The wind in my face, my woolen muffler flapping backwards from my neck, the smell of the dry red dust in the air, the muted sound of the engine within my helmet, the warmth of the heated engine felt near the calves under my jeans.. I have been riding since the last one hour without any sight of a living being. The last living creature I saw was the old man at the last petrol pump with deep dark wrinkled eyes who filled up my motorcycle's tank to the brim with an expressionless look.
Now it has been an hour and more than 40 miles covered from my last small halt at the petrol pump. I do not see anything in sight. The land is barren and not even a tree for shade. No men, no cattle, no plants, no structures. I am alone with my bike's thump and the thoughts of someone.. Someone very special..
I am longing to see civilization again and I start seeing a black spot of smoke up and far, piercing the red dusty eveing sky. As I move closer, the spot of smoke grows bigger showing its source, a tall steel chimney. Though nothing life like, the thought of a factory filled me with hope to soon spot some living beings.. As I ride further, the letters MKY painted high up on the tall chimney start getting legible. I ride closer and closer but the structure seems as if it is getting farther as I drive towards it. I can now see the huge structure of stainless steel pipes next to the chimney intertwined in geometrical but complex pattern in the backdrop of the orange evening sky.
I ride further and find a small shed to the left of the road slowly magnifying to its real size as I approach closer. For the first time after more than an hour, I finally see men. I am more than happy. I pull the bike off the road and slow down to a halt. 3 men in their grey uniforms stare at me while still continuing their conversation in an unknown language . The smoke coming out of their nostrils relieves me. I walk towards the shed with my heavy riding gear and find a lean and tiny man in his mid thirties in the shed. As I have a look around, I find that he sells nothing but cigerettes, cookies and tea.
I take my gloves off and find some coins in my wallet. I buy my cigarette and start puffing away.. The three men and the tiny shed owner stare at my large parked bike loaded with everything needed for my trip. The sun has set and the sky is in a dull grey shade with only a few patches of orange on the horizon. A sudden loud siren rings from the factory. Hearing it, the three men leave the shed and start walking towards the factory while still continuing their conversation and slowly fade away into distance.
I turn around to the tiny shed owner to find him engrossed in reading a local news paper printed in an unknown language. Breaking my hesitation, I ask him if I can find a place to stay for the night. He silently stares at me in the eye making me sense that he doesn't know my language. Before I try to ask the same question through gestures, he points his finger towards the factory.
I do not understand what he meant, but I just nod and throw the cigarette bud in a bin placed besides the shed and walk back to my bike. As I wear my gloves and helmet, I can hear a thunder from the now even more greyer sky.. I start my bike and ride in the direction pointed by the shed owner. I still don't know if he unserstands my language. As I ride, I can smell the mud drenched with rain and before I start enjoying the smell, the first rain drop hits my helmet screen. I increase my pace and vanish towards the unknown...
