I was teen - the age for an adventurous, curious and young child. The city and my house were separated by the dense jungle, where my morning walks would be. As a boy whose luck did not allow him to trot to school, with a heavy bag and the shiny black shoes, my father helped me develop my language by purchasing books with his remnants of his meager income he earned by selling the logs of trees that bordered our tiny cottage.
And after pouncing on a book where a boy discovers treasure in a jungle, my morning walks were not only accompanied by me and my umbrella, but a shovel and spade. After all my adventurous mind would never give up on the idea of letting go. My mind was composed of adventure, something my mother says will take my life soon. She was right.
Once I roamed in the jungle. I walked to my usual place, a banyan tree who had vines growing out of him like hair, and a lightning had claimed a part of his trunk, leaving it hollowed out, a perfect place for my spade. i knew the jungle, the wild chirrups of the birds, the occasional screeching of monkeys and the terrifying roars of the tiger. It was beautiful, and it was home.
The way soon cleared and a humongous tree protruded into my view. The banyan tree was very old, and i wished he had a mouth to tell his stories, so as to fill in the gap of my grandparents whom i never had the privilege to meet. But then a very peculiar thing happened.
I went over, kissed his trunk like i would to my grandpa( though i won't kiss his trunk, of course). I strode to my shelf, and as my hands reached out to it, something fell. My tree, or my grandpa, whichever you like, was often known for showering me with branches or leaves that he usually aimed my head for. But this time he gifted me something different. my eyes stared at the cold green eyes, the leathery and hot-bag like skin toasting me. We had our first sight, not of love, mind you, but fear of each other.
The next thing i know are my legs running, and an occasional hiss following. The problem when you let your instincts do something is that you don't have any idea what you are doing, and i let it conquer me, as i ran with no idea of my direction. i did stop, due to the cramps. I opened my eyes and i knew one thing - i was lost. i looked at the direction from where i materialized, but my mind couldn't register anything.
I roamed, hunger and curiosity waging a war in my mind. The jungle was very different here. The place was swampy, marshes popping here and there. But at the center of marshes, stood something that defied my expectations.
A house.
For years, i had thought mine was the only one blessed to have a jungle around our home. Curiosity and hunger allied for a moment, flaming the courage to knock on the door. the house looked old, and i thought the same thing for its inhabitant. I went and knocked. The door slowly opened, my eyes scanning the fireplace, the bearskin mat, the wooden table, the single chair, the girl. She looked beautiful and we both stared for an eternity, maybe due to the first sight of a human or perhaps, the first sight of love.
'Come in' she said, becoming the first one to retain from the shock. As she treated me to a warm milk, my eyes never repelled from her face - the blue eyes, the tanned skin, the beautiful voice and manners. I have found my girl. I smiled at her, and she shied away. My eyes soon found its next prey. Hanging on the less elaborate walls were pictures, each small enough to command curiosity. She too shared my gaze. 'That's my late twin sister.' And i could detect melancholy in that voice. 'But at the end of the photo, you might find a surprise.' she grinned.
I walked over those pictures, which mirrored my girl's brown eyes and the face. Each showed the twin prancing, dancing and full of vigor and life. And at the last a placard read "Rest In Peace, Diana".
'So what's the surprise?' i queried.
She never twitched. My question was repeated, this time louder. She turned, a grin plastered to her face.
'I am Diana'
At that very moment, I watched a horrendous sight i never had ever seen in my life. With an ear splitting laugh, she made my skin crawl. But as she laughed, metamorphosis took place. From the pupa of a lovely girl, the horrific butterfly of a monster with crimson pupils, pale face and claws for nails looked at me. At that time I knew one thing - I was fated to be single. I reached for the door, but she was quicker.
Dragging away from her painful claws, I ran once again, the same way i had ended up here. Every corner my face turned i could see her face. My heartbeats filled the jungle, cries of panic screamed by all birds and monkeys. She had followed me, and the speed of crackling leaves and dried twigs hummed in my ears. At last i had found my banyan tree. The snake sat and watched as i armed myself with the spade. I turned to fight my foe, my love and my neighbor. But loneliness greeted me.
The snake slowly crawled towards me. I turned around, facing my next nemesis. He raised his hood and with rage, doubled his speed. Or her, as with passing time, the venomous snake turned into Diana once again. And this time, I was fully encapsulated in that terrible moment. She took the advantage, hitting me with my own spade as she snatched. Darkness ran towards me, from front, from behind and sides, until i was drowned in its claws.
I woke up, feeling lighter than usual. What a stupid dream?. I combed my hair, and my hands felt a bump over it. I opened my eyes, to see mud enclosing me. The roots of banyan tree jutted into my graveyard, and I could listen to the priest as he prayed for my soul, and the cries of my mother, who said that adventure will kill me.
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