431 YEAS OF DEATH: The origin

by Divya Singh

  But it was like every branch hung fruits in bunches. The upper branches had denser, bigger and greener leaves, and the lower ones had sparse leaves but only fruits grew in abundance there. It was as if I had placed myself in a dense Rainforest, but only trees were there. Below trees on the ground, there grew, very short plants of wheat, barley, maize, corn, pulses, potatoes in patches like giant plates.

  Then, a teenager, tall and skinny boy came smiling to me-

  Boy: “Hi! I am Taner, the timer of the crops. It seems like you want to help yourself with some information about the Orchard.”

  I replied with a start: “Hi! Yes! Tell me, how do you grow this overpopulated orchard?”

  Taner: “Well, our agricultural scientists have made plants which are highly productive; require least resources at our disposal and grow quickly, in small sizes. The biggest ones are the trees which are the only ones which hold the stable immovable ground. Below these on the ground, grow staple crops, these require sunlight and we can raise them when we have to show them some sun.”

  He had held a thin wafer like device in his hand; he pushed a button and raised his hand all the way up, suddenly the crop plants were lifted up to the opened up spaces and the trees came closer in groups. For the first time I could see the clearly open roof. All the roofs above this level made of glass moved outwards, circling in under the roof as if the circumference of the circular roofs extended, and it roof opened up more area, more and more moving upwards.

  Though the contracting glass roofs also looked like they were planted with some vegetation but it was not long before they slid in to give way to direct sunlight which reached the now fully lifted up crop plates. Now the trees were not fully sun bathed but the crops were.

  Taner: “This whole floor is retractable and reconstructible as you may have been told earlier. We can move every plant on this ship, but just the trees on the Orchard are only rotatable in order to condense them closer. This saves space, and sunlight can be shared by all the plants. On the 4th floor, you can see just above us are vines, which take a lot of space, so everything that grows in vines e.g. gourds, grapes, pumpkins etc. are grown above on it. I will show you, if you want to take a tour to the above floors.”

  I exclaimed: “Well, yes! I would love to!”

  Taner walked towards right gravel path, before even the soils of the Orchard began. I followed and watched as we went ahead in a circular outline that gravel path made; I noticed that the walls along which I walked were in fact enormous aquariums.

  I quipped: “Where is the Resto?”

  Taner: “Well we are entering into it soon.”

  Then we entered a room where everything was made of glass and few seats were outside under the separate colored glass umbrellas, shaded in hues blue. I counted five people seated there, who seemed like customers, all seated separately; every other thing inside was machine.

  Taner: “What do you want miss?”

  He pointed towards a glass screen on which held an unending list of items, pizza, lemonade, apple pie, plum cake, muffins, steak, tarts, chocolate cake, and so on. It had every cuisine I knew of! I laughed to myself-

  I giggled: “…..And I thought the only thing you get on the ship sailing 180 years on the ocean was sea food!” I chuckled as only other thing I ate here till now was, paste type or powder form food accustomed to the needs of patients or for more, multivitamin pills.

  Taner: “We have a decent life here!”

  I said: “Pizza, Orange Juice and milk.”

  Taner: “Double tap it, it’s a self service.”

  I did as was needed. But-

  I questioned: “It wants venue from me, you said it was a self service.” I never thought menu could include venue anywhere.

  Taner: “Well, you want us to go on to level 4, so double tap it, simple!”

  I found the level 4 on the drop down menu, and opened it, then touched it twice, confusingly though. Taner led me to a circular glass enclosure; I stepped onto it with him, and all of a sudden it moved up. I was taken aback! I was just not ready for it, I struggled to balance myself. Taner giggled at me, a boy he was.

  Taner: “It is our little lift!”

  Soon, we stood on a transparent glass platform, it was all perfectly see through; I could not shrug off the nervousness of standing on glass. It was like standing on the air. My heart was pounding against my ribs, as if it wanted to burst out, my feet trembled and ached in fear. I was certainly scared of heights, no this situation!

  Taner: “Don’t worry about it, its strong as steel! Here comes your food, say your Authorization Passkey. “

  He said pointing towards the packets rolling in from below somewhere. It looked like four strings of moving rubber moved those packets to the aperture we stood near, on this floor. They came up and stopped before me, but the glass aperture had closed them inside.

  Taner: “The Passkey!”

  Then I called my passkey and the glass aperture opened to reveal my food packets. I released the packets and took them.

  Taner: “Let’s go to that table!” and pointed towards a table on a 6 feet wide glass strip which seemed to be moving and growing towards the end of another growing glass strip moving from the opposite, towards the centre in the circular open roof. These both strips were about to form a bridge like structure above the open Orchard below.

  I was horrified, but moved towards the table on this glass strip as we closed in the other moving strip from the other end. Now the open ends of the strips conjoined with a snap sound. Now a seamless Hi tech bridge was placed on the diameter of the circular opening of the roof was prepared to welcome us. I saw the upper lush green branches of the dense forest below me as I walked further towards the centre table on the bridge.

  Our end of the strip had a table placed over it while the other strip contained two chairs. We reached to the center of the glass bridge with my trembling feet. Taner went to the other strip to get the chairs; he arranged one for me and sat on the other. I faced directly towards this confident little teenager.

  Taner: “Please have your meal first miss! Don’t get bothered by my presence.” He said with a little smile.

  I unwrapped my packets and placed the food items before me. I began sipping the orange juice.

  Taner: “We have vines here just as I said. Vines require little sunshine, hence placed lower. It is time when we showed them some sun for a brunch, just as you!” He smiled. He pushed four buttons on the device and swayed his both the hands in circular motion on the horizontal plane.

  Soon, circular plates opened and grew towards the centre as if the circumference of the circular open space under us reduced and was covered by plates growing gourds, pumpkins and melons in them. They came so close that I could extend my left hand to touch a large pumpkin on the nearest growing vine. I instantly smiled, I had shook hands with mother nature today!

  I said: “So Taner, little kid! Is that just you who photosynthesizes all the vegetation here? Isn’t that a big deal for a boy?”

  Taner: “Oh, it’s rather simple, just a walk in the park and I am going to be 15 soon, so I am a big boy and the credit for the Orchard goes to our Research scientists. I am just a timer.”

  I said: “That’s an understatement of your abilities Taner. I am astonished by you though. What is a timer anyway?”

  Taner: “Thank you! Timer is a position used to describe my functions and responsibilities to keep track of time; when and how long a vegetation type must need and be showed sunshine.”

  I declared: “Oh! I see. Seems very tough job! I promise that your skills will be calling me regularly to this place.”

  He smiled and bid adieu until next time. I unwrapped pizza and took out a slice, while still mesmerized by the charm of this place. I looked at every plant, tree, shrub, vine closely and started munching on my pizza, then suddenly, I looked back to see whose footsteps was I hearing, which broke my hypnotized state.

  I saw Devon coming straight towards me. It is the fir
st time I was seeing him after he first met me, revealing my past life. As expected he came smiling to me and sat on the seat facing me. Actually saying, I felt naked before him. It was just this man who knew me totally; only him.

  He was aware of my shameful past and claimed to know me more than myself. I was very very uncomfortable in sitting before him. He sat a little too close on the other chair before me. It was like breach of my personal proximity rules. I looked at him as if my eyes spoke in an objecting language, but like he did not realize my discomfort and smiled at me. I faked my facial muscles into a wretched smile. I looked down because I could barely stand a stare into my eyes for that long as if those eyes were searching for something which was hidden in my eyes, something which he had been painfully deprived of; something which belonged with him.

  I quickly glanced at him expecting to find some respite and hoping that he would not be staring at me anymore. But I was wrong again. I bent my eyes and looked at my wobbly looking pizza, which wasn’t hot enough now and the aroma from it turned into an odor as if coming straight from a mouth which just had its contents.

  The slice which I had held in my hand was now almost finished except one last bite, the cheese was about to drip down so I instinctively bent my mouth to grab first the cheese then the slice. It was still yummy. I thought to myself, I feel I should finish off my pizza soon now. But with the slice in my clumsy mouth, I recalled the presence before me, I looked at Devon, who was momentarily forgotten somewhere in the taste and praise of pizza.

  He wore light blue shirt and black pants, he looked pretty good today; I thought to myself. Those big gleamy eyes, with white background were now smiling at me. It was unpleasant to feel like a woman with open mouth and it being stuffed with pizza slice. It occurred to me that it would resemble like an obscene gesture from me in my past life. I felt ashamed and I looked back at those intense blue sapphire eyes and told myself that there was something about them, and that I was not totally guilty of looking back at them. Then Devon broke this silence between us. It obviously felt awkward to him as well-

  Devon: “Hey Dani! Where have you been all the time since? I never saw you again in your room. I have been there, at least 5 times in all these days, but found no you.”

  I didn’t feel like I was prepared for the talk, as I saw that face move to utter words. Now my eyes must have stared at him hard and long. I observed his face up close. This face was a broad one at the forehead, though it narrowed down a bit towards the chin. The hair and the eyebrows were a lovely hue of brown and with sunlight reflecting from hair strands, the color would expose itself to reveal a golden tint to them.

  The dense eyebrows were skillfully placed on the face; they contoured the face into definite dimensions. The blue eyes had a hint to his origin. Yes, he was obviously white, though attractively toned. The forehead had a bulging vein on it, which was adding definition to his masculinity.

  His cheek bones were well carved and the flat on his cheeks gave the face a well toned look. His ears were big and lips were thin but full like a handsome man must have. When talking, the lips moved to show a glimpse of a prominent jaw line and white teeth. The nose was well designed, long enough for the good but not longer than that to resemble a cartoon character. It was just feeling good to look at this guy.

  He broke the silence again-

  Devon: “Dani! Where are you lost? I had asked you something.”

  I replied finally: “Oh! Yes I was thinking about something else.”

  This time I also noticed his long muscular neck and his slightly bulging Adam’s apple as he spoke.

  Devon: “I asked you where you were all the time.”

  I replied: “Um, I was kind of probing the ship.”

  Devon: “I would have loved to accompany you. Also, alone you should not be going, it is too dangerous you know?”

  I said: “Hmmm……”

  …..and I began stuffing my now stale pizza in my mouth hastily. As I got busy in eating it up I realized how original everything tasted. All the time I was telling myself that they grow all of the ingredients on this ship, which is a wonder for me! I smiled to myself in disbelief.

  I touched the tiny little milk bottle, which was still chilled, though not much like when I grabbed it. The peas and tomatoes were so tasty and tangy, and cheese! Wow! I almost again forgot that I was not alone and was brought back to the situation before me.

  Devon seemed to have brought something to eat himself and was not looking at me now. The noise of him unwrapping his meal jolted me back to senses from my incessant appreciation of the pizza I just had finished. He seemed to have brought 2 large granola bars for himself.

  While, I opened the cork of my milk bottle and the aroma of its vanilla essence filled my senses. I couldn’t stop myself from taking the bottle’s mouth towards mine. I sipped it a little, it seemed too tasty to describe in words. I saw Devon busy in his stuff from the corner of my eyes and it was relieving, giving me some space to enjoy the milk here. I cupped my mouth at the rim of the bottle and drank it to half. At the other end Devon was now chomping his bars, both at the same time.

  We both made funny sounds eating and drinking as if we had been hungry all these years for which we lay dead. I paused for a moment for seeing the mess and burst out into loud laughter. Devon was startled with his mouth still gaping clenched on to a bite between his teeth. Then he slipped it in and closed his mouth to smile like a chipmunk. I was still laughing and this made me laugh even harder.

  After a few moments the rhythm of the laughter suddenly ceased and we resumed eating our meals. The layers of plants above this floor were moved towards the exposure of sunlight. Devon looked at me as we had finished our meals. I was rubbing tissue on my fingers-

  Devon: “How are you Dani? I am worried!”

  I said: “I am just fine, thanks for asking.” I half heartedly replied as I didn’t feel like being friendly with him.

  There was a moment of silence for a while. It was certainly not anywhere near friendly. Two people can’t be friends if the silence between them is not comfortable. Then he broke it again-

  Devon: “I missed you Dani! All these days, when I could not see you good and happy, it was like I was dwelling in hell.”

  There was nothing more than a little bit of more silence again. He was unhappy by my not looking at him and showing him all the indifference that I could. But I was listening, just not manifesting. His right hand slid on the glass surface of the table, towards my left till it climbed over on my left hand. I was taken aback! I was not ready for such a proximity breach. I gently started freeing my hand from beneath his, then I heard him saying-

  Devon: “I love you my angel.” He bent closer to my face and whispered. Then he tightened his grip on my hand. I saw it was a good looking muscular hand, but it felt awkward to be held by another human being. I cried ‘enough’ in my mind and suddenly pulled my hand out of his taut grip and stood up saying-

  I yelled: “Enough! I do not like it Devon! You are trying to get intimate with me. I don’t really remember any of my life before I died. I don’t even feel like a woman. I was a woman then but I have a man’s body now. I am not that woman who you might have loved then, I am just a corpse who knows about nothing. This is a new chance for me. I would like you to respect the distance I wish to keep between us if you want me to share a place with you, especially like this.”I screamed out the bold statement.

  Devon instantly pulled his hand away-

  Devon: “I am sorry! I am extremely sorry Dani! I was in some kind of delusion. I had completely forgotten that you have lost your memory. It is just that I feel emotionally so vulnerable when it comes to being about you. But I swear that I won’t touch you. It’s just being friendly; it I meant by, is like reassurance of my support and friendship to you.”

  I was still furious for that offence: “We aren’t friends Devon! Friends understand you. Friends communicate with you even when they are not talking to you. But with you it does no
t feel like that. I am sorry!” I was covering my anger up. I knew I had made a few mistakes in the recent past of which I was not proud of. But it was disturbing enough and I could not tolerate these advances from him.

  The trick was to resist it without causing much damage.

  Devon: “No Dani! I have been very selfish in my conduct. I have not been considerate of your feelings and condition. I only loved one person in my whole life and probably endured through death just because of love. You were never meant to be mine then. C’mon! I was just this little filthy orphan kid! I do not expect to gain anything from you. I just want you to feel that you are not alone. That, there is your this boy who will die smiling for you. Whenever you feel alone and lonely please call me to you. You have me in any situation, whether or not you want me. I know I have been inconsiderate and discriminate. Yes! I am not your friend but trust my words, I will be your confidant one day; one friend you will confide into. The one, on whom you will place your trust; and yes! Silence will be pleasant one day. I did not want to offend you. I confess, I have been a burden on you forever. I just wanted to be your strength this time. But as ever I could not put forth my good intentions. I will be your friend one day Dani. I will not give up in winning your heart. If possible forgive me please.”

  He got up and turned back to walk out of this place, and I could see a little hint to the damage I had caused. Then again, he turned back to face me from a distance and said-

  Devon: “You are and always will be my angel!”

  He walked away till I lost his sight. I looked down at my empty plastic plate and bottles. My heart was akin to the emptiness in front of my eyes. I was gloomy because probably I have just had hurt the only person who might have ever really loved me. Maybe I did not understand the deepest feeling a human heart was capable of, or may be in the subconscious or somewhere I do not know about, I had lost the slightest feeling of faith in it. I had once craved and longed for love.