The Dried Up Lake

 

                                       The dried-up lake

It was a day like any other. Well, it was summertime with a scorching fireball called the Sun.

The bus was crowded. The bus was crowded. The bus stopped at a village called Panchapati.

There was the dried-up lake. This lake holds many memories.

People think I was haunted by a witch but I know the truth. I walked across the grassland when suddenly, a man came rushing towards me and said:" choto Karta I’m sorry I had fallen asleep".

I said with a laugh "ha ha! It's okay. Have you slept well?”

He said with a laugh" Agge, yes, choto Karta I slept well."His name is Gobordhan. It was given by me. Everyone treats him like his nobody, but he's somebody to me more likely, a brother.

It was a long road but not so long for us. Sometime I think how do the villagers treat him?

I reached with him to the home. After I was freshened up he came to me.

He came to me holding my hand saying “choto Karta please come with me, I've something to show you."

I felt like I was in childhood again taking me towards his home.

We reached the home saw Gobordhan got married & his wife making luchi. Then suddenly, a fat old man came.

He was our pandit mashai. He said "how dare you eat at this wretched house. Coming to my home my wife will cook your favorite foods. You don't need to eat with this, this wretched lower caste.

I asked him "Is there a relation between food & caste, tell me sir?"

He said "Don't be a fool you're better than this .Remember I saved you from the witch."

A rage surged through my veins I said to him" It was not a saving but a butchering of a friend".

I was going to hit him but Gobordhan stopped me.

Pandit mashai left the room & before he left he said" I was going to say there'll be a puja & now you're not invited with how you treated me.

I said to myself “What a jerk".

Gobordhan said " Choto Karta, let's eat".

I sat down to eat he brought luchi & alu'r dum was great. She can cook really great.

Next came rice with uchhe fried, doi ilish & echor dalna, chingri fried. Especially, I felt myself a king when they presented me with these foods.

After I ate in unholy manner I went to sleep in my bed. In my room.

I slept soundly     & then I saw a dream, the dream I saw her again my lost friend made of water, pure water. She said "not to worry, I'm alive well, alive."

Before I could say something my dream ended.

I woke up to see there was darkness.

Seconds later he came with a lantern. He said, "Choto Karta there has been a power surge & maybe power will come tomorrow."

I said, "Let’s go somewhere ".

He asked "where? Choto Karta".

I said, “to the dried-up lake".

"But pandit mashai warned us not to go there," he said

I forced him & he agreed. At 15 he lost his parents. We were at the same age, we became a fast friend.

My mother was the one who adopted him.

But why am I thinking to go there is it because I dreamt about her or is it just a simple attraction?

We went there & sat there it was 8:30pm. I saw it on my watch.

I remember I read a book in which fairies & fantasy creatures were present. I saw my friend she was known as a sea nymph. He asked “choto Karta, why did you come here?

"Because long ago just like you, I lost someone," I said.

He asked, "Who did you lose?"

"A friend. She was burned alive."I said looking at the dried-up lake. 

I asked, "Do you wanna hear a story?"

"Agge yes, choto Karta," he said.

I remembered the days when I used to play with my grandfather. He always told himself that he's young and bold. At that time I was 11yrs old. At that time he passed away.

At that time I was crying a lot suddenly, there was a drop in the lake. A bubbly drop.

Suddenly, there was a splash and a girl rose up of water.

She looked at me smiling.

I asked, “who are you?" She showed a sign on her lips & then I realized she can't speak.

I thought she can attack me but when she smiled I somehow sensed that she won't harm me.

From that day onwards there was no suspicion & we become friends.

Every day I go to her for peace & talk.

When I was 12 I started going to school pandit mashai was our Sanskrit teacher. I was really happy with her.

My parents somehow thought something else. It doesn't matter to me.

At the age of 13 pandits mashai grew more suspicious.

I tried to conceal her mystery, but that didn't work pandit mashai knew about her.

Her wife was the one who shouted. She was just showing me waterworks just like fireworks.

She thought I was being bewitched.

On that day I named her Podyoboti.

I was there till the evening. Suddenly, I heard there was a commotion.

I thought a puja was being conducted. I tried to save her, but what could a 13 yr old do with 10 people.

She was burned with petrol. Pandit mashai shouted to the people I'm being bewitched.

When all the incidents ended. Only my mother knew the pandit mashai has done a crime.

He didn't even ask how I feel.

She was a friend who I named her & on that day she died. I hate him.

He said, “Choto Karta doesn’t be sad there must be a way to bring her back?"

I said to him "No, there isn't".

"I wish, I could do something."

""Today, I know her as sea nymph".

"Choto Karta, what's a sea nymph?"

"A sea nymph is a fairy that lives in water like a lake, pool. Just like a mermaid."

Choto Karta let's go it's time for dinner. Please be steady".

Suddenly, there was a voice saying “you’ll come to my home for dinner & stop your childishness."

I turned around & saw it was Pandit mashai. I asked him in anger "were you spying on me?"

I punched him hard & said," I said let's go you're right it's time for dinner."

We'd gone home & behind I could hear him shouting saying " you insignificant moron I saved your life."

I said, “I know what you've done".

Suddenly, there was thunder crackling in the sky & then came the rain.

We ran to the home. We don't know anything about him but I felt as if there was a big splash in the dried-up lake.