Deba's Time Of Her Life

By Chandra Lekha

It was one morning when the chaos in her house shook her up from sleep. She bolted to the hall. Every building in the neighborhood screamed the breaking news “The biggest ever asteroid to hit and destroy earth in a week! Deep Space Network announces.” An asteroid has been identified charging towards earth at a raging speed that will entirely wipe off the earth from existence. Deba felt tingles in her spine; It was as though her guardian angels whispered “This is your chance”. Her parents were lamenting how she was going to miss out on all the life experiences as though she has been allowed to have fun so far.

Her parents have been uptight their whole life. She was always shushed and shooed whenever she opened her mouth. She was never allowed to go out alone in the name of protection. She was convinced life is a prison in disguise or ‘a fancy prison’. She despised her life and felt stuck inside of a room of nothingness, crying for comfort with nobody around. A sudden idea occurred to her like a nomad finding water in a desert. The voices in her head were begging her to leave a note saying “Don’t try to find me. I’m going to have the last best week of my life”. She zoned out momentarily thinking of how she’d spend the time. Deba’s mom looked at her and sniveled. Although deba is easily persuasive, she couldn’t care less as she deemed this as a chance to be free for once. Deba went to her room, locked her door behind her, played her all-time favorite song ‘Do I wanna know’ by Arctic Monkeys, and danced like nobody watched. She sensed a new hunch of freeness tingling that she never once felt before. Deba is a kind-hearted but bold girl with mud-colored hair that always smells of lush hair products. She loved gloomy clothes and make-up.

She was a girl of unique thoughts and opinions that always made her stand out no matter what. Deba put on her favorite black dress with a cross knot on the behind and did sparkly make-up. The home seemed undisturbed and quiet and none was home. Deba took this chance, wrote a note, and left with a heavy but thrilled heart. She took her scooter out and wandered like a 5-year-old. There were people everywhere; mixed emotions on their faces, puzzled and lost. Deba went to the farthest and loneliest of places. She sped up as fast as the vehicle could to a point where the opposite winds teared her up. She instantly fell in love with nature and deliberately let the harsh winds hit her like the waves hitting the shore. She felt overwhelmed and free from the life that she usually refers to as a fancy-looking prison. A truckload of thoughts gushed into her mind. She suddenly felt a crumbling sorrow. She screeched, “DO YOU HAVE TO HIT US NOW?”. It was as though a toy was grabbed from a baby that just got quiet. Just when she was feeling heavy, a group of people singing songs like they had all the time in the world caught her attention. Deba stopped and said, “Do you see the news?”. One of them replied, “Life is too short to be complaining about things that are inevitable”. The words hit Deba hard like a dart hitting a bullseye. She did not want to waste a second of her life anymore. Deba hit the road again, but this time, drove like a Sunday driver as she wanted to observe and enjoy the things that passed by. She saw puppies playing and splashing in and out of the puddle like there were none to ask them why. She wondered how it would feel like being a dog and thought life was unfair. Dogs don’t have schools or exams; dogs don’t have electricity and phone bills; dogs can sleep all day and every day. Deba helped a visually challenged cross a road and sensed a soul-filling joy in doing so. Deba went beyond an unrecognizable point. She couldn’t help but think of how worried her parents would be. So, she turned back, asked directions, got lost, and found her way over and over, but somehow lastly reached home to buried faces. Her parents were too stunned to speak; she could find a hint of remorse in the looks. Her dad instantly started crying and crammed his face in her hands. His words said “Deba, it took me 20 years to realize what an exceptional and beautiful daughter I’ve known. I hope you understand why we did what we did to protect you. I know it’s not an excuse, but I hope it’s not too late to ask for forgiveness”. Deba felt an inconsistent jumble of feelings. Mostly anger that turned to tears. Deba couldn’t utter a word from her quavering attempt to speak. She struggled to swallow and speak. Her throat was excessively trembling. Deba couldn’t stand there another second. She rushed to her room and slammed it hard. Deba looked at the mirror angrily. Drops poured down her cheeks and turned her pink and moist. She swiftly slid down, dropped on the floor, and cried helplessly. She got exhausted and got on the bed; stuffed her face in a pillow and screamed for she felt intense frustration to have missed out on a major chunk of her life to strict parents. She felt it was more foolish and selfish of her parents to merely apologize for something that massively troubled and disturbed her throughout her life. Deba eventually got tired and went to sleep.

After a while, she got up to a new sense of wisdom inside of her; she felt like she was reborn. She felt a new desire to live whatever is left to the fullest. She felt the heaviness leaving her for good. She looked at the mirror and gleamed. She cleaned herself up, went to her parents, and said, “thank you for the shelter, food, and unconditional love you showered me with. Mom and dad, you have done more than enough for me and I cannot begin to thank you both. But now, I need to forgive you for my sake, my betterment, my wellness. Goodbye”. Deba began to continue her journey but with a light and a happy heart this time. She left home levitating like a feather. She told herself “Who would’ve imagined?”.

By Chandra Lekha