Waiting to be delivered (01/23/2013)

 

A skiff bobbed sluggishly with acquired nonchalance nearby. As dictated by an unnamed inconspicuous being, I was supposed to sail across to an undisclosed destination - a place manifested with eternal benevolence. I was told that the water, the gentle breeze, the moon and the stars shall dictate the course my skiff would take and it’d be quite some time before I’d reach my destination.

 

I could no longer wait to land at this enticing place at my earliest. I hurriedly stepped into the skiff and frantically searched for the oars. I was a tad too disappointed at not finding the basic sailor’s equipment at my disposal. While I was lost in my thoughts, brooding over my next course of action, the skiff unhooked itself with a jolt, I lost my balance and plopped. The skiff aided by the gentle current of the river and the vicissitudes of the playful nocturnal breeze, began its languorous journey downstream.

 

It was not long before I found myself in the middle of the watery desert. The skiff was now moving rapidly. I relaxed myself and began to hum a pleasant tune while fiddling with my fingers. I was very optimistic that I shall soon find myself setting foot in that alluring land whose refuge I was promised. In hindsight, I was thankful to that inconspicuous being for having bestowed upon me the right to passage. I lay in the skiff gazing at the moon and tried counting the stars. My eyelids began to grow heavier and I soon slipped into a peaceful slumber.

 

Several minutes or, maybe, hours would have flitted by before I opened my eyes to an unearthly sight. My skiff was moored and everything around me was bathed in white. Yes, everything was white – the water, the skiff, the sky, the land and the trees. I could distinctly hear the chirping of the birds, the faint gurgle of the river and the gentle rustling of the leaves. There were sounds emanating from various sources snugly enshrouded in layers of  dazzling white.

 

“You must be hungry?”, an invisible feminine voice enquired.

 

I looked around suspiciously and having failed to trace the source of the voice, stammered a reply.

 

“Y...Yes! But who are you? Reveal thyself.”

 

Voice: What would you like to eat?

 

I: Have I reached my destination?

 

Voice: Where are you headed for?

 

I: “A place manifested with eternal benevolence”, I was told.

 

Voice: Who told you so?

 

I: Someone whom I haven’t heard or seen speaking.

 

Voice: A voice in your head?

 

I: Are you a voice in my head? Reveal thyself.

 

Voice: No. I’m standing right in front of you, all dressed in white. Can’t you see me?

 

I dilated my pupils and shot a piercing glance in the direction of the voice.

 

I: Not a trace. Are you a ghost?

 

Voice: I’m La Femme Blanc. I’m the mistress of this place.

 

I: What is this place? Is it “a place manifested with eternal benevolence”?

 

Voice: The answer to your question shall reveal itself. You must wait.

 

I: For how long?

 

Voice: Until the answer reveals itself.

 

I: What should I do until then?

 

Voice: Wait.

 

I: I cannot wait here forever.

 

There was no response from the unseen source and everything went still all of a sudden. Out of sheer anxiety, I hurriedly stepped out of the skiff and set foot on the ground. I raised my voice and repeated my assertion, “I cannot wait in here forever.”

 

The stillness of the place was eerily disconcerting. I felt a sudden chill run down my spine. The temperature of the place seemed to have dropped. The water began to freeze. It began to snow rapidly. I raised my voice for one last time, “Where am I?”

 

Having got no response, I shot a final glance at the river behind me. It was frozen and there was no trace of my skiff. The snow enveloped the entire landscape in no time. I desperately ran in an arbitrary direction and endeavoured to seek refuge from the biting cold. There was no safe haven I could take refuge in. Exasperated, I looked heavenwards and plopped on the ground in sheer desperation.

 

I had no option but to wait until I was delivered.