Enigma of Nightmare

Enigma of Nightmare: The sprouting leaves of spring started to come out of their nests to captivate the beauty of the earth. Pure rain droplets were falling, produced musical beats while hitting the ground. Children closed their doors and were observing lightning and telling folklore related to a thunderstorm to each other. The weather was a bit cold and the air was blowing the fragrance of new blossom flowers from home to home offering a ‘happy spring season’ to all after harsh and cold winter. I was enjoying the romantic scene, wearing a woolen blanket in my bed. I was observing the whole scene outside of the square window. The migratory and native birds were singing and adding more beauty. My window screen shows the birds for a few seconds and then vanishes them. Those flights were so speedy and unintentional as it seems to me smoke and mirrors. Anyhow, I was not that strong to be able to bear the warmth of the blanket and I fell asleep.

While sleeping I go through an unforgettable dream that without description I might not live. It became a duty on me to tell everyone what happened in a dream.

I dreamed,

I was sitting on the riverbank on a big stone and an early breeze hit my face.it was also spring season in a dream too, migratory birds were diving in clouds. Hunting was at its peak in the ground. The ones that come above heads were hit by gunmen. Some fell and very few lucky ones saved their life. At that instant, my eyes focused on the sky. A black plunge directed towards me at an elevation of snowy mountains. However, when came near it was a beautiful young duck. When reached above my head dropped green thing which was gripped by him. The thing hit the ground with the full force of gravity. I was shocked and surprised and picked up the green present which was a bunch of leaves tied together with delight thin husk of shrubs. On both side cover, leaves were thinner and broader of all, there were addresses. On one side, with the bold letter, it was written, “FROM OPPRESSED DUCK.” With astonishment, I stared back at the duck which was passing through a small portion of clear blue sky. My eyes widen as the duck was writing something with red ink in the blue background which was only visible to me. He wrote, “Sitting on the white ledge of a mountain I searched among human species who know our feelings and consider ourselves as living and can raise voice for our right to live on this planet and to give us right to enjoy nature. I didn’t find anyone else. All are busy and interest centered and the majority had tied wrists to destroy the whole nature habitat. I find you as our last hope for the advocacy of our infringed rights. You will at least submit our complaint in front of judges who are again human to provide us justice.” The written red ink was disappearing following my reading. In conclusion, he wrote, “Hence I hope you will prove yourself as an ambassador of peace for us.” He was a good writer too I will never forget his quote as he wrote, “he who remarks the beauty of nature feels her from the core of heart and has a natural composition.” The duck flew in one direction and was going far from sight and looked like a smudge on white paper and disappear. The writing also vanishes and only an immaculate sky was there on his going way.

I opened the knob of a bunch of leaves, in the foreword it was written, “in the name of those who were killed and for the safety of those who left.” By reading this portion all the pleasure and astonishment turned into a serious matter of concern. Later on, I come to know it was the autobiography of duck from birth to the first migration to our region.I started to read, it was written;

The pale yellow and red blended leaves started to fall from long and dense trees. The autumn season shows her bounties and pleasures to our family. I broke the shell of an egg and hatched. I open my eyes to this earth. Mom and Dad with hungry and angry brothers and sisters were around me and all welcome me fervor and enthusiastically. My first glimpse was a large pond attached to our nest. The pond was a live ecosystem.

Our parents started to teach us. The very lesson taught us was ‘survival.’ Mom and dad said that everything had its limit and timing and everyone has the right to survive. Our ancestors said,” do not suppress and oppress any creature of lesser strength than you so that tomorrow you may not be ill treated. You cannot interfere with nature’s law. Do not break a heart or kill anyone. Live in peace and harmony. Help and cooperate. Thus the world would be a better place to live in. spread and practice, this is hierarchal teaching, spread this message to your generation and tell them to continue to theirs one.” We all brothers and sisters nodded our heads in favor to follow our elder’s values. The very next day our mom brought us tasty and delicious food (insect). We all run towards mom. Yet mom threw it on the ground to save themselves from any kind of discrimination among children. Yet the strong and active one took lion’s share. Mostly, when it took time to get their share, mom and dad settled the tussle and distributed the pray equally. We see eye to eye on every decision made by our parents, no one is oppressed or gets downed.

We did hunt both in water and land and staunchly follow nature rules. It was the day when we were near to made the first flight. Mom was guiding us on how to flap the wing and when you fall how to save yourself from injury. Dad was mocking and dancing on mom left side to remove boredom but mom was serious and no signs of the joke were appearing on her face. When we smile Mom becomes angry and moves her head toward dad he becomes serious and pretends he does not know anything. He asked us who is doing the devilment act? When we become silent she told us another rule, “it not your innocence to become silent when you are oppressed or any wrong happens with you, or in front of you. If you are unable to stop them, at last, consider that act as an evil work in your heart.” We all felt ashamed and she knows well who the mastermind of disturbance is.

On that day I observed sweet mom’s left eye was no more performing his job. The next day I asked, “Mom! Are you blind?” He moved her head in negative to keep my heart but I came to know from her expression that she is lying. A wave of anger spread through my head to the backbone and I react, with a loud sound, “whom the son of a bitch has done an inequity with you.” Mom replied as the matter is not of my concern, “oh my sole happiness! Just calm down, that cruel creature is powerful of all having free will. The creature if here that is the angle of mercy then on other parts of the world is worst of the wild beast. When I heard this the big hawk come to my mind, I abruptly said, “I come to know, the creature would be ugly beak down a hawk. Mom, you will see one day I will provide justice to your eyes. I will hang him on top of the mountain. Every bird will realize the result of evil and bad deeds. Mom walking through the jungle rough surface up and down with whole concentration on food and was ignoring my words. I was trotting her falling and hitting on the rough surface but Mom overheard my wording and stop walking. I hardly stop and save myself, from falling due to inertia. She browbeat and said, “how is it possible for a duckling as your elders are the innocence of all creatures, and you must keep the morale of your ancestors. I mustered up my courage and answered, Mom you were saying, “It is not your innocence to become silent when you are oppressed or any wrong happens with you or in front of you. If you are unable to stop them at least consider that act an evil work in your heart.” I may change this and stop this to save us and to save our people from further destruction. If I am unable to defeat that creature then at least I tried my best to do that. I will never give up. As once you taught us,” when there is purity in mind and loyalty in the heart then destiny is no farther away. It will fall in your hand like ripen fruit in the net bucket but all is to catch the time, and be on time.” Maybe this is time to act and time to be on time. Mom with a smile on his face, in a polite and calm voice, said, “I pay tribute to your courage and sincerity for your family.” Mom’s taunting smile added, “For this, you have to befriend the most powerful creature on earth.” I replied, ‘who is most powerful’, she responded, ’your enemy’ my beaks dropped and I repeat the word unconsciously, ‘my enemy’ Mom replied, ‘yes’ but I was not the one who was ready to give up easily. I added, ‘I make friends with humans as they are friendly and take care of us. Even they take care of our eggs in bushes and do not disturb us. If we ask for help they will fight for us against our enemy. As you once said, “diamond cut diamond.” Mom laughs out loud and controls her smile and said, ‘you are too child to experience the realities and facts.’ ‘Don’t bring this idea into practice for a single time, never trust humans. Firstly they do not have time to fight for you as they have their interest to fight for. Secondly, if they start to fight for you, there is no discrimination of anything they fire the whole world. They have a sense but for their interest and benefit not for others. I was in full suspense, how there is fire when a human attacks our enemy and that is ugly beak down a hawk. I asked, ‘Mom! Who is our enemy?’ she replied, ‘human’, she added, ‘humans are like a chameleon, expert both in color changing and to kill their prey. They deceive you by changing their color, but the color will not visible to you. The result will show either that was a good color or a bad color. My beak dropped, Mom cut the negotiation and swim towards the depth of the pond. Dad was overhearing the whole negotiation and following Mom said, ‘it is not time to be serious, enjoy these moments of your life it never comes back.’ Dad following Mom drowned in the pond and both appear far on the surface like a smudge in a white paper and went out of sight.

The next day the weather was pleasant I was lonely there in the pool due to the desperate nature of family members. In solitude started to think about negotiation with Mom. I was wondering what creature will be human. How both good and bad characters appear at the same time. I do not believe, it is against our natural laws and ancestors’ rule. Let it! Maybe my eyes are too innocent, my Mom does not lie and my mom is always kind to us.

I glimpsed a fascinating image standing aside from my image in pure white water with solitude and suspense. My heartbeat was drumming my whole chest like a thunderstorm. All the sorrows for instant formatted and nothing were in mind except that image. I became speechless in front of the elegant creature. I act to catch by spreading my wing around her but drowned and I float I looked but found nothing just a few drops of water falling from the tips of my wing feathers. I controlled my consciousness and looked around me. I found that image in a vibrant body standing nearby me. She was suppressed by that crazy action. In wonder, her eyes were looking more innocent and pretty and beautiful. We introduced each other her name was Lora. We started to felt each other emotions we both started to love each other. We took the promise to be loyal and faithful to each other. We started to give space and spend every moment with each other. The days passed on. The summer season brought hot weather. The cold water turned hot and our migration days were near to start. Every member made a couple and flew towards cold areas. Lora and I decided to join our family while on migration. Our journey started while the sun was following us. It is God’s choice to make their creature warm-blooded and cold-blooded.

However, our journey took place. Every destiny we were following was cold and moderate. Mountain ranges, pastures seas, and forests. I observe animals, on mountains and lands. One mountainous area reminded me of all my childhood, while we were fighting for an insect. The humans were sitting on horseback snatching something from each other (buzkashi). The strong and active one gets the thing. I smiled and clapped for their strength when he won the match. Lora was enjoying every moment that comes in her way. Although we were enjoying moderate climate flying between clouds and dipping in clouds. With all these and in the company of Lora I almost forget my mom’s eye revenge. As time went on, the hot rays of the sun following us reached there too and compel us to move. Following the mountain ranges with Lora, I enjoyed every moment. Our affection for each other increases as we live and share our opinion. Our successful love was that she respects my opinion and I respect her opinion if any misunderstanding occurs we both tried to convince and motivate each other. Both listen to each other and presented the conclusion acceptable for both, these are the secrets of our love and devotion these are the reasons for our survival, and these are tricks of happiness. We made ourselves for each other do not hope on luck to settle everything for us.

We inter in a region where a valley formed at the end of every mountain and range. No clear plan was visible for large distances. All our fellows’ liked the beauty and scenery of that region. The fresh clear air was blowing like that of the Antarctic Ocean. The pure water makes air-filled bubbles moving from higher altitudes to lower lands. With these waters, the ponds and pools on the river bank were filled. We liked to stay in a silent and motionless pond rather than in the flowing river because other fellows have already slept there. When we all rushed down on the water surface we went to each fellow who was there before our arrival. Lora in a polite tone said, ‘hello’. But no one was replying. Again Lora making their sound pitch shriller said, ‘are you asleep’, we also reached. Do you not like to welcome us?’ they were ignoring us and no one replied. Their single hair was not moving. I responded on Lora’s appeal, ‘my sweetheart, I am here to serve you, anything you order. What you order will be ready in front of you, your lover will do anything for you.’ I giggled but Lora does not liked it and felt ashamed and browbeat me. He left and swim solely. I followed her and said, ‘Lora! My lore, these friends are sleeping after the tiresome journey and can’t listen. We should meet them in the early morning.’ Lora went to the corner and bend her neck and lay her neck in back and beak between feathers and stood there on one leg trying to sleep. Lora’s beautiful wandering eyes and beautiful physique were more fascinating in the glooming full moon. I observed fellows who were floating around a fixed point. I was thinking about how well trained these are following the rules of unity in sleeping. I was unable to sleep like some troublesome thing is going to happen anyhow positively I tried and started to look at the murky sky where the stars were twinkling and the full moon was beaming on pure water. Lora was another piece of the moon shimmering in water and was also enhancing the beauty of nature for me. Was flying in the imagination of creator creation and I was freely floating. Suddenly hit a hard stone-like thing, a shiver ran through my body. He was among the sleeping fellows. I apologized for trespass in their territory but he was silent and sad not a single word. I thought that these are the creation of god, some places hard physique like stone and somewhere soft as my Lora. How God has made her feather with different colors and soft and delicate. The importance and value of Lora increase in my heart day by day. Flew from there and landed next to Lora. The sun started making everything visible, birds start to sing in nearby trees.

Suddenly we heard a full frequency that stimulates reflex action in our body and compels us to fly. The fellows who were early there even did not realize what is happening. Now, the early dawn crept in the eastern sky, and everything was visible. The first thing that comes under our observation was water surrounded by artificial walls, the duck which we consider our fellows were artificial to deceive us. Now everything was clear to us and the situation worried us. A saw a type of human behind a wall followed by dogs winging its tail from left to right. When we crossed the head and cover a few meters of distance the sound again appear in the air like a thunderstorm and this time hot pieces of lead were coming towards us. After covering half-hundred meters I gain my consciousness, my one leg was no more there, blood drops were falling from the tip of the cut leg. I looked for Lora but did not find her, but the clear sky and the half sun shone mountains were everywhere. The pain of the cut leg was not that much painful, but the separation of Lora was full of pain and more than any pain on earth. I saw Lora was in the middle of a pond and strived to fly, but her wing was not supporting her. She saw me and stared at me while tears droplets started to flow from her eyes into pond water. Tears were flowing like water falling from the high elevation of the mountain. The dog head reached and put her in their mouth and move towards her master, but Lora’s eyes were staring at me while I was flying above her head. The master handed my Lora to their small child and he runs towards his home.

This time I realized my helplessness and my innocence. My mom’s every wording was echoing my ears and I realize my mom’s famous quote, he often replied to my answer with this answer,“An experienced person is respected by the person at the time when he experienced the common situation.” I feel half-dead looking for Lora to join me again, but no hope was visible. One of the members of the migration group joined and told me about our other fellows that were killed by gunmen and a few left the region and dispersed. No one knows which direction they moved. He requested to leave the region and go somewhere else but I replied negatively. I presented my philosophy, ‘how I left my soul here and allow my body to go around the world.’ With this, my fellow left me there and I started to live on the mountain ledge.

Still, I am looking for my love Lora, I devoted my life to her cause and still looking at her in everything and I see her in everything, in every form, and every shape. I will fight for her right to live. Who’s responsible for her murder? Who will provide her justice? Who will protect and provide justice to the million ducks every year killed in this region only? The government is investing money to stop killing us, on the other hand, provide licenses to pray? Why double role is played with us? Why? These questions strike my mind so harshly that I woke up and my mode swing. I committed to provide justice to oppressed birds and stop the rampant killing of birds.

( I started to write this story to express my feelings for the migratory birds that move to our region for only one month but are killed brutally and people feel pride in this brutality, there is a need of Justice for Migratory Birds and conservation of wildlife)