Page 21 - Litterateur March 2021

Meet me in my dreams

His friends never understood why Andy suddenly

turned a recluse. At one level, the thought of being

psychotic filled Andy with cold terror but at another

level, he was bewitched by the dark forest, as if he

belonged to the forest beside the mesmerising river,

just as he belonged to the girl.

Andy tried hard to resume his usual uncomplicated life,

but more often than not, he found himself mentally far

away and utterly disconnected. As his wildly successful

life started to unravel, Andy began to feel more

convinced about his decision to pack up his life in the

city and travel. He booked himself a one-way ticket on a

train to Siliguri, the gateway to the Himalaya at the far

end of the country.

* * * * *

Andy had found the spot accidentally during one of his

hikes up the hills around Sandakphu. Surrounded by

giant ancient trees, their trunks and branches covered

with moss, the little clearing opened up to an imposing

view of the rugged mountains. He felt differently as he

sat under the shade of a tree, a feeling he could not

identify at the time. The warm noon air and the distant

yet sharp cries of