WOODS

“Hello!” I answered my friend’s call as I sat in the posh couch on the balcony of our farm house located at the center of our estate, which my husband inherited from his father, is situated in the hilly forest area of Dehradun, thirty five miles away from Mussoorie where we live now. As I comforted myself with the cup of tea, in the purple colored cushion couch with the yellow embroidery made in linen, I gazed at the snowflakes from my terrace, it is the mid-winter late-night and Dehradun is known for frequent snowfalls, disappearing into the darkness. “What made you call me at this time? Is that anything that I could do for you?” I asked Misha after sharing the pleasantries. “Nothing special Anne. It had been a quite long time, so thought of catching up with you” “oh” I replied. As she started her natter I got engulfed by something else. This place has always been a reason for my curiosity, more than its peculiarity and grandeur; it is the myth that whirls around the dark forests of Dehradun fascinated me. As I vaguely glanced through the pages of a book, sat over the glass top of a rectangular table made of redwood, named The secrets of Dehradun: Life(s) in the Woods, in which a few lines in the page three caught my attention “It is believed that, even today, in the heart of the woods, there are dark creatures like werewolves and vampires living invisible and invincible. They are said to be existing in the other side of the Guchhu pani river also known as Robbers cave which is prohibited for human purpose and it is also supposed that the human vicinity is forbidden for those creatures to enter”. It is the last copy of the book that has been written by a Historiographer Thomas Dean, which is said to have written in the 18th century. The original manuscript and the unpublished copies of this book had been destroyed by a fire accident in Dean’s house which also killed him. This tale is recounted by an old Librarian of the District Library of Dehradun, from whom I got this copy for 50000 rupees, had possessed this book which he claimed that his fore father got it from the ruins of Dean’s house and till now it has been their family inheritance. This book had burnt marks in most of its pages; its hard cover had been blackened by fire but couldn’t diminish the glory of gold impression in the title that seems to be etched instead of printed. I took a sip of my tea from the gold plated antique brass cup and tried listening to Misha’s batter without actually listening. The snow fall is becoming heavy, so I took my copy of The secrets of Dehradun: life(s) in the woods in my right hand and holding my mobile near my left ear, I walked through the lobby to the fireplace to escape the bitter cold. This place has always been my favorite, the paintings of Da Vinci, Gustav Klim, Ravi Varma and Rembrandt hanged over the walls, are my husband’s collection. He being the adherent fanatic of antique things and art works gets his hand in every possible precious item that he happens to comes across. The one that magnetized me is the facsimile of The Storm on the Sea of Galilee, an amazing artwork by the Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn of Seventeenth century. It is a seascape which illustrates the miracle of Christ calming the tempest on the Sea of Galilee. The vicious waves symbolize, to me, the unsettled emotions of human mind that ruins the journey. Like the tempest had been tamed by the Christ, one’s wavering thoughts has to be restrained to impose peace. The warmth begun enfogging me as I sat near the Fireplace and to increase the heat I fed few more logs to the flames and stirred slightly causing the fire to roar and devour. I felt a strange sense of dread mounting inside me. It may be due to the exhaustion after an elongated day. I desperately needed a deep slumber and never wanted to be awake at all and it dawned to me that I could not rely on Misha to end the conversation. I have to take the matter in my hands “Are you done with your gossips Misha”? I halted her banter finally giving up on her. It has been thirty minutes, still she’s blabbering, not even bothering to know whether I’m listening or not. “Yeah yeah, But you didn’t tell me what you have been doing these days?” Misha inquired not wanting to stop the conversation. I could not help rolling my eyes. “Misha, it’s indeed a long day. I think I need some sleep and the time is already fifteen past twelve” my voice could not suppress my frustration. “But why not some more time… let us talk na.. pleaseee.” “Mishh…” “Hey Anne what’s that sound” she intruded me. This girl is impossible. What all she’s doing to keep me chatting. “Misha that will do, I’m going to disconnect the call. Now you sleep and let me sleep” “Anna I’m not lying, don’t you hear anything. I could hear someone singing. Is anyone else home except you?” I knew at once that she’s not lying, when she repeated her question I could manage only to utter “No” not because of the quivering in Misha’s voice but the echoing sound nearing behind me. A dreadful chillness ran over my spines as if the warmth in the place has been drained and a mysterious fear gripped my heart. I could feel my heart throbbing traitorously but no more could sense my breath. I stood rooted in the place still holding on to my dear phone and life, waiting for this disembodied unhuman voice, shrilling over the walls of my house to reach me, and hoping beyond the hopes that it is indeed a terrible dream that I would wake up anytime soon. “Who’s that Anne?” Misha’s anxious voice ringed in my ears but could not find my voice. The hum, ghostly than before, not exactly a song, made my nerves shudder. I tried dreadfully recalling something about the lines I’m hearing now. I know it is nothing to do with my way out of this crisis but I comprehended through the words that it is a poem of Robert Frost Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening but not with the exact lines as I heard the appalling voice singing more clearly than ever…

The woods are lovely, dark and deep
I have promises to keep
And seconds to go before you sleep
Only seconds remain before I could make you sleep
…

To be continued…