You Made My Day!! by Kalai Selvi Arivalagan (read dune txt) 📖

“Join everyone at downstairs near the cafeteria for the fire drill.” Mr. Lionell once again announced through the public address system.

The routine fire drill happened once in a year to update knowledge about precautions if a fire accident happened in your work place.

When one of the volunteers from the organization called once again every one in the mega phone, every one switched off the monitor of their computers and started to climb down fast using the emergency exit.

Though the stairs were broad, they have to climb down more number of steps. They are not allowed to run but walk briskly and cover the distance from their chairs to the place within 10 seconds.

First time, it took more than 15 seconds, and the team leader who conducted the fire drill asked them to go to their place and start once again.

After fifteen minutes, the fire drill started once again. This time they were able to complete it within seven seconds.

While everyone gathered together in front of the fire-drill leader, Sheila moved to the back row. With her shoulders supported against the wall, she stood with her eyes closed.

Those seconds helped her to relax for a while and drain away the sleepiness that sat heavily on her eyes.

“Mam,” someone shook her out of sleep.

“Sorry.” Sheila apologized with a grin. “Just could not keep my eyes open for a while.” Sheila murmured to her colleague.

Someone lit the dry twigs and leaves gathered in the middle with fire. The flames of fire raised high in the air and spread the heat in the surrounding.

Though Sheila stood away from the fire, the afternoon breeze carried the heat waves toward her.

“So hot” Sheila took the pallu of her saree and shielded her face from the warm waves of heat.

The volunteer from their team ran and took the fire extinguisher and broke open the seal. He pressed the handle and let the foam of carbon-di-oxide escape through the nozzle of the extinguisher.

Within seconds, he was able to put out the fire. The team cheered him by clapping loudly.

“Who will help me to put out the fire that makes my heart feel burnt and scorched?” Sheila’s thoughts occupied her mind for a while.

Sheila felt weak on her knees and wanted to sit down somewhere. She felt a strong urge to go to the restroom. But she could not move away from the crowd, as there was fifteen more minutes for the demo to conclude.

Controlling her uneasiness, she moved to the damp wall. The bare upper shoulder felt the chillness of the wall that sent a shiver down here spine.

Every Friday made her depressed at heart. From the time she wakes up from her bed, she dreads the moving seconds that slowly dragged the day to night.

Just to think about going to bed on those particular nights brought within her mild tremors that increased her heart beats and she perspired more.

In the middle of night when everyone was deep asleep, her inner mind could hear the stealthy foot steps that reached her side. Too tired to wake up from sleep, she shut her eyes tightly.

Desperately, she did not want to be disturbed and waken up from the bed. The usual household chores, long eight hours at work and the stressful travel in the bus along with the crowd made her physically, mentally tired.

She did not even want a caressing touch. Sheila always felt it would be better if she is allowed to sleep alone without any disturbance. But he never cared about it. He just wanted to relieve his sexual lust and then snore deeply.

He never cared about her physical inconvenience or else find out if she is ready to be with him.

“Don’t you spare five minutes.” His remark sounded as if it is like the routine job of signing in the attendance register in the morning and evening.

“Why don’t you cooperate with me? You lie down like a log without any emotions or feelings. How can you be like that to me?” His questions scorched her ears. Sheila did not reply but waited for the moments to go away.

Though it is her moral responsibility to go along with her husband’s requirements, unfortunately, she had started to feel tired at heart.

Sharing intimate moments were no longer exciting and every week it proved to be a routine, heart-breaking exercise that suck more of her energy and made her feel low.

When he caressed her ears passionately with his lips, her nostrils could smell the unbearable stink of liquor and beedis.

The heat of his body told her that he took his bath two days ago and she felt dirty and untidy.

Suddenly, his entire behavior changed that showed traits of a romantic lover within him. Every time he started it with some elaborate procedures. Placing her tired legs on his lap, he would massage slowly starting from the toe fingers.

One by one he took her toe fingers and stretched them to relieve the stress.

Sheila has to shamelessly admit his hands had the magical power that massaged her toe fingers, ankles, forelegs and thighs. With the unbeatable performance of a romantic lover, he slowly fine tuned her body to listen to him.

Though at heart she did not want to cooperate with him, her body shamelessly accepted his interference and enjoyed every touch as a heavenly bliss.

He made her nerves feel the pleasures of flesh and wish for some more. After minutes of reluctance, she slowly gave in to him and satisfied him. Her unwillingness to cooperate dissolved into the dark, cold night air.

After he moved away from her, she could not sleep immediately. The unbearable pain at her heart made her cry silently and damp the pillow with her salty tears.

In the morning, he carried on as if nothing happened. But Sheila could not get over the physical and mental tiredness.

Morning hours got her busy in cleaning the cooking vessels, cooking breakfast and lunch and helping her daughter to get ready for the school.

But once she boarded her bus to work, she lacked the energy to be cheerful and struggled hard to get away with the laziness that slowly enveloped her tired eyes and brain.

Sheila walked from the office to the bus stop like a zombie. Her legs knew the way and she followed the crowd that crossed the road at the pedestrian cross.

The bus came crowded. Before Sheila could decide to board the bus, someone pushed her ahead and she was forced to get into the bus. The crowd pushed her to the middle of the bus and she luckily got a place to stand comfortably.

After twenty minutes, Sheila found a place to sit near the window. The evening breeze caressed her face with chill and she breathed in the fresh air hungrily. The fresh air filled her lungs and improved her heart beats. She felt energized and happy.

The evening breeze from the seashore carried to her the energy and happiness that she lost years ago.

Just a few feet away from Sheila, looking at the side mirror, Ram stared at the growing traffic in front of his vehicle. With his hands on the steering wheel, he patiently waited for the traffic signal to change from red to green.  Right from the time he started from home for work, his mind was not at peace and he did not know how he would bridge the gap that grew day by day between him and his wife.

The early days of his married life was smooth and everything went on well. But for the past six months, something came between them and it always ended in heated arguments.

Unable to control his anger, Ram kicked the door to open and walked aimlessly. If he was at work, things changed within hours. He knew very well when he is behind the wheels he needs to be calm and should not be tensed.

If his attention gets distracted just for a few seconds that can cost the precious life of so many passengers who traveled in the bus.

Every day he came across so many people in his life. People who belonged to all walks of life traveled in the bus. He could easily assess the moods of his passengers. Observing them for a while always helped him to relax his mind and be relieved. But on that day, he could not control his wavering mind.

He felt so emotional and was on the edge of breaking out. His pent up feelings reached a peak on that day and his legs pressed the accelerator more often, and the bus rushed forward with speed. He applied brakes suddenly now and then and could hear the curse of the passengers from behind. Yet, he was not ready to listen.

“Hi, what happened to day? Why are you driving so fast?” His colleague stood behind him and kept on asking him.

“Nothing” Ram replied in one word and stared at the road before him.

“Why doesn’t god take me away from this world? I just don’t want to live here.” Ram murmured to himself.

“It is fine if you decide to die. But don’t do that now.” His colleague replied to his murmur.

Ram looked at him irritated. “Cool, cool. Spare my life my dear friend.” With a smile, his colleague moved to his seat.

Ram pressed the accelerator more and the bus overlooking every other vehicle on the road, zoomed past the traffic.

When he came to a turning that connected the other road, Ram applied the brake with a force. This sent a jerk throughout the bus and some people who were standing in the bus slipped their hold and fell on the floor of the bus.

Sheila who was on her own thoughts did not realize the commotion that shook the bus. Before she could prevent her head from hitting against the backside of the front seat, her forehead dashed against it. Within seconds she fell unconscious on the seat.

“Stop the bus” Everyone started to shout together. The whole crowd in the bus rushed to Sheila. They wanted to see what happened to her.

“Is she hit badly?”

“Check if she got any head injury”

“Can someone bring here some water?” People shouted from every end. Luckily, Sheila’s colleague Rita also traveled in the same bus. She rushed toward Sheila. With the help of some women, Rita made her sit properly on the seat.

She sprinkled some water on her face and helped her to regain consciousness.

“You, stupid, what is the need to rush?” The traffic police constable at the road screamed at Ram. It took some time for him to realize what happened.

The rising emotions within him were drained in those moments of shock and abuse from everywhere. It reminded once again the verbal abuse that he faced everyday at home.

Ram wanted to scream and tell them that it was not his fault.