Seven (Part I)

The tiny hamlet of Ferbishire was waking up to another peaceful morning. It was the perfect weather – not so sunny as to make one sweat, and not so cold as to make one shiver. There was a light wind in the air, the kind that would invigorate your being as you walk thorugh it. The wind carried with it sounds and smells of the surroundings – the chirping of birds in the orchards, the occasional mowing of cows in the meadows, the scent of wild flowers, and the mouth watering smell of freshly baked bread.

Anakin loved the smell of bread. As the smell reached him, he jumped out of his bed and ran into the kitchen, where his sister Lily was busy with the breakfast. “Go get some fruits for the sides, Anakin!” she said, and Anakin ran out again, this time into the orchard. He picked up strawberries, his favourite, and oranges for Lily, and also apples because Lily said they should have them to be healthy. When he carried the entire lot into the kitchen and gave it to Lily, she was so impressed that she gave him extra cheese on his slice of bread. He felt so healthy and so strong, just like Superman! And he felt so, so proud!

Sitting in his terrace garden, Mr. Bennet felt good. As he looked at the litte boy picking up strawberries from the orchard below, he wondered if it was the right time for them to have a child. He could support a child now, he thought, he finally had the means. His boss, after all these years, had acknowledged his worth and given him a pay rise and a huge bonus. They now had this small, cozy farmhouse, which had always been his dream. Sipping from a cup of tea, he looked at his wife, content in the garden below, and felt another wave of satisfaction wash over him. Life, finally, was smiling at him.

Soaking in the sun in his recliner, Mr. Johnson thought that he could die happy. His wife was in the kitchen preparing a feast for her son, and Mr. Johnson knew she was crying tears of joy even as she cooked. He had married her when her boy had been all of four, but over so many years, he had come to love his stepson as his own. But the son had grown up to become the Senator, and the Senator hadn’t approved of their simple tastes. For over a decade, he had estranged himself from them, so much so that he had stopped sending letters and Christmas gifts. Now, he had suddenly had a change of heart, and had decided to visit for a week. His wife was so happy that the happiness was infectious – even the newspaper seemed to seemed to have good news and joyful stories. His world indeed had become a better place to live.

Standing in the meadows, with the wind blowing in her hair, Emily Mason thought that this was the happiest day of her life. At long last, her father had given her the permission to marry the man she loved, Ted. It was here, in these meadows, that she had first met Ted. She had been reading, and he had been collecting wild flowers. As he had stood on one knee and proposed with nothing but the colourful flowers, she had burst into laughter, but she had fallen in love with him nevertheless. And now, it was going to be perfect. Ted had a job now, and so her father too had finally come to accept him. She would marry him in a beautiful white gown of chiffon and pearls, and they would live in a small cottage surrounded by grass and lilies and lotuses. In her heart, she knew that this was the happy ending she had always wanted.

It was as if all problems had been wiped off in a stroke, as if the times of turmoil were over, as if nothing could go wrong now. The troubles of the past seemed to be distant memories, fading away with the passing moment. It was as if good times had finally come to stay, for good.

(To read the next part, click here.)

Seven is an enticing number. That is why, I am taking part in The Write Tribe Festival of Words 1st – 7th September 2013, where for straight seven days, we would be writing on the theme ‘Seven’. 

For this festival, I have challenged myself to write seven emotions. From among the navrasas, or the nine moods, I have chosen seven, namely Joy, Sorrow, Anger, Heroism, Fear, Wonder and Peace. This is my attempt at weaving a story which moves through each of these emotions. This was the first part of the story, and the mood was Joy.

Do let me know if I have been successful in creating this mood, and if you like this, please come to read the second part, second mood of this story!