Caught in Life's Web

Each passing hour was the same, Bleak and monotonous. All around me was as dead as a grave. The buzz of a fly would've been welcoming to break the grey silence. I sat looking at the decrepit wall. There were days when flakes of paint and dust would fall on me and I would not care to shake it off. I just wished I didn't have to wake up to see the horror and pain of another fellow being. His silent agony seemed to be absorbed by the walls around me. And I could almost hear the excruciating screams echo from the grey walls. I felt old, I felt lost.

Suddenly I heard a knock. I looked up hoping that it was my visitor. I let out a sigh when I saw Him on the entrance. It’s been a long time since I have seen Him. I’m sure getting old because I can’t remember when was the last time I saw Him. I looked at his tired face as he slowly made his way to his bed. I prayed with all my heart that he would silently fall asleep rather than go through his usual routine.

I still shudder when I think about the first time I saw him go through the torture. Even after these many years it’s painful to see him inflict so much pain on his own body. I looked down at my dark bristly arms and wonder, would I ever be able to self-destruct myself the way he does. I shook my head to erase that thought from my mind. Looking into his masked eyes, my heart would try to reach out to him, but then I see the invisible wall that stands between us. I felt helpless. I felt lost.

I closed my eyes to the suffering that was being unleashed before me. But I could not close my ears to the screams that ensued from his severed skin. Each bristle in my body stood up in anxiety as I heard the tearing apart of a beautiful entity. It always shocked me to see how one can endure so much pain without sounding a single scream from his mouth. He looked spent, he looked numbed out. Questions unasked were choking in my throat.

I silently looked at him as he slowly crawled into his bed and tried to cover his scarred body with his discarded remains lying around him. I saw him take down his invisible wall and placed it by his side. Tears brimmed in my eyes for the umpteenth time, and like magic darkness engulfed us. I looked down at his closed eyes that concealed so much agony and was showing a brave face to the world around him. It seemed as if God has forgotten one of his entities. So I said a silent prayer to ease this Man from his suffering. Giving him one final look I went back to my corner and started to weave a larger web. If I’m lucky I may catch up with a fly or two tomorrow.

Thoughts of a confused spider, about the eccentricities of watching a Man change his clothes before sleeping.