Wanderers in Eternity – Chapter 1 (Page 6)
March 4th, 2006Several fists landed on Sundaram’s thin black body. He cried out loud.
“Aiyo Mathiya, Oh, Sir… don’t… I am an innocent man.”
“Hit this bastard hard.”
Through the pain and the pounding noise Sundaram opened his eyes and saw the pump attached to the tap at the back of the bowser. The sun was shining brilliantly. When he shut his eyes everything looked red under those lids.
Thoughts about Thangamani and the two kids rushed to Sundaram’s mind. Janaki.. Ranga. Though he yelled out these names through the parched lips and throat no one heard any of it. When they dragged him along the asphalt road, his whole body was bruised. He could taste blood. His forehead went cold. His neck and his t-shirt were covered from the blood that gushed from his head.
He shivered like a deer caught by some hyenas. All at once he felt as if everything was cooling. The stench of petrol covered his brain and his lungs. Trying to get up, Sundaram knelt down. Washing away his blood the gasoline was flowing. He coughed. Unable to say anymore, he went on coughing. The pungent harshness burned his eyes. His arms and legs were convulsing.
“Oh, God Oh, God” his subconscious muttered.
Not only Sundaram’s tongue and nostrils, but his innards all could smell the gasoline. Suddenly from somewhere came a flame which lit his head. The flames that snaked along the flowing gasoline, burned his face and his neck and turned his clothes into ashes in a moment. Sundaram fell on the ground and rolled.
Amidst the yelling and screaming and the amazement could be heard laughter. From the burning body came a hissing noise. From the great heat came a cooling. That was the coolness of the blood that was pouring out of every hole in his body. For a momnet everything turned red and then went dark. Everywhere was one great chaotic din. It was a rush coming from the darkest depth of the sea. My woman..my eternity… Thangamani.. My sansaram. For a second, seeing Thangamani’s eyes, Surandaram forgot all the pain and the sorrow. His legs burned and twisted and shook. Everything was pitch dark. Amidst the fading clamor, everything became still.
Janaki who was waiting by the school gate for her father to show up became very restless. “Appa inga vaanga, Father come here..” she murmured. “Please come soon please come soon.”