Something supernatural – The Love Store!

If irony had a human side to it, it was Lovely Singh, a 31-year-old Punjabi hunk who has never experienced love in his life. His parents, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances constantly pestered him to find a girl to fall in love with madly, but Lovely never tried or initiated an action to pursue love. While others were fishing in the ocean of romance, Lovely fancied the concept of reality and art. While his peers found affection from every girl, Lovely found sympathy and offered help to others. 

What's wrong with him? 

Is he straight or not? 

Is he seeing someone? 

Or is he disabled?

Many people kept on pondering these questions. They were all obsessed with the fact that how can a 6 feet tall musician with a fair complexion and a doctorate in chemistry not fall into the equation of love. Little did they know what went into the deep layers of Lovely's mind. It was not an aversion, and it was definitely not a block; it was fear. 

Lovely stepped into Doctor Lalith's chamber with a flat face. Dr. Lalith, a famous psychologist, greeted him with a smile. Lovely strained his lips to fake a smile and nodded with affirmative action. 

Dr. Lalith – What brings you here? Again? 

Lovely – You know it, Doctor? 

My parents think that I am gay. 

My friends think that I have a psychological problem. 

And even the girls who I casually talk to believe that I am insensitive. 

They all feel that I have an attitude problem. 

Dr. Lalith sighed and said – Why don't you confess your fear of love to them? 

Lovely – How can I? 

Be it recreation, sports, art, or profession, I excel at all. How can I show my weakness to others? How can I show my filmy side to them? 

People are afraid of heights, fire, and even insects. But I am afraid of spoiling a relationship even before getting into one. What if I spoil something? What if I commit and lose my soulmate? What if the girl gets bored of me? 

I pity the fools like me who followed Sharukh Khan's steps. Sorry, I take it back. 

Overall, what if I blow it all? 

At the end of a dramatic speech, Lovely's eyes were red, and sweat was dripping down his temples. The Doctor was speechless. Both maintained eye contact for almost 5 seconds. Suddenly subtle laughter from a distance distracted both. Dr. Lalith's beautiful assistant chuckled and giggled from the corner of the room. Lovely's lips sealed in an instance, and he immediately sat down and stared at the Doctor in anger. The Doctor took a deep breath and said – Lovely; you are a nice person. 

What you have is simple fear of getting committed to the opposite sex. All you have to do is come over it. And trust me, you don't have to meet me again for the 10th time. All you need is confidence. 

 

Lovely cleared his throat and said – I want a solution. 

The Doctor held his head under pressure and signaled his assistant to go out. He quickly took a card from his wallet and passed it to Lovely Singh. A bright pink text on the card said – The Love Store. 

Dr. Lalith let out a smirk on his face and said – You can find your answer here.

The Love Store! – A bring hue of pink light flickered its vibrance across the street. At around 9 pm, Lovely was all alone, staring at the name board. A weird sense of embarrassment ran through his body. There was no one walking in and walking out. Coming this far, a faint sense of curiosity made him stay there. Almost after 15 minutes, Lovely gathered some courage and went inside the shop. As soon as he entered, a massive rack of books welcomed him with its gigantic presence. The label on the rack said – Everything you need to know about love. 

Lovely passed the rack and found a lobby filled with funky merchandise and clothes. It was designed for couples. All the fancy garments stole his gaze. Suddenly the speakers from a distance crackled and announced – Mr. Lovely, please enter the red door. Lovely got shocked to hear it, and he quickly scanned the entire premise for cameras. 

The speaker crackled and announced again - Mr. Lovely, please enter the red door. A bright red door with an alarming level of brightness appeared before Lovely. Lovely slowly embraced the metal doorknob and twisted it in a clockwise direction. As he released the lock, the gap from the door gave out a soothing fragrance. Lovely inhaled the pleasantness and closed his eyes. The sweetness gradually stretched his lips and brought out a smile on his face. 

Everything was comfortable now. Lovely opened the door and found the silhouette of a beautiful girl sitting next to a tall candle. With newfound confidence, Lovely approached the table, grabbed a chair, and sat on it. The candle's warm light highlighted the girl's perfect shape with a golden lining. With curiosity at its peak, Lovely pushed the candle ahead to see her face. A thin film of light revealed a shiny pair of red lips. He pushed the candle further and witnessed the face of Dr. Lalith's beautiful assistant smiling. Immediately, out of nowhere, a hand shook his shoulders hard. While Lovely tried to ignore it, the hand shook his shoulder again, and the entire scenery went black.  

Lovely woke up and saw the Doctor. Doctor – Was the sleep therapy fine? 

A familiar face joined the Doctor with a familiar smile. It was his assistant. 

Lovey, with a broad and bright smile, said – Lovely!

 

Something Supernatural – The Recall!

 

The sun settled down, and the breeze wandered carefree throughout the railway station. A perfect day to walk on the track, I said to myself. I tuned my playlist, plugged the earphones, and started walking on the concrete platform. The grey tiles of the station stretched for a kilometer. While the crowd walked toward the train, I walked in the opposite direction from the group. Many interesting people passed me, ranging from different sizes to colours. About 30 minutes into the walk, a small kid submerged in his phone was sitting on the rail bench. I stopped walking to observe him from a distance. He was short with a grey hoody and white sneakers. He must be a spoiled millennial; I exhaled and walked past him. Suddenly a hand pulled my jacket from behind. It was the kid. What's the time? He asked. 

I flashed my smartwatch to him without uttering a word. No matter what time it was, it was late. The kid understood that, packed his bag, said thank you, and ran away. I believe the kid was the last company I had in the entire station. I was alone in the empty fortress of silence when he ran out. I opened my phone to check for power; it had juice for one last song. 

The land below me transformed into a track. I kept on walking near the metal railing without stopping. The beat from the song and my footstep went in tandem. The light gradually disappeared, and the darkness enveloped the space around me. It was a dramatic walk for the last song. The power bar in my phone started to flash when the song came to a crescendo. At the song's end, I turned back and realised I had walked more than a kilometer. I had two more kilometers to cover. It's going to be hard without music; I sighed and continued walking. 

The excitement of going alone and walking in a deserted area diminished. Every few seconds, when I looked around, strange sounds occupied my senses. My pace increased, and I did not want to turn back. My breath became heavier, and I started to worry about the desolation around me. In times like these, I always hum or sing my favourite song. A special habit I do when I am alone. 

I stopped for a few seconds, closed my eyes, and recollected the lyrics. It started nice and went well. The song kept me company and made me focus on my walk. My pace became normal, and I became calm again. The solace continued for a minute. But, precisely after a minute, I forgot the lyrics. All the anxiety and tension came back running to my brain. 

Should I stop or go ahead? 

Should I walk fast or slow? 

What are the lines? 

Questioning myself, I stopped for a second to calm down. The noises reemerged. Gradually it turned into whispers. A chill ran through my spine. I cleared my blurry eyes and saw again. There was a black figure from a distance. He stood there motionless. I froze at his presence and started to let out heavy drops of sweat. It took me a while to muster some courage and walk fast. Like a small child afraid of a dark room, I walked fast. I tried my best not to look back, but the whispers were daunting and distracting. I continued to walk while turning back. The black figure was still there. The hair on my skin rose, and a wave of bad vibe crawled from my gut to my brain. I started to panic and ran. My leg crashed into the metal railing suddenly, and I fell hard. Everything was confusing, like an afternoon nap. My ankle was swollen, and there were a lot of scratch marks on my palm. My brain and body were not in a condition to maintain their alarming state anymore. It gave up. 

The black figure approached closer, and the whispers grew louder. He stopped at around 3 meters away from me and continued to stare. Somehow the fear inside me grew into a curiosity. I wanted to know what was the whispers all about and get a good look at the dark character. I stood up, limped slowly, and got closer to the stranger. We both were at an arm's distance. The stranger had the same shoes and jacket as mine, but the face was still under-lit and not clear. Surprisingly I calmed down and felt a warm and nostalgic vibe near him. Even the whispers gradually turned into a beautiful melody. I just wanted to listen and not disrupt the flow. After a few moments, it all made sense. He was the forgotten lyrics of my favourite song. 

Something supernatural - A pink legacy!

 

The Rati brothers sat at the edge of their seats in anxiety. The water dripping in the sink, the ticking sound of the old pendulum clock, and the rustling blades of the oscillating fan were so loud in the empty room. The right feet of the three brothers tapped in a rhythmic motion. They were waiting for good news. The doorknob in front of them slightly moved with a creaking noise, and the wooden frame opened at a slow pace. A weird square head popped on the other side of the door. The brothers were busy with their own activities. The eldest was fidgeting with his phone. The second one was crackling his knuckle, and the third one was gazing through the window. Mr. Mukesh quickly opened the door and cleared his throat to get their attention. The Rati brothers immediately stood up in sync. All three had a curious look on their face. 

Brother 1 – Sir, what’s inside the box?

Brother 2 – Who does it belong to? 

Brother 3 – Is it valuable? 

Mukesh placed an old wooden box on a table with a letter and a key. He turned back and maintained the silence to observe the brothers. All three had a constipated look on their face. Mukesh’s lips slightly flexed, letting out a smile. He quickly turned and controlled it. He turned back and said – Read the letter and open the box. 

All three brothers walked together and reached the table. Everyone’s mind was filled with humongous expectations. Rajesh Rati, the eldest, thought the box was filled with gold biscuits. Ravi Rati, the second one, thought that the box was filled with crystals. Ramesh Rati, the third one, thought that the box was filled with sweets. The eldest brother opened the letter and read aloud – Colour, color, what color do you choose? 

All three brother brothers looked at each other with shock. The eldest one’s eyes turned red, and the middle one scratched his head. The youngest one laughed. Mukesh laughed along with Ramesh. What started as small laughter turned into a funny scene. Rajesh and Ravi maintained their stale face. After a few seconds, their laughter subsided. Mukesh and Ramesh stepped back with embarrassment. 

Rajesh, being the eldest, took the liberty to open pick the key and open the chest. The curiosity came back, running to everyone’s face. As soon as he opened the box, everyone had a shocking expression on their face. 

There was a pink cloth. 

Rajesh picked up the cloth and opened it. It was a pink shirt.  

Another wave of silence passed through the room. Both Rajesh and Ravi ran their fingers through the shirt to find some hidden pocket. There was nothing. They threw the shirt on the table and stormed out of the room. 

Mukesh and the youngest of the Rati brothers saw them getting out of the room. As soon as they went out, both sat down and started laughing loudly. 

Mukesh – Ramesh, did you know why your grandfather died young and rich? 

Ramesh – I don’t know? 

Mukesh – And why are you not angry? 

Ramesh stopped laughing and said – I thought there would be chocolates in the box? 

The vibrant smile diminished, and subtle happiness appeared on Mukesh’s face. 

Mukesh – Don’t you want to be rich? 

Ramesh – I want to eat and be happy. 

Mukesh’s face went flat. He picked out the shirt and handed it over to Ramesh. Ramesh stood up with a confused look on his face. Mukesh slid his hand inside his picket and picked another letter, and handed it over to Ramesh. Ramesh casually opened the letter and saw a weird thing writing he had never expected. 

The letter said – Are you ready to be a hero? 

Ramesh’s eyes widened with glee. He placed the letter on the table and picked the pink shirt. As soon as he wore the shirt, Mukesh smiled and said – A new story begins. 

Ramesh disappeared. Mukesh was alone in the room. From a distance, he observed the comb flying into the air by itself and moving in front and back motion. After 10 seconds, the door opened and slapped itself. 

Mukesh opened a drawer beneath the table and picked a huge book which had the title – A pink Legacy. Mukesh sniffed the old fragrance of nostalgia on the book and opened a new page. He picked a pen from his pocket and wrote the name – Ramesh Rati on it. 

Something Supernatural - Lost & Found!

A casual Monday!

Cotton clouds gently flowed on the silky surface of the water. An old rusty bow, the front part of a rescue boat, pierced the reflection and moved ahead with a rumbling noise. The motor on the stern, back side of the boat coughed out black smoke disrupting the silence of the sea. Maaran gradually slowed down the momentum of the boat and stopped the engines. Parthi, a crew member, continued lying down on the deck with could envy. Innocently he stretched his hands towards the sky and tried to envelop a cloud. He remained still for a few seconds. Maaran observed him from a distance with a subtle smile on his face. He sliced the sea with his palm, took some salt water, and splashed it on Parthi’s face. Parthi, shook by the cold sensation of seawater, got up and gazed at the location around him. Maaran flashed his watch and reminded Parthi that it was time to work. Parthi quickly opened up his waterproof bag and took out a rolled-up cloth. As he unwrapped the roll, the bright and bold text revealed its name, Lost & Found. Parthi tied the flag to a pole and raised it to the top. The winds picked up the flag, up and down, making it flutter in rhythm. 

Within a few seconds, both Maaran and Parthi suited up with their diving suits and got ready to go deep. Both signaled each other with a thumbs up and flipped upside down to enter the sea. While Parthi deflated his suit and went underwater, Maaran stayed on the top for a few seconds. He took a 1-rupee coin from his pocket and tossed it into the water. Maaran quickly descended down and moved in tandem with the coin. The coin and Maaran raced with each other. Parthi, at the bottom of the ocean, at 30 meters, started his stopwatch and looked up. He saw both the coin and his friend sinking down at the same speed. After 20 seconds, Maaran reached the ground first, and the wobbling coin tumbled into a heap of one-rupee coins after Maaran. Parthi pressed a series of buttons on his monitor and showed it to Maran. It said, a new record. Maaran first bumped with Pathi and swam ahead into the partial green waters. 

One year ago!

The simmering sun spread its warm reds behind a small penthouse creating a picturesque setup. It looked like a dream house for all the bystanders on the road. But the interiors were the opposite of warmth. The entire house was dark and empty. The door creaked slowly, and a tall figure entered the living room. It was Maaran. He dragged his feet, sat on the couch, and leaned back for some rest. Time flew, and even the reds in the sky turned pitch black. Maaran did not move a muscle. He kept on staring at the wall for hours. Everything was still like a painting. A gust of wind forced itself inside the room from the window and flipped the pages of the calendar. 

Maaran’s sleep-deprived eye fell on the numbers on the sheet. He focused his eyes and saw the number 17 on the calendar. Maaran, with his trembling hands, opened the shelf and picked up a letter from a case. It had the date 17 and a lot of government stamps on it. Maaran frowned his eyes, gripped the corner of the letter, and opened it. It had a list of names who died in the recent Aasha cyclone. Maaran’s eyes scrolled through the numbers starting from one and stopping on the number 17. The name was Maithili Maaran. A tear trickled down Maaran’s left eye and fell on the letter. The bottom part of the letter had many concentric circles created by tear and ink stains. Maaran placed the letter back on the shelf and sat on his couch again. When he started scanning some old pics of Maithili on his phone, one pic of her caught his attention. Maaran zoomed the pic and saw a ring on Maithili’s finger. It had the word MM engraved on it. 

Present-day!

Inside a vast shipwreck, Maaran stalked his bag with many important items like phones and a few wearables lost by tourists. Suddenly the monitor on his hand alarmed with continuous beeps. The oxygen interval on his timer showed 20 minutes. It was time to ascend. Maaran looked around for Parthi. He was nowhere near the sight. Maaran panicked and continued to look for Parthi outside the shipwreck. Parthi was nowhere to be found. Maaran immediately ascended, changed his tank quickly, and dived again to find Parthi. There was not even a single trace of him. Maaran held his head in confusion and spun around in tension. Suddenly a flash of light appeared from a hollow space of the shipwreck. Parthi signaled Maaran to join him. Maaran froze with fear. 

How can he still be fine with less oxygen? 

How can his body manage the pressure? 

Hundreds of questions pooped up in Maaran’s head. Parthi flashed his light again thrice. It was a unique code to assemble. Maaran took a deep breath and went inside the hollow space. There was no one there except a shiny ring stuck in a corner. It had the words MM engraved on it. 

Maaran picked it up, swam up to the boat, and sat down in a confused state. While comprehending the complex situation, he laid back and witnessed the moving clouds. A single cloud stood out in the sky. Maaran stretched out his hands innocently and tried to envelop the cloud with his palm. A subtle smile appeared on his lips. He stood up, wore the ring, and took out a coin from his pocket. As he flung the coin into the sea, he said to himself – Thank you. 

 

Something supernatural - The buffalo and the Sugarcane Farm!

Kala was different. He rarely mooed and moved in the day. He was the darkest and deepest of his herd. Even as a calf, he never showed excitement for fresh grass and marshy lands. He had a pattern that separated him from the rest of the buffaloes. 

On a bright yellow morning, Ravi, the master of buffaloes, started to speak in a gibberish tone that only the cattle could understand. All the buffaloes ran together into a wooden shelter and ate the dry grass places ahead of them. They all ran rampant after a good meal. A few scratched their backs on the wall, a few mooed to the top of their lungs and many just sat down and gazed at each other. Amidst all this noise, Kala silently had his fill of grass and observed everything. Meanwhile, Ravi observed Kala from a distance. 

In the early days, he felt that Kala was defective because of some health issue. But as Kala grew, Ravi picked up an interest in him. Though the dark buffalo was not productive, his actions and behavior intrigue Ravi. 

Every day, after dinner Ravi sits on a rock to take some rest. While his buffaloes graze through the royal green grasses by the riverside, Ravi leans back, stretches his legs, and sings an old song. Kala always sits next to Ravi and listens to his tunes and lyrics. Sometimes, Ravi gets a feeling that Kala is trying to understand the song when he nods his head in rhythm. And every day, during dinner time, when Ravi has dinner with his family, Kala used to stare at them from the window. Even when Ravi hits Kala to discipline, he never runs away like the other buffaloes. Kala stays silent and gently walks away. Ravi had a different kind of connection with Kala. 

One day, on a dark purple night, after settling down all the buffaloes, Ravi counted his cattle and dozed off early. Ravi’s eyelids dropped down and a feeling of heaviness accumulated in his chest. This happened once when he lost one of his buffaloes the past. Ravi panicked and woke up. He wore his rubber footwear and ran towards the wooden shelter. When he counted the cattle, one buffalo was missing. Kala was missing. Ravi’s panic-stricken heartbeat pounded like thunder on the rock. 

He quickly alarmed his family and started searching for the missing one. Ravi and his family searched for a long time, waited till dawn, and came back to the shelter in the morning. Surprisingly, Kala was there before them. Ravi’s family got agitated with him for not checking properly and went back into their house. 

Ravi was confused. All these years, he has dealt with 100’s of cows and buffaloes, none as mysterious as Kala. 

The same night, Ravi was waiting for the sun to simmer down and the darkness to cover the sky. As soon as he shut himself beneath a blanket, Kala somehow removed his ropes and walked out of the shelter. Ravi was amazed to see this from the gap under his blanket. Kala took baby steps and vanished into the darkness. 

Ravi quickly got ready and ran into the darkness to follow Kala. The four-legged footsteps of Kala and the two-legged footsteps of Ravi synced in tandem. The tempo remained the same and continued for a while. Suddenly, when the clouds cleared and the full moon lit up the landscape, Ravi saw Kala entering into a sugarcane field. 

He increased his pace to catch up with Kala. But, within seconds, he lost his buffaloe inside the sugarcane field. The dark blue and cold ambiance triggered a lot of emotions inside Ravi’s heart. On one end he was worried about Kala and on the other end, he was curious to know him better. He ran through the maze like a lost child and finally landed in an open space and saw Kala staring at him. He stopped that instant and stood motionless. Kala’s leather skin retracted, horns diminished, tail fell and Kala transformed into a man. 

 

Ravi was still in a state of shock and silence. The mysterious man approached Ravi and took him to a nearby boulder and made him sit on it. Kala sat next to him and let out a smile. Ravi calmed down and smiled back at Kala. Kala started to hum the old song that Ravi used to sing. Ravi’s heart melted in Joy. He joined Kala and sang the entire song. 

At the end of the song, Ravi let out a burst of loud laughter and saw Kala laughing with him. The laughter almost woke up the sleeping ravens of the sugarcane field. Ravi wanted to ask Kala 100s of questions, but his lips were sealed. A just continued observing Kala. Ravi felt a sense of trust and satisfaction from Kala. He believed that someday, Kala would open up to him by himself. He got an assurance of time more time and a new beginning with Kala. 

A few moments later, a ray of red light pierced the darkness in the sky. The intensity of the purple-black sky diluted and golden dawn emerged. 

Kala turned back into a buffalo. Ravi embraced him with unconditional love and from that day he never used ropes to tie Kala. With newfound respect, friendship, and a mystical connection, they came back to their shelter. 

Kala was always more than a buffalo. He became a dearest member of Ravi’s family after the night of the full moon. 

Something Supernatural - The old lock!

The calling      

The cursor in the search bar blinked every alternate second. Omkar broke his stare, blinking twice, and continued staring at the search bar. He inhaled some energy and extended his arms to search. The fat fingers of Om quickly typed and pressed the enter button. A new tab and a page started to load on the computer screen. Between the buffer time, Om moved his gaze to check the floor beneath him. Towards his right-hand side, there was a wooden frame with an old lock. A drop of sweat trickled down his forehead, a pop broke his gaze and brought him back to the screen. There was a window with a few tabs. The tab had the name of a few Doctors. Omkar clicked the first one - Dr. Tashi. A new window opened up and a video call was placed. When the doctor attended the call, the video of Omkar appeared on the screen and the doctor's window was turned off. Omkar was only able to hear his voice. 

Omkar - Hello Doctor!

Dr. Tashi - Hi Om. Still, hearing those sounds? 

Omkar's eyes again got distracted by the lock. 

Dr. Tashi - Omkar!

Omkar - Yes doctor. 

I tried to ignore it but it's not working out. I feel something is trying to come out and…..

Dr. Tashi - And? 

Omkar - Posses me…

Dr. Tashi - Do you have a carpet? 

Omkar - Yes. 

Dr. Tashi -Why don't you try hiding it? 

Omkar quickly pulled a caramel carpet covered in dust. He stopped when he went closer to the lock. He flung the carpet on it and ran back to it. 

Omkar - Doctor. 

Dr. Tashi - Yes. 

Omkar - I have covered it. Will everything be alright? 

Dr. Tashi - Let's wait and see. 

The call got disconnected and the window closed. Om switched off his window and moved away from the computer. For the next few hours, he kept on staring at the bulge on the carpet from different angles. He dragged an old single-seater from the living room and placed it on it. Because of the bulge, the single-seater settled in a slanting position. He gently pushed it with his palm to see how firm the weight was. The single-seater stayed still. Little relief came to his mind. 

He wiped the sweat on his forehead and sat on the couch. He spread his legs and leaned back to get some comfort. He stayed there on the slanting chair for a few minutes. After some time he carefully looked down. Everything was still. The intensity and fear reduced. Om stood up and casually moved away from the chair. He reached the bookshelf next to him and started scanning through his collections. He picked up a fat novel and flipped through the pages. When he finally found his bookmark he noticed the line where he left off. He held the book firmly, went back to the living room, and sat on the couch to continue his story. As he ran through the lines silence prevailed in the room. Water drips from the kitchen, a ticking sound from the clock, and a gentle breeze from the window crack added to the ambiance. When the rhythm of the ambient sounds went in sync, suddenly a new noise joined them. I was loud and out of rhythm. 

Om’s grip on the book tightened. The bookmark fell on the ground. The vibrations from the thumping sounds spread evenly on the floor. When the bookmark landed on the floor, it slightly hopped from the floor. Sweat started to trickle down on Om’s forehead again. The fear of the unknown froze Om. He shivered in nervousness. He gradually moved to the other room and saw the fallen single-seater. The bulge in the carpet hopped up and down. It was like someone was trying to come out of the wooden frame. The lock was the only thing that held it inside. In fear, Om leaned back on the wall, closed his ears, and sat down. When the knocks became aggressive he closed his eyes and breathed heavily. After a few minutes, everything stopped. Omkar sat there and continued staring at it. 

The top 

In the void filled with darkness, a few light streaks fell on the ground. In the partially illuminated spot, a small figure came in and looked up. Its face was covered with long hair, it had a white robe and the visible parts were its hands and legs. The mysterious person followed the feeble light. Gradually the light grew brighter and lit a path. The person's legs marched ahead. It kept on walking guided by the feeble light looking for hope. After a few minutes into the path, a huge trail of steps extended to the roof. Beneath the cluster of tangled hair, the person’s eyes were visible. A drop of tear trickled down from it. The person kept on looking up. She wanted to reach the roof where a thin bright light of freedom emerged. New energy rose and the person started climbing the stairs. The mysterious person rushed through the stairs and reached the top. When the person’s worn and torn hands reached the bright-line and tried to open, it got stuck. The person tried to push the door by knocking frequently on it. The door never opened. The struggle went in vain with a dark realization of a lock. The person’s hand shivered in pain. It went closer to the tangled hair and removed the clusters and revealed a female’s place. Her eyes were as dark and dingy as her surroundings. Her lips were dry and covered in cuts. She leaned ahead with her moist eyes and tried to peek through the gap. The tear in her eyes gave out a blurry image of a man sitting approaching the door. She got excited and tried to scream, but her throat was dry and empty. She aggressively knocked at the door. The image of the man grew bigger. She quickly wiped her eyes and saw him spreading a big sheet to cover the door. The last source of light got covered and complete darkness prevailed in the void. She sat on the top of the stairs, beneath the door waiting for the lost hope of light to come back. A few hours had passed and she never moved from her position. She looked up, stood up, and gave one last knock with all her might. Though she heard the sound of something falling, she could not open the door. She continued knocking for some time and gave up. 

The strange familiarity 

The tab on the right corner of the window in the computer screen showed 2 missed calls. Omkar sat upright and called Dr. Tashi for the third time. The window opened and Omkar’s face popped up on the right corner of the screen and the doctor's window was blank. 

Dr. Tashi - How have you been Omkar? 

Omkar - Doctor It’s getting serious. The sounds are getting louder and nothing is working out. I think the lock will open soon. 

Omkar kept staring at the bulge on the carpet. 

Dr. Tashi - What do you think is inside there? 

Omkar remained silent. 

Dr. Tashi - Is there a person beneath the door? 

Omkar’s attention came back to the screen again. 

Dr. Tashi - Is there a creature beneath the door? 

Omkar continues his silence. 

Dr. Tashi - or could it be a ghost? 

Can you try and remember when these knocks and sounds started to occur? When was the first time you saw the lock?

Omkar looked at his image on the video screen. His eyelids automatically blinked several times to reduce strain. He remained blank without giving any response. 

Dr. Tashi - Do you remember anything from the recent past? 

Omkar's mouth slowly opened wide. His eyes were filled with confusion and his face was covered in sweat. The doctor went on with his questions and Omkar responded with silence.

Dr. Tashi - Om, are you there? 

Omkar’s hands closed the video window. His brain was filled with a lot of questions. Vague imagery kept on flashing in front of his eyes. It was all blurry and distorted. There were feeble whispers all around his ears. Omkar stood up and slowly walked near the carpet. The same fear crept through his skin and spine but simultaneously a familiar warmth emerged in his heart. Omkar sat down and removed the carpet. He saw the huge rusty lock and the darkness that came from the line between the wooden doors. For a change, Omkar knocked on the door. Suddenly the entire home lost its light. A feeble source of light from the moon fell on the computer table. Omkar approached the table and started to inspect it. After checking all the other drawers, he opened the last one. To his surprise, there was an old key covered in rust, termites, and ants. Om picked it up, cleaned it, and went near the door. He mustered a lot of courage and slid the key in the lock. 

The truth - 

The lady heard a loud knock. She strained her weak legs and stood up. She heard the sound of metal. Her eyes became moist in joy. The clunk from the key felt like a melody to her ears. One part of the door opened and opened and revealed Omkar’s half face. Om saw the lady’s other half. When the other door got opened they both could see each other. Omkar froze in shock. Everything came back to him. A series of imagery ran rampant in his mind, he held his head and tried to see through the blurriness. The lady extended her hands towards Omkar. When Omkar held her hands the entire space lit up again. Suddenly the blurriness in his head cleared. Omkar and the lady were in a different setup. They both were inside a car enjoying the view of a sunset. As they drove through the wide lanes of the coastal area, the sun simmered in warm hues. Omkar saw a different version of the lady next to him. She was pretty and looked young. The lady turned and saw Omkar with a sigh of satisfaction. Both of the visions were set on each other. Suddenly a wagon crashed their car, broke their eye contact, and toppled their car. Immediately everything became blurry and dark around Omkar. When he opened his eyes he found himself in an old house with a computer table and a few books.

After realizing this past, Om came back to his senses. It was his memory that resurfaced from the bottom of his heart. He closed his eyes and tried to open them again. The blurriness came back, but it cleared quickly. Om turned to his left and saw monitors, drips, and medical equipment all around him. When he turned to his left he saw his lady standing next to him with tears of Joy. With her help, Om got up and hugged her. Her face was covered with many bruises. 

Lady - Doctor said you will never wake up. 

Omkar - Dr. Tashi?

The lady was surprised at his question. 

Lady - How do you know his name?

Omkar smiled and hugged her again. 

Something supernatural - The flow!

Kishan!

Dream 67

Friday, 3 AM 

A girl sat next to me. We got down off the bus and saw each other. A car stopped in front of me for directions. I started my car and started driving uphill. I struggled to drive over lanes. Stopped the car for maggie. 

I keep getting this dream of strange places, strange people, and a strange me from another life with a different lifestyle. Every night after waking up with a weird feeling, I stay still for a few seconds and continue dreaming with my eyes open. Vivid imagery appears in front of me with fading hints. I try to write about them and develop the remaining story, but they never get completed. This gives me an unsettling feeling and increases my curiosity to question my existence. 

Where do they come from?

Why are they so different from each other? 

What are they trying to say? 

How can there be so many versions of me? 

Will I ever get a chance to experience them in reality? 

Though the dreams were different, one common thing it had was me. I was consistent in every incomplete story. It was really hard to understand my mind and its play. It had so many plots with a variety of people and places. There were no endings or beginnings to this story. They were all like actions we never care to notice. Sometimes I see someone just walking through a lane with me or ahead of me, sometimes I would be driving on a flyover with an old man, once I was just sitting on a rock and observing a tree, and one time I was just locking doors. The twists and turns were minimal and the problems were simple. I had a compilation of normal motions. 

After writing the keywords in my journal, a dose of caffeine kick starts my brain and gets it ready for the day. And after finishing the day, the same routine continues. 

Kishan!

Dream 173

Monday, 2 AM

The sunset was radiant with massive shades of red and orange unevenly spread across the sky. I was lying there beneath the sky and on the sand. A loose kite was drifting in the wind. It had a small thread that had been cut off. I held the thread and started drifting off with the kite. I saw myself lying down on the beach and observing myself. When I went near me, he held my thread and started to drift with me. I was the kite. 

The pages continued and the puzzles extended. My journal gained a plural status and grew in numbers. This condition continued for many years. One fine night I started reaching for answers. A few spoke about the cycle of sleep and many spoke about the meaning behind them. They all explained the chemical reaction the brain undergoes and the endless possibilities they create from the experience gained by our senses. I was not convinced with them. I always believed there was more to it. In my real life, I was never exclusive to anyone or anything. My dreams always gave me a new perspective and new ways. My research continued with experiments. I explore new ways to decipher my dreams. Hypnosis made me completely blank out, meditation gave me peace but not answers, and finally, doctors thought I was losing my mind. None of them helped me. The funny thing about life is. When you are secure and smart about your search, you get nowhere or you take a lot of time to reach someplace. But when you get lost and go all out you find the right direction. When I almost lost hope, I saw an ad on my social window. It had the portrait of a mountain by the beach on it and the copy said “Mountains give you questions and the beaches give you answers. That’s when I decided to travel. I believed in meeting new people and visiting new places and solving the puzzles of my life. 

Kishan!

Dream 993

Monday, 5 AM

A feather fell on the river. It started flowing on the silver texture of the water. I threw a stone and the stone skipped seven times. An old lady stood on the opposite shore. The feather came again in the same direction and reached the old lady. She smiled at me. 

As soon as I started traveling I stopped searching for an answer and documenting my dreams in my journal. I went to the high meadows of the mountains, depth of the ocean, and even stayed in the silence of the wild. Everything helped me to focus and observe the nature of things. The flowing water, the burning flames, and even the moving clouds had a flow. The stillness of a rock, the motion of time, and the concept of space, everything had a low. In the flow of everything, I found my doorway to my dream puzzles. 

It all happened when I stayed in a serene shelter near a river. In the golden hour, when the sun went down, the dark and grey clouds engulfed the space around me. I sat there on a blanket next to a warm fire. The crackles from the firewood, the continuous whisper of the flowing water, and the movement of the flames brought out a melodious flow. I have never felt this calm before. The breeze brushed my hair with a comforting chillness and the warmth from the fire embraced me for comfort. I felt at home. I took out one of my old dream journals from my bag and started scanning through the old entries. I used to get restless before when I read them. But this time I was calm. I finished them scanning through the pages and placed them aside. Right next to it, I noticed a trail of ants moving linearly as usual. The movement had a rhythmic flow. The even motion drifted me off to sleep. 

Kishan!

Dream 1233

Monday, 1 AM

The trail of ants looked like art in the golden light of the campfire. I stood up and tried to look around. A full moon was beautifully set lighting up the river. The blue luminescent trail of the river was accompanied by a small path. The ants were leading the way as I followed them. A few minutes into the journey, I witnessed a small structure at the river shore. It was neither big nor wide. It was small like a room. When I approached it closer, I could see a huge lock on it. I stepped back, looked around, and saw a feather floating on the shallow water near the shore. My instincts told me to lift it and use it to unlock the door. The moment I placed the feather tip on the lock, a surge of familiarity ran through my skin. I stopped for a second and then continued with my task. A clunking sound of freedom emerged from the metal joints of the heavy lock. I opened the door and walked in. There was an alley. In the dark, it looked like a library. I scanned through the walls and switched on the lights. When the room got illuminated, there were huge racks with books. And everything had numbers on it. I walked deeper and went to the last rack to know more about the books. Surprisingly the book rack was numbered 1222. That was the last dream I documented in my journal several months back. When I went closer and picked up a book, I saw my last journal lying around. A big realization came to me at that time. I was inside the storeroom of my dreams. 

I got extremely excited. I randomly picked up different books from different racks and piled them on the ground. I sat next to them and started reading one by one. There was an oddity and similarity there. Though the books had the similarity of the one I had at home, the oddity was the hints. None of the stories were complete. They were all listed in hints. I left the books there and came out of the room. The sense of confusion and restlessness again came back to me. I came back and sat next to the fire. 

What was the meaning of all these? 

While heavily pondering on the incident that happened, my attention somehow went to the ants. A new trail was formed and it was parallel to the old one. One was going forward and the other going backward. In this motion, a few ants came out of the regular trail and joined the other trail. That's when my mind got lit up and I woke up from my dream. 

I completely understood the flow of everything. Just like the flowing river, burning flames, moving clouds, and the marching ants, my dream flowed in several directions. And the imagery was created from the flow. Sometimes when the streams met at a confluence point, they sprang a different trail with a different flow. The flow of dreams has eternal now and it never stops. It doesn't have a purpose or plot. It just flows impacting and influencing life around it. All my questions from before faded and followed the flow of my life and the numbers grew in the storeroom of my dreams. 

Something supernatural - 3 boys in a shell!

Madhu Jain puked more than 3 times. She sat there in the middle of the room surrounded by egg trays. They were arranged like a tall building around her with a small space to walk out of the room. Being a Jain, sweet Madhu has never, ever touched non-veg. Even the smell of eggs gave her nausea. Tears of disgust and pain trickled down her cheeks. She closed her nose, mustered a lot of courage, and tried to reach an egg tray. The creepy sensation when we notice a dead rat’s flesh protruding out of its body or a lizard’s cut-off tail wagging on the floor came to Madhu. A weird feeling erupted deep from her stomach. Madhu retracted her hand and ran away to the washroom. She washed her face and settled on her couch to inhale some fresh air. Within a few seconds, her attention again went to the rooms with the egg tray. When she was staring at the room with concern, the lights inside the room automatically turned off and the door slowly started to close by itself. Madhu exhaled with relief and closed her eyes for some rest. 

The next morning, Madhu woke up and got ready for work. Before leaving she took out her special knife, ladle, and apron from the kitchen and packed them. The apron had a name tag that said - Madhu Jain, Sous chef -Table south. She was the second in command of a famous Vegetarian chain in Mysore. From childhood, she always had a talent for cooking. Madhu was one of those kids who knew everything. It was survival for her. She never saw her birth parents and was raised in an orphanage. As she grew, she always had to share her space with a lot of people. Serving and cooking for her fellow people was a part of her life. Gradually, she created art out of that. She cultivated a talent for cooking and honed it into a skill. Her dream was to become a famous chef and have a place of her own to enjoy some privacy. She started her career as a waitress, worked hard, and became a sous chef at Table South, a famous 3-star hotel in Mysore. After 5 years of savings, she searched a lot of apartments in the outskirts of the city. She wanted the millennial way of being near yet far and away from the chaos of the city. After a lot of searches, she finally found an individual house that was aloof and a little away from conveniences. This was a perfect spot for her. She liked the place for the space. 

She was getting a cheap deal and the process was really easy. The How and Why questions never came to Madhu. When you like someone or something, you never care about the past or the imperfections in it. Madhu followed her instincts and never enquired about the history of the house or even worried about the problems. She wanted to act on that exact moment and seize the opportunity. On her 28th birthday, she paid, closed the deal, and moved to her dream house. 

While stepping out of her home, Madhu stopped for a second. She placed one of her feet back, leaned back, and tried to peek at the door. The door was still shut. She stayed that way for some time. A familiar curiosity came to her heart. She came back inside her house and started walking slowly towards her door. When she got closer heavy drops of sweat dripped trickled through her forehead and dropped down. Madhu stopped again, saw the time, wiped her head, and walked away. She got inside her car and started driving for work. After a few minutes in the drive, she stopped at the signal. The time went slower that day than usual. The sun was showing off his bright complexion. The humid atmosphere raised Madhu’s irritation. She removed her sunglasses and peeked outside the window. To her left, there was a small kid with a plate of rice and egg. The kid's concentration was totally on the plate. The fast traffic and the noise never bothered him. Somehow this scene was interesting to Madhu. She got engrossed with the kids' actions. This moment was short-lived, suddenly a horn alarmed Madhu to move. The signal turned green and Madhu drove away.  

On her regular day of sauteing and chopping, Madhu got zoned out many times. She changed the ingredients, cut her hands, and even pushed a few utensils by mistake. Madhu’s best friend and Head chef Simin observed her actions. At the break, they both picked up a bar of popsicles and went to the backyard of the hotel for a walk. 

Simin - Where are you? 

Madhu- What do you mean? 

Simin - You are lost. I have never seen you making mistakes. 

Madhu - Nothing to worry about. Just feeling tired. 

Simin - Boys issue? 

Madhu - No.

Simin - Love? 

Madhu - No!

Simin - Are you pregnant? 

Madhu - No. (Raises her volume and frowns her face) 

Simin - Then what's wrong with you? 

Madhu stops walking and stares at Simin for a few seconds. She comes closer to her and says - 

Something supernatural! 

Simin’s eyes widened. She maintained the silence for a few seconds and picked up Madhu’s hands. She got deeply impacted by the intense look on Madhu’s face. She came to a step closer and burst into laughter like a popped bubble. The intensity on Madhu’s face got mixed with confusion. She got annoyed with Simin. Simin was continuously laughing. Madhu pulled her hands out from Simin’s hands and walked away. Madhu pulled her back and apologized for her actions. They both sat on a secluded bench. When Simin lit up a cigarette she could notice tension and heaviness in the silence between. She has never witnessed this side of Madhu before. After inhaling some nicotine, Simin asked again - What happened? 

Madhu- It all started two weeks back when I shifted to this new house? 

Do you remember the evening when you helped me to set up my bedroom, there was a foul smell coming from the room next to it. 

Simin - Yes, that was because of dampness right? 

Madhu - No. 

I was something weird. The same night I had arranged for some lights to clean the room. In the late evening, after setting up my bedroom, I refreshed myself with a cup of coffee. Coffee gave me ideas, I wanted that room to be a study room. I brought in a lot of cleaning materials and cleaned the room for almost an hour. Then it took a lot of struggle to set up the table and bookshelf inside the room. Finally, around night everything got set. I was really satisfied with the placement of things. To finish the day, I made some noodles, picked up my unfinished book from the carton, and settled in the study room. The fresh aroma from the noodles was soothing and refreshing for my tired body. I picked up a spoonful and slurped in. In between the munching I took in some interesting lines from the book. As I surfed through the pages the aroma from the noodles suddenly started to get pungent. When I sniffed it again, it was not from the noodles. It was from everywhere around me. I took out the napkin near me and closed my nose. I wanted to track the source of the smell. I checked the loft, beneath the table, and even behind the shelf. there was nothing. Curiosity and confusion were driving me crazy. My eyes were roaming all around the place to find the root cause of the smell. Since I was not getting anything, I gave up and sat on the chair again. And that’s when I found a tray of eggs on the table. A chill ran in my spine after watching it. I was shocked to see that. I am a Jain vegetarian and the sight of foul-smelling eggs on my table was disgusting for me. I just walked away and closed the room. I couldn’t sleep the entire night. The next morning, when I woke up, I noticed a trail of ants coming out from the bottom of the door. I went closer to check the ants. They were carrying some dried leaves, sticks, and a white substance. When I went closer to inspect them, they were pieces of eggshells. My heart started to beat a bit faster in fear. I sat down near the door and peeked in the keyhole. I saw something inside the room. 

Smin - What? 

Madhu - I saw someone inside the room. There were 3 kids and they were happily eating boiled eggs. They peeled the shell and threw it on the floor and the ants picked it up. Imagine the joy of eating your favorite dish. The three boys had that joy in their expressions. They kept on eating it and making cute actions. I think they were just 7 or 8 years old. My fear reduced and all I could think was why? Why here? Why at my home? 

I was watching them for some time. One of the kids from the group said something to the other kid in his ears. They all turned towards me and smiled. That’s when I got my fear back. They knew my presence behind the door. One of the kids came closer with a boiled egg in his hands. Out of fear I fell backward and maintained a distance. There was an ominous silence around me. The ants disappeared and the door slightly opened by itself. It took me some time to gather some strength and open the door. When I opened the door there was no one there. The same incident happened twice till now. 

Simin - Madhu, are you serious? 

Madhu was consistent in her expression. She was brimming with truth. Simin’s hands shook a bit in nervousness. She felt the same chill on her spine. She lit up a new cigarette and inhaled some nicotine. 

Simin - Ghosts with eggs eh! That’s weird!

Madhu - I didn’t mean to scare you, but yesterday, things went a notch higher. 

Simin stopped her hand for a second and tapped her fingers to clear the cigarette ash. 

Madhu - Last night, I wanted to find out a solution and deal with this. Around 8 the same foul smell came in. I stood there in front of the egg tray. I couldn't take its sight for more than 10 minutes. I wore a glove, picked it up, and threw it away. Unfortunately after throwing it away, I puked once. When I returned there was another egg tray on the table. Fear was replaced by anger. I cleaned the place and puked once again. This action was repeated two more times. When she came back to the study room I found one mare tray on the table. I got exhausted and sat on the chair near the table. Immediately, within a few seconds, I was surrounded by egg trays around me. I got nausea again and ran to the washroom. I sat on the living room couch and stared at the study room. The room’s light turned off by itself and the door shut by itself. I don’t know why but a weird sense of relief came to me. And today, I just came here. That’s it for now. 

Simin - Wait! I am lost now. Ghosts are supposed to creep the hell out of us with jump scares and SFX right? What’s with the egg story? 

Madhu sighed and shrugged her shoulders. Simin threw her cigarette bud and they both walked back to the kitchen. After sharing this, Madhu felt light and was able to concentrate on work. 

After work, when Madhu was about to leave, Simin stopped her and asked - Hey, will you be alright? 

Madhu just remained silent and gave a smile. 

Simin - Do you want me to come with you? 

Madhu -No, I have a feeling that this entire thing is harmless. If I get scared, I will call you. 

After reaching home, Madhu got refreshed and changed into something casual and comfortable. Madu was waiting for the clock to ring 8 times. She silently sat on the couch and stared at the closed door. The clock rang 8 times, after 8 oscillations of the pendulum, the door slightly opened and the foul stench got spread all over the living room. She stood up and started walking slowly towards the door. She carefully placed her feet keeping the ants in mind. When she opened the door the egg trays were not there. There was just a single tray on the tray with 3 eggs. 

Madhu was surprised to see this. The fear was gone, the disgusting feeling never came again and the foul smell turned into an interesting aroma. Madhu picked up the tray and walked into her kitchen. She placed a vessel full of water and placed the eggs inside it to boil. This was the first time she was handing eggs. Madhu was continuously staring at the water bubbles. She felt a strange warmth in her heart. A tear trickled down her left cheek. Madhu wiped it and felt surprised. When the eggs got boiled she placed them on a plate with salt and carried it to the room. When she approached the room the door was closed this time. She placed her hand on the doorknob, inhaled and exhaled fresh air for confidence, kept a subtle smile on her lips, and opened the door. 

As soon as she opened the door 3 kids were waiting with happy expressions on their faces. From their point of view, they saw a small girl walking inside the room with a plate of eggs. The small girl giggled and brought the eggs with an untainted smile. The three boys placed it on the table and started peeling the shell. They loved the eggs. One of the kids pulled a thread from his pocket to cut the eggs evenly. While slicing the egg, the kid stuck his tongue out and raised his eyebrows. The other kids looked at him and laughed. After slicing the three boys started eating the egg with joy. One of the boys took the last piece in his hand and extended it towards Madhu. Small Madhu was shy and confused. She let out another giggle and took it from his hand. She dipped it in the salt and placed it inside her mouth. She loved the taste and started smiling with glee. The 3 boys clapped their hands. Madhu closed her eyes in shyness. After a short while, when small Madhu opened her eyes the boys were not there. She could see her adult self on the laptop screen opposite to her. Madhu walked out of the room and sat back on the living room couch. She turned her head and kept on looking at the study room. Suddenly the lights turned off and the door started to close slowly. Almost at the end, the three boys held their heads out and waved their hands to Madhu. With tears of happiness and a generous smile, she waved back to the kids. After some time the kids closed the doors. 

The next day, Madhu packed her knife and apron, got ready for work, and started driving the car. She reached Table south, parked her car, and walked inside the main kitchen. All the helpers and the head chef Simin were having a discussion. 

Simin - Madhu, you can relax in the first half today. 

Madhu -Why? What's on the specials today? 

Simin- Eggs!

Madhu instantly replied with a smile - I can help. 

Simin had a weird look on her face. She never expected Madhu to react in such a way for eggs. She acknowledged and started giving instructions to everyone. Madhu continued her work with a child-like focus and cherished the newly found warmth in her heart.  

Something Supernatural - The ant lady!

Sanjay - Can I sleep with you tonight daddy? 

Dad - Sanju, you are 12 now. You should face your fears now. 

Sanjay - But, Dad, I think I have Nyctophobia. 

Sanjay’s dad stood up, took his hands, and walked inside his room. As soon as they walked, Sanjay closed his eyes. His Dad switched on the lights and pointed his hands at the window. There was an old wooden frame with cracks on the slides and steel bars between them, The window was as old as his dad. 

Dad- Sanju, it's just a window. 

Sanjay - But, Dad, in the night it moves. 

Dad - Shhh!

Let me tell you a technique.

He took Sanju to the bed, made him lie down, and wrapped him with a bedsheet. 

Dad - This bed sheet is a super shield. Just close yourself with this and nothing can reach you. 

And what is Nyctophobia? 

Sanjay stammered a bit and said - Fear of windows in the night! 

Dad -Great, when other kids play ludo, you keep reading about weird stuff. Give me your phone Sanju.

Sanju remained silent. His dad kept on staring at him to make a move. The cold stare was scarier than the window. Sanju slid his hand behind his pillow and took out his smartphone. His dad snatched it from him and walked away. While walking away he switched off the light and closed the door. Immediately Sanjay pulled his blanket and closed his face. It was the window that scared him. It was a face. Whenever he sees a square frame with a hollow space in between it, a face conjures up and keeps on staring at him. 

Though Sanjay closed the blankets, an ominous feeling filled his lungs. His breathing grew heavy. He clenched the bottom end of the bedsheet with his toe fingers and pulled the top end tighter to himself. In the small dark zone, a faint streak of light fell on the blanket. Sanjay opened his eyes and saw the hazy golden light. The old wooden frame made a feeble noise. Sanjay was scared but still curious. He slowly opened his blanket and saw the window. From a distance, through the window, he could see a shadow of an old lady. Gradually the shadow grew and an outline of the old lady and a part of her face was visible. She had a huge sharp hand and a massive body. Her face was red and had lots of wrinkles. 

Sanjay’s eyes widened, jaw dropped. He couldn't move. A weird chill ran through his spine and tingled his ears. Small ants started crawling out of the window. Within a few minutes, a swarm of ants gathers on his bed. Sanju felt helpless and he couldn’t move in the shock. His entire body was trembling in fear. Tears started to come out of his eyes. Suddenly the advancement of the ants stopped. He continued crying and stretched and pushed himself back. Seeing this the ants went back. The old lady stopped smiling and started going back. After a few minutes, the window became empty and Sanju was alone. The Golden light disappeared and darkness filled in the space again. Sanju quickly ran and closed the window. Without looking back, he jumped on his bed and closed his face with the bedsheet. 

We all had a creepy face in our childhood. Sometimes it appears when we have to go to the terrace in the night, appears in the bathroom when we have to switch off the lights, and even peeks from the bottom of our bed. This phase and face disappear when we get the taste of adulthood. But, for Sanjay, this phobia never left. He re-lived this moment every day and every night till he became 22. In those ten years, several things changed. By day Sanjay was a fun-loving character and adored by all. By night he becomes a person who is not reachable to others. He never goes to anyone's house at night. Even if he has to meet someone during unavoidable circumstances, he sleeps in the hall or sleeps with a company. A small window and a face were deeply printed in his mind’s frame horrifyingly. In his small world, there are a few who have witnessed his condition. They believe he just has a phobia for windows and ants. No one knew about the scary old lady who stares at him for hours. 

This habit and lifestyle continued for a while. Sanju picked up new layers to hide behind at night. Most of his sleepless nights were spent playing games close to his TV, learning something at the laptop, and reading a book. After graduation, he got his first job at 23. When everyone chose a day shift, Sanju deliberately chose a night shift. He continuously tried to focus on something and get completely indulged in work. After a few years, Sanju not only became a workaholic, he also became an alcoholic. Ants and the old lady were never a problem to him. The concept of nights was a problem to him. Subconsciously, a sense of restlessness grew into him over the years. Instead of facing them or sharing them with others, he just kept his stress within his heart and let it grow deeper and heavier. His nocturnal problems made him roam alone in the streets of the city.

His first addiction, the office functioned just for 6 hours. After that, he would roam the streets of his city like a night owl. When his legs became heavy, he would stop walking and settle down at a shady corner to open his Mary. Mary was a small flask that had alcohol. It knew how to retrain warmth when he wanted a strong dose and cold when he wanted a light one. After finishing his Mary, Sanjay would book a cab, reach his home, and crash on his couch. The next day, when he wakes up at noon, he would always witness that his shoes would have been removed from his feet and he would have been covered by a blanket. He places a 100 rupee note on the desk and writes a thank you note for his maid every day. 

In Between this chaotic pattern, during the day times, during sober times, Sanjay sits alone and tries to reflect upon his actions but as soon as the sun and the light go down, the darkness and his restlessness surface up. And the crazy cycle repeats. 

On a usual mundane Monday night, Sanjay had to stay home and it was a complete lockdown on the street because of government orders. Sanjay kept staring at the clock. The seconds moved prominently with every second. Sanjay’s eyes were tracking the needle in a clockwise motion. Almost after an hour, the bell rang 12 times. He wore his shoes and tried to walk out. Suddenly a group of cops threatened him, warned him, and sent him back to his home. He couldn’t do anything. The restlessness increased. He started shaking his legs in irritation. He wanted some activity to keep him busy. He quickly scanned all the books, went through all the game CDs, and couldn’t find anything new. He had finished everything. 

Finally out of desperation, he opened his bag and picked up Mary. He opened the flask and tilted it upside down in seconds. Unfortunately, it was empty. He kept the flask aside and scanned his cupboard. All the bottles were empty. Sanjay’s expression changed. He slowly went back and sat on his chair. His hands were shaking and sweat started to trickle down his forehead. He looked around in suspicion. He stood up and slowly approached his bedroom door. In his old room, he could still see the old window. Within a few seconds, he ran towards the bed, grabbed the bedsheet and ran towards the couch, and jumped on it. 

After many nights, this was the night where Sanjay stayed sober and free. His empty mind was getting occupied by fear. Sanjay looked around and tried to see if there was anyone around. The compact hallway looked bigger than before. After many years Sanjay felt an uncomfortable familiarity. The space was getting larger by the second. There was a dark hallway in front of him which led to the hallway. A small streak of light grew out from the depth. The streak was trying to reach Sanjay. Sanjay's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. Suddenly a flash of many pasts appeared in his mind. Sanjay stood up and went backward. The light kept on following him. In a few seconds, he bumped the wall behind. Luckily, he saw another flask on his nearby shelf. With his shaking hands, he reached the flask and opened it. He opened the flask and emptied it within seconds. He strained his eyes and frowned because of the bitter taste. 

The strong dose gave him a quick high. With partial consciousness, Sanjay moved in a zigzag manner and entered his bedroom. He held the tip of his bed and sat on it. After many years, it was the first time he used his bed. To get comfortable, Sanjay adjusted himself and sat properly on the bed. The empty bottle was still in his hand. All the fear and restlessness have completely simmered down.

Sanjay looked at the flask and smiled. His smile became a burst of laughter. He laughed like a maniac for some time and just again toppled the bottle for the last drops. During all these drunk actions, something tingled Sanjay’s legs. He ignored it for a few seconds. Now the sensation increased. He reached out and tried to touch his legs. Something weird was happening. In the darkness, in between the confusion, Sanjay heard the sound of old wood’s screech. He froze. All the high came down. The same hazy golden light appeared. Like a small stream of water, a layer of light illuminated the ants on his legs. Sanjay sat there like a stone. He couldn’t move. He tried hard and moved his hands to check for the bedsheet. But he couldn’t find one. From a distance, he saw his nightmare appearing in front of him again after a long time. The old lady came closer and was standing in front of the bed. Sanjay’s hand trembled in fear. With a lot of effort, he tried to move his hand which had the bottle. He closed his eyes and tried to drink it, but it was empty. A sudden pain struck his hand and he dropped the flask. The ants carried the flask away. 

The light started to get brighter and the lady’s image was getting clear. The chillness on the air reduced and Sanjay finally saw a complete image of the old lady. Her hands were fine. It was because of the shadow her body appeared massive. Somehow the state of mental paralysis reduced in Sanjay’s mind. The terrifying smile of the old lady was not scary anymore. He Still went back and leaned on the backrest of the bed. The lady came closer and sat next to Sanjay. Surprisingly she had a pleasant smell like fresh grass. Sanjay was getting comfortable with her. The swarm of ants returned. Sanjay again started to panic and started breathing heavily. The old lady placed her hand on Sanjay’s hand and said - Shhhhh!

The ants brought the bedsheet from the hall and covered Sanjay. Sanjay has never felt this warmth in his life. The old lady hummed a beautiful tune and brushed her right hand through Sanjay’s hair. Sanjay had an ecstatic expression on his face. He was never this satisfied before in his life. The melodious humming sound made him sleep. To the old lady, the youngster appears as the same old kid who cried in the night. When Sanjay’s sleep went deep, the old lady and the ants slowly walked away. 

The next day, when the sunlight fell on Sanjay's face, he removed his bedsheet, strained his eyes, and tried to adjust his blurry vision. After a few seconds, he realized that he was still on his couch with the bedsheet. Sanjay got confused. Sanjay stood up, went back to his bedroom, and saw the closed window. The window had a lot of dust on it. This showed that the window was not used for a long time and all these were a dream. He brought some cleaning material and cleaned the window. He opened and it inhaled some fresh air. He slightly went backward and sat on the bed and rubbed his fingers on its soft texture. When his gaze casually moved throughout the room, he saw a huge trail of ants moving in a straight line at the corner of the room. Looking at that, a smile of satisfaction appeared on his face.