Love and the Dark Night

PART TWO, EIGHT

Rudi’s POV

Sleep refuses to come to me. Thunder, furious, crashes and the lightning that follows has made sleep impossible. Anais had kept crying out every now and then in her sleep, “Help, they’re murdering Rudi.” Wrapping my night-gown, I go sit at the dining table.

Anais is sleeping, or so I think, the off-white sheet hugging her nakedness. She opens her eyes and looking at me, sleepily walks up and sits on my lap.

“Is anything wrong, baby?” And she runs her hand on my hair, her drawling and sleep-induced raspy voice a soft harsh rain in my ears.

“No. Just that sleepless nights have been bothering me of late.”

Her breath still falling on my shoulder, she speaks as if from far away. “I think you need to consult an astrologer.” She removes her face and looks into my eyes.

I nod. “Perhaps.”

“No perhaps sweetheart.” She taps the keypad on her phone on the table and speaks. “Tell the priest to do an immediate sacrifice and let me know its result.” She looks at me. “I can understand. But things will be fine. Not to worry.” Pause. “How about going shopping today, Rudz?”

I look at her eyes. “You go. But I’m not stirring out of the house today.”

Anais draws herself up. “Rudi, you should go out. The day will be bright as predicted by

Weather.com. And as you know the cool breeze has simply been awesome these last few days.” 

“I know I will be awarded a gold medal today. And for that I have already prepared my speech. But the signs that have been threatening me now stare at me face to face. And neither would these signs won’t drop down their stares nor disappear from my sight. Anais, you know I’ve never taken any notice of omens and portents. And yet, these frighten me. One of the security staff of Pablo’s Cafe, apart from the things that we have seen and heard, recount some most horrid sights that the guards have seen. An army of cats were chasing dogs which were howling and whimpering when attacked.” I pause. Should I tell her about the dog of the road found in the house? “And… and let me tell you. The common dog outside the street has been seen here. Near the fridge.” I put my hand on hers. “Anais, these things are so unusual, and I’m afraid of them.”

“I know. No-one can avoid the end that the gods have decreed for them,” Anais said. “But you are not to take it personally. You can go forth because these predictions are for the world in general, and not for you alone.”

“Perhaps you are right.”

“When beggars die there are no comets seen. But the heavens themselves blaze out the success of princes. It is even known that cowards die many times before their deaths. And you are not one of them. The brave taste death only once. Of all the wonders that I have ever heard, the strangest seems to me that men should fear death, knowing that it’s a necessary end and will come when it will come.”

I nod my head, looking out the window at the grey sky. “Yes. I’m not afraid.”

Anais’ cell phone rings. “Yes.” She nods and paces about the room. Then hangs up. “The astrologer doesn’t want you to go out today.”  She looks at me. “When he calculated the position of the stars, the formula showed star Zeesak in an arm-twisting position with Saturn. It’s similar to a priest not finding the heart of the sacrificed animal.” She rests her head on my shoulder. “But I interpret that as the gods shaming cowardice. Rudi would be a beast without a heart if he stays at home today because he is afraid. No Rudz, you shall not hide inside the house. Danger knows full well that you are more dangerous than he is. Danger and you are two lions born on the same day. And you are the elder and more terrible. So,” Anais looks into my eyes, “won’t you go forth?”

But is my wisdom consumed in confidence? Don’t go out today? Should I say it’s my fear that keeps me inside the four corners?

I look at Anais’ for a moment. “No Anais, you go and tell them I am unwell, and will stay at home. Bear my greetings to the people who will be present there and tell them that I will not come today. Cannot is false, and dare not even more false. I will not come today. Tell them that, Anais.”

“I can’t do that, Rudi. What will our friends say?”

“You can tell them I am sick. That should be enough to make satisfy them.”

Anais turned to her stiffly and frowned. “Shall Rudi send a lie? Have you written countless poems and given valuable tips in your creative writing career to be afraid to tell the pleasing crowd the truth? Will I go and tell them that you will not come? But... but give me a stronger reason: they will laugh at me when I tell them that Rudi is sick and he will not attend and give his speech.”

“The reason is in my will, Anais. You don’t have to tell them of the various visions I had been seeing of late. I will not come. That is enough to satisfy everyone. But for your own satisfaction, because I love you, I have already told you the reason. Moreover, I dreamt tonight that I was attending a rock show of Pink Floyd’s The Wall. And in one side was my statue. When Roger Waters’s voice came into the middle of Comfortably Numb, and the raging crowd’s voice came to a resounding roar, blood began to spurt out form my statue. And many lusty Wessexians rushed to it smiling, and were washing their hands in it. This I interpret as a warning of imminent evil.”

But Anais words came quickly. “This dream has been misinterpreted. It is a vision of good fortune. Your statue, bursting out blood from many pipes, in which so many smiling Wessexians bathed, means that great Wessex will suck reviving blood from you and that great men will scramble to get honours and recognition from you.”

I pause. “That’s a good interpretation, Anais,” and I kiss her. “How foolish my fears seem now. I’m ashamed that I gave in to them.”

The door bell rings, and Anais goes to the door. Hermen, Shasht, Ranee, Simran, Alex, all my friends have crowded the door.

“Hi Rudi,” and one by one all of them greet me as much as I greet them back.

“What brings you all here? Well, I know I have no right to ask you. You are welcome anytime.”

“I was passing by the convenient store outside my house when a group of people were excitingly discussing that they will be the attending the ceremony in your honour.”

“Oh is it?” I smile at the sea of people gathered to see me at the Town Hall, and the thundering applause of the multitude. And their cell phones clicking for my snap, and quite a number taking selfies with me.   

I beam round at everyone. “Thank you guys. Come in, have some wine while we change to better clothes for the ceremony and the party that I’ll throw soon after.”