THE ART OF LIVING

IT all started the evening when I asked my wife for a dinner outside.As usual I had a silly fight at the hotel with her over an item in the menu.We ate it out and returned .The narrow road was drenched in darkness exept for patches of light let out by two street lights which felt guilty for wasting the state exchequer.My shadows played hide and seek.Suddenly I felt a prick on my foot.Was it a snake?.But my torch in addition to the miserly street light said no.So I continued.I had an eeri feeling and was forced to look behind.Nothing,not even my shadow.O kay,I reached home and went to bed.A strange numbness started slowly from my foot and was ever slowly but steadily creeping over aiming in an upwardly direction.May be shingles and sleep drew me in.As usual the sun was out early and I began to start existing.I felt no more numbness but had an uneasy feeling of lethargy.The morning looked cloudy in spite of bright day light.Alighting from my bed I felt a little bit heavier. And unusually I FELT HUNGRY.This never happened in the last 14 years.My hands reached out to get the newspaper.Infact I even looked at the headlines,but threw it away.What is happening to me.I,had the first puff of the morning and I wretched.The nausea was acute.When it subsided I sipped my coffee it came whole inside out.Is it a viral fever?I soon drove to my hospital.The people in the streets suddenly looked hostile and were staring at me.I felt naked.The scooty on which I was abode started to run in slow motion..Somehow I made it to the hospital.Am I getting crazy?I soon climbed up the stairs,ignoring the usual good mornings from the nurses
As usual as I signed the attendence roster the initials stared back in yellow.Iwas aghast.Funnily all theletters were yellow. I raised my head and looked around.Every thing had yellowish glow.Am I jaundiced.?Awave of nausea passed over.My stomach started pouring extra doses of acid and bile. And the bile regurgitated back to my mouth.Soon the bile diffused all over and felt it seeping in to my blood. Suddenly I felt the silent presence of an intruder in me.He nodded in salute..But the voice thundered I am taking over and meekly I surrendered..Soon the furrows over my forehead doubled..Afixed scowl replaced my usual smile.My face darkened a little.The eyes reddened and a sadistic look took over.The hairs grew more grey..As I washed my face I glanced through the mirror. A satan was staring at me.Soon he had a mocking tone as he whispered You have no choice since it was you who let me IN..I became He .The peon came over with the red old files and in no time fled over my get out.The office staff muttered behind my back-atlast our sir has matured as a true civil servant.I took leave and headed back home.My wife opened the door,looked at me for a fleeting moment.I could see her face reddened and without a word escaped to the kitchen.I was in deep rage.the home became utterly SILENT .Suffocating heaviness overtook the building.The children were bewildered as they returned from school and could feel the cool silence and their voices were subdued as they retired to their room and pretended reading.Tiger the dog stopped wagging his tail and crept to the corner of the room and sorrowfully watched my eyes in utter desperation. Everybody was in an island of his own..It was midnight in the evening.The satan in me danced with glee.I felt asleep as nightmares had a fieldday.I woke up after eternity and immediately felt the affectionate embrace of my wife.THE SATAN IN ME DISINTEGRATED in to nothingness..I felt lighter and the smile returned to my lips.The childrens shouts and peels of laughter cleared the air and the sun as usual showered his brilliant morning light.As I looked in to the mirror with a whistle I could see the very ME.But the mirror muttered I will be back when ever YOU LET ME IN.