Neermala’s Fall

Mentally prepared, Neermala shifted her weight towards the branch to her left, reaching her arm out wide for the incaved hollow that stood before her. The hollow would normally allow her to hang freely, supporting her usual hobble-like leaps from one branch to the next. Though at that moment, as her arm stretched forward, her eyes distractedly caught a glimpse of a lusciously ripe green guava fruit, and for a spilt second, she forgot what she was doing. Instead of gripping hold of the hollow in the tree, her fingers violently grasped the air just below it. Her feet had presumptuously already shifted forwards towards the second branch. Though, this time, her feet were unexpectedly surprised by the fact that her fingers had missed the hollow. Thus, her descent towards the ground began. Her body had reacted painfully stricken at first, searching for an escape. As she slipped backward, the whole of her torso lifted and arched as her arms flung about, making a last attempt to grasp onto any close by branches. Yet, alas for Neermala it was too late. Defeated, her arms gave way, as her head and eyes vehemently looked upwards towards the sky. Her brown eyes reflected the glint of the half-hidden sun and the sky behind it, surreal in its cerulean daze. Her sheer black hair gave way to the forces of gravity as they linearly shifted bottom end upwards towards the blue. Her dress fervidly changed to the current of air surrounding her fall, almost dancing hand in hand with the wind it graced in its path towards the ground. She belted out a fervent scream, though the petulant air silenced her by engulfing her lungs and throat. She closed her mouth, closed her eyes, yet miraculously, her body began to turn itself around, descending stomach first towards the ground. Her knees then tucked in towards her chest, as she shifted upright ready to brace the ground that came ever so nearer. Her left foot slammed the ground first, crushing an ant with its impact. Her right foot followed suit, though unluckily landing on a small red fragmented shard of glass, slicing the inner sole of her foot open. The blood flowed freely from the fresh-cut, surrounding the tree, nourishing its roots with its unwanted aqueous liquid. Neermala silently laid at the foot of the guava tree, the distant echo of her sister Indumati, screaming for help, rang clear in her ears. Her eyes started to swell, as the shock from her fall began to fade, she inhaled deeply and became one with, and fully immersed by her pain.