The Story Of Fish
an excerpt

The Story Of Fish-Chapter 1

It was a sad night.There was nothing dark or stormy about the darkness and it didn't even cover the city like a black shroud, but it was definitely a sad night. The still air that made smog hang like snow's forgotten cousins, all but put a stamp of sadness on the atmosphere. Few People walked on he streets, those who did tried their best to protect themselves from the cold and unmerciful blows of the weather. Hands were stuffed in pockets, shoulders were hunched, and necks almost disappeared into the tucks and folds of mufflers and sweaters. People passed each other in silence and walkedhurriedly in to the streets.A dead beggar's body lay in a street corner and a mangy yellow dog tried to huddle against its corpse to grab whatever smithereens of of what little warmth the body was offering. The sins and the good deeds of humanity were clouded by the impurity of the mist.

Life trudged on and death slowly followed on its heel in a jolly careless walk, none of them noticed the stranger walk inside the city border. The man stepped off a steel Grey bus on the city border, a sign board proudly welcomed into "XXZ9 City". Vandals had painted lewd graffiti all over the city boards, profanities decorated the sign board like lights on a Christmas tree, all colors of blue, purple, red and black littered the board. The man took a can of spray paint from the bag on his back, shook it, and then sprayed his handle on the sign board "FISH IS HERE". His height of 6'' 4' provided no trouble for him to reach up and find a suitable clean spot for his sig. Suitable enough warning for the Leopards he thought. They'd be fools if they came here to die now.

Fish was the only name he had known himself to have, he was a disappeared man, with no licenses, no records, no paper work and even nothing on Google. Just one word, plain and simple, what the few who knew him called him for a little while before becoming a part of history. No one ever knew him for a long time, such was his name and such was the curse he carried on his head like a halo made of rusted iron. The problem with Fish was that he just couldn't help it, everything just happened around him as he revolved in the center of all the events. Death followed him like a dog, which has been fed the last biscuits and who waits by the door every morning in hope for more, when he doesn't get his biscuits, he gets fed anyway he can.

But here in the new city Fish knew he had escaped the dog, the people of this small town were safe from him. For how long he didn't know but he knew soon it would be the same story and he won't care. Fish walked into the mist covered streets, his duffel bag on his shoulder, and his black coat almost sweeping the moist streets. He knew this town was right, he could taste it in the air and the little voice in his head was silent like it was never there. For the first time in last 13 years a trace of a smile touched his lips. He took a deep breath and headed off into the darkness.

Chapter Two

The tower stood high and proud, black curtains hung like dead men in its windows. No wind blew this high up, even birds avoided the stark white tower almost at the edge of nowhere. Nail sat inside the tower on her ivory chair and silently typed on her Vaio. The newly installed wi fi connection worked prefectly, removing the need for the wires as earlier, but she never thought she will need to move beyond the confines of her little chamber. The chinese delivery people were prompt, thirty minutes or the food was free. She never really thought how they managed to reach here, but then again they were chinese and they were, well, everywhere. Today she felt like ordering some Indian food, she knew it would arrive late as per Indian Standard Time, but she was OK with cold food as long as it was what she wanted. She picked up her iPhone (unlocked) and dialled the number of Mr Ghai's Parantha Palace (World Famous In India).

"Namaste, Mr Ghai's Parantha Palace, would you like to order some today's special Chicken Parantha with Gobhi Achaar?" The polite voice of Mr Ghai's wife made her nostalgic and she almost ordered the Chicken Parantha, but then she realised she was a vegetarian and finally managed to find her voice chocked with nostalgic fluids.
"Hello, Mrs Ghai, I'm sorry, no chicken parantha for me, I'll have a two Paneer Paranthas with aam achaar and yellow butter two sticks and a cup of curd to go."
Mrs. Ghai recognised the voice, it paid to have good Pr with customers.
"Ah, Princess Nail, how are things in the white tower?"
"Everything is as it should be Mrs Ghai" she lied, "when will you deliver my order."
"Oh it will just take half hour, or money back" she added albeit reluctantly.
"Its Ok Mrs Ghai, I can wait for more than half hour, just make sure it reaches me in one piece, last time was a terrible because of the time scrambler"
Mrs Ghai gave a silent sigh, she shivered at the memories of the assembling the delivery boy back together, he still had bits of parantha stuck in his body like sharpnel from old war wounds. Deliveries at the white tower were always risky and the boys would be reluctant to go but like they had a choice.
"I'll wait for my food." Nail's voice said slowly from the other end.
"Oh sure dearie, you won;t have to wait long." said Mrs Ghai with tendrils of fear slowly sprouting in the back of her mind.
She put down the phone and violently pulled the plant of terror from her thoughts and screamed at the top of her lungs.

"AAAAAALL BOYS TO THE MAIN HAAAAALLLLL"

The sonics of her yell squirmed into every nook and corner of the restaurant like errant toothpaste filling up the paths of a small maze. everyone heard and wished to disappear, the yell meant only one thing, the white tower. As their feet followed the robotic commands filled in their heads by the garrulous training by Mr Ghai in the fine of delivering food, they all poured into the main hall like rain water pouring from a drain.