The Madman

I don’t remember how long I have been running. I could still hear the shouting and screaming of people who are chasing me. They are carrying with them sticks, pelting stones and hurling abuses at me. I cannot do anything but run away from them. My feet are bleeding because I am running bare feet. Blood is flowing down my head from the wounds those people made, but pain they have made in my heart is hurting me more. My legs can’t take me any further.

I could still hear shouting at a distance. They are screaming “Madman, Madman”. There is no one near me now. I can’t run any longer. There are a few people lying here, men like me whom the intelligent people here calls ‘insane’.

I can’t figure out which place this is. I am feeling hungry. I don’t remember the last time I ate. There is nothing to eat now. I quenched my thirst by drinking water from the gutter. My clothes are all soiled, patched up and smelly. I am sitting here and catching my breath. I am sitting in this place and trying to remember the first person who called me the madman. Was it my girl whom I loved, for being totally honest with her???
Or my so called friends, for I had views that was never popular with them????
I can’t remember which of them did.

I can’t help myself from laughing at the fact that I am called a madman by these people.
In this normal world I have seen the so called normal man betray his own country for his material benefits.
I have seen brothers killing brothers in the name of politics, religion and country.
I have seen people being classified and distinguished on the basis of the so called caste and origin.
I have seen people saying and trying to convince things which even they didn’t believe in.
I have seen wives betraying their husbands and vice versa.
I have seen men who backstab being glorified.
I have seen money being made by exploiting human emotions.
I have seen countries being conquered for fulfilling petty greed.
I have seen the new generation forget the past, history and culture and fall prey to the so called youth explosion.

May be I couldn’t do these and many other things, which the so called normal man do each and every day.
May be like the ideal citizens I didn’t keep myself quiet at this world order.
I don’t want to be such a normal man. I prefer the life of a madman in this mad world.

I am feeling sleepy again. I could again hear their voices, the voices of men who are chasing me. They have already seen me. I have to run again. I don’t know if I will be able to survive. My end is imminent, I know for sure. It is just a matter of time now. But still I am running hoping against all odds.
Running away from this mad world.