Midnight Cry

I was with my cousin and her daughter heading back to Thimphu. The luck was not with us that day. We started from home around 12:30 p.m and on the way, the car we were in broke down. We spent the night in a lone hotel that stood on the way. The car was repaired we were told but, when we had started again and when we were in the middle of nowhere it broke down again. It was 3:30 a.m and complete darkness lurked around us. We were scared to even get out of the car. To make the matters worse, it rained heavily. The dawn greeted us finally and we got lift in a truck. The road was blocked and we waited for what seemed like forever...the national labours came and at last we drove towards our destination. We reached Bumthang around 7:30 p.m and it was already dark then. We were wrong to think that, it was the end of the remarkably, dark and foggy day.

It was 12:30 a.m, just half past midnight, when I suddenly woke up. I thought, I heard a sudden, frightened, shrill voice. I couldn't really make out if I was dreaming. I couldn't get back to sleep. The peace of my mind was all disturbed. No sooner was a drifting back to sleep, I heard footsteps in the corridor. I couldn't understand who would get up in the middle of the night. I was driven into a sleepless fear. I pulled the blankets and covered my whole face trying to sleep. It was a hopeless struggle.

Before I had fallen asleep, I was driven into a (an) hallucination of souful adventure. In a dream-like state, I was in the hands of someone. He took my hand and led me out of the room. I couldn't speak a word. He looked so pale and unhappy. He was a very close friend of mine for years. Finally, when I was out of the door, I managed to ask where we were going. He only pointed out to the path outside. It was a footpath in the midst of willow trees. We walked...my hand tucked in his, without speaking a word. It was dark and cloudy...the sky itself seemed overcast with unhappy shadows. Something in me warned me not to go further and I was scared but I didn't want to leave him alone. He was dear to me in so many ways. When we reached a valley, he held my face close to him, felt it with his hand and then, shook his head side to side. He took a deep breath, held me close to him and whispered to me: "My dear friend, you have been a very close friend. You came into my life when I was left behind by the world. You gave me the meaning I thought I lost. No matter what, I will remain a true friend. I don't have more time. I hurt to say this, but say I must. I had no choice but to leave when my end neared...Goodbye, my dear friend." Then, he loosened his grip and moved backwards...always looking at me. He looked at me until the dark clouds enveloped him and he disappeared behind it.

I knew something was wrong. Suddenly, I got up from the bed. I looked around to find my cousin sister and her daughter sleeping soundly. I felt so frightened and wrecked. I began to worry about my friend who came in my dream. I was so restless and I wanted to reach Thimphu that night itself.

I reached Thimphu to find him gone...really gone. He had come to say goodbye to me. I think it wasn't just a dream. His consciousness really came and communicated with mine. With my heart all pained, I had to accept his departure. But, I know he is not really gone...not from my world. I know he is somewhere and I want to think that he knows I think of him.