Aluta Forever

The night was dark and very still. The breeze from the lagoon which usually blew gently across the city at night filling everyone with its soothing coolness seemed to have hung off on a very long recess. There was no sound of any human voice or that of his feet anywhere close by. The only sounds that seemed to have taken up the night were the humming of mosquitoes and the far off zooming of motor cars. Cars and other light vehicles were the only forms of transportation system allowed on the lonely avenue. Nelson was feeling some aching just a little above his left eye. The ache was quite disturbing but he decided not to bother. The room in which he sat was only fairly illuminated through the already stuttering flames of the half burnt candle which he had placed in the middle of the room. The candle was on an ashtray which sat atop the bedside chair there. That night, half the whole city was in darkness. The blackout which had been on for only two days now had been scheduled to last the whole week beginning from the previous day which was a Monday. This had been announced on National Television. The darkness had added to his worries; he knew he could never feel clear in the head as long as he had to stay in the dullness of the black out. Though he tried to rush that fear to the back of his mind that moment, he was rather too depressed to achieve any reprieve. He heaved a heavy sigh of despair; he had been doing that now for the umpteenth time. His head was overcrowded with deep worries and sorrowful thoughts, 'I am doomed' he exclaimed loudly and rose from the bed in agitation. He was going out. When he reached the front of the chair beside the bed, he paused a little for more thoughts; '...but, is this truly a fall out of ...oh!' As he moved again, he unintentionally hit his leg against the chair, knocking down the candle in the process, and it fluttered out. He was thrown into complete darkness. He hated darkness more than anything else, and being right in the middle of it now frightened him more acutely than ever. 'God, what's happening to me?' He asked, really frightened. He ran quickly out into the sitting room, there was no light there either, again as of a very strong intuition, he moved swiftly out into the back of the house, there also was no light there and the moon had long gone; he was completely shattered. His sorrows and worries became so real and greatly accentuated. An avalanche of solid and unbroken black wall seemed to enclose him round about. He knew he was in a fix. He believed the worst had come to stay. So, despairing greatly about his life, he broke down and wept like a child. 'Oh my God! My God, yee, please help me God ooo.' He cried. Indeed, he wept so hard that the whole of his body convulsed.