blistering barnacle

Part 1

A few seconds is all it took me to activate and push the button.

Then came the voice of Second commander "Stand by" and the countdown began "5 .. 4 .. 3 .. 2 .. 1"

Millions of dots on the screen which until now was immobile and represented individual stars, all of a sudden became ray of light.

Flash back:
We are at the middle of inter planet war. Three of our mother battle ship has been destroyed. We lost our captain when one of their bomb was able to penetrate our control room. We couldn't take more risk. So second commander who took over after captain ordered to speed away.

Every thing was happening as expected until the security breach alarm tipped off. This means CODE RED. Code red signifies the situation when we put every thing that is available from man power to guns to any thing, even a rod that can kill has its mention in the war manual, to bring the situation under control as soon as possible.

My duty as the security chief was to confirm the alert. No wonder why my security badge says

Security Chief
Some thing or the other!

As I looked at the Alarm screen, with my experience I knew some thing was wrong. I said "FREEZE". FREEZE has a special meaning in the war log. This is a special command which basically orders every one to stop doing what they are doing and prepare for the next. This is applicable for every one on board.

I picked up the alarm and murmured my self "What's this?". "What is this?" voice of second commander. Well, at war when a seconds delay can prove fatal this is not the usual type of words you would expect from a officer.

I replied it says 'Donkey get up'. Second commander ordered two of the men to assist me and rest to proceed to the junction point, armed!

I thought in mind this has a very strong familiarity with my sister. When ever my sister steals some thing in my absences she always leaves behind a resembling mark, so that I know she has been there. I guess she thinks her self as some sort of legend of all thieves.

Does this means she has been here? What did she do? what else she could have done? is that her who triggered the alarm? is she on board?

As thousands of such questions raced through my mind ... the other officer said "whats that? I have never seen some thing like that before?" Almost instantly I replied back " Thats a cell phone you nuts". Their face went blank. I couldn't understand what is so damn about a cell phone? I mean, these days even a child has a cell phone.

It took me a while ...

Blistering barnacle!

am I dreaming in my sleep?

Part 2

My usual way of getting up from the bed is to jump of the bed in single try. It's a routine that I have been following for ages.

It all began when the owner of the field gave away the ground to a foot ball coaching center. The coaching camp operated every evening from 4 to 6pm. That was our time to play. Being the only field near my home we were left homeless. Only way to get around this was to join the camp. I did and so did many of my friends. We had our own camp inside the camp. It was fun.

Life at camp was tough. They spent every seconds to teach us how to be the next foot baller. We began by playing football. Slowly the training picked up, in four years time. We not only played football, we talked football ( leg pain, back pain after match), dreamed football ( Nightmare), drank football (extra protein), saw the life through football (I would occasionally dream about football at night and kick my sister thinking her as a football, when I walked on the old street by chance if there is a stone on my path.. that has to be kicked off!) and most importantly I incorporated the rules of engagement in a football match into my life.

I could no longer walk strait as very man walking on the street appeared to be my opponent and I had to dodge them. If I had to cross a brick I would jump like, I am jumping over a man. I stopped wearing black shoe for canvas shoe, to be always ready. It was a whole new life inside a life.

That was childish. At the age of eight you cant find any thing better than this.

Part 3

Both the hands stretched apart, one leg crossed over the other. I began my morning push up. Soon my breath became heavy, mouth opened wide and tongue almost out. I thought thats enough for today.

My computer's power button is broken, so I used the pointed side of the pen's cap to switch it on ( my power button needs to be pocked!). There was insufficient light in my room so I stretched my left hand to reach the curtains.

When I looked at the sky, I thought, is this real? The dark clouds which completely covered the sky almost made me believe I was still dreaming. For a second I thought this is November, when every morning I woke up to see the sky ....

It is some times so amusing to see
how your mind plays with you
with some thing that you really wish,
if it could really happen!

~ THE END ~

Subho Deep Ghosh