3 Apr 2007

BY THE RIVER

I wrote this strange article while standing on a hill overlooking a river just behind my school. I had a strange, magical feeling though most people just saw it as a dry hill and dirty river.


Clusters of dried, wild shrubs made an unruly brown carpet at my feet. Thin, thorny green vines wrapped themselves around my legs. All these seeped out of the sunburned sand in the midst of a large crocodile-jaw shaped boulder. They grabbed me tight to the place I was standing. Huge scorpion holes glistened dangerously in the sunlight. The wind gently touched my face…it was a calm, warm wind gently playing with my hair. My hair enjoyed for the first time, dancing to the winds soothing ‘whooooooo’ tunes .I was at a dangerous position…one push could send me toppling into the depths of the muddy ‘Mithii River’. But I wasn’t frightened… I knew I was being held tight by nature.


That place may have looked like a junkyard to many. But for me, it was a fairyland. I looked to my right…what I saw was odd. There was a neat cluster of trees- a big dark-green one, others had small light leaves, there were some climbers, and there were also fern-like plants. These plants didn’t seem affected by the wind. Only one huge tree rustled gently, acknowledging the wind. I also spotted an old rickety structure. It was white, and crumbling like a moldering wedding cake…there was a tiny picture of Jesus on it [ from what I remember when I came here before]…my imagination raced…what if it was a haunted house? Or perhaps secret barracks for soldiers? … Or a writers hut?….

I turned to go back! I had to explore that place! The thorny stems recoiled to there original place… threateningly. The wild shrubs turned there heads away with the wind… the wind needled me… millions of tiny, hot pins were poking my delicate legs… dust gathered in huge whirlpools, irritating my eyes. I blinked… nature was angry with me… I had shown them that I was another human, interested in exploring some man-made structure rather then seeing what they wanted to show me. “I’m sorry,” I pleaded. The hot wind seemed to make me turn and face a huge stone. It GREW on another hill. It was roughly shaped like a serpents head. “Wow!” I exclaimed, “Now that’s a wonder!” I smiled as I followed my boisterous class inside. The wind blew again… and I thought I saw the rock swaying gently…