The Fire on The Hill

A blazing fire was shining brightly on the hill adjacent to the city. I was staring at it without blinking my eyes. I wanted to reach there, for i knew something was waiting there to greet me. I felt like a moth who wanted to dance around the fire, and then meet its impending fate. I asked my mates to accompany me which they politely refused, but I had my horse to carry me on his back to the top. I climbed my horse and waived goodbye to everyone I had ever known. There were tears all around, and yet no one wanted to come with me. I pulled the harness and finally embarked on my journey.

There were people who were staring at me with wide open eyes, as though they had never seen a horserider in their trivial lives, but soon there was no one around as we had crossed the fringes of the city. I saw an old stable and heard the sound of happy horses neighing, though I couldn’t see anyone in the dark . My horse suddenly stopped and asked for my permission to leave me, to join his own kind. But, it was only the illusion of free choice that he was permitted. He rebelled against me ( How could he?), so I took out my gun and shot him on his head. He died an agonising death. His death saddened me, for I had ruthlessly murdered my only mate. But that fire, it seemed more important ( Who cares about a dead horse anyway?). Now it was all me.

I followed the jungle road, hoping it would lead me to my destination . I met a mime artist who was searching for an audience away from the peripheries of human civilisation, amid the wilderness. His eyes filled with unparalleled joy of finally having found someone who would see him perform. I brushed him aside, his art didn’t mean anything to me. He started to follow me, for he wanted to share my joys ( But why should I share my joys with a mime artist?). I threatened him to run away, pointing my gun towards him. He disappeared in the night.

The more I walked, the more treacherous and steeper the road became. I had no water, no warm clothes, yet I was walking, my resolute unshaken. I could now see the blazing fire, burning in all its glory , just as I had imagined it to be. I started to walk towards it, to complete myself. Suddenly a strange sound of thunder stabbed my eardrums. And then came the terrible rain, falling like apocalyptic meteors on the helpless planet. The blazing fire surrendered without a fight, ceasing to burn any more.

I stood there helplessly, drenched, devoid of all hope. The rain stopped after a while giving way to the bright moonlight that tried to heal my eternal wounds with its delicate touch. I gathered all the courage that was left in the remotest corners of my heart and started to walk away.

I had hardly started my new journey that I heard some footsteps approaching me. Brisk footsteps. And suddenly within the blink of an eye, I saw myself surrounded by a pack of wolves- their dreadful eyes illuminating in the dim moonlight. They inched closer to me with each passing moment. I took out my gun and shot at them, but alas! I was out of ammunition. My impending fate was standing before me with open arms, waiting to hug me tightly. I closed my eyes, I was ready to embrace it.

I was waiting impatiently for the inevitable, but nothing happened. Baffled, I opened my eyes to see the mime artist standing in front of me, performing in front of the beasts. He had enchanted the wolves with his art, hypnotised them with his aura. He turned his head and winked at me. I was taken aback. I took a few steps backwards and ran away with all my might. The mime artist continued his act while i plunged into oblivion.