No Escape ***

Varun felt an intolerable throbbing in his head. He paced up and down the space. The pacing somehow helped. The to and fro movement hypnotized and somehow dulled his senses. Occasionally he looked up at the others. They seemed happy. Some frolicked around, chasing each other. Others lay lazily in the corners, in a stupor. Some sat and contemplated. Sometimes they quarreled and fought. But they were contented. But Varun could not take it. Not anymore.

Initially he too had relished the life. He had not noticed the loss. He enjoyed the frills. He accepted the ups and downs. He was happy. He was thankful. But not anymore.

Varun stopped pacing. Someone was jabbering away incessantly near his ears. The voice was maddening. He wanted to continue pacing. He wanted some relief. He had to get out. Once and for all. He looked around. For a moment there was silence. Everyone stopped whatever they were doing. They all looked at him. Somehow they all sensed that Varun was coming to a momentous decision. They looked at him. Varun turned slowly to the bars. He could do it. He paused. And then the jabbering and the activity resumed. That did it. Varun made a mad dash at the bars. He crashed against the bars. But they were unyielding. He fell in a heap.

“What’s the matter with you?” Shoba was looking over him. Vasan and Swathi were nearby, looking at him disinterestedly.

“Oh, I’m ok. I think I just fell off the sofa.”

And the nagging resumed. Vasan continued shouting at his mom. Swathi was sobbing. And Shoba was heaping scorn on him.

“Its all your fault. Look at what you have made them into.”

And it all came crashing down. The problems at the office. His bank trouble. Swathi's problems....

Varun lay back and closed his eyes. There was no escape. The bars were too solid.