Story Overview: “Pagans” (“Noose”) by Awaz Sayeed

“Phaans” (“Noose”) is a psychological and existential short story that delves into the complexities of human relationships, isolation, and the burdens of unresolved inner turmoil.

Main Characters:

Narrator: The story is told from the perspective of a friend who is drawn—almost unwillingly—into the emotional world of the protagonist.
The Friend: A troubled, enigmatic man suffering from deep psychological distress and existential confusion.

Plot Summary:

The story opens with the narrator describing a sense of fatigue and emotional distance from his friend, who appears equally exhausted and lost. The friend’s demeanour—marked by emptiness and forgetfulness—suggests a man weighed down by invisible burdens.

Despite a lack of genuine desire to engage, the narrator is compelled to accompany his friend, who brings him to his unexpectedly grand home. There, the friend reveals his struggles with complex, unnamed problems that have left him mentally and spiritually shattered. He expresses a profound sense of entrapment, likening his existence to a malfunctioning watch—time appears to move, but for him, it is stuck, stagnant, and devoid of meaning.

The conversation is tense, filled with half-spoken confessions and philosophical musings about faith, trust, and the futility of seeking help. The friend’s psychological distress is palpable, manifesting in nervousness, religious confusion, and a sense of impending doom.

A surreal moment occurs when an Ababeel (a type of bird) enters the room, circling frantically before leaving. This incident heightens the narrator’s anxiety but seems routine to the friend, further emphasising the disconnect between their worlds.

Ultimately, the narrator leaves the house, feeling helpless and burdened by the encounter. The story ends with a cryptic exchange about a stopped watch, symbolising the unresolved nature of the friend’s suffering and the narrator’s inability to help or understand fully.

Themes:

Existential Angst: The story explores the sense of being trapped in one’s own mind, unable to escape or find meaning.
Isolation and Communication: Despite being together, the characters are emotionally isolated, struggling to communicate their deepest fears.
Time and Stagnation: The motif of the broken watch represents psychological paralysis and the inability to move forward in life.
Burden of Empathy: The narrator’s struggle reflects the difficulty of helping someone who is lost in their own suffering.

Tone and Style:

Awaz Sayeed’s narrative is introspective and atmospheric, blending realism with surreal imagery. The dialogue is sparse but loaded with subtext, creating a mood of tension, ambiguity, and quiet despair.

In summary:

“Phaans” is a haunting meditation on the invisible nooses—psychological, emotional, existential—that can ensnare a person, leaving them isolated even among friends. The story’s unresolved ending and symbolic imagery invite the reader to reflect on the limits of empathy and the mysteries of the human psyche.

Back to the Urdu story.