The White Hall

By Sanjay G. Singh

I woke up in a really strange looking hall with white coloured paint on the walls with nobody around. I was not sure if it was a day, evening or night, because I saw huge lights placed on the ceiling which were too bright; then appeared a differently disabled old lady from nowhere who stood right in front of me with a stick which was taller than her. I presume she is around 250 years old. I asked her who she was, and why I was there. She didn’t answer any of my questions, and silently walked pass through a wall. I was horrified. I thought I was day dreaming. Suddenly; a table with a chair, pen and a paper appeared before me. The paper in writing said: ‘I am here to save you from Him. In order to escape, write down whatever happened or you remember about the last three days.’ I, who was already shocked by the old weird looking lady disappearing from the wall, was shocked even more looking and hearing the plain paper speak and write by itself! I thought I was kidnapped and will never get to see my parents again. The more I delayed, the more strange noise came from unknown ends of the hall saying; ‘Start, or else prepare for the punishment.’ I who never held a pen in my whole life, picked up for the first time, and was trying to write. I didn’t know how to read or write, but I was writing my experiences out. My hands were moving; the ink was ready to flow like the river Nile. So I write in the mysterious speaking paper:

‘Last Tuesday morning, I woke up at 4:50 AM like every other day. The bad looking Rooster in my neighbor was again five minutes late from beating me again. I woke my parents Jim and Rose like every day. But they were not quite happy like olden times when I woke them up. They stared at me, like I had done some heinous crime. But then I saw my angel Darla, my sister who always smiled at me and even shared her toys with me. But since the last week’s incident, where I accidentally hurt her, she too doesn’t enjoy my company like before. Then I saw Jim, my dad leaving for his daily work, and I twirled around like Michael Jackson that day to show him my new move. With his expressions, I could say, that he was not impressed. I then came in and joined Rose to watch a movie. She was watching some Jackie Chan movie. It was hilarious as I clearly remember. But then suddenly she chose to switch off the TV while I was still watching. I never saw her do that. I even shouted at her, but she didn’t understand a word. But I understood everything of hers.

I waited for the cool Darla to arrive from the school; I twirled again in the “MJ way” and showed her my new step. She was impressed, and she too joined me in twirling and dancing. Then we also did some water dance beside the pool which was on the garden area of my house. We again became friends. Darla then shared her lunch box with me which she didn’t finish that day.

The angry Mother Rose came yelling: ‘Didn’t you finish your lunch even today!’

I who was scared of the ferocious look of Mom, decided to discontinue my lunch, uh… I mean Darla’s Lunch. I remember her screaming from her abdomen, that I should stay in my limits as I was adopted, and that, they hate me for spilling and wasting food while eating all the time. I felt really sorry for the troubles I was giving to her. After all, I was not like them. I also told her on the matter of adoption, that I was absolutely okay with it, and that, I will still love them all. But again, she left without understanding a single word from me.

The next day was a bit peaceful, but the very evening; a loud chorus sound of Dogs came from the nearby street; it was unbearable to listen to them. I yelled at them and asked the people around to shoo them away. The people around were swift in listening to me, and the peace was restored again, and I came in to have some evening snack which my mother bought from the store she went to a few months back. The snack was stinking; I tried to inform my mother, that the date of the snack had expired. But she didn’t understand a word again. I was angry, thinking why nobody understood me, or even tries to hear me out. I had decided to be in silence from then. Dad came back early from his office that night. Mom asked why he was that early to the home. He then shared a very horrendous incident that had happened in his office; a pet animal of one of his colleagues started a fire at their office conference room. A puppy of a rare breed carried a cigarette in his mouth and dropped it in the bin. The fire was stopped before hand, and no serious incident occurred. Rose shared her wish to never have a pet again.

The peaceful night came to an end with Great news! The scariest, the loudest, the most ugly looking rooster had died. His very owner had chopped him for that night’s dinner. He even shared some with my parents. Luckily, even I got to have some slack of the ugly Rooster. I was quite impressed that the ugly rooster was after all useful for the society. He served himself to more than six people. “Rest in piece Ugly Rooster.”

Moving on to the next day (i.e.) Thursday, my Parents woke me up for the first time! I got to see their happy face after a long time. It was like the first day they brought me to their home. I thought they are taking me out. And they did take me out for a long walk. My dad took me to his good friend-cum-preacher; Father Rufus, who was also a Veterinary. He checked on me and informed to my father that I will live for seven more years. My dad was so sad of this fact. Even I had gone sad looking at my dad’s concern. But what he said later on shattered me. Because he said: ‘I want to get rid of him instantly, I don’t want pets anymore. He has made my life miserable.’

I was shocked to hear my dad have this thought about me. I was a good little boy who always tried to impress my parents.

Oh, did I forget to introduce which creature I was? Well; I come from the ‘Dog Family’. I don’t know who my actual parents were, but I always considered Jim and Rose as my parents. I loved them more than myself, but today Rose and Jim don’t want me there anymore. I didn’t know why, but in the last one month, they started to hate me. I was sure I will be left somewhere, and never get to see my darling Darla again to play with her like good old times. If at all I was left somewhere, I wouldn’t have any big problem; except for the stray dogs who will try to hurt me or alienate me from the places I try to go. Moreover; I will live for another seven to eight years in the world. But my dad Jim was having other plans. He asked his best friend, Father Rufus, the famous Preacher-cum-Doctor of dogs to inject me something; I thought it was a regular vaccine like the last three times. But this was putting me to a deep sleep. A painless and a heavenly sleep; the last time I had this kind of sleep was in my mother’s womb. I don’t remember a thing from then. I appeared here the next moment. Mr. Paper, could you tell me what happened next? Why am I here?’

The old lady appeared before me again, crossing through a white wall, scaring me again and said, she was the messenger of the Supreme.

I who had heard a lot about God and Satan, asked her: ‘Who? God?’

‘Do not question me creature!’ Replied the old woman

She added: ‘I want you to understand that your nature was to eat and think like another senseless animal. But your time on planet earth was extremely impressive. You never harmed or treated anyone with disrespect. But you did hurt the poor Rooster who, I agree was an irritating brat. But you shouldn’t call or think anyone as “Ugly”.’

‘What do you think about my old appearance creature?’ asked the old lady.

I said, ‘You look horrible, lady.’

The old lady laughed horribly again and said, ‘this is exactly why you are going to heaven little doggo! You are honest, and straight-forward. And most importantly; “you are Fearless”. I can easily throw you to hungry cannibals in Hell. But for your qualities, I will suggest your name to Heavenly abodes. Until then you stay here in this hall. I know it’s boring here, but trust me, you will soon reach Heavens, where you will find many good creatures of all kind to talk and walk around.’

While she was going to disappear again, I asked her: If I could meet my darling sister Darla again for one last time?

‘She will join you after forty eight years’ replied the old lady.

I whined in high notes, anybody who knew me would tell that it was my loudest possible cry as I was extremely broken to hear that she will live only for the next forty eight years. The old lady looked at me sympathetically, and said: ‘you will find better people at heaven dear Doggo’ and disappeared.

By Sanjay G. Singh