BEAUTY OF INNOCENCE

The volume of water that invaded the low lands, had reached close to the entrance of the first floor. Without removing anything on the third floor, he got all the other belongings and possessions that were in the first and second floor, transported to the new house in Rangala. According to the demarcations, he was sure that the third floor would not be affected. With a heavy heart, he gazed at most of the properties belonged to the Weerasekara generation being submerged to the reservoir. With a wail of anguish, he again looked around. He only found his companion Rover beside him. The pain he felt upon losing Nandana Menike , which echoed in his heart from time to time, had a greater impact than Sandra deserting him in a world of despair.

He got drunk until he reached the state of amentia: murmuring some nonsensical words, at one time, he went on playing chess all alone and next time laughing and calling out Nandana Menike. The water level gradually started encroaching the second floor. Rover became rather uneasy and restless being unable to understand the transformation in the surrounding. He came down to the second floor and had a glance at the digital photo hung on the wall and cast a sarcastic smile.

"Aha Sandra… You thought of building your castle there deserting me here… Do you know…? Eventually both of us are going to be underwater along with this huge bungalow… You have already been submerged … Even if you don't tell me, I know it… I know it Sandra... Remember… you are finished…"

Like a demented character, he was having a monologue stretching his hands this way and that like an actor, acting out a part of a play. After a pause, he called out Nandana Menike.

"Why Nanda… tell me… tell me why you entered my desperate world…? I know… I'm wrong, I wronged you innocent Nanda… Why, why I failed to understand you and your love…? Don't leave me Nanda…! Now I have nobody… yes… nobody… nobody…! Only you… yes, I have only you now…!"

He knelt down opposite the huge digital photo and touched the face of Sandra. By that time, the water level had inundated a couple of inches of the second floor. Rover came to him and hinted out the futility of remaining there any further, licking his master.

He sat down on the flight of the steps leading to the third floor and went on drinking freely, as there was none to prevent him from it. The water level kept increasing, yet Bernard couldn't feel it due to intoxication. The cool climate brought him a soothing effect. He tried to see Nandana Menika's face through the face of Sandra on the photo. He saw Nandana Menike was looking at him motionlessly. He wiped out his eyes to ascertain whether it was real Nandana Menike; but he couldn't figure out anything owing to the darkness that was in progress. He went up to the photo and checked. He could not comprehend whether his mind had been entrapped by an illusion.

He unconsciously walked up to his room and lay down on the bed. The sun hid its face behind the range of mountains creating vivid patterns in the sky. He couldn't see such beauty. In no time, darkness invaded the entire region.

Lightning and thunderbolts from time to time, made a big impact on the environment penetrating the thick layer of darkness around. Bernard had neither consciousness nor sheer necessity to see what was happening outside. Even Rover became so helpless being unable to comprehend its master's unusual behavior and the changes in the environment. It groaned and lay at the foot of its master's bed. By that time the water level had invaded more than half of the second floor of the three tiered bungalow.

The cries and wails of the animals being caught in the rising water dominated the usual chorus of the nocturnal creatures.

The wind, which was uninvitingly dashed through the open window to the balcony, was naturally very cold. Bernard suffered a lot being not in a position to remove his wet clothes. He groped around in the dark, looking for the torch. Finally, his hand reached the torch, which was lying on the floor near the bed.

He picked up the torch and with its dim light he checked every nook and corner to find out his best companion, who could warm him up and help him to forget his worries for some time. Since he could not find anything from the third floor, he thought of going to the second floor as he could barely remember a bottle of whisky he had kept here. Rover sniffed out what its master was going to do and obstructed his way and didn't allow its mater to move on to the second floor, which had been half filled with water. Bernard had no strength to outmaneuver his four-legged faithful friend.

"Rover, don't try to be too smart… Ok…? Mind you… I'm your master… not the servant… you have no right to stop me… ok…? Periyavar… Periyavar… What the hell are you doing man…? Come and take this animal… Put it into the kennel… Hurry up…?"

Bernard shouted at his Tamil servant, who could never respond to his commands or requests.

A thunderbolt landed with a deafening sound on the top of the nearest mountain. Rover got frightened and started barking at the direction. Bernard, without his knowledge, came to the sitting position on the bed.

With thundering and lightning, it rained cats and dogs. With the wind, rain drops dashed against the window panes making a disturbing sound. The weather became cooler and cooler. Bernard switched on the torch and focused the torch light on to the window. The outside was constantly flashed by the lightning effect. The window was seen like a white square of the chess board in the backdrop.

At the same time, he saw someone entering the room dressed in royal attire. He was Raja Weerasekara. As he smiled through the moustache, of which the two ends had been curled up, Bernard recognized his father's typical expression.

In the meantime, he noticed that Raja Weerasekara was being escorted by two lines of soldiers on either side of him. The closest guard was Justin. Justin could not conceal the deep resentment on his face. He raised the sword he was carrying and stared at him threateningly. The Bishop, who came through darkness, prevented Justin from his possible attack. Her reaction made Bernard relieve to a great extent. The Bishop turned back slowly. Bernard identified her to be Koinmenika. The black horse who jumped from the black square instantly attacked Justin throwing him away from the white square. The black horse was driven by Victor. On seeing the black queen dressed in a black cloak, the Bishop retreated in darkness. Bernard was in an attempt to recognize who that black queen was.

Through the white squares, a white queen came forward behind Raja Weerasekara. Bernard couldn't figure out whether she was Sandra or Nandana Menike. The fight started between the black and white. There were many unfamiliar faces. They fought against each other. Through the castle, the withdrawal of the king and the white queen was barely noticed by Bernard. Periyavar was there being surrounded by black soldiers. Kapilasena was seen coming forward for Periyavar's protection. The black queen reappeared and at that time she was recognized by Bernard. He argued that Grace should be on his father's side. On the chess board there was a lot of absurd drama. The torrential rain started falling onto the chess board. Through lightning, Yasawathi emerged and her appearance looked demented. She picked up a thunderbolt and threw it at Bernard.

Bernard felt like fainting. The breath that he inhaled released slowly fathoming the damage caused. His mouth had gone dry. He felt terribly thirsty and by that time the chess board had vanished. He couldn't ascertain how long he had been off his brain. There was a dim light indicating the dawn of another day.

Rover was found sleeping at the foot of the bed. Bernard slowly got up and tried to recollect what he saw. He realized that he had seen a nonsensical dream.

Being lost in two worlds; the world of dreams and the world of reality, Bernard set his foot on the floor and understood the distinct difference. Two or three inches of the third floor also had gone underwater. He voyaged up to the table to drink some water from the goblet. There were a few drops of water in it, which could hardly quench his thirst.

Bernard, picking up the torch, went towards the second floor without knowing what he should do. The second floor was under water and darkness reigned everywhere. He focused the torch light on to the water and saw the first few steps of the flight of stairs leading to the second floor. The torch light was not powerful enough to chase away the darkness.

Suddenly, the memory of half-emptied whisky bottle, which he had used on the previous day, struck his mind. He couldn't get rid of the obsession of it and tried to reach the second floor despite possible danger. He descended a few steps until the water level reached up to his waist level. He felt the effect of the cool water which could freeze his entire body. He felt like getting cramps. Though he could swim, the realization, at the last moment, came to his mind not to take unnecessary risks.

He was shaken by a sudden splash. A serpent had fallen into the water from the roof and it was found to be struggling for life. Bernard got scared as he saw that the serpent was swimming towards him. He turned and hurried to get back. The torch slipped from his grip and rolled down the steps and hid in the water never to be found again.

Rover sensing the absence of its master ran towards the balcony to see where its master was. Though it could not speak, it could understand the precarious situation in which its master was in. Rover went near him wagging its tail.

* * *

Like a bridal veil, the thin layer of mist, that had laid on the bed of still water of Victoria reservoir, slowly woke up from its slumber with the mild wind, when the rays of the sun fell on to it. There were a few mountain tops, which protruded above the water level, looked like small islands. They created a panoramic view to the eyes of a viewer from the distance. There were a few tall trees here and there, which were left out as they were of no use. Since the natural habitats of the serpents, reptiles, monkeys and other wild animals were seen moving from place to place to find new homes in the new environment.

Two people on a motor boat were involved in a mission to rescue the deserted animals. The third floor of the three tiered building that stood above the water level, could be viewed from the distance. It looked like part of a huge passenger ship. The water level had reached up to the brim of the floor of the third floor. The two men on the boat turned the boat towards the bungalow as they noticed Rover was observing the new surroundings.

"Wonderful people… you see… how ungrateful these people are… deserting their pet, the owners have moved…" One of the men said to the other.

"That's what I also thought… This one seems to be a good breed… I wonder why they left it in this way…" It was a puzzle for both of them.

"From the distance, I saw the windows looked open… but now they are closed…" The boat riders had confusion over the windows. As the boat came closer to Rover, it jumped into the water and got onto a higher point of the second floor, which had not gone underwater.

"Wonderful dog…! Turning the boat towards that point, the boat rider said.

"Don't…! Don't…! The bottom of the boat will be damaged…" The other one was vigilant of a possible danger, if they turned the boat in that direction.

"The same thing will happen to us like the Titanic…!" With a smile, he said to his companion.

"There's small distances to the highland from here… don't worry, it can manage…" They are more intelligent than us on matters like this…" He said to the boat rider thinking of the futility of their endeavor to rescue the dog.

The boat started moving to the opposite direction. Rover observing that swam back to the balcony and shook off its fur as it was fully wet.