left for the reader to find answers to! Great comment indeed!

October 24, '08

ladyinred17 said:
A crow, its presence... carries different implications and interpretations, depending from person to person. It can be a symbol of death, of sorrow, of hope for some good news, of witches and black magic.

The above is a fascinating story, were they announcing her death? were they already welcoming her into their fold? Maybe the crow coming to Parag's house was Asha reborn? eerie isnt it?

Wonderful narration, as always.

October 24, '08

notjustart said:
Thank you Chennai, Ledzep and Eternal for your lovely and thought provoking comments on the story, I appreciate. Thank you!

October 23, '08

<< Previous | Next >>

Want to comment on this post?

Register now, its FREE, and share your views.
Already a member? Login now.

About Me

notjustart's ezBlog