Jump │✔

᛫ D A W N ᛫

'

2017

August

06 : 23

Squinting my eyes, I observed the dreamy and exquisite sight ahead of me. Darting back and forth at the heavens and my watch, I noted the time. Apparently, it was twenty three minutes past six in the morning, displayed by the faded neon green light, which flashed on the cracked screen of my battered old, third hand watch. I did not have the heart to throw it away. It was precious.

Eyes dampened with tears of sorrow, Baba had handed me that watch when I got accepted in the most prestigious institution of the country. Just like my brother.

My brother.

He was like a faded memory.

"Make me proud, my son!" he had said, as a single drop raced past his wrinkled cheek.

Reviving the memory, the illusion of my family itself, made an unimaginable feeling of bliss seep through my bones.

The morning call to prayer from the mosque across the streets outside our campus, reverberated around the neighborhood, making the ivory wings of the doves flutter abruptly and fly away, teasing the clouds with the soft feathers.

As the purple hue kissed the red tinge of the rising sun, I watched the dawn settle, announcing the beginning of a wonderful day.

Beginnings are beautiful.

The watch was another memory of my deceased brother, something which I had found on the terrace of his hostel along with the other belongings of his. Parts of him which he had left behind.

"Yesterday the dawn settled twelve minutes before, today it is behind schedule," I mused. For the last one week I had been jotting down the time when dawn fell and it was consistent, just a minute here or there.

Standing at the entrance of the campus, I watched the doves twirling in circles above me. Connecting my fingers with the water beads on the surface, I clasped the soda bottle and brought its opening to my mouth, enjoying a sip. The chilled beverage made its way down my throat, while I planted the bottle inside my bag as the glass material clinked against the things placed inside it.

I caught the sight of the children on the other lane, throwing the stone and jumping on the numbered boxes, playing the classic old game, hopscotch, while on their way to school. Before heading here, I had watched them play for a brief time.

I can't afford to become a child again.

07 : 44

The red hue blended with the blue, unfurling the clear sky.

I watched the boys flocked into their own groups, gather outside the hostel. It was a weekend. Hanging out near the small tea stall nearby or mounted on their bikes, showing off to their heart's content. Laughing, gossiping, slapping each other, they pass their time. The seniors picking on the freshers, my batchmates.

My phone's screen lit up, notifying two missed calls and a message from my roommate.

"Where are you?"

Glancing at the hostel's entrance gate, eyeing my sporty roommate glued to the phone, mounted on his bike near the big tree, I texted back.

"At the entrance. Look up."

Walking towards the idiot, I took a sip of the tea which he handed over, forgetting how hot it was, burning my mouth.