Beyond the hills the sun was setting. The birds had stopped chirping and the magician began to caress the monkey with a stick. The crowd that thronged the magic tent had suddenly dispersed, and they were chattering among themselves. And Siddhartha, the village clerk, stood at the periphery of the tent, looking bleakly at the crying monkey.
He was so worn out. He hadn’t slept for 21 continuous days and it was evident from his gait. He stopped going to the tehsil office and left his small family to fend for itself. Amala, his petite and beautiful wife with hazel eyes, slept after hours of binge crying. Rahul, his young son, looked at her with distrusting, fearful eyes.
Siddhartha wasn’t like this. He would have been the first to wake up and run all over the village. He would go to the market and buy some vegetables. Then he would go to the Mandir and meet the Punditji. Panditji would have been sleeping, and angry at being woken up, he would yell and curse Siddhartha, with his toothless mouth. Then he would take the samovar and start to make tea. He would yell some anecdote and speak about the newest prostitute in the village. Then after drinking the grimy tea, Siddhartha would start walking back home.
Siddhartha loved his family. He loved his wife and child very much. His world was a beautiful bubble consisting of his wife and son.
Everything started changing after the coming of the baba with the magic wand and the monkey.
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“Are yaar, siddha, what happened to you? Are you dead?”
Munnu slapped Siddhartha on the back as he was still staring at the bleeding monkey.
Siddhartha didn’t reply. His stubble had started graying and his hands were trembling. “Oh, those voices again” He muttered to himself.
Why the baba is doing this to me? Why he is controlling me? My thoughts are not my thoughts anymore. Baba has infiltrated my mind and his shenanigans are working. I’m just his silhouette, his slave.
Siddhartha wanted to slap Munnu. He and his ugly, hoarse voice…. He but didn’t do anything and stood like a stubborn rock.
A crow shatted on his head and Siddhartha didn’t even try to wipe it with a towel.
“Siddha, ghar jao yaar… Amala is crying all day…. Please have some mercy at her…”
Munnu was being relentless and Siddhartha this time slapped him on his face.
“Get out you scoundrel. Get out of my way. The ship is coming. It is coming from the stars. You must tell Amala to shut her mouth and be prepared for the Armageddon. “
