The water creatures
The water creatures came out of their refuge and took form of a human. Looked at me and lured me into the river with them.
* * *
The pond was at the rear end of the property. The 70’s style tropical house sits on the centre of the site, a tender thin trail take you to the pond; shadowed by a large Lychee tree. As the monsoon rain washes the ground over and over again, the trail becomes muddy and one have to walk slowly. Under the Lychee tree, the mud was specially heavy and reaching the pond becomes a monumental task. Still the residents of the house go to the pond, bucket in hand to fetch water. This was the time when the water creates like to come out of their hiding.
* * *
The water creatures are strange beings, not humans, not animals; maybe a fault in evolution. Maybe they are some kind of amphibians who decided to hide for generations and somehow missed the evolutionary phase of their species. No one in the village really know what are these creatures. Everyone have different stories, some would say they live deep in stagnant water-bodies, eat fish and only comes out in the rainy season because they can’t bear the sun. Some would say they hold their breadth and wait for humans to come near the water, looking for the right moment to pull us inside the water. Once you are inside, they would hold your legs and won’t let you escape. If you are killed by the water creatures, you become one, thats how they reproduce; human death is the birth of the water creatures.
* * *
I remember the faint yellow light piercing the thick fog of the night under the lychee tree. I went out the backyard to pee; in the old house the toilet was separate and one have to go out of the house, walk fifty feet towards the pond. As I walked towards the toilet, I could see the fog thickening under the lychee tree, a faint impression of the tree remained behind the translucent white fog. I was told not to see in the darkness, you shouldn’t make eye contact with the water creatures, they have this strange power to attract you. The fog looked so beautiful and the allure of the unknown beyond the fog felt attractive and suspenseful. I felt this strange desire to walk inside the fog and maybe just touch the lychee tree. My body and mind was overwhelmed by the thought of the lychee tree and the sensation of its touch. I wanted to go inside the fog badly, was this the allure people talk about? Is this the power of the water creatures? I couldn't know till I walk in and come back. Should I ?
* * *
My eyes opened to the sunlight filtering through the mosquito net and fell on the folds of my crushed blanket. The winter sun filled the cold moist room as I looked outside, What time is it? I thought. Suddenly I remembered the fog yesterday night, what happened? Did I enter the fog? I can’t say. I woke up like every day, in my bed. The room was colder, the high ceilings were the same, the broken corner of the door was the same. How did I came back to my room? Last thing I remember was looking at the fog and the faint outline of the lychee tree. I got out of bed and reached for my sweater; my neck was sore, a strange pain. They say, if you twist your neck, hit your pillow twice and put it in the sun, you shall be cured.
I took my pillow and walked out of my room, arrived at the long dark corridor which shall take me to the front-yard. Surprisingly I did not see anyone at the house, I went out, hit my pillow twice and put it to dry on a bamboo fence. the strong sun felt good after a long cold night. Wait a minute, why don’t I see anyone else in the house? Do I live with people? Do I live alone? I tried hard to remember who else lives in this house? My head felt light and dizzy; why can’t I remember who lives in this old house? Is it possible I live alone? No, the house is big with five rooms, how is it possible I live alone here? Since when? The temporary amnesia overwhelmed me and I sat down on the long green bench spread out in the verandah.
