Stranger on the Street

Crokus emerged on to the street. In either direction, as far as he could see, not a single reveler was visible, and a thick silence hung over all. The wind curled round him, first from one direction, then from another, as if seeking escape. A charnel smell filled the air. His head was throbbing, still weary from the scenes of Simtal’s estate. Before he could move, a strong arm gripped him across his face and he felt the touch of a sharp knife on this throat. A voice hissed close to his ears, “A man just seeks help and promises debt well paid back.”

“Help seekers do not sneak up and put knives on the throat.” If he was scared, Crokus did not let his voice give it away. He felt the grip loosening on him, but the knife still rested on his neck. He turned around to see his captor, but he stood against the light, just giving slight features of his face away.

“Identify yourself, ye help seeker, show your face and then I will decide what fate shall befall you.” He said, knowing very well that he was not speaking from a commanding position.

“A man has many faces and names are what, just words. I am sea-farer and a traveller. A man seeks fresh horses and provision to travel back to what he calls home.” There was a strange calmness in the voice of the stranger standing in the dark.

“I take you for no Malaz, where you come from.”

“A man travels from far, across the oceans; when a man sails to the other end of the ocean, he sees the greatest free city of all the time. That is where a man lives.”

Crokus was growing weary of this futile conversation. He shrugged and said,” The estate lie abandoned, walk through whatever is left of it, I am sure you will find enough provision to end a life time, in party hall. Towards the back there is a stable, pick your choice of horses if any of them are still in flesh and standing.” Wit seemed to be returning to him and half mockingly he added,” A man can then take his arse wherever he wants.”

The man moved a step further in light and faced Crokus. He was almost as tall as him. He did seem like a possessor of many faces. He looked utterly calm, unaffected of his little dig at him. Crokus felt him thrusting something in his hand, a coin.

“A man is indebted and assures that debt will be paid back with help when a man is in need. If the day come when you would find me again – give that coin to any sailor sailing across the great ocean and say these words – Valar Morghulis. A man will be brought to what he seeks in the greatest free city in the east – Bravos.” He walked away with a nod, speaking his words, "Valar Morghulis."

Crokus found himself repeating after him,”Valar Morghulis.”

The man had melted in the darkness of the Simtal’s estate. He turned in the direction of Baruk's estate. At least, with the streets empty, this wouldn't take long. He began to run.

[A cross fan-fiction bringing together two of the greatest and my favourite series, The Malazan Book of the Fallen and A Song of Fire and Ice (Game of Thrones)]

The Mad Man

Bruised and battered he gathered his being and slid to a side of the footpath to make room for the passerby and slipped into his dreams. Those who frowned upon a drunken sloth lying by roadside failed to see the utter calmness on his face. They could not hear the silence which screamed in joy, through the chaos of civilized and orderly world. Every voluntary and non voluntary gesture of their was meant to demean him, loath him. They cursed him, kicked him but not a single hand to reach him. While the sane people of orderly world insanely ran through their chaotic life, in early hours of day, he comfortably lived his lucid dream. He lied there while everyone ran in a mad rush; cars and buses honked, bike slid past toe nails, sweat ran down the temple, shoulder brushed, abuses hurled and people ran, they ran because that is what they were supposed to do. And all this while in his world the sun shone, the wind blew past his mane, birds perched on pavement, a squirrel ran down the tree to pick a nut which slid past the finger of a little girl sitting in a bus buried under a ton weight of her school bag. She did notice neither the bird nor squirrel. From side of his half open eyes he looked further, an ant passed his vision carrying a cube of sugar, and he could bet he had seen her smiling. He heard the bell of a temple tolling in a distance; he picked the scent of perfume of a passerby; everything around seem to made to please him. A kick and a volley of abuses by a Socrates who ran past him distract him a little before he slipped back into his lucid dreams, unaffected of the chaos that was building around him. Somehow he had averted it from growing on him. He slept there on the footpath while quite morning grew into chaotic day, he slept in peace; he was the Mad Man. 

Going Social!

In the beginning all people lived in two big rooms with a blackboard each. They lived happily in their own room unaware of the existence of the other room. They spent all their time talking, laughing and playing with each other.  Life was blissful. There were no rituals, rules and restrictions but one – no one to touch the black board!

One night when in room Alpha all were fast asleep, a girl woke up with a jolt. She had a scary dream. She could not get sleep again, so she walked around in the room and stopped by the board. She thought she saw a mild light inside the board. She got curious and drew a line on the board. Nothing happened but she liked doing it. She wanted to tell someone about her dream, she thought,” Since all are asleep why not tell the board”. She wrote on the board ‘Hi’ and then was taken aback, the board replied ‘Hi!’

The girl got scared and ran back to her mum, tucked herself under the blanket and went to sleep.

Writing on the board was forbidden, so when elders saw the word written on the board they got very angry, but at the same time they got curious about it. Immediately, a council of elders was called and they decided to explore further in it. With unanimous agreement it was decided that they should respond to the message.

The ‘Hi’ was responded with ‘Who are you?’ and the conversation began. Seeing that it was not a threat as always told more people took up writing on the board. They found out there was another room where more people lived and they started chatting with each other.

Soon, boards in both rooms were always full of people writing on it. They fought with each other to gain access to the board. Now, they did not talk with each other but with the board, they laughed at what was written on the board. Board was always thronged with people writing on it, but it was all public, everyone could see who was typing what and the reply. They had always shared everything with each other. But, since they had got social with the people on the other side of board they felt uncomfortable with others seeing what message they were sending and receiving.

One day a person got blinkers and put it on his part of the board; he had got his own piece - a personal board. Soon the whole board was divided in to blinkered parts, with everyone claiming a small piece of it. Yet a problem remained, to remain social they had to stand near the board. And even though there were blinkers put on the board, others could still peek in.

Somebody got an idea; he broke his piece of board out and walked away with it. He had his mobile board in his hand now. He could walk away from the board on the wall and can still remain social. How others would not follow him? They also took their pieces out and soon everyone had mobile board in their hands. They could chat all the time, anywhere; while they walked, played, ate or even slept.

Their world has changed, now nobody would talk to each other, nobody would laugh with each other, and nobody would play with each other. They would do all of that on the board with the people on the other side.

The girl scared of her night experience could never generate the courage to go close to the board again. She never used the board again. Now with everyone having their boards, she was left alone. She went to play with her best friend. She patted him, nudged him and pushed him, he snapped back “Idiot! Don’t you see, I am being social, don’t disturb me!”

The girl went away, sat alone in the corner, cried a bit and then she noticed there was something glittering at one corner where board used to be before. She walked to it, to find a small piece of board still there. She plucked it out, and wrote ‘Hi’ and response came promptly ‘Hi! ASL please?” She smiled broadly, even she had gone social now!