Awakening
"Mom, are you ready yet?" I yelled from outside. Today we were going to a birthday party. My father's friend invited us at his child's birthday.
"Just a second," my mother replied, coming out of the house.
My mother wore a pink maxi which had beautiful floral design and I wore a plain black shirt with blue pants. My father on the other hand wore a grey suit. Pair it with his back sleek hair, no doubt he was looking very handsome. My father's friend lived a bit far from our house. So, we took a horse carriage and left for the party.
It took maybe two hours-or-so to get there.
"Your friend really lives far away from the city" I remarked.
"Yeah," he responded.
His friend was a farmer and had a huge rice field. Even though there were many settlements there, but still just a few meters away was a large forest along the rice field. Wooden fences were placed to separate the forest from the farm.
"Let's go in," said my father.
We entered the house and found ourselves in the party's atmosphere. First—we greeted the family and then my father and mother started talking to their respective friends. It was not a big party. There were just handful of people present, but my parents seemed to know almost all of them. Feeling isolated, I decided to sit on a chair at the corner of the lobby.
My meditation is going really well. I wonder when my awakening will be. Dad told me that an average age of awakening is 8–10 years old. But there have been rare cases when children have awakened at the age of 6–7 years. If I keep up the pace, I might awaken next year.
Speaking of this, dad also told me that there is another way of awakening. Normally, the only way of awakening is through meditation by become one with nature. When we attain full equilibrium with nature—then the energy with which the person has most affinity towards—starts to flow into their body through their respective fingers. And when the person no longer feels burning sensation in their fingers, that means the channel between their fingers and the energy is fully formed, due to which, the energy can now flow into their body without any restrictions. This simply means that they have awakened.
But there is another way of awakening which is extremely rare. Out of whole population, only 0.01% have awakened through this way. When someone is in life-or-death situation, their mind plays various scenarios extremely fast on their head, finding a way to save that person. And it is at this moment for a split second, they attain equilibrium with nature, making the person awakened. I wonder how people feel in a life-or-death situation. What will I feel if I ever happens to be in one?
As my thoughts were running wild, I saw the birthday boy sneakily leave the place, going outside.
What is he doing? I thought. As I had nothing to do right now, I decided to follow him. He went straight into the rice field and after going through a gap between the fences, he ran towards the forest. I also followed him behind.
Why is he going there? Did he decide to run away just because he didn't get the gifts he want?
I yelled at him from behind, "Hey! Stop right there."
My shout frightened him, making him stop immediately.
Seeing it was just me, he let out a sigh of relief, "I thought they caught me."
"Are you an idiot? Going into the forest like that!" I retorted.
"Shut up. I don't want to hear anything. Just leave me alone."
"You kidding?! There might be wild animals near us. Come with me, or else—I'm going to tell your parents."
"No! Please don't tell them! This is the only place left where I can relax."
Confused by his words, I asked, "What are you saying? What do you mean by 'this is the only place left?'"
"I-I am good at studies… so my parents have really high expectations from me, thinking I'll make them proud. They don't even let me play and always force me to study all the time. Every time, they make sure to tell me that they are expecting big from me. I just can't take it anymore... I'm tired… I want some peace. That's why, sometimes I come here in the forest to be alone and relax in nature."
Hearing his story made me truly feel bad for him. When he was running away, I thought he was a troubling kid but... he just wanted a break. My father talks highly of me but he never forces me to do anything rather, he wants me to enjoy my childhood to the fullest— unlike his parents, who are just making him mentally ill.
"I-I am sorry… I thought you were a troublesome kid running away from home," I said, apologizing to him.
"It's okay. I was also rude to you, and for that I'm sorry."
"N-no… you don't have to apologise, it's fine."
"By the way, I'm Madhur. What's your name?" he asked.
"My name's Anant," I answered.
"Nice meeting you," he said, shaking my hand. "Will you come with me to see where I rest, Anant?"
"W-wait…"
"Don't worry, it's just few meters away from here."
Since the place was not that far from the house, I reluctantly agreed to go with him.
As we went deep inside the forest, it was starting to get dense.
"Are we there yet?" I asked.
"Just few more steps and… we are here!"
There were trees all around us, and a big tree trunk was lying in the middle. It was like someone had placed that trunk there very conveniently just for people to sit.
"Here, come take a seat," said Madhur already sitting on the trunk.
I walked up to him and took a seat.
"Now, close your eyes and listen carefully," he said, closing his eyes. I followed his instructions.
Silence surrounded us everywhere. All I could hear was rustling of leaves and chirping of birds. I truly was at peace here. Now, I didn't want to leave this place. All I wanted now was to sit here forever… listening to the melodious rhythm of nature. While I was listening to this pleasing melody, the rustling of leaves became louder and louder every second. And at one point, I thought the sound was coming from right behind me.
Just as I was turning behind to see where this sound was coming from, something lunged towards me which I couldn't see.
I looked at Madhur to ask, "Hey, did you—" and before I even had the chance to finish my sentence… I saw something which sent shivers down my spine. At this instant, I wished that every single moment, every single second that I spent with Madhur, heck even this whole day to turn out to be a dream because if it isn't, I know I'm done.
My eyes couldn't believe what I was seeing. I was seeing a hungry looking wild wolf— saliva dripping out of its mouth— staring me dead in the eye. Its gaze made my whole-body tremble in fear. But what made me frightened the most was Madhur with his broken neck, stuck between the wolf's canine teeth. Blood was continuously coming out of his his neck, where the animal's teeth were, holding his neck very tightly. His lifeless body was dangling between its teeth. He was completely still, like he will now never be able to wake up from his eternal dream. Only his hair was moving due to the wind.
No! It can't be… M-Madhur is… dead! W-what should I do? Should I run? Should I yell for help? I can't think straight. I was getting panic just thinking what would happen to me.
No. This is no time to get panic. First calm yourself down… take a deep breath. I remember dad telling me what to do in a situation like this.
First, don't run and stare directly at it. I stared directly at its hungry looking eyes. Second, act aggressive and don't turn your back at it. Slowly retreat away while directly staring at it. I tried to be aggressive, I yelled and clapped my hands while slowly retreating away from it. As I was slowly moving away, the wolf was also slowly approaching me. Suddenly, it dropped Madhur's lifeless body and lunged towards me. I side-stepped in the nick of time but his claws scratched my right shoulder leaving a deep wound.
"U-urgh! It hurts!" I didn't even have the time to look at my wound as the wolf lunged at me again almost immediately. I again dodged the attack but his claws still got me. This time it was my left shoulder. Blood coming out of them non-stop.
I must find something that I can use as a weapon.
Searching my surroundings impatiently, I found a stick with pointy edges on both sides. But it was at least 10 metres away from where I was standing. The predator was right in front of me, observing my every minute movement.
What should I do? I have to get that stick… but will I be able to outrun the wolf?
As I was thinking, it attacked me again. This time I didn't even had time to react and instinctively pivoted to my right. This made me lose balance and I fell to the ground.
"Darn it! It got me again!"
This time its claws went even deeper inside the skin of my left shoulder, where he had previously attacked. Both of my shoulders and arms were fully covered in blood, and I knew—if the wolf won't kill me, I would surely die from blood loss. I had to end this quick, but how?
what an idiot I am. There is no time to think, every second counts. I must get that stick no matter what.
I crawled up and ran as fast I could.
Just a little more!
I was three steps away from the stick when I felt an intense pain in my right leg that made me fall. It was the claw. The claw went straight through the back of my leg. The wolf jumped on me, climbing on top of my body, making sure its prey can't move. At that moment, all I could see was a starving animal thanking whatever god they had for giving such a nice meal.
As the wolf was going to bite my neck, I put forward both of my arms between its teeth, blocking its mouth from possibly breaking my neck. The saliva dripping out of its mouth made my whole face wet. I knew my frail arms were no match against it. I knew at any instant I'm going to die.
I don't want to die! Please! Someone, help me! Dad!
Tears started coming out of my eyes and at that moment, memories of my childhood days flashed before my very eyes. But along with those memories, I also saw something else. I saw an image of a dying woman in the battlefield.
"You will not die until you have fulfilled your dharma. You will never live in peace in any life. You are bound to suffer for eternity for what you have done. Because you are— The Last Hope of Humanity."
When I heard those words, something surged within me. My fingers felt like they were in hot lava. Energy started coursing through my fingers and at that instant, I felt like I truly became one with nature. It was like I had attained inner peace. My fingers stopped burning, energy flowed throughout my body, and I knew— that I had awakened.