Death and Blood

I walked uphill from the station towards my home. Half-way up I noticed that the side I was walking from was wet. The asphalt looked a dark murky grey, almost black compared to the light grey road all over. For some reason this intrigued me. Although a wet road during monsoons is not something novel. After a few steps I could make out little rivulets flowing down but after a few more steps, I noticed that these rivulets now had some dark brownish-maroonish liquid flowing in between. Paan spittle?? Blood?? So much?? My mind was racing now.

I picked up my pace and lo! after a some more yards i saw a puddle of murky brown bordering on deep red. And lots of splashes of the same color and lots of water or something like that around it. There was a stench in the air. A heavy smell, which I realized had been following me since long. The smell of rot, the smell of blood. The smell of diluted flesh. It conjured up wierd images in my mind. I noticed a lot of people were noticing the splashes but none thought anything of it.

I walked a few more steps ahead following the trail of bloody water and stopped short when faced with a huge object. A green BMC garbage truck in the process of loading more rubbish. Enfolded open, I could clearly see that one entire half of the truck was stuffed with pieces of flesh. Overflowing with pink, red, skin colored flesh dripping blood. The other half had the normal wet garbage disposed from homes and restaurants dripping filthy water. The result was water infused with animal blood. The stray dogs had smelled the blood and were hankering for a piece of flesh for feasting. The workers tossed out a piece of meat which landed a few feet away from me.

I reeled in disgust. It felt like my middle had been scooped out. I hurried and ran away from there. My home was two minutes away from the spot and I caought myself looking behind my shoulder more than 7 times. I dint want the truck to catch up with me.

I dint want to smell death again.