Clifton Beach

The summer breeze was more than calming on me, as I lay on a small floral bed sheet on the beach of Clifton. It was 3.00 p.m. So the beach was almost empty. People throng on the beach early in the morning or in the evening when the sun isn't high up in the sky.

I had no option as I was in Karachi for an official meeting. I had to catch the plane to Lahore, early in the morning, the next day. I had heard so much about the Clifton beach that I couldn't resist going there.

The sweet smell of jasmine flowers came wafting in the soft breeze. My eyes closed, I tried to compose a poem.

What's that?

A feeble sound reached my ears. Was I day dreaming? The sound of anklets nearby made me sit up. I looked around but couldn't see anything. An eerie feeling crept on me. The rhythm grew stronger as if it was just beside me. A cold shiver passed through my spine. I looked around. No one was there. Slowly the rhythm started moving away and then it stopped. I felt relief. It was getting dark as the sky was flooding with grey clouds. I picked up the bed sheet to leave.

Wait!

Muffled crying of a child reached my ears. It was coming from a Peepal tree near which the music of anklets had receded. A small little baby was lying on the ground and crying. First I decided not to go there but as the child kept crying. As I reached near, I was surprised to see a very healthy baby. The pink cheeks and fair skin were evidence enough that the baby was well fed. The dress and the blanket that the baby was wrapped in were very expensive.

Who on earth could have left the baby here? I wondered.

The beach was deserted. I noticed that it was almost past dusk. But the full moon in the sky shone brightly and played hide and seek amidst the clouds. I thought for a while whether I should take the baby with me or not.  As I stood there, the baby smiled at me and started cooing as if conversing with me.

How could I just leave the baby there! I decided to take the child to the nearby police station.

I picked up the baby and started walking. Suddenly, a woman's cackling laughter flooded the air. It was coming from the same peepal tree. Terrified, I looked at the tree and I thought that I saw a woman with dark flowing hair and her legs hanging from the tree. But I saw her only for a moment and then she was gone.

The first thought that came to my mind was to run and save the baby. I started running. As I ran, I felt the baby grow heavier. The weight was becoming unbearable. I was in shock so I hadn't noticed the baby in my hands. I tried to hold the baby closer and that is when I noticed the baby's feet were getting longer and reaching my ankles.

I fainted.

When I woke up, I was in my room. My friend who had accompanied me from office in the morning was sitting on the sofa. 

"What happened?" He asked

"You won't believe it."

"Really? Try me."

With apprehension, that he won't believe me, I started to tell him what had happened. I was sweating and trembling in fear.

He smiled and said, "You need some water. Wait"

As I waited he stretched his hands towards the refrigerator. It was becoming longer and longer like a plastic pipe.

I lost consciousness.

As I opened my eyes, I was lying on the beach. The moon's light shone on the waves like sparkling diamonds. Heavy grey clouds were assembling in the sky.

Something cold just touched the nape of my neck. I dared not look back. I could feel someone or something breathing behind me and the scent of jasmine flowers.

Can you smell it too....?

Tasneem Hossain is a multilingual poet, columnist, op ed columnist and training consultant. She is the director of Continuing Education Centre, Bangladesh.