BEHIND WALLS.

PREFACE:

We live in the world where we are set into certain molds from the day we are born. Our world places expectations on us and we struggle throughout our lives to fulfil those expectations.

We cut ourselves to fit into this mold and in the process, loose everything we are.

The mask we wear gets heavier and heavier and our real self starts to disappear.

At some point we start being scared of what we have turned into. But we have to realize the monster in the lake is us, That’s the first step to finding who we are, and breaking out of this stereotypical wall the world builds around us.

"We may not have built the wall, But we choose to be stuck behind it"

***

Loud incessant sound blared through the forest in the middle of the night.

As soon as the majestic tiger closed his eyes to sleep, the sound rang louder. “How dare someone wake me up from my sleep” he growled to himself, but he couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling.

Something was wrong;

A part of him was happy at the prospect of the sound being the source of his dinner. Deciding to get the job done, he walked down towards the lake from where the sound originated.

The whisper of rustling leaves sounded extremely loud in the quite darkness.

He shivered as he saw the trees which cast majestic shadows on the filthy ground.

What if? the thought flashed unbidden across his mind. “No Way” he exclaimed, shaking off the absurd prospect with a hint of uneasiness.

“It is definitely not a full moon night, there is no way he is in the lake” he scoffed.

A sudden movement in his periphery made him turn around with a gasp, But looking at what lay in front of him, the fear dissipated.

He guffawed out in delight, A tiny crow was stuck in the weeds, thunderstruck with fear at the sight of him.

Approaching the crow who shook with feat, he looked down imperiously “How dare you wake me up by your whining” his voice was laced with arrogance.

The crow curled into itself and began trembling at his anger. The fear in her eyes disgusted him.

“Cowards like you have no place in the world” He growled with venom, springing towards her in an attempt to crush her down.

He lifted his feet, about to crush the crow under his feet when the crow gave a violent shriek and leapt towards the lake.

No! he rushed back to the lake shell shocked at what had just happened. He was shell shocked to see the little crow jump into water, he prepared to jump into lake and teach her a lesson.

But when he neared the lake, he stopped short, He was here.

His mortal enemy, the monster looked huge with glowing eyes and mouth filled with razor sharp teeth.

His fear came back with a raging vengeance and he cowered before the monster whimpering in fear.

He stayed there for a long while, loathing himself for showing weakness.

A small prick at his side made him look down.

He fell back with a surprised huff when the being who had pricked him came into view.

The little crow that had fallen into the river was sitting beside him. Looking up with big bright eyes. She was sopping wet and shivering in the cold breeze.

The crow was looking at Tora with complete befuddlement, her eyes glowed with shock.

“You are scared too” she whispered in wonder, she seemed to have forgotten her fear for him the moment she had witnessed his fear.

She looked back and forth between him and the water, AH! She finally exclaimed with the sudden realization.

“You’re scared of what you saw in water?” She asked, trying to hold back a smile.

He growled at her with narrow eyes “You’re not?” He huffed when she shook her head.

“Not anymore” she said, her eyes shining with mirth “Because the one in the river is also You”

“WHAT” he looked back the at river with suspicion, what was this crazy crow saying.

She tapped him with her beak and led him towards the river.

“Look!” she gestured to the river, sounding like an admonishing mother.

He gave her a ugly scowl and looked into the river, What he saw there stunned him speechless.

The monster was still there, but beside the monster was a crow, the same one which stood beside him.

He stepped back, flabbergasted at the scene. He had always thought the monster was the enemy, as he thought back. the monster always growled when he did, and always showed its teeth when he did.

It had been him all along.

He had been afraid of his own monstrosity, which was bred into him by the unreasonable expectations of the world.

He was a Tiger so the world expected him to be a monster. He growled because he was expected to. He scared others because he was expected to.

Shame enveloped him; He had been such a hypocrite.

Every time he saw his weakness reflected in others , he lashed out at them. But he realized that disgust wasn’t because of them but it was the reflection of disgust he felt for himself which he directed at them.

His eyes filled with tears at this realization.

The crow watched with silence as the walls around him built by the world, crumbled.

“Its okay for Tigers to cry” she sighed. Sitting down beside him, looking at his teary eyes.

“You can be scared of yourself too you know!” She whispered conspicuously at him with a smile “You tiger guys are very scary”.

A laugh escaped him. The crow nudged him playfully.

In her eyes he saw acceptance he had never given himself. Seeing her sit there with no trace of judgement on her face, For the first time in his life, he felt the ominous weight of worlds opinions and expectations fade away.

And finally, the wall around him faded away revealing the real him. Finally, he could breathe.

Let's break the walls that hide us.