The cobwebs start susurrating before I put the bag down and open the grilled doors to a neglected past.
Everything that once adorned the house has been taken away – the linen, the crockery, the cushions and carpets – leaving behind ruins of the original owner’s expectations. The locker and almirahs were found to be empty. The people who held the keys and inheritance rights by a will feigned ignorance.
I heard rumours about potential buyers being greeted and repelled by a hissing snake. It is a long-held Indian belief that souls return to guard their property in reptilian bodies. I wonder what remains to be guarded.
The land in a prime location will still fetch a price, even if the buyer chooses to dismantle memories of a lifetime. But it will benefit the living.
What Do You See #354
You took a wonderful path with this prompt!
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Thank you so much!
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What an evocative post. We build homes imagining them to last for eternity and they remain long after we are gone, crumbling.
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India has a lot of unoccupied real estate after migration of heirs to other countries. Developers can benefit by taking over old houses, but that business has not picked up.
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I agree with that.
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I like where this picture took you, Reena.
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Thank you, Balroop!
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Interesting, love the snake protecting the home.
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It is mythology 🤣
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🤣🤣
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What an interesting story, Reena. I never knew about a hissing snake idea.
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It is mythology. Souls were supposed to be protecting a treasure from alien hands in this manner, in another reincarnation. Fear kept the usurpers away.
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Very interesting take Reena. I like how you’ve combined mythology and reality in your story. Thanks for joining in.
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Thank you, Sadje!
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You’re welcome
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