Voices from Balcony
Swati started to smile when she woke up. She had much pleasant dream that night. Her life was perfect with hopes. She began to plan different directions of her life. They had all just hopes. She came out in Balcony. She looked towards street. Her life was not perfect but it was pleasant one. She always had pleasant dream in her nights. They were very important for her. She knew that it was due to that wonderful balcony. Since childhood she was obsessed with that balcony. She used to go in it every day. She was so happy when she saw Sun shining & she once again went in her Balcony. She didn’t even thought that anything would go wrong. But before her eyes she noticed some argument in flat just next to her window. She was watching. It seemed as if some woman & man were arguing. She didn’t like it at all. She felt that husband & wife were having arguments. She couldn’t interfere in their family drama so she went inside. She sat on chair. She hated it when something like this managed to stop her from enjoying view of Balcony but she knew that she didn’t have much option. She needed to obey situation. She began to feel so restless. She didn’t want to see such arguments. But she kept seeing them daily. She began to look towards window. She started to look inside window of building. She began to feel those arguments were taking stroll of her life. She started to think that she needed to feel fresh. She wanted to feel happy. She knew that those people were unknown people but she still felt so frustrated by what was happening. She needed to stop it. She decided to talk with watchman. She came down. She sat in garden & kept pretending that she was observing flowers. She felt so nice. Then slowly she turned towards Watchman. He was busy looking in mobile. He didn’t have anything to do at that moment. She went near him. She asked him causally “ Who is staying in that building?” She pointed building next to her building. Clearly it was confusing question. That building was full of people. It had at least four floors. Now clearly watchman couldn’t tell name of every person staying inside it. She needed to become mentioned specific & she clearly didn’t want to do that. She didn’t want to mention that flat but she sensed that she had no option. “ Actually I heard lots of noises in that flat.” Watchman immediately answered roughly. “ It’s not our society Madam so it’s none of our business. Honestly Madam even if it happens in our Society what I suppose to do? I am just Watchman if something went wrong between husband & wife I can’t stop it! Can I? It’s their matter. Their parents supposed to handle it.” “ So you heard them too!” “ Actually I never paid much attention to it. But if you heard it Madam then it must be happening. I can’t doubt you. I know you must have seen something horrible from your Balcony! Why else you will take so much effort of asking me so many things?!” She nodded. She wanted watchman to tell his experience but instead he was just keeping faith on her judgement. Then she smiled & said “ It’s possible that it might be some movie.” “ Possible! People are always fond of such strange things. Now people on ground floor keep watching some show in which people keep crying. I went twice towards their house to ask what happened?” She started laughing. She felt relaxed. She knew that it was easily possible. Then she looked towards mobile. She needed to hurry up. Her daughter was going to come tomorrow. She was working so hard to get things in right way. She didn’t want to get connected to neighbours. She ran in her house. She wanted to make her house perfectly ready for her grandson. It was such wonderful feeling. Her grandson Tarun was so precious. Her daughter Isha always brought him to her. She felt as if she was meeting some angel. She felt so much as if her life became heaven. She was feeling so happy & pleased. She wanted Isha & Tarun to stay with her for longer time. Isha stayed in abroad. She came just for sometime. It was always short visit. She wanted to make all ready. She began to read about all things she could cook for them. She started to create list. She began to plan to cook different things. She began to search for items to cook food. She wanted wonderful items. She knew that now Tarun was grown up boy. He would have different choices. But she tried her best to do something to please him. She felt so happy when she began to think positively. She decided to call Isha. Isha took her call immediately. “ Isha I was cooking for Tarun..” “ Mom actually he is not coming.” She didn’t say anything. She felt so sad. She knew all warned her about it but she never thought that it would happen so soon. But then she immediately felt relieved. She didn’t need to cook to please him. It was becoming burden step by step. She still remembered how did he kept complaining last time. She tried her best to entertain her. She even tried to play football with him. But it didn’t work. Now she felt that it was kind of relief. She said to Isha in pleasant voice “ Actually he was so irritated last time..” she began to remember those painful memories. She was trying so hard to please him. She decided to change subject & she didn’t want him to come anymore. “ So what I need to cook for you?” Isha laughed. “ Mom you know all my favourite & my choices are same.” She smiled happily. It was nice to sense her daughter was same. She began to count lists of Isha’s favourite. Isha screamed “ Mom don’t cook so much. I am already obese!” “ Come on! Okay I will cook low fat items of your choice. Fine with you?” “ Yes Mom. Bye. See you next week.” “ Bye.” After looking around Swati took breath of relief. She didn’t need to get tense to please anyone. She suddenly heard loud voice of argument again. She looked angrily towards Balcony. These people were arguing whole time. It was getting irritating. Most importantly it was reminder of her painful past. Her life was not perfect once. She didn’t want to remember it. She locked her Balcony door properly. She didn’t want to listen to them.
Swati started woke up with sunlight from Balcony. She sensed that she was waiting for this day since long time. Finally her daughter Isha was coming alone to meet her. It was moment when she wanted it upIsha to feel happy. She didn’t want that couple keep arguing during this time. But she knew that it couldn’t be avoided. She was hearing their arguments again & again. They were becoming daily incidence. She didn’t want to hear them daily. She needed to do something. She knew that she had no Authority but still she wanted to shut those voices. She decided that she had enough. She just got dressed decently & then she went away. She slowly went to that building. She kept observing that flat. She sensed there were not light in flat. She didn’t understand what she supposed to do. She slowly went to watchman of Society & asked “ Who lived in that flat?” Watchman gave her angry look. “ Why do you want that information? I can’t give it. Just leave!” She could sense suspicions in his voice. She knew that what he was thinking. That watchman assumed her as some criminal. She smiled & said “ Actually I stay in that flat.” Watchman observed where she pointed. Watchman was still suspicious. She said “ Next time I will say hi from that window so you can confirm..” “ It’s okay. What’s the issue?” “ People on that flat keep arguing..” Watchman completed her sentence “ & you can’t even rest properly. I know. That couple did love marriage. They can’t adjust with each other. They kept arguing. Actually I feel they are not even honest to each other. I am not sure who started cheating first. But now they both are having affairs. Society is totally upset with them. It was so stressful.” She sensed one thing that this couple was trouble to all. “ Can’t they force them to go out?” “ On what ground? You can’t send people out of Society since they have affair? Can you?!” She nodded negatively. He was right. They didn’t have much options. She turned back. She just didn’t want to go in her house. She didn’t want hear their noises again. She sat in garden for hours. It was so upsetting. She knew that her entire home was empty. She didn’t have any troubles now. Her husband was dead. She still remembered it all sometimes. She wanted to forget it. Her life was perfect now. She married to get enough money to keep her happy & of course She got her house too. Every thing was perfect for her. She didn’t need to think about her horrible past. It was over. She was so sure about it. She was so happy about it. She needed to arrange all as per her choice. She did it too. Her past was forgotten but then suddenly those voices started coming & all her dreams were shattered. She began to feel so upset. She wanted to feel so happy but she felt so stressed. She needed to go back. She went back in home. She looked towards all arrangements she made. It was perfect. She was so happy to be alone. Then suddenly those voices started coming. Now she wanted to get rid of them. She suddenly got new idea. She could make sound proof door. She could stop those voices by it. She smiled happily. She decided to close that Balcony permanently. It was only solution in her eyes. She didn’t want those memories. She began to call her carpenter but then she sensed that Isha was coming. She needed to wait. She didn’t want her work to be going on when Isha was visiting. But she decided to ask carpenter. Carpenter immediately agreed to make a door. She was so shocked when he showed so much willingness. Isha was coming after week before it. She managed to get perfect soundproof door. She even arranged chairs of Balcony in hall. She had few plants in Balcony. She decided to gift them to someone. She didn’t want to enter in that Balcony again. That Balcony was bad omen in her eyes. She began to feel so restless. She didn’t want to enter ever in it. In fact she told Carpenter to keep those plants in door of plant. She was so tense but her neighbour showed willingness to keep them immediately. In fact her neighbour always loved them. She smiled happily. She was so relieved. But neighbour asked “ They are so beautiful! Why does you want to give them away?” “ Actually I find it hard now to take care of them daily. I need someone to manage it. I don’t want to keep servants just for that purpose.” Neighbour nodded. “ Yes I understand. I love those plants so I will always welcome them. I will take wonderful care of them. I really enjoy those plants.” Swati nodded. Then she came back. She looked towards closed Balcony. She knew that it was her favourite spots. Those plants were dear to her heart too. But now everything was changed. They were no longer interesting for her. In fact she began to feel that those plants were going to die soon. She was not taking proper care of them. She was too busy in her enjoying herself. She began to sense that she wanted total freedom. She was too tired of responsibility. She needed to feel happy. She needed to forget all obligations. She began to make excuses to remove them. It worked in many cases. She knew that Isha was her only support during all crisis but now she didn’t even feel that Isha’s visit was welcomed in her mind. She was so tense. She kept arranging all things. She needed to relax herself. Isha never taunted her. She kept telling herself but still she was not happy about visit. She went in kitchen & started arranging all. In that empty house she suddenly began to imagine presence of her dead husband. She hated him. She didn’t want him to stay with her even after death. Normally woman missed her husband but not in her case! She hated him. She didn’t want him around her. She was so glad when he died. She couldn’t dare to confess it to anyone. She was so happy when he finally died. She didn’t want to remember him. She didn’t want to sense his perfume. But she was smelling it around. She was feeling so restless. It was so suffocating. She didn’t understand why she was smelling it. Did she drop bottle by mistake? She thought that she managed to throw all his things out. She didn’t want his things around. Suddenly she began to feel that she needed to change her home. But she knew that it was impossible for her.
Swati felt so stressed when she woke up morning. She didn’t understand why but sense of her husband kept coming to her. She knew that he was dead for five years still his presence seemed lingering in house. She didn’t understand why this started to happen. She started crying. She knew that luckily no one was there to see her crying. She didn’t want anyone to be there. It was not needed for her. She wanted to cry alone. She hated company. She didn’t want anyone in her life. After her husband she began to hate all, none of them supported her. She just wanted to be alone but still she kept sensing him around house. She was so upset. She decided to create new interior. She went in kitchen. She kept feeling that in few seconds he would start screaming her name. He was very important for her. She always worked for him like slave. He never considered her wife or lover. He alway considered her a servant or slave. Sometimes he even said it clearly that she was nothing but a servant. But after his death she became owner of this house. She became Queen of this house. But today she was feeling his presence again & again. He was not her mistake. Her family advised this marriage but when they sensed his negative side they just managed to escape. She began to feel so hurt by those memories. She was so sure that they were gone but suddenly today she began to feel restless. She didn’t understand what was happening. She knew that she wanted to throw her husband out of her memories but still he seemed like part of them. She hated that feeling. She wanted to throw him out of his memories. She wanted to change them in good one. It was one pleasant & wonderful thought. She was so happy by those memories which managed to deduct him. But now her every memory was having him as part. She was so stressed. She tried to cook. She knew that after getting involved in cooking she could forget him. She began to feel so happy. She needed to understand her feelings. She was sensing something around her. But she didn’t turn behind. She just kept cooking. It was so upsetting. She knew very well that she needed to find someone promising. She was so upset. She didn’t understand when she managed to feel him. Then she sensed that her husband was round her whole time. She didn’t understand what she supposed to do. She just stopped cooking. She ran in her bedroom. She kept watching towards roof. She didn’t feel anything by it. She used to do it when her husband was alive & she was trying to do same thing now. It was so upsetting. She kept feeling someone was around. She didn’t understand what was happening. She was shivering when her mobile started to ring but she couldn’t move. It was call from Isha. Swati totally lost track of time. She didn’t sense that week was already over. For Swati just two days were passed while in reality whole week was over. Isha was waiting on Airport for her. She kept calling but Swati was trying so hard to move. But she felt as if someone was holding her to bed. She began to feel as if her husband was around. Swati started crying loudly & screaming. But no one was there to hear her or sense her torture. Isha finally called Taxi. Isha came home after waiting for long hours in traffic. Finally Isha reached there. She kept ringing door bell but Swati was not opening door. She started to feel something was strange. She screamed tried hard to call her Mom. Then she suddenly remembered that extra key which she kept in her purse. She began to search hard & finally she found it. She ran inside. She could see her Mom screaming. No one was there but her Mom Swati was trying hard to protect herself from something invisible. She shivered with fear. She felt as if her father’s ghost standing there. She decided to act brave. She went inside. Soon she sensed that no one was there. Room was cold but then she noticed that heater was not on. In that cold weather it was not odd. Swati was fighting with invisible figure. When Isha interfered, Swati looked shocked. Then Swati started screaming. “ He was here. No..no he is here. He came back from death to torture me. Help me. Call someone. You must remove his ghost.” Isha felt scared but then she sensed that it was impossible. She went towards windows. She one by one started to open them. Then she came to Balcony door. She was about to open it. When Swati screamed “ Don’t open. He came from there.” Isha didn’t understand anything but she sensed one thing that her Mom needed psychiatrist. She smiled sweetly towards her & said “ We need to go Doctor first!” She slowly called Doctor. Then she told Swati to come with her. She decided to wander around before going to Psychiatrist. One thing was clear to her that Swati couldn’t feel normal in that house. It was so upsetting. She didn’t understand cause but Isha sensed one thing her Mom Swati was not mentally sound. She took her out. They kept wandering. When Swati was out of home, she was totally normal. It seemed as if going inside home was not good for her. Isha felt in one corner of her heart she might take one shortcut just sell this house but then she denied it. She called Psychiatrist once again to ask could they arrange emergency appointment. They managed to take one. She spent some time around. But whole time Swati kept looking behind her & kept telling Isha. “ Your Dad can’t follow me!” Swati was smiling strange way. Then finally they went in clinic. They waited until their number came. As soon as they entered Swati began to tell all. It was clear that Swati was not normal. Psychiatrist told few medicines. But when Swati began to express fear of going back to house Psychiatrist suggested admitting her in hospital. A nurse came & took her away. When she went away Psychiatrist told Isha “ Actually your Mom was not cured just by death of your Dad. His torture created impact on her mind. This is common with victim of Domestic violence. When your Mom saw same thing happening & she couldn’t able to control she began to relive those memories again. They were hurting her. She began to imagine your Dad & soon her imagination took form of ghost. You don’t need to worry. She will be fine after treatment.” “ But do you feel we need to sell that house?” “ Well you don’t need to sell but I feel you need to do something about that argument going on in that flat. Why don’t you file just one Police complaint?” Isha nodded. “ I suggest this since you need to stay in that house too. Most importantly do interior.” Isha nodded. Then Isha came back. Swati kept door closed. She opened it. She heard those voices. She was so upset. She recorded it & filed Police complaint. Soon Police appeared. That couple began to argue. Wife said “ This is our personal matter!” Isha screamed on her & said “ Then keep your windows closed. I don’t want anyone to blame me if some day this fellow kill you. Look at her face!” Cops said “ She is right. You are hurt now if you die people will not blame.” Then Isha went back in her flat. After it soon voices stopped. Isha didn’t know what happened but that wife seemed missing from house. New woman was there & issue was still going on. This time Isha decided to ignore & started searching for new flat. After a week Swati kept when Isha suggested selling she rejected idea. Whenever they argued Swati just increased volume of TV & said “ This is not my responsibility. Let them do whatever they want.” Isha was shocked & happy. Her Mom Swati was normal & happy in their flat. Isha began to adjust to those voices too. Isha sensed that her memories were irritating her not their issue. Isha learnt to adjust them with help of Swati. Psychiatrist taught all to Swati. Finally it was over for them. Now they could live happily in their flat.
The End
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