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Sitting on the crescendo of a hill, Alamgir was looking at the never-ending vastness of the sea. The ship was fading away from his eyes gradually and along with that, his dream was also looking to fade like this soon. He was young boy now and since his teenage, he dreamt and wished to explore not just this sea only but the whole world. But as he was the only kid of his parents, he wasn’t allowed to go alone even a few miles away. Alamgir belonged to a lower-class family. His father (Qasim) was a shoemaker as his father was. Qasim wanted Alamgir to learn and assist him as well in his work but Qasim was not interested in it. He just had a craze of embarking on a long odyssey which would take it to many new places.
While sitting on the rock and throwing stones into the water, recent debate was also resounding in his mind. This noon Alamgir had a peevish debate with his parents again. A ship was weighing the anchor to depart and Alamgir wanted to ride on that.
“Son, travel and journeys are not so easy. They encounter you with such things and situations which even become hard to withstand”, Qasim advised his son politely while his mother was listening to them in the Kitchen.
It was not new for them because in recent years this debate has become a table discussion for them. Every time a ship reaches at Deebal seaport, Alamgir used to express his desire to set on a journey to whom his parents always nodded.
“Baba, why do you guys always want me to confine within the walls of this? What is present here? Nothing…There is no money here, there is no knowledge here …there are no resources to live a better life” Alamgir querulously said to Qasim.
“But son, all that is just for your protection. There is so much harm outside. The world is so ruthless. You don’t know about the dark colors of this world” This time his mom intervened.
“How could I know…all the times when boys of my age were going out in wars, in hunting, and towards seeing new places. I was kept surrounded here. I have got only one life and you have made me feel suffocated in it” Alamgir miserably said and went outside the room producing a door-smashing sound.
His parents were not wrong though. It was their love for Alamgir that they always wanted him protected at an eye’s distance. They loved him a lot and they didn’t want to get him far from them. They wanted him to take care of them unless they died. They want him to join the family occupation and make his name in it as his father and grandfather but in contrast to this , Alamgir had paradoxical views.
While Alamgir was lost in his thoughts remembering a recent debate with his parents, the ship disappeared out of his sight. It was not like he was not ambitious. His intention was not just to wander. He wanted to be the greatest explorer of the world. He wanted to have information about every place in the world. He wanted to see what the Earth looked like. How the people of Earth differ from each other but he didn’t want to hurt the feelings of his parents also by setting out without their consent.
When even the sun said not to be his partner anymore, he smiled, got up, and ambled towards his house.
When he reached his abode, he found her mother waiting for him. He inquired,” What’s the matter?”
His mother replied,” Your father has acquiesced in. He is waiting for u inside”
Alamgir entered the room and his father cued him to sit near him.
“Look son, I know you have very complaints from us. But you better know that all we did was in your affection and love. Your phrase (I have gotta only one life, live me it) reminded me of my young age when I was also rebellious like u and wanted to do adventures. I will let you set out but before that, you will have to show that you can take care of yourself. Traveling is not so simple, it costs. First of all, you will arrange enough money for yourself. When you will arrange that, I will not stop u” Qasim said to Alamgir.
When Qasim concluded his peroration, Alamgir kissed his hand but in mind, he was trying to understand whether his parents actually acquiesced or if it was a ploy to keep him distracted from insistence.
This is my #fictionalwriting for #inkwellfictional #writing #prompt.
