On an autumn evening, beneath the spread of banyan tree, a cold wind caressed the rustling leaves, birthing to a shared dance.
The leaves fell to the ground eagerly, like ducklings scurrying to mommy duck. After few moments, few more fell with graceful unwillingness.
Seated beneath the big tree was a young man who was at cusp of his mid-twenties, past his college years. His eyes harbored a certain depth, in their brown hue there was plain reflection of dry hill opposite to him.
His name was Shaan Belkind, born into a middle-class family. Having toiled through college, he now toiled within a large corporation.
Yet, he remained unsatisfied. It felt as though he was living everyone else's life. The spark of excitement and inquisitiveness that once adorned his childhood had waned.
He was weathered to life's vicissitudes, it seemed like not many things could excite him anymore, he was immersed in contemplation. Since it's habit of human to remember past and feel certain nostalgia or unspeakable regret or just memories.
As he reminisced, he marveled at the how fast childhood slipped and he grew up to be adult.
He contemplated on how fleeting is life, absent of gods or supernatural forces or even legendary reincarnation and other enticing fantasies.
He solidified his realization, recognizing the pointlessness of life without something outside the realm of science.
Accepting the fact, Shaan decided that he must simply live, managing his own attitude toward life.
Lost in his musings, a distant shout found him back. "Shaan, what are you doing? It'll be dark soon, let's go," a beautiful lady in her mid-twenties urged.
Glancing at dry hill at West, he was captivated by scenery of sun descending Shaan responded, "Wait, what's the rush? I've got battery, darkness won't be issue".He waved his mobile phone.
The lady, Nia—his cousin, countered, "Stop acting like a child; it's not easy to walk back in the dark fields, even with a battery."
He replied casually, "Okay, Aunty" and somehow conversation ended.
Looking back, Shaan wasn't supposed be here, he should be toiling in big corporation.
But escape from mechanical life he sought had brought him here.
Shaan had journeyed to gaon village, visiting after a long time. As he roughly calculated, almost a decade passed his last visit. He used to come here in childhood but as time passed study and work got him too busy.
Recent days he had been feeling intermittent feelings of unease. Unable to ignore them any longer, he decided to spend the coming months in a peaceful space—only place that came to his mind was Banyan tree.
He worked in incredibly packed metropolitan city. He finally made decisive decision and took long leave from work. He visited his hometown, convinced his parents, and then took a bus to the village, feeling like a bird released from its cage.
Bus finally reached the Gaon. Shaan stepped off the bus, ignoring the conductor who chanted 'gaon, gaon, gaon' with a mouthful of tobacco.
As Shaan was left behind by bus, he walked away from dust it left and glanced around, exhilarating current coursed through his body, as he saw semi-familiar surroundings.
He briskly made his way to the target house, as he remembered clearly. He glanced around, observing the changes in his surroundings—old houses demolished, new ones erected, the absence of the large trees beside temple where he played with other children—he realized how time had reshaped the landscape and scattered the childhood companions, now engrossed in their own lives.
Upon reaching the house, a unique emotion overwhelmed him. Inside, he found fewer people—one sleeping, another watching the TV on a summer afternoon.
As he stood at door entrance, he wondered how they would respond seeing him.