BOTTLE OF LIFE- a short film

HOLISM

                              

                            CREEPO MEETS FLAME DANCER

Embers of the dead flesh churned red hot. Smoke blackened the twilight and the Sun was anxious to set. Loud sobs, showy belabours, heartfelt condolences and traditional ritual-dramas had ceased. Silence helped the soul find its salvation. It found levity and freedom from all worldly hitches; no pressures of winning, no hardships of failure, no loving betrayals to blame for and no loved ones to be betrayed. All alone, and all alone in the amidst of soul-less bodies. The wind poked, and cued if it was ready.

                   ‘TOO EARLY!!!!! ‘, the soul exclaimed.

It wanted every tint of the rest-in-peace to be savored before departure. A journey having no comeback and having no flashbacks and memories. To be among the carriers, the mass-less vagrants; the winds ……..  and get floated into the oblivion. Faint traces of burned memories smothered as coal-black across its abstract physique. But the wind was abstinent on being nostalgic…....  It was time….

                   ‘ADIOS ………. ‘

With the wind gearing up to high alto, the soul fastened its seat belts, though nothing would further cause a damage bigger … and closed its eyes of freedom for a trice ….. And gone …………. Smoothest take off ever.

                   “ TA-TA tA-TA !!!!!!!!!!!! “;

Seeing of the soul, CREEPO laughed in intermittent hushes. His lame right leg hard stepped an awkward rhyme and his farewell song nudged the dwellers of the crematorium. Creepo; that’s how people called him, re-buried the soil he moved out for the soul-passage and posted the famous CREEPO’S SIGN over the funeral pyre; a stick tied on top with a gibberish sign board which actually meant to say;

                   ‘MY FRIEND IS SLEEPING DEEP INSIDE’.

Creepo was born in the premises of ARAAMA crematorium. Nobody knew to whom he was born or to where he belonged. The previous undertaker and his mother looked after the little Creepo till he grew up to 9; following the sudden death of the undertaker, Creepo was left abandoned and his foster Grandma was nowhere seen. From that day, the lame boy looked after funeral business and proved to be a better mortician. His awkward behavior, intergalactic language and dingy dressing gave him the name Creepo and none cared what his real name was. Once a philanthropist lady came with her affiliates to rescue the boy. He first nodded to go with them but when the van geared up he yelled at deafening altos; leaving the lady, a sole option of letting him out. After that none came to fight for the then 14yr old boy or to talk of constitutional rights. Owner of the crematorium unofficially made Creepo, his employee, paying him in terms of food and clothes.

In spite of being eccentric mentally, Creepo never misbehaved in his profession. He was well aware of the Hindu rituals; collected bones and ashes of the burnt dollop, carefully stuffed them in sized pots and sequentially stashed them until collection. Some customers would bring the ritualist to the crematorium and perform the customary practices. Creepo would then become the obedient henchman; providing an affiliate support in the rituals. Moreover, when the corporation brought in recluse dead bodies of the abandoned and the unidentified, Creepo might get into the suits of a ritualist, citing meaningless chants and farewell mantras before burning them .On festive days, the village men would call him to help in decoration and other menial works, giving him a recess from his stereotyped repertoire…

Creepo took two more firewood and blew across the embers, inciting fire. A few minute ignition was left before he could extinguish for bone collection. The air above it had gone lighter and lighter, mirroring the objects beyond them. Creepo always loved looking through the hot air. Tall stiff trees bent their bark, river water toppled in vortex across the film, and even the wind swerved its way, letting the tempered molecules to pass. Through the grey smoke he saw a grotesque figure dancing like a snake near a heap of ash. Creepo looked again through the flames and YES!!!, this the same figure he thought he saw the previous day near a funeral pyre but mistook as a vortex of smoke.It moved to and fro the same way it did. Creepo felt something different, and whatever different came into his life, Creepo never wanted to miss. He eagerly waited for the flesh to vaporise, stacked the nice, shaped bones into a pot and cleaned the premises. He then moved towards the grotesque,,,, but it was nowhere seen!!. Creepo couldn’t fathom his bad luck….

                   ‘IT IS MISSING!!!! ‘.

He took a few dry leaves and saw dust, and put a flame. But he couldn’t see that through the flames too. He was totally dismayed. He took the staff, that he used to beat stray dogs loitering to scavenge across the crematorium; and bet hardly himself on his torso…

                   “ HAAAAGHAAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHH “;

He cried in utter anger towards himself. Missing something that could give him a recess,, a break. He felt like a murder culprit confessing his guilt in a court; mind full of regret…. He lied there crying louder and louder, cursing some unknown characters of some unknown mythologies.. He yelled and yelled, and fell asleep…

                        “There are 82 corpses to be cremated.”;

                        “How will I ?? “;

                        “ You’re paid for that !!!“;

                        “ How does this enormous number came ?? “;

                        “ Yesterday in the city junction, an accident occurred . All died. Two filled minivans of schoolchildren hit each other. “;

                        “Then why their parents can’t take them home “;

                        “ It’s impossible to know who is who. Heads, hands, legs; all apart. As the bus went on fire for few minutes, their id cards also got destroyed. So all parents came into an agreement to burn them here. “;

                        “But,,,,,,   No …. It’s not possible.. How can a mother mistake her child’s face???. Tell them to look again!!!!! “;

                        “You don’t know the scenario. “;

                        “ What bloody scenario are you talking ???”;

                        “ You leave your white chicken in a meat shop. The butcher chopped it with a ten similar chickens, assorted. Without prior notice, if you’re asked to sort out the chicken’s parts, will you be able to ????. Such is the scenario here. And don’t bloody retort when I ask y---- “;

Sounds of truck-wheels screeching overpowered the voices of the arguing men. The tipper trucks started unloading. Creepo waited to see what was unloading while his owner turned his back. Stinking smell and scarlet hue en-swathed the requiem. Seeing the debris, Creepo got nauseated………………   82 dead bodies. Or rather, 82 dead assortments……………………………………………….

Creepo felt himself puking…. Suddenly huge amount of light,,, Huge amount in legions!!!!!!!!!!!........

It was 10am. Creepo is an early riser but that day, illicit dreams lulled him for long. He felt really gross; repulsed, losing his hold; the glimpse of dead bodies speared through his eye lids. What better dreams could interfere a man living with corpses!!!!!!!!!…………………………………………. But he was smiling,,,, He heard himself talking,,, having a stylish voice and speaking affluently to his master. He was sure that his master understood his language, something that never occurred to him in real life.

He washed his eyes to get completely rid of remnants of the dream. He started feeling the hunger when returned to his senses; mixing the wheat flour with water he became reminiscent of the previous day. That figure…. Who could it be ?? Suddenly it occurred to him.He dropped the pan and ran to the funeral pyre where he was sitting… He knew it belonged to a young soul, a case of suicide. The teen jumped from a cliff and bled to death. Creepo had used less firewood to reach the boiling point for him.

                   ‘ BUT WHO WAS THAT ???’.

Eating the self-prepared disgusting porridge, Creepo lived through his memories of that grotesque. The mysterious flame-dancer; that’s how he remembered it. He could realize without knowing what it was, no way he was going to be calm.

                   ‘ BUT WHAT IS TO BE DONE ??’;

He had no plans….. Somehow he decided not to budge away from that funeral pyre but wait for that mystery to return back. He took his staff, supported the lame leg enough to run fast and brushed his teeth in anticipation of having a ‘conversation’; Grandma once said to him some dreams you see come true if you really wish for that awake..

It was 5:30 in the evening, when that grotesque resurfaced. Yup,, it was a living human being. Living with corpses Creepo had never yet found any apparitions; though many children mistook him as one. He doubted in the deeper conscience if he was seeing one, but now he was sure. And his mission was ON…..

He moved closer to the figure. A male,,,, a male human,,, the FLAME-DANCER. Creepo found levity within him. Half of his lost vibe was back. He felt energized and moved closer to the flame-dancer..

The male being; a teen again, sat near the funeral pyre, and started moving to and fro, chanting something. Creepo sat a furlong farther and waited for the chant to get over. Around half an hour went by. Creepo waited, and waited,,, and waited…. Finally the teen stopped chanting, moved into a squatting stature, and started genuflecting.. Creepo found that odd, but waited in anticipation.

                   ‘THIS IS GOING TO BE INTERESTING’;

After a series of ups and downs, the flame-dancer stood up, and looked around. Suddenly he saw Creepo and got startled.

                   “WHO ARE YOU ? “;

Creepo didn’t answer but looked at his home. The teen understood that he was the mortician.

                   “I NEED SOME TIME ALONE,, YOU MAY GO.. “;

Creepo nodded his head but didn’t move. The teen waited but Creepo stood awkwardly looking at him. The teen threw a note of 100/- and signed Creepo to move away. Creepo knelt down and took the note; returning it to the teen he got reposed. Flame-dancer was actually in flames now. He took a stick and tried to scare Creepo,,, but Creepo maneuvered to snatch that stick and threw it away. The teen was in utter shock now. He was totally unclear of the scene.

                   ‘WHAT HELL DOES THIS GUY WANTS !!!???’;

He slowly sat beside the funeral pyre and sat confused; his hands on his head. Creepo sat opposite to him looking at his face. He surely wanted to talk but his tongue remained stiff. Silence brew around them with winds prodding them in between to talk…. Finally the ice melted on the teen’s side.

                   “WHAT DO YOU WANT MY FRIEND ??? “;

Creepo felt happy hearing that. He got rejuvenated, straightened his spine and started showing actions,,,

                   “THAT’S GREATTTTT !!!! NOW I’LL HAVE TO DECODE YOU’RE ACTIONS !!!!!!!!!!! “;

Creepo acted him to wait; he took his staff and pointed towards the teen,

                   “ME ???”;

Creepo nodded; He then took a magazine from his shirt-pocket. It had the picture of a model named Urmila. Creepo touched near the title NAME: , and again pointed towards the teen..

                   “MY NAME????. WHY DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MY NAME??”;

Creepo shrugged.

                   “OH GOD!!.. OK,, MY NAME IS VIVEK. I’M A B-TECH STUDENT. MY HOME IS IN DOWNTOWN. ANYTHING ELSE ???”;

Creepo couldn’t understand what the flame-dancer a.k.a Vivek said after his name. But he nodded in compliance, showing gratitude..

                   “NOW WILL YOU PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE ???????”;

Creepo took the staff in his right hand and pointed it towards the funeral pyre. Ashes of firewood has not been cleaned from that burn-ground. Usually after a burning, it took a three-day wait in cleaning the area. And it was the last day before cleaning. Creepo acted Vivek it would be cleaned by that night. Vivek nodded his head.

                   “I KNOW THAT. TODAY IS THE END FOR ALL. AND FOR THAT REASON I’M ASKING YOU TO LEAVe ME ALONE.. I NEED SOME TIME THOUGH I’M RUNNING OUT OF IT ”;

Creepo smiled at the poetic words of Vivek. He could fathom his new friend was getting irritated. But he was a relentless pest.

The next thing Creepo wanted to know was the relation between the dead and alive. A series of trial and errors finally made Vivek clear of the question. Though Vivek showed reluctance, he resembled teenage girls; seeking their male interest to prod more and more, though they are ready for the same…

But there were reasons for Vivek to act so ……………………………………………………

Eventually Vivek succumbed to Creepo’s persistent plea and asked him to stay calm till he completed;

                   “ACTUALLY I WANTED TO SAY ABOUT ME AND MANAV TO SOMEONE. PROBABLY GOD BROUGHT YOU HERE KNOWING THE SAME. AND I GUESS YOU’RE THE APT CHOICE….. “;

Like a 5 yr. old child he sat in front of his Flame-dancer, waiting to hear his bravado.

                   “HE WAS MY BEST BUDDY. MANAV…… WE WERE TOGETHER AT A HOMESTAY AT DOWNTOWN. YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS CAME TO THAT PLAYGROUND TO PLAY FOOTBALL, BUT HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS REQUIEM. IF HE WAS HERE, HE WOULD HAVE SAID THAT IN HIS DESI SLANG..... I LOVED THAT KIRK DIALECT. “;

Creepo didn’t recognize a word he said. But nodded his head in complete agreement. Seeing a living human looking at his face directly without awe, sharing some holy notions and spending time for his request. Aaaaahhhhh !!!!!!!!what more !!!!!!! ;

                   “ALL OUR CLASSMATES ENVIED OUR FRIENDSHIP. BOSOM BUDDIES, THAT’S HOW OTHERS CALLED US. EVERY EVENINGS WE CLUBBED TOGETHER FOR SOME PRANKS… FRIENDS FEARED A B’DAY PRANK FROM US AND NEVER INVITED FOR THE PARTIES, BUT WE ARE,,,,,,   WERE UBIQUITOUS………………………………………………………….. “;

Creepo saw the mood changing in Vivek. He stood up and acted if there was a problem..

Vivek actioned Creepo to sit and said;

                   “YOU PLEASE SIT THERE AND LET ME FINISH, I’VE TOO MEAGER TIME TO WASTE IT…… I’LL SPEED MYSELF UP. “;

Creepo sat in compliance..

                   “OUR CAMARADERIE WAS GOING IN FINE, IMPECCABILITY TILL THE BI…. SORRY, THAT GIRL CAME INTO HIS LIFE. HAVE YOU SEEN HIM??? NO RIGHT???  A HANDSOME CUTIE PIE. SEVERAL BUSTY GIRLS HAD AN EYE ON HIM BUT HE WAS NO WAY DOCILE IN THE BEGINNING. HE NEEDED A GIRL OF SIMPLICITY, NO SHOW OFFS, NATURAL AND PRISTINE. I HAD GIVEN HIM A LOT OPTIONS BUT HE SEEMED TO BE A PERFECTIONIST. . . :;

…………………………….

…………………………….

…………………………….

AND THEN WE SAW THAT MOVIE OF VAMPIRES,,,, THAT POPULAR MELODRAMA AMONG BLOOD THIRSTS. AND HE WAS TOO ROMANTIC AFTER IT. I HATED THAT MOVIE FROM THE CORE OF HEART AND TEASED HIM ON HIS NAIVETY BUT, HE WAS IN NO WAY DWINDLING FROM HIS PEAK OF LEVITY. HE BECAME SOFT-HEARTED AND STARTED MINGLING WITH GIRLS IN FUNK. HE WAS LOOSING HIS IDENTITY, OR AT LEAST I FELT SO ,,, YEAH…. I FELT HE WAS CHANGING….. BEING A WOMAN’S MAN ….

WE USUALLY WENT AT NIGHTS TO THE PORT AND ATE SEAFOOD. OUR HOSTEL MATES ALSO ACCOMPANIED. BUT THEN HE WENT TO SOME PUBS IN THE TOWN WITH BOYS OF ‘SOUVENIR PLAZA’, THAT POSH HOSTEL NEAR OUR COLLEGE .. YOU KNOW IT RIGHT????? “;

Creepo nodded..

“DAYS PASSED BY.. HIS ACADEMICS WENT POOR AND HIS SHAPE WENT OGRE. HE HAD NEW HIGHFALUTIN MATES SPILLING MONEY LIKE WATER DROPLETS AND NEW HENCH WOMEN SEARCHING HIS UNDERPANTS. AN UTTERLY TAILOR-MADE FANCIFUL WORLD ONE MIGHT GET FOR SPOILAGE……

I HAD HOPE HE’LL RETURN TO HIS OLD COMPOSURE…BUT……………..

NOW,,,, HE’S HERE.. “;

Creepo knew however that his story was not over, though he had stopped talking. With the phrases he realized, he had made up his version, and that too didn’t reach to its climax… So he eagerly waited for his friend’s resume…..

“AND THEN SHE CAME TO MY LIFE,, OUR LIFE….. THAHIRA… AN ORTHODOX MUSLIM BEAUTY. YOU KNOW, FRIEND ????... I’M A BRAHMIN…AND MANAV BELONGS TO KSHATRIYA . BUT……………..

SHE WAS MY JUNIOR AT COLLEGE. TWO YEAR YOUNGER. SHE CAME AS A SOLACE IN MY LIFE. WHEN I LOST MY FRIEND IN MIDWAY, SHE FILLED THAT SPACE ACCOMPANYING ME IN THE JOURNEY. AT FIRST I DEVOURED HER BEAUTY REMAINING IN DISGUISE.. BUT A FRIEND OF MINE,,, A BLOODY FUCKING FRIEND NOTICED MY CAREEN TOWARDS HER. PROBABLY SHE TOO GOT NOTIFIED…. THEN THIS FRIEND TOLD HER ABOUT MY INTEREST AND MADE ME TO SAY THAT IN PERSON….. AND YOU KNOW WHAT?????? SHE APPEAREDWILLING!!!!, SHE SMILED WHEN I PROPOSED !!!!!!!.. AND EVERY HUMAN BEING BORN AS MALE WOULD ASSUME IT AS AN ACCEPTANCE… ME TOO… BUT YOU KNOW FRIEND,, TO KNOW A GIRL’S ACTS, ENCRYPTED WITH A LEGIONS OF MESSAGES, A BOY SHOULD STUDY ‘FEMINOLOGY’,,, I DUNNO IF SUCH A THING EXISTS….. HAHAHAHAHAHA “;

Creepo joined Vivek in his laugh but was unaware what was THAT for. He also was unaware that his speaker had gone hysteric…..

“AND THEN IT WAS MY TURN. TO GET LOST AND TO GET FANCIED, I TALKED TO HER FOR HOURS AND LAUGHED AND SMILED AND DID EVERYTHING AN AMOUR WANTED,, ENJOYING THE PRESENCE OF HIS LOVE INTEREST.. I GUESS IT WAS A SYMBIOTIC FEEL GOING ON BETWEEN US… AAAHHH…LIFE WAS IN THE ALTOS OF PINNACLE, WHEN MY BEST BUDDY RESURFACED INTO MY TRACK..HIS FRIENDS PROBABLY WAVED HIM OFF WHEN HIS LUSTER HAD GONE BLACKENED. HE CAME TO COLLEGE WITH THE SMELL OF COCKTAIL AND CIGAR IN HIS TALKS, TWISTING THE GIRLS WITH THE MACHO-EFFECT. HIS ALL TIME PRESENCE CREATED A BUZZ AMONG THE NEW-GEN LADIES AND THE WILLING-TO-BE-NEW-GEN LADIES…

THOUGH HE WENT TEETOTAL, HIS MOLDED BEHAVIOR DIDN’T LEAVE HIM. AN UNCHANGING,UNEASY,LURING HANGOVER OF BOOZE AND BROADS HAD ALREADY GALLOPED HIM…….

AND THUS HE BECAME MY HEART-BREAKER. HE WAS ATTRACTED TO THAHIRA………………………………………

…………………………………………………..

HE HAD LOTS OF CHICKS STRADDLING HIM BUT HE LIKED THIS BEAUTY IN DISGUISE. AND THE AFFILIATE HE APPROACHED TO EXPRESS HIS LUST-SMOTHERED-LOVE WAS HIS OLD,BEST BUDDY…..   THE UNFORTUNATE, DESPICABLE ME………………….

YOU KNOW, I FELT HAPPY BECAUSE HE SAID TO ME…. I KNEW,, OR BELIEVED THEN, SHE WOULD REJECT HIM AND SO HIS AFFAIR WON’T GO IN PUBLIC,,, THUS UNTAINTING HER FROM A SCANDAL….

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA……… THE JACKASS ME,,,,,,,  HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA …….

YOU KNOW MY FRIEND,,,, THESE GIRLS,,, THEIR TALKS ,,, THEIR ACTS,,,, THEY SAY “HALLO” AND YOU CAN INTERPRET A 100 TYPES OF HALLOOS FROM THAT… WHEN THEY ARE QUESTIONED OF THAT,,, THEY SCOOTS WITH A RETORT, “WHY DID YOU INTERPRET SO ASSHOLE ???!!!!!! “ ………THESE FLOOZY SLATTERNS ARE UNAWARE THAT TO INTERPRET SOMETHING IS THE LONE OPTION THEY LEAVE FOR US,,,,,,  THE BOYS…. “;

Creepo was starting to feel uneasy …. This new friend was getting quirkier and quirkier……

“SHE SMILED…… SHE SMILED WHEN I SAID ABOUT MANAV’S CRAP LOVE INTEREST. SHE SMILED WIDER WHEN I SAID HIS LOVE IS MORE LUST-DRIVEN AND NOT COMPASSIONATE LIKE MINE…. AND SHE SMILED LOOKING AWAY WHEN I QUERIED IF SHE FELT MY PROPOSAL IN ANY WAY DIFFERENT THAN HIS……

SHE SMILED…………………………. AND SMILED …………….. AND SMILED……..

THE NEXT DAY I TOOK HIM TO THE TOP OF CHAILINDA HILL AND ASKED…..IF HE WAS SERIOUS ABOUT THAHIRA…..

HE SAID HE IS IN THE PATH OF REMORSE…. HE HAD STARTED FEELING HIS WRONG WAY OF LIVING AND THE CREDIT WENT TO THE BEAUTY OF ARABIA.. HE ASSURED IT WAS NOT HER BOOBS AND BUMPS THAT LURED HIM BUT SHE AS A WOMAN…. A PEARL MADE OF PEARL,,,, THAT’S HOW HE DECORATED HER……

AND THEN I SAID TO HIM HOW SHE WAS TO ME… HOW SHE REACTED WHEN I PROPOSED,,, AND HOE SHE REACTED WHEN I PROPOSED FOR HIM….. BUT HE WAS RELENTLESS ON HER… HE WAS STERN ON HER …..HE PRETENDED HIS LOVE STRONGER… I WAS ANGRY,,, I SAID I WONT LET HER GO AWAY. THOUGH I CARED MORE FOR HIM, I DEMANDED FOR HER…. BUT HE SLAPPED ME ON FACE,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

A WILD MOMENT OF ANGER… A MOMENTOUS OUTBURST OF SURVIVAL FOR LOVE…. A GODFORSAKEN INSTANT OF UNLUCKY….

……………………………………………………………….

……………………………………………………………….

I PUSHED HIM……..

I DIDN’T KNEW IT WOULD END LIKE ……. THIS………..

I PUSHED HIM………

AND NOW HE’S HERE……

…………………………………..”;

He started crying….. Creepo almost know the reason for it. His concocted version had also come to an end…. Creepo stood up and walked towards the funeral pyre and sat in squats. He heard footsteps behind him and saw the Flame Dancer very close to him…

“I NEED YOU’RE HELP… WILL YOU HELP ME TIE MY HANDS AND EYES???? “;

Creepo couldn’t comprehend at first but when he acted for the help, he nodded with utmost reverence. He willingly helped others,, especially when he was asked for..

He tied his hands and eyes with fresh white cloth and moved him forward as Vivek directed him….

They reached near the river. Vivek could feel the moisture in his foot.

“ WILL YOU FETCH ME SOMETHING TO EAT???? “;

Creepo tapped his shoulder, asking him to wait for a second and ran to his kitchen.. On his way back, he heard the sound of a big mass falling into the river. He no longer could see his Flame Dancer. He ran back and looked through the river but the flow across downriver was fast. He didn’t knew swimming…….. He waited to see his lone friend to resurface ,,,, but ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ……………………………..

Creepo came back to his shelter…. He felt his eyes damp but he was not crying. He took few logs of wood and made a heap closest his shelter. He burned it and looked through it again, if he could see him, He couldn’t. . He eavesdropped to hear if his friend’s soul spoke to the wind, It didn’t …. He tried till the last ember got extinguished………………………………..

He performed the Creepo rituals and prayed to all Gods of his worship to get his Flame Dancer, composure at whichever world he would cruise to. He wished the wind would take him to Manav…………………..

                   “TA-TA……….. TA-TA…………”;

He made a sign board,,, the most tallest sign board on the pyre. He wrote something,,,, which meant,,,,,,,,,,,,,

                   “CREEPO’S BEST FRIEND IS SLEEPING DEEP INSIDE… “;

----------------------------------------the end----------------------------------------------

                                                                             LAMA SIGNING OUT………