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.