In Distress

The following short story makes reality a recurring daydream.

In Distress
The first attempt to break away started early. It was a voice inside me saying: go and never come back. It must have been difficult at that time because I broke away in my mind’s eye. I do believe in something but I can’t define it. I see it coming like a daydream or a film dropping on my eyes when I am fully awake. It is usually something difficult to attain and I find myself obsessed with leaving a deep impression.

When it came back the second time I lost touch with reality and an unknown future opened up in front of my eyes. My gaze was fixed on a faraway place. Still some years passed by till that very message came back. Out of the blue, a male voice said: go, you don’t belong here. I had no idea why he said that and what he meant. But I was no more a child now, so without leaving any message I started walking. It was a lonely road and I walked and walked until I came to place quite different for I noticed people dressed and spoke differently. I had a feeling I knew the place very well. I thought if I went a few miles farther I would come to a coffee shop round a corner.

When I arrived there I could see some workers were putting a window into a wall but taking another one down. I recognised it at once. The counter, the tables and the chairs looked exactly as they appeared to me. As usual I went to the counter and ordered a black coffee. Then a female voice behind me said: Hi, at last you are here I was waiting for you. Why did you wait so long? I didn’t know what to say when I turned to face her. There was something in her voice and face beyond description. She was about thirty. Her hair was short and soft. I felt like touching it and kissing her eyes. I hesitated first and found it difficult to keep eye contact but then when my eyes turned away I found myself saying: Oh, I am sorry it was a long way and there were no signs so I got lost a few times. She smiled beautifully and said: I promise you’ll never get lost again if you promise to stay. I remember I said: sorry there is still a long way to go. Then I careered down a slope and continued walking.

I walked and walked but as always I was not aware how long I walked. Time passed and passed and darkness set in. I must have been unconscious for some time but when I came to, the same familiar female face and voice I met in the coffee shop re-appeared. Don’t worry she said it’s me. You can’t continue walking so long like that as you are very weak now. Your feet are killing you. I have to take you to the hospital for some time. I broke out in a sweat but when I tried to break away she caught me firmly. A short time later an ambulance arrived. Some people were in a rush and I heard one of them say: it is serious I don’t think he will survive. I don’t know how long I was in the hospital but one day I heard voices whispering: Where is he from? His condition is still very serious. Does he have a family or relatives here to contact them? We can’t do anything for him. A voice inside me replied: please let me go or I will be late. There is still a long distance to go.

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