The man in the black suit interrupted the conversation with a call for silence. He told everyone to concentrate on the rose and empty their minds. Followed by his guidance, the seven people abandoned their tales and glued their orbs on the pale flower in the middle. It was a white rose adorned by the treacherous thorns. As if, it is forbidden to touch.

Around the flower, the seven chairs were harmonically arranged. On them the people sat with their muted mouth s and their eyes slowly drooping. Prim moved away her eyes from the usual scene. It never helped her to send her mind on a curfew----even for a second. How can the mind go blank just like that?  Pondering on this particular thought for the umpteenth time, her vision wandered off on the delicate shadows on the floor being filtered from the glass window.

“Ms. Prim?”, the deep but soft voice of the man broke into her thoughts, “Having trouble with taming your unleashed mind, again?”

Prim sighed in response.

“No problem. You’re still a child and your mind craves for soundless thoughts.”, he said, “You can take a leave for today.”

There was a second click of the door closing after Prim, when she stood on the murky street sleeted with snow. She did not like winter. There is nothing but the gloominess it offers along with bony branches. Fitting her fists into the front pocket of her hoodie, she walked ahead for the zebra cross. Abruptly, she felt a light tap on the shoulder. Prim glanced at her left when a sudden ‘boom’ from the r