Breeze In The Old Building | Dr. Bina Biswas | Part - 1

Breeze in the Old Building

        Breeze stood near the gate of the old building and asked the gatekeeper in a low voice,

        "Will you let me in please?"

        The gatekeeper hugged her and said, "Yes dear! By all means!"

        After touching the doorman's tossing mane and tartar beard slightly, Breeze flew inside the building and was greeted by her friends who were trapped in there for years together. They sighed in relief as if they had got a breather when Breezer had steeped in. The rugged pillar on the veranda grimaced seeing Breeze corning in and emitted a steamy breath. She went from hall to hall, from one room to another and stopped at the attic. The oldish upcountry putrid air glowered at her from the ceiling and said,

        "What brings you here, Breeze after so many years?"

        "It is terrible there, outside, uncle Storm-Beaten! I almost suffocated myself to death with poison all around me."

        "So please tell me about all this, Breeze. I have not gone out to this house now for a long time," said Storm Beaten with an exasperated sigh.

        "Yes uncle Storm Beaten! I will narrate the entire story to you, but first let me go and meet all the others," yelled Breeze while going out of the room.

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        Most of the old buildings, shrouded by haze and mystery, were sparsely stacked up with lonely rooms and very few inhabitants. Black and brown mould dotted the ceiling in clusters, evident of rain seeping through the roof. Some rooms were small with pitched ceilings and ancient adornments and a basement, by the side of a river. It took at least a day on a horse-carriage to get there from the nearest town. Forlorn trails, wolves that streak past like silver shooting star, little rivulets that appear from nowhere and whoosh through the terrains, hilly grass that sway their heads in silence, trees that stood alone on hilltops, birds that glide miles above during the day and owl hoots covered in darkness could be found on the way. The moonlight cast a grisly glow on the house. Vines formed a twisted labyrinth around the side of the house, reaching their tentacles towards the roof. The walls of the house showed the black decay of neglect. Splotches of original paint hinted at the house's former opulence. Cobwebs covered the corners of the doors while tiny black spiders threaded towards their prey.

        Breeze walked at a brisk pace on her way down the staircase. She raised her head and stiffened her body, and gazing silently at her friends, stopped. Mrs. Windy had lost all her charm, her youth and vigour had given way to a wrinkly body and drooping eyelids. She was so blown away in her young days that Tornadoes and Storms used to fear her sometimes. Now she sat in a gloomy corner of a room and brooded eternally. Breeze was so happy to have come into the old building that she almost forgot her miserable days outside the bungalow.

        She remembered her visit to the rainforest as if it were a distant dream. Great, indifferent mountains by the river with rocks rolling against the water had looked stunning. Breeze was thrilled and had pleaded, "O great mountains! Grass, bush, flowers, sky, birds and river, I am Breeze; I've come here to meet you all. Please give me some room to breathe."

        At this, instantly the nearby mountains began to move in hurried surrender, and then withdrew behind a screen of fog. Laden clouds drifted about in the sky and small birds on the far-away scrawny bushes appeared fidgety. There lay a heavy wet cloud with graceful clear edges in front of the sun while everything else was lost in the pristine outline in the mist. She was flying everywhere, walking and dancing like a butterfly on the flowers and leaves. Breeze steeped into the bushes, and then walked through the wet sand to finally sink into the muddy swamp. Her body sparkled and the water swished around her chin while the evening sun's oblique rays broke forth from behind the rims of uncertain clouds and illuminated the hills as far as the eye could see. Then she bowed slowly in the direction of the flowing water and was carried down the river like a bunch of wild flowers that had been cast into the river and she sailed along on the reflection of the rain clouds.

        Some wild birds rose shrieking and mounting suddenly into the sky. The anxious sun casting a scraggy shadow on Breeze staggered over the small pebbles on either side of the river and vanished behind the high tousled pine-weed. The light of the falcate moon suddenly appeared from beyond the restive bushes and spread over the hills. Breeze stood still with sleepy eyes and was overcome by extreme stupor. Her sleep was intense and dreamless. She was awakened by a rain bird that sprang up from nowhere and a great bunch of leaves rose rustling into the air. Swallows sat on the stones by the river, a tiny bird with stretched wings flew straight through brushwood that bordered the river. Ripe fruits fell from the trees onto the ground and Breeze blinked at the sky which was of an unusually promising turquoise color. The landscape disturbed her thoughts.

        Mrs. Windy blinked at Breeze and tried to give her a warm smile. Her lips quivered a little and a toothless smile appeared on them. Breeze hugged her tight and said, "Mrs. Windy, how are you my dear aunt?"

        "I am doing well, my child. What about you?"

        "I came here to see you all. Outside life has become too difficult. The animals that call themselves humans are chopping off the trees mindlessly and building big high-rises for themselves. The factories emit toxic gases. I almost choked myself to death once. I went and met the trees that are left there in the concrete jungle and they refuse to give oxygen to these animals. Birds are disappearing, animals are getting smothered and becoming extinct, the snow-draped mountains are melting down in anger and the rivers do not know what to do with the water that inundates them now."