The Next Best Thing

A foot in front of the other. 

The dark of this tunnel may be frightening; but not frightening enough. I continue, despite the illusions my brain creates to deter me from the exit. 

I have no complete memory of how I got here; just broken images. 

I have been walking for hours. Sweat trickles down my back; bathing the cloth of my clothing into saltiness. The wet garment sticks to my back, making walking through this silent, abandoned tunnel even more unbearable.  

I realize after my feet begin to bleed, that I have been trudging barefoot.

I feel like I'll never get out of here.

I remember now...

Choosing wrong led me here. 

I chose wrong. 

When the light at the far end first makes me blink and shield my eyes with my hands, I know that I've begun to hallucinate. But I learn soon that what I can see is light.  

The light at the tunnel's end!

The exit; my way out!

I fasten my slow, tired pace—pure joy pouring energy into me.

I am getting closer.

Closer.

But.

My mind registers an eerie detail: the light is advancing towards me...

With such ferocious speed, agility...

My jubilation dies immediately when I have successfully solved the puzzle.

It's a train.

Straight from the news:

Wild accusations.

Former Karachi Nazim, Mustafa Kamal mired MQM with wild accusations yesterday. He burst into a fit of tears to emphasize the importance of his conjecture. Many believe him to be in the right; however, the victimized political entity has categorized all of his allegations false.

Hand in hand with MIT.

Ahsan Iqbal—Federal Minister for Planning, development, and Reforms—is seeking a collaboration with MIT to construct a modern university here in Pakistan. Meeting up with with celebrity-scientist, Nargis Mavalvala, a profound discussion took place regarding this collaboration. He also met with other higher-ups related to MIT.

Secret Changes.

Our good old Safari Park is supposed to go through some changes soon. A meeting of the concerned directors took place and discussions were held to make the suggested changes feasible.

New liver-transplantation center.

Our CM has inaugurated a liver-transplantation center at the Gambat Institute of Medical Science. His revealed that the institute will soon be granted the status of a university. The center is to provide free-of-cost liver transplantation.

Agricultural dilemma. 

Foreign officials have declared that Pakistan needs to better its agricultural production, for there might arise more problems similar to the Thar Famine if this issue isn't paid heed.

 Against street-crime.

With the help of volunteers, the CPLC, the police and the rangers have sworn to eradicate the number of street crimes in the city.

Release of Zootopia.

What might be the next best animated feature, Zootopia was released world-wide today. The creators of Frozen and Big Hero 6 have joined forces and this masterpiece came out as a result. Movie critics are yet to present their critiques.

That's all.

I stare at my reflection in the mirror. What I see, are bruises, cuts, and scars of countless struggles. What appears is rough skin, blemished. A look at my eyes reminds me of all the times spent in corners, shedding tears. What is no longer conceivable is the glint of ember in my irises. 

There's always more to people than what they let on.

The lectures I sat in today were like masquerade balls; everyone had a mask obscuring their faces. There were a few that slipped, and the faces that I saw underneath, were horrible.

Like the face of a classmate of mine, making a scandalous remark on my helping out a rather withdrawn girl of our class. Like the face of this very classmate, when I tried to help another student. Like the face of the other student above, that I tried to help out. Like the faces of the students I had learned to believe in, snickering away at me...

They were simply horrible.

These people are something else entirely to my face, but completely different individuals in my absence or when my back is facing them.

Nothing I say gives me the respect I want. No matter how fake I am to them, no matter how much
"niceness" I fake to earn their sincerity, I get none.

I guess I'll stop now.

It's time I put on a mask of my own.

And blend in.

I find myself pondering over the same question.