Chasing Glory

 

Seth found himself running through mud and slime. Somewhere deep within his dream, his mind tried to justify his relentless chase.

“Every person, at least once in their waking mind, has chased glory. The applause, the accolades, the accomplishments - all these make one feel worthy. I was no different. Yet, my attempts to grasp it always slipped through my fingers.

Perhaps that is why my desire to chase glory strongly found its way into my subconscious. Night after night, my dreams carried the weight of my ambitions to succeed, to excel, to finally touch the glory that always remained just beyond my reach.

But even there, it continued to evade me. And tonight was no different. As always, I kept running after it… in my dreams.

It is raining heavily, and I am running as fast as my legs can carry me. I slide under a closing door and reach the other side. But to my utter shock, the gory, tentacle-headed creature phases through to this side of the door. Yuck! The slimy, green, foul-smelling substance dripping from its wide mouth makes me want to puke. Even my breath is arrested by the fear of it attacking me. Will it gobble me up, burn me to ashes, or phase me into another galaxy? I do not know. As it comes closer, I begin to tremble and, with all my might, I scream –

Help!”

Seth opens his eyes. He is still panting as though he has just run a hundred-metre sprint. He is devastated.

“Ah, not again! No, not this one!”

Grumbling to himself, Seth turns to the other side, squeezes his eyes shut, and drifts back to slumberland.

Seth found himself sleepwalking.

“My eyes are tightly shut, yet I can feel that I am outside my house, heading towards the railway line nearby. The night is too still - not calm, for I can sense danger lurking in the overgrown shrubs, casting ghostly shadows.

I keep walking. I hear the loud whistle of an approaching train and the chains of the level crossing being pulled down by Peter. He is always alert and, for the record, has caused zero railway accident casualties in this zone.

Suddenly, something entangles my legs and stops me in my tracks. I open my eyes and see the long hair of a woman lying face down. Looking down, I realize that it is her saree that has wrapped itself around my foot.

I turn her over. Her throat has been slashed. I scream as the train rushes past with a deafening roar.

I run towards the level crossing, calling out to Peter. He stands there holding a lantern. I tell him about the slain woman. Peter slowly lifts the lantern towards his face, and I see blood splashed all over his clothes and skin. In his other hand, he holds a machete. I stand shell-shocked and fall unconscious.”

Seth opens his eyes and looks around. He is drenched, as though he has been standing out in the rain. Disappointed once again, he switches on the air conditioner, turns the fan to full speed, and lies down to sleep.

Seth found himself listening to the slight tap of high heels.

“I rush out of my house and peer beyond the compound wall at the sweet rhythm of heels clicking on the tarred road. The breeze is cool, as though announcing the arrival of rain. Yet it carries the sweet fragrance of my favourite lilies, and I know it is her. Yes, that's it. I know it's her. Finally!

Then I see her silhouette.

She is walking towards me at a leisurely pace, making me restless. Those long legs, her perfect figure, those mesmerizing eyes, rosy lips, and attractive smile - all have made me her devoted admirer, though she has yet to know it.

But before she can reach me and call my name - "Seth" - in her melodious voice, it begins to drizzle. She stops and turns towards the other side of the road. The heartless rain pays no heed to my feelings and starts pouring down mercilessly.

She turns to look at me once more, smiles, and takes to her heels.

For a moment, I am spellbound.

The next moment, I am running after her. She runs away from me as though she enjoys being chased.

“Glory!”

I shout her name with all my might. She turns again and begins to laugh like a maniac. Before I can reach her, she vanishes.

Seth never managed to catch glory in the world he lived in. Yet, in his dreams, he found another kind of Glory — the one who appeared, disappeared, and kept him chasing forever.

Seth wakes up to the blaring alarm. Another long day at the office awaits him. But he hardly has the will to work. Night after night, the slippery dreams and the endless chase after Glory in the rain leave him exhausted, restless, and longing for the peaceful sleep that always remains just beyond his reach.

© Anjana Premkumar 2026