Arabicliterature Stories

Dream-Film: An Indian Fantasy In the mysterious realm of dreams, three women surrounded me. I was an old man there- leaning heavily on my cane, my back bent beneath the long burden of years, my spirit exhausted by the distances of passing days. Then, suddenly- The first woman transformed into support for my aching back. The second became a warm coat wrapped around my weary body. And the third turned into glasses for the road ahead. And then- my legs mounted the wind. I became a bird, untouched by limits, light as a wish that had slipped free from the grip of time. But midway through the dream, thirst awakened me. Reluctantly, I rose, gulped down hurried water, then returned to bed- hoping the dream might continue its kindness toward me, might restore my borrowed wings. I drifted back to sleep. And there it was again- the same dream. Except now, the three women who had only moments earlier transformed into support for my back, warmth for my body, and vision for my journey, had transformed instead into three unmarried women, their eyes gleaming with something strangely wolfish. They began chasing me. And I ran- panting like a retired horse that had already missed the last train to salvation. At last, my desperate escape ended before a locked door. I surrendered. And there- I spent the remainder of that unbearably heavy night married to three jinn brides. The prettiest among them? Darda'- short, bald, delightfully round, whose snoring sounded exactly like an English steam locomotive, Model 1911. Ever since that night, I have made it a habit to examine my wife's face very carefully before going to sleep- for fear that reality itself might suddenly transform into an Indian Dream-Film