First thing I remember was a huge 'Khaai' or canyon. It was deep and beautiful. It was vast and covered with vegetation. I saw it while safely standing on top.
Next thing I remember is our professor coming up with a crazy but interesting idea for a project. It involved the whole batch. It was a big project and had a lot of scope but he asked us to start our work one week before the end semester exams. And no one was in a mood to work for the project as we had other deadlines to meet. I took a part of the project that I would be doing, after few of my batchmates planned and discussed the division of the work of project amongst us. My mind raced through the schedule for coming week and allotted time for the project in that schedule.
Last week of semester proved to be disastrous. After missing two English classes because of staying at home during that week sometime earlier in the semester, this week I missed one class and was late for one, after I overslept due to fatigue. I reached the class half an hour late and sat beside Bhanukiran. He asked me where had I been in all previous English classes. Of course he knew the reasons.
One should never lie in life. I had not good reason to lie but I did the same. I stood at the first floor corridor of school building, looking into my notebook at a half torn page in the bottom half of which I had written a few things that could help me conveniently prepare for exams. I looked at it, both in amazement that I have a shortcut now, and in disbelief that, will this really help me?
I would never have thought this in my worst nightmares, but I sensed it now. I felt that the headmistress was standing behind me, looking at what I was looking at. I turned slowly, cautiously and found a couple of students walk past me. I turned to my notebook, closed it and as I turned to leave, I saw the headmistress standing in front of me.
"I would like to look at the page you were looking at, in your notebook!"
I sensed danger!
I turned the pages of my notebook back and forth in an attempt to find a similar half torn page at the top. I found a close replica scribbled in same way, which I showed her. She asked for my notebook and asked me to leave. I saw myself walking away from her and she looking at that page when I heard her call me from behind, with the notebook in her hand, "It is not a good thing to lie."
I froze at my place. How could she know of the shortcut?!
I always thought she had some magical powers. I saw myself sitting in front of her, in her office. She seemed furious. After few seconds she spoke, "you wanted to take the shortcut, isn't it?"
I couldn't say anything to that.
"Let me make it easier for you", she said. She handed me my notebook open at that page. I did what she wanted me to do. As I read the contents of the page, I saw myself looking at a street junction. I saw the headmistress standing on it, in front of an antique shop I think. I saw a man of almost her age walking towards her. She slapped him or something and he was hurt. A few seconds later, I saw them kissing passionately and that man apologizing.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Saturday, May 31, 2008
31stMay2008LateAfternoon
I saw myself traveling with my parents and sister. We were all traveling by train, and it was dusk. I sat there and my mind wandered into yesterday, the instance when it all started.
There was a man who looked quite like J K Simmons (the egotistical newspaper editor in the Spiderman movies). I recalled the last time I looked at him, he wore a black overcoat, and I could see his face for a brief moment when the light flickered on his face, then it went dark again. I remembered the fact that the man was not very much liked by anyone. He was a shrewd and tough guy, and rude sometimes. We had to leave the house we stayed in because yesterday, like sometimes, he didn't speak in a very good manner with my father. But yesterday was different. Unlike everytime when my father, on the advice of my mother, ignored his rude irritating behavior, yesterday my father told him about what the fact that the man was rude and wasn't very cooperative while working, and my father being a kind of person not tolerating such kind of behavior, vented all his anger and frustration in the form of words and louder pitch in voice. My father scolded that man yesterday. The man was either my father's colleague or his boss.
A couple of hours ago, me and my sister were suddenly woken up while I was enjoying deep sleep. My mother said that we had to leave the house immediately. I saw packed trunks and furniture, paintings etc. wrapped in gunny bags and cardboard. All the luggage looked packed.
Next thing I knew I was standing at the station. I felt strange that within an hour I was standing at the platform, waiting for the arrival of the train. It was still dark and we, and a couple of people who'd come to see us off at the station and help with the luggage.
I looked out of the window, and saw the slow process of darkness vanishing and things coming to light and the bluish greyish ambience.
Early morning freshness was not the only reason for my pleasant mood after the sudden turn of events. I knew we'd be going to a new house, meet new people, make new friends...
It turned out that the people in our neighborhood and my father's colleagues in the office, all really appreciated what my father had done. They felt sorry at the same time that they couldn't prevent us from leaving the place. My father said that he felt better that way.
There was a man who looked quite like J K Simmons (the egotistical newspaper editor in the Spiderman movies). I recalled the last time I looked at him, he wore a black overcoat, and I could see his face for a brief moment when the light flickered on his face, then it went dark again. I remembered the fact that the man was not very much liked by anyone. He was a shrewd and tough guy, and rude sometimes. We had to leave the house we stayed in because yesterday, like sometimes, he didn't speak in a very good manner with my father. But yesterday was different. Unlike everytime when my father, on the advice of my mother, ignored his rude irritating behavior, yesterday my father told him about what the fact that the man was rude and wasn't very cooperative while working, and my father being a kind of person not tolerating such kind of behavior, vented all his anger and frustration in the form of words and louder pitch in voice. My father scolded that man yesterday. The man was either my father's colleague or his boss.
A couple of hours ago, me and my sister were suddenly woken up while I was enjoying deep sleep. My mother said that we had to leave the house immediately. I saw packed trunks and furniture, paintings etc. wrapped in gunny bags and cardboard. All the luggage looked packed.
Next thing I knew I was standing at the station. I felt strange that within an hour I was standing at the platform, waiting for the arrival of the train. It was still dark and we, and a couple of people who'd come to see us off at the station and help with the luggage.
I looked out of the window, and saw the slow process of darkness vanishing and things coming to light and the bluish greyish ambience.
Early morning freshness was not the only reason for my pleasant mood after the sudden turn of events. I knew we'd be going to a new house, meet new people, make new friends...
It turned out that the people in our neighborhood and my father's colleagues in the office, all really appreciated what my father had done. They felt sorry at the same time that they couldn't prevent us from leaving the place. My father said that he felt better that way.
Monday, May 26, 2008
26thMay2008 EarlyAndLateMorning
This time, it were not snakes but crabs that troubled me. From what I can recall, I found myself lying on perhaps a sandy beach or some similar place where lots of crabs live. I stayed lying there and couldn't get up. I saw a couple of crabs slowly moving towards me. One of the crabs near my feet hit me with its forehand claws (or whatever they are called!). The crabs looked like the red colored crab "sebastian" of Disney's Little Mermaid cartoon. The hit woke me up and I found myself lying on my bed. My first instinct was to look at my feet that was hit.
I slept again, this time to visit a big conference kind of thing in some foreign country. I remember being in one of those large halls, among big celebrities, though I don't remember seeing anyone distinctly. I remember me and Mohit staying in luxurious hotel room, with lots of celebrities in neighbouring rooms. One evening at dusk, after the conference when I came out, I looked around at the big glass buildings and the broad roadways. I felt the cool air and the bluish dimness of the dusk. After sometime, I saw Shah Rukh Khan walking across in front of me. I was totally taken aback after looking at him from such a close distance. He was perhaps looking for someone or something as he stood there in front of me, and looking here and there with his searching eyes. My first instinct was to ask him for an autograph. He looked at me for an instant and I froze at my position. When he turned his gaze away, I walked up to him and asked for an autograph. He obliged, but I didn't have any page or notebook or something on which he could give me an autograph. At that moment, Mohit walked up to me and I asked Mohit to get a sheet of paper. He got a sheet of paper and Shah Rukh Khan gave his autograph on it, one each for both of us, on the top and bottom half of the sheet. I wasn't looking when he was giving the autograph. Something strange happened and he struck off the autographs given by him with pen strokes on it (was it because of IPL, but that can't be because they'd won that night!). He then apologized and asked for another sheet of paper so that he could again give us the autographs. At that moment, his car arrived and he had to leave.
I slept again, this time to visit a big conference kind of thing in some foreign country. I remember being in one of those large halls, among big celebrities, though I don't remember seeing anyone distinctly. I remember me and Mohit staying in luxurious hotel room, with lots of celebrities in neighbouring rooms. One evening at dusk, after the conference when I came out, I looked around at the big glass buildings and the broad roadways. I felt the cool air and the bluish dimness of the dusk. After sometime, I saw Shah Rukh Khan walking across in front of me. I was totally taken aback after looking at him from such a close distance. He was perhaps looking for someone or something as he stood there in front of me, and looking here and there with his searching eyes. My first instinct was to ask him for an autograph. He looked at me for an instant and I froze at my position. When he turned his gaze away, I walked up to him and asked for an autograph. He obliged, but I didn't have any page or notebook or something on which he could give me an autograph. At that moment, Mohit walked up to me and I asked Mohit to get a sheet of paper. He got a sheet of paper and Shah Rukh Khan gave his autograph on it, one each for both of us, on the top and bottom half of the sheet. I wasn't looking when he was giving the autograph. Something strange happened and he struck off the autographs given by him with pen strokes on it (was it because of IPL, but that can't be because they'd won that night!). He then apologized and asked for another sheet of paper so that he could again give us the autographs. At that moment, his car arrived and he had to leave.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
4thMay2008EarlyandLateMorning
The first thing I remember is being in a big closed box, traveling with Alok and Abhinav, on some big and long two wheeler vehicle. They didn't know that I was in that box, and when I couldn't stay in the box any longer, I came out and they were surprised (of course!). Unfortunately, the thing that I replaced myself with, in the box was very important for them and so they started grumbling about the fact that they'd have to go back and get that thing. The road looked dim and things around looked bluish, probably it was early morning time.
Next thing I remember being with my parents and sister, in a tourist bus, going to some place. In the middle of the journey, our bus broke down on a deserted road. It was dusk. We all got down from the bus, and started looking around. My parents, sister, I and a few other tourists walked a little further away from the bus, and saw a pathway on the left side of the road, leading to some place. The pathway was at a certain depth from the road, and was lit by a bulb, which showed human habitation there, or nearby. So we got a rope from the bus, and started going down by holding the rope. During my mother's chance to go, (she was the first amongst us to go) her hand slipped and she fell directly on that path. None of us had noticed (it was getting dark in the evening) that there was a snake beside the tiny plant which marked the start of that path. Beside the plant was a deep trench and hence one had to land on the other side of the plant. My mother did land on the other side of the plant, but she also activated the snake. The snake started hissing and this caught our attention. I saw that and was terrified. I was afraid to go down there, even to help my mother! :(
But suddenly something happened, and I directly jumped near that plant (or was it my father who pushed me?), didn't use that rope), and slipped a little towards the trench. I was flat on the floor, in between my mother and the snake. I started blowing air on its face from my mouth, to prevent it from coming on to me. That thing frustrated the snake even more and it started hissing more loudly. I saw another snake emerge from behind this snake, a little distance away.
Next thing I saw I was standing with my mother in some corridor of a nice restaurant or hotel or some similar place. My mother then started a conversation with some lady and told her that she really liked her visit to Kerala and that although she didn't like south Indians much earlier, she really likes them now and would like to visit this place more often. That lady was also from Kerala and she didn't take the remark pleasantly.
Next thing I saw was myself in some small town market, with shops and people and streets etc. There was some school function going on and I think I was also a student of that school, because I saw students doing some P.T. kind of thing on the ground, or some dance kind of thing, and I was watching that as an audience among other students. Next thing I remember was sitting in some advance class, with professor lecturing on something. I pissed him off by saying something and he gave me some work or shouted at me or something, and I was upset. The professor was a nice person, but I "really" pissed him off by saying/doing something I don't remember now. I was sitting there in the class, wondering about the shop, some shop that was, through which I had reached this place. I was a school student and once I came through that shop I became a student of this advanced class. Now I wanted to go back through that shop to my school life. But I decided to stay in the college life and accept the challenge. That shop was kind of grocery shop or a bakery maybe.
Next I remember asking Asrar that why doesn't he do some exercise and body building and he gave me a genuine reason I don't remember now.
Next I saw myself talking with Yogendra, we were standing beside some vegetable sellers. Yogendra said he was interested in Mechanical Engg. and I told him that many people do two engineering, so can he, and that electronic engineers also do lot of mechanical work! :D (soldering etc.)
Next thing I remember being with my parents and sister, in a tourist bus, going to some place. In the middle of the journey, our bus broke down on a deserted road. It was dusk. We all got down from the bus, and started looking around. My parents, sister, I and a few other tourists walked a little further away from the bus, and saw a pathway on the left side of the road, leading to some place. The pathway was at a certain depth from the road, and was lit by a bulb, which showed human habitation there, or nearby. So we got a rope from the bus, and started going down by holding the rope. During my mother's chance to go, (she was the first amongst us to go) her hand slipped and she fell directly on that path. None of us had noticed (it was getting dark in the evening) that there was a snake beside the tiny plant which marked the start of that path. Beside the plant was a deep trench and hence one had to land on the other side of the plant. My mother did land on the other side of the plant, but she also activated the snake. The snake started hissing and this caught our attention. I saw that and was terrified. I was afraid to go down there, even to help my mother! :(
But suddenly something happened, and I directly jumped near that plant (or was it my father who pushed me?), didn't use that rope), and slipped a little towards the trench. I was flat on the floor, in between my mother and the snake. I started blowing air on its face from my mouth, to prevent it from coming on to me. That thing frustrated the snake even more and it started hissing more loudly. I saw another snake emerge from behind this snake, a little distance away.
Next thing I saw I was standing with my mother in some corridor of a nice restaurant or hotel or some similar place. My mother then started a conversation with some lady and told her that she really liked her visit to Kerala and that although she didn't like south Indians much earlier, she really likes them now and would like to visit this place more often. That lady was also from Kerala and she didn't take the remark pleasantly.
Next thing I saw was myself in some small town market, with shops and people and streets etc. There was some school function going on and I think I was also a student of that school, because I saw students doing some P.T. kind of thing on the ground, or some dance kind of thing, and I was watching that as an audience among other students. Next thing I remember was sitting in some advance class, with professor lecturing on something. I pissed him off by saying something and he gave me some work or shouted at me or something, and I was upset. The professor was a nice person, but I "really" pissed him off by saying/doing something I don't remember now. I was sitting there in the class, wondering about the shop, some shop that was, through which I had reached this place. I was a school student and once I came through that shop I became a student of this advanced class. Now I wanted to go back through that shop to my school life. But I decided to stay in the college life and accept the challenge. That shop was kind of grocery shop or a bakery maybe.
Next I remember asking Asrar that why doesn't he do some exercise and body building and he gave me a genuine reason I don't remember now.
Next I saw myself talking with Yogendra, we were standing beside some vegetable sellers. Yogendra said he was interested in Mechanical Engg. and I told him that many people do two engineering, so can he, and that electronic engineers also do lot of mechanical work! :D (soldering etc.)
2ndMay2008EarlyMorning
I saw myself as a school student, with same teachers teaching me who taught me in 11th and 12th class. I saw myself sitting in the same classroom, wearing that same uniform and having that same school backpack. This week the teacher teaching computer science had given some work to me, which I had to show her on monday. Also, there was this movie being aired that weekend. Me and my friends decided to go for the movie. That evening, we reached the cinema hall but we were not allowed to go inside because we were not invited, or rather not eligible! I couldn't understand what did he mean by "not invited". We stood outside the entrance, looking for a chance to sneak inside. The cinema hall was small and had one small screen hall, like a small town cinema hall. A few of my friends also tried disguising themselves differently (rather as adults) and tried to get in, but all in vain. Eventually I, and also my friends saw that the gate-keeper wasn't there, so we all rushed in. I was hesitant, as I saw the gate-keeper coming from a distance. All my friends had entered and were signaling me to hurry up! I looked at them, then at the gate-keeper who was chewing something and moving towards the main-gate, with a long stick in his hand. All I did was pretend that he wasn't there, and coolly walked in. My heart beat stablized only when I was well inside the corridor. I saw the door of the hall open. I went inside and saw nice cushion chairs covered with white cloth, and the floor covered with carpet. I was suprised to see only few people sitting inside. We waited for about half an hour, then started to leave. I saw my computer science teacher, and looked for a place to hide. But she also saw me and called me. She told me that the movie had not yet arrived, and that she and her family had also planned to come by and watch this movie (why weren't we allowed in, then?). I was happy she didn't mention anything about the work. As I walked out of the main-gate, I turned my head around and saw the gate-keeper sleeping on his chair and the dusk slowly filling the sky and the small town, with darkness.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
5th April '08 Late Morning
The Puppet-Master
The first thing that I remember was confessing my love to one of my friends after I met her after a few years. She and I used to study together in the same school and knew each other very well. She also liked me but yeah, didn't love me! She just smiled after she heard what I said and said that she, kind of, had that feeling that I might be in love with her.
Next thing I saw myself walking with her in the corridor of some place which was either a school or some other place. Surprisingly enough she was holding my hand while walking. She entered some place which was in fact a dressing room. I said that I'd wait outside, but after sometime I went inside and saw her a bit undressed from the top, standing in one of the sections. I felt like hugging her and kissing her. Her face showed strange anxiety and fear, which I couldn't help notice.
We were standing together in some well lighted, well furnished railway station, which more looked liked an airport than a typical Indian railway station. She spotted her mother, and we went to her. I greeted her mother, and tried to show extra respect by bending a little. Her mother had a baby, which was supposedly hers. Only baby's nose was showing, rest was covered. I requested if I could see his face to see if he looks more like her mother or her father. Aunty obliged, and when I saw his face, it looked like both of his parent's face, a perfect blend. We then realized that the train in which we were to go, was leaving the platform. We quickly bid goodbye to her mother and started running. I asked her to hold my hand, which she did and then we finally caught up with the last bogie. We didn't have any heavy luggage, just a backpack each. I got onto the stairs of the entrance of the bogie, then got inside, then helped her inside. I saw that it was a luggage compartment without any direct path to other bogies. The train also had stopped temporarily for a few seconds, and had then again started moving. I asked her to get down, got down myself, then went into the compartment before the last one. I got into the compartment, then helped her in. She realized something as she got into the compartment, and exclaimed, "I dropped my Encarta DVD while getting inside!" in a tone of agony more than sadness or pain. I pressed her hand which I was holding, to assure her that everything is going to be all right, that we are safe now, although I had never seen her as perturbed as this before. Something was going on that I was unaware of.
There also I found no path connecting to the other bogies, but we had to stay put as the train had gained good speed now. So we sat there. Surprisingly there were a few beds, with mattresses and bedsheets on them. I found that strange, and thought that some persons had laid them for themselves. But there was no crease or wrinkle on those bedsheets, as if were meant for some visitors. I wanted to stretch myself on one of those and sleep for a long time, but then I saw a pot belly, dirty shirt guy who was standing outside, on the extension part of that bogie, moving inside the bogie. I hadn't noticed him earlier, and was both surprised and disturbed at his presence. He was puffing his cigarette and looked at both of us for more than a few seconds, as if expecting us, and he walked back into the extension part of the bogie and started doing something, calling someone perhaps!
I signaled her to stay with me, sit beside me, but I guess she wanted some time with herself. There was no time for that, so I got up and sat beside her. I had a feeling that this was some plan, that we were being set-up. My fears couldn't be more true when I saw the pot bellied guy again, this time with few of his friends walking into the compartment and standing in front of us. What surprised was that the train hadn't stopped, that it was still moving, then how did these guys get onto this bogie?
"Ah I see, your friends are better dressed than you are!" I commented at pot bellied guy. I felt as if I knew those people, dressed in strange costume kind of dresses. They were four of them, and the pot bellied guy. The guy who looked like the leader spoke, "I had been looking for you for such a long time. Finally I have found you!" but he wasn't speaking to me, he was speaking to her! At this, she caught my arm and pulled me closer to herself.
I got scared and angry at the same time. I looked at her and realized that she knew him as if I could read her mind by looking at her face. Those expressions were so clear and distinct.
"And as for you, my friend, I know you too. We had met lately. You're a nice guy, I like you. You possess great powers, but alas you're unaware of them!" and then he laughed wickedly, "Now if only you would move aside and let the girl walk to me."
When I refused to let go and held her close to myself, wrapping my arms around her, he said, "then I am left with only one thing to ..." before he could finish his sentence, I suddenly realized that 'he had the power of optical illusion, which felt real as he attacked the person's mind. And that he'd be using some kind of flying snakes as an attack on me and that I can and should resist the snakes, and keep them at a distance and not allow them to hurt me, as one hit would also weaken my mind power.' I heard all that as if someone was whispering in my ears.
The scene around us changed. I saw huge flames, and lava, and flying snakes coming out of them. I heard the sinister laugh of him and others. I resisted the snakes and didn't allow them to come near me. It took some time, but after that I realized that I was walking without my luggage, on some railway platform which looked similar like the previous one. I felt that I was still holding her and that she was walking beside me. I met a few of my friends who had come to receive me at the station. They grinned at me and asked me that why was I keeping my left hand, half stretched out, in a weird shape while walking, as if holding some invisible person?
I looked at my left and realized that I'd lost her. "O damn!" and started running in the opposite direction. I covered a few blocks of the platform running when I saw someone carrying her and walking towards me. He was one of our good old friend from high school. But what was he doing here? I hadn't met him in years! And how did he find her in such a condition and how did I lose her? All these thoughts made me think, "How did I suddenly end up walking at this platform, i.e., at the right destination?" "Where were the snakes and those men?" and a few more perplexing questions!
"Hey man! Thanks! Thanks for saving her. Is she alright?" I asked.
"Yeah, unconscious though."
I saw her, and it looked like the flames of that illusion had affected her a lot. Her dress, her hair, her face bore the signs. I felt miserable that I couldn't even take good care of her.
"So, we haven't met in years, how have you been?!" he asked me, as we walked together, with me
carrying her this time. We went back to my friends, and I introduced him to my friends and vice-versa. I explained my friends everything that had happened. We all hurried to our college campus, which was the best thing to do at that time, as suggested by my friends because they were suspecting some curfew or fight to break out somewhere in the city.
By the time we reached the campus, it was late evening. She was still unconscious, which disturbed me a lot. One of my friends looked at me, realized what I was thinking, and said, "I know what you're thinking, but we can't take her to the hospital."
As we got down from the cab, we heard disturbing voices and movements from inside the campus building. We ducked behind a cover in front of our campus. "I never expected our college campus to be the epicenter for this fight." One of my friends said.
"Listen, you must help me. We must find a safe place for her to rest. Is the whole campus filled with these fights? There has to be some place inside, which would be safe!"
"Are you kidding me?" he said, "No place is secure right now."
We heard a sudden blast from inside the campus, with flames and smoke flying upwards.
"See! The place where we are right now is most secure place, got it?" he said in an attempt to close the discussion.
A few more blasts and we saw about 15-20 people running out of the building. These blasts woke her up. She was surprised to see where she was and also among the people she was. I decided to go inside and help them. "I have some special powers, that I have recently realized", I said, "and I am going to use that." Before they could stop me, I left.
I cautiously entered the building, by walking behind the wall of the campus, to avoid being spotted. As I reached inside, a group of people caught me, then somehow recognized me and said, "Abhishek, please help us!" It was more of a plea than an order. Those were my batch mates.
We all assembled in one of the classrooms and everyone was told that I was also there to join the battle. I was called, Beachhead, I wondered why! We were all GI Joe fans, but this fight looked more than real! As we moved out of the room to face the enemies, I saw many people lying on the floor, some of whom I could recognize. I felt miserable again. I fought with my mind-power, and converted some people from the mobster's gang into our team. I controlled and ordered them and prevented few others from attacking anyone. Everything was going fine, when suddenly I felt that she might be in danger. I immediately left the building, freezing minds of my players.
I saw my friends and her hiding behind the rock, at a distance when suddenly I saw those 4 people in costumes and the pot belly guy walking towards them from behind. I ran as fast as I could towards them, and shouted, "NNNNNNOOOOOO". They looked at me, and the optical illusion guy gave a sinister smile, and while other four handled my friends, he went towards her, and as he was about to hold her, something inside me shouted, all my rage came out as I stretched my right arm, palm facing towards him. He got a shock inside, then he attacked me with his illusion thing, but I had tasted it before, so I simply got rid of it in no time. I froze their minds.
I didn't meet them, but went back inside the campus, to finish what I had left. I activated my players, who were attacking their team, and surprising them. I was rather having fun now, but also felt tired and relieved after what I had done. She was safe now, I thought. Suddenly something caught my ear.
I heard my group leader say, "Zander, come on man! You're injured doesn't mean you can't fight. GI Joe's always fight!" and then I saw this "Zander" guy, sitting with his girlfriends, moaning. "Alright!" he said, and got up. I asked my group leader, "How can you name him 'Zander'! 'Zander is a cobra's name, not a GIJoe's name!"
I might have said this a bit louder, but surprisingly after I had completed my sentence, I felt silence all around. I turned around and saw that everyone was staring at me! I couldn't get much time to wonder as to what had happened, because everyone suddenly started shouting and laughing... someone played music in the background and everyone around me started dancing!
I was REALLY perplexed this time! Now what happened? I thought. I saw the people lying on the floor rising and dancing! It scared me for a fraction of a second. If that was not all, I saw her and my friends who were hiding outside, rush inside, smiling and laughing! She didn't have any burn marks and looked as beautiful as ever. But what was happening?!
"It was a game" someone shouted from the basement floor, "in case you're wondering what's happening! " and started dancing again!
"You were at home when we had planned all this." my group leader told me, "But I didn't know you were so good. You played the role of 'Puppet Master' beautifully! You were great!"
"You mean, the people I controlled, converted, attacked were acting? They weren't even looking at me when I was doing my stuff!"
"O come on! I agree you were great, but don't take it too seriously, it was a game."
"What about the people we met in the train?" I asked her. To this, the group leader showed that he was surprised, and I could see that without looking at him!
"What about them? I didn't have knowledge of everything! I just knew my role, that's it! And I am sure he must have planned all the weird things that happened with us during the journey, with optical illusion or other hi-fi gadgets he uses.", she said looking at the group leader. I had no idea how the two knew each other! She was not a student of my college.
"What? NOOO. Wasn't the game supposed to be just within the campus premises, as the last celebration during the holidays before the new semester started?! Hey you know what, relax guys, its celebration time! Weird things happen. They are just coincidences." he said cheerfully!
I looked at her and she looked at me. We knew those were not coincidences. I finally figured out what the illusion guy meant by, "we have met lately" and the reason only the nose of the baby was showing when we had gone to meet her mother. He became the baby as a disguise, so that he could keep track of us. He knew I might recognize him and the perfect blend of mother and father's looks was what took my attention and he saved his cover.
She didn't get burned or bruised, or unconscious. Those flames were meant to attack me only and I could prevent those flames from hurting someone else, which I now realize. I was fighting that guy's illusion, in the process of which, I teleported directly to my destination, the reason I am still unaware of. She was left alone in the bogie, since those bad guys couldn't attack her because I had defeated them and so they left her alone, and decided to take her when I was not around. She found herself alone in the bogie and got down at the right station, coincidentally meeting our good old friend. She made a plan to trouble me and make me feel guilty that I had left her. She didn't see me teleporting because she had closed her eyes when I was holding her close, and when I teleported, that feeling of me being around remained for sometime, then vanished.
Everything around me felt uncertain now. She was afraid, in fact and that she wasn't telling me the whole truth. My friends might have told her that all the things happening along was a game, which did give her some relief, but in reality also, she was expecting something of this sort to happen.
I loved her, but she didn't trust me enough.
My thoughts were interrupted by her voice. She had turned a little away, and said, "I'd better get going to my aunt's house. She would be waiting for me and getting worried." She smiled, but not as cheerfully as she usually does.
"I'll accompany you!" I said.
"No need. You celebrate along with your friends. I can go myself!" she said, then walked up to me, held my hand, pressed it a little and whispered, "thank you for everything." and finally she smiled with that shine and beauty. I was assured that she would be fine.
The guys who were after her had been suitably rewarded. From now on, they can't use their brains, they live like zombies. They'd stay and decay where they are lying right now. I am sure there are other guys looking for her, for some reason wanting something from her. And I'll be there to ensure that they don't succeed.
Then it struck me as obviously and as strangely as ever... "the Encarta DVD".
The first thing that I remember was confessing my love to one of my friends after I met her after a few years. She and I used to study together in the same school and knew each other very well. She also liked me but yeah, didn't love me! She just smiled after she heard what I said and said that she, kind of, had that feeling that I might be in love with her.
Next thing I saw myself walking with her in the corridor of some place which was either a school or some other place. Surprisingly enough she was holding my hand while walking. She entered some place which was in fact a dressing room. I said that I'd wait outside, but after sometime I went inside and saw her a bit undressed from the top, standing in one of the sections. I felt like hugging her and kissing her. Her face showed strange anxiety and fear, which I couldn't help notice.
We were standing together in some well lighted, well furnished railway station, which more looked liked an airport than a typical Indian railway station. She spotted her mother, and we went to her. I greeted her mother, and tried to show extra respect by bending a little. Her mother had a baby, which was supposedly hers. Only baby's nose was showing, rest was covered. I requested if I could see his face to see if he looks more like her mother or her father. Aunty obliged, and when I saw his face, it looked like both of his parent's face, a perfect blend. We then realized that the train in which we were to go, was leaving the platform. We quickly bid goodbye to her mother and started running. I asked her to hold my hand, which she did and then we finally caught up with the last bogie. We didn't have any heavy luggage, just a backpack each. I got onto the stairs of the entrance of the bogie, then got inside, then helped her inside. I saw that it was a luggage compartment without any direct path to other bogies. The train also had stopped temporarily for a few seconds, and had then again started moving. I asked her to get down, got down myself, then went into the compartment before the last one. I got into the compartment, then helped her in. She realized something as she got into the compartment, and exclaimed, "I dropped my Encarta DVD while getting inside!" in a tone of agony more than sadness or pain. I pressed her hand which I was holding, to assure her that everything is going to be all right, that we are safe now, although I had never seen her as perturbed as this before. Something was going on that I was unaware of.
There also I found no path connecting to the other bogies, but we had to stay put as the train had gained good speed now. So we sat there. Surprisingly there were a few beds, with mattresses and bedsheets on them. I found that strange, and thought that some persons had laid them for themselves. But there was no crease or wrinkle on those bedsheets, as if were meant for some visitors. I wanted to stretch myself on one of those and sleep for a long time, but then I saw a pot belly, dirty shirt guy who was standing outside, on the extension part of that bogie, moving inside the bogie. I hadn't noticed him earlier, and was both surprised and disturbed at his presence. He was puffing his cigarette and looked at both of us for more than a few seconds, as if expecting us, and he walked back into the extension part of the bogie and started doing something, calling someone perhaps!
I signaled her to stay with me, sit beside me, but I guess she wanted some time with herself. There was no time for that, so I got up and sat beside her. I had a feeling that this was some plan, that we were being set-up. My fears couldn't be more true when I saw the pot bellied guy again, this time with few of his friends walking into the compartment and standing in front of us. What surprised was that the train hadn't stopped, that it was still moving, then how did these guys get onto this bogie?
"Ah I see, your friends are better dressed than you are!" I commented at pot bellied guy. I felt as if I knew those people, dressed in strange costume kind of dresses. They were four of them, and the pot bellied guy. The guy who looked like the leader spoke, "I had been looking for you for such a long time. Finally I have found you!" but he wasn't speaking to me, he was speaking to her! At this, she caught my arm and pulled me closer to herself.
I got scared and angry at the same time. I looked at her and realized that she knew him as if I could read her mind by looking at her face. Those expressions were so clear and distinct.
"And as for you, my friend, I know you too. We had met lately. You're a nice guy, I like you. You possess great powers, but alas you're unaware of them!" and then he laughed wickedly, "Now if only you would move aside and let the girl walk to me."
When I refused to let go and held her close to myself, wrapping my arms around her, he said, "then I am left with only one thing to ..." before he could finish his sentence, I suddenly realized that 'he had the power of optical illusion, which felt real as he attacked the person's mind. And that he'd be using some kind of flying snakes as an attack on me and that I can and should resist the snakes, and keep them at a distance and not allow them to hurt me, as one hit would also weaken my mind power.' I heard all that as if someone was whispering in my ears.
The scene around us changed. I saw huge flames, and lava, and flying snakes coming out of them. I heard the sinister laugh of him and others. I resisted the snakes and didn't allow them to come near me. It took some time, but after that I realized that I was walking without my luggage, on some railway platform which looked similar like the previous one. I felt that I was still holding her and that she was walking beside me. I met a few of my friends who had come to receive me at the station. They grinned at me and asked me that why was I keeping my left hand, half stretched out, in a weird shape while walking, as if holding some invisible person?
I looked at my left and realized that I'd lost her. "O damn!" and started running in the opposite direction. I covered a few blocks of the platform running when I saw someone carrying her and walking towards me. He was one of our good old friend from high school. But what was he doing here? I hadn't met him in years! And how did he find her in such a condition and how did I lose her? All these thoughts made me think, "How did I suddenly end up walking at this platform, i.e., at the right destination?" "Where were the snakes and those men?" and a few more perplexing questions!
"Hey man! Thanks! Thanks for saving her. Is she alright?" I asked.
"Yeah, unconscious though."
I saw her, and it looked like the flames of that illusion had affected her a lot. Her dress, her hair, her face bore the signs. I felt miserable that I couldn't even take good care of her.
"So, we haven't met in years, how have you been?!" he asked me, as we walked together, with me
carrying her this time. We went back to my friends, and I introduced him to my friends and vice-versa. I explained my friends everything that had happened. We all hurried to our college campus, which was the best thing to do at that time, as suggested by my friends because they were suspecting some curfew or fight to break out somewhere in the city.
By the time we reached the campus, it was late evening. She was still unconscious, which disturbed me a lot. One of my friends looked at me, realized what I was thinking, and said, "I know what you're thinking, but we can't take her to the hospital."
As we got down from the cab, we heard disturbing voices and movements from inside the campus building. We ducked behind a cover in front of our campus. "I never expected our college campus to be the epicenter for this fight." One of my friends said.
"Listen, you must help me. We must find a safe place for her to rest. Is the whole campus filled with these fights? There has to be some place inside, which would be safe!"
"Are you kidding me?" he said, "No place is secure right now."
We heard a sudden blast from inside the campus, with flames and smoke flying upwards.
"See! The place where we are right now is most secure place, got it?" he said in an attempt to close the discussion.
A few more blasts and we saw about 15-20 people running out of the building. These blasts woke her up. She was surprised to see where she was and also among the people she was. I decided to go inside and help them. "I have some special powers, that I have recently realized", I said, "and I am going to use that." Before they could stop me, I left.
I cautiously entered the building, by walking behind the wall of the campus, to avoid being spotted. As I reached inside, a group of people caught me, then somehow recognized me and said, "Abhishek, please help us!" It was more of a plea than an order. Those were my batch mates.
We all assembled in one of the classrooms and everyone was told that I was also there to join the battle. I was called, Beachhead, I wondered why! We were all GI Joe fans, but this fight looked more than real! As we moved out of the room to face the enemies, I saw many people lying on the floor, some of whom I could recognize. I felt miserable again. I fought with my mind-power, and converted some people from the mobster's gang into our team. I controlled and ordered them and prevented few others from attacking anyone. Everything was going fine, when suddenly I felt that she might be in danger. I immediately left the building, freezing minds of my players.
I saw my friends and her hiding behind the rock, at a distance when suddenly I saw those 4 people in costumes and the pot belly guy walking towards them from behind. I ran as fast as I could towards them, and shouted, "NNNNNNOOOOOO". They looked at me, and the optical illusion guy gave a sinister smile, and while other four handled my friends, he went towards her, and as he was about to hold her, something inside me shouted, all my rage came out as I stretched my right arm, palm facing towards him. He got a shock inside, then he attacked me with his illusion thing, but I had tasted it before, so I simply got rid of it in no time. I froze their minds.
I didn't meet them, but went back inside the campus, to finish what I had left. I activated my players, who were attacking their team, and surprising them. I was rather having fun now, but also felt tired and relieved after what I had done. She was safe now, I thought. Suddenly something caught my ear.
I heard my group leader say, "Zander, come on man! You're injured doesn't mean you can't fight. GI Joe's always fight!" and then I saw this "Zander" guy, sitting with his girlfriends, moaning. "Alright!" he said, and got up. I asked my group leader, "How can you name him 'Zander'! 'Zander is a cobra's name, not a GIJoe's name!"
I might have said this a bit louder, but surprisingly after I had completed my sentence, I felt silence all around. I turned around and saw that everyone was staring at me! I couldn't get much time to wonder as to what had happened, because everyone suddenly started shouting and laughing... someone played music in the background and everyone around me started dancing!
I was REALLY perplexed this time! Now what happened? I thought. I saw the people lying on the floor rising and dancing! It scared me for a fraction of a second. If that was not all, I saw her and my friends who were hiding outside, rush inside, smiling and laughing! She didn't have any burn marks and looked as beautiful as ever. But what was happening?!
"It was a game" someone shouted from the basement floor, "in case you're wondering what's happening! " and started dancing again!
"You were at home when we had planned all this." my group leader told me, "But I didn't know you were so good. You played the role of 'Puppet Master' beautifully! You were great!"
"You mean, the people I controlled, converted, attacked were acting? They weren't even looking at me when I was doing my stuff!"
"O come on! I agree you were great, but don't take it too seriously, it was a game."
"What about the people we met in the train?" I asked her. To this, the group leader showed that he was surprised, and I could see that without looking at him!
"What about them? I didn't have knowledge of everything! I just knew my role, that's it! And I am sure he must have planned all the weird things that happened with us during the journey, with optical illusion or other hi-fi gadgets he uses.", she said looking at the group leader. I had no idea how the two knew each other! She was not a student of my college.
"What? NOOO. Wasn't the game supposed to be just within the campus premises, as the last celebration during the holidays before the new semester started?! Hey you know what, relax guys, its celebration time! Weird things happen. They are just coincidences." he said cheerfully!
I looked at her and she looked at me. We knew those were not coincidences. I finally figured out what the illusion guy meant by, "we have met lately" and the reason only the nose of the baby was showing when we had gone to meet her mother. He became the baby as a disguise, so that he could keep track of us. He knew I might recognize him and the perfect blend of mother and father's looks was what took my attention and he saved his cover.
She didn't get burned or bruised, or unconscious. Those flames were meant to attack me only and I could prevent those flames from hurting someone else, which I now realize. I was fighting that guy's illusion, in the process of which, I teleported directly to my destination, the reason I am still unaware of. She was left alone in the bogie, since those bad guys couldn't attack her because I had defeated them and so they left her alone, and decided to take her when I was not around. She found herself alone in the bogie and got down at the right station, coincidentally meeting our good old friend. She made a plan to trouble me and make me feel guilty that I had left her. She didn't see me teleporting because she had closed her eyes when I was holding her close, and when I teleported, that feeling of me being around remained for sometime, then vanished.
Everything around me felt uncertain now. She was afraid, in fact and that she wasn't telling me the whole truth. My friends might have told her that all the things happening along was a game, which did give her some relief, but in reality also, she was expecting something of this sort to happen.
I loved her, but she didn't trust me enough.
My thoughts were interrupted by her voice. She had turned a little away, and said, "I'd better get going to my aunt's house. She would be waiting for me and getting worried." She smiled, but not as cheerfully as she usually does.
"I'll accompany you!" I said.
"No need. You celebrate along with your friends. I can go myself!" she said, then walked up to me, held my hand, pressed it a little and whispered, "thank you for everything." and finally she smiled with that shine and beauty. I was assured that she would be fine.
The guys who were after her had been suitably rewarded. From now on, they can't use their brains, they live like zombies. They'd stay and decay where they are lying right now. I am sure there are other guys looking for her, for some reason wanting something from her. And I'll be there to ensure that they don't succeed.
Then it struck me as obviously and as strangely as ever... "the Encarta DVD".
Friday, March 7, 2008
8th March Early Morning
The first thing I remember was that I was in a big room on a ship or in some hotel room and there was this pretty young lady with me. It had been a rainy day and black clouds covered the sky. We had met somewhere in the city and somehow got this liking for each other. I saw her standing on a bridge and me standing in front of her and we were talking and laughing...
Next thing I remember is that we were having sex... I could feel the warmth and the touch, the smell, it was gentle and smooth... I was totally into it... looks like I am telling myself subconsciously that I want something (even though I don't really think about it while I'm awake) and also I am training myself for the same subconsciously using the information gained from external world and the coded information in my genes... oh it's too complicated, let's stop at that!
I hardly ever get angry enough to shout, but something happened that changed it all. I received the news of death of one of my best friends of high school and I think it was Himanshu. I had not met him since last 4 years and it was a straight shock. So, that evening itself, when someone was
cracking a joke on me (like sometimes people do and I play along) while we were standing on a
training ground (beside the rope climbing area) which looked like a military exercise ground, but
this time something inside me, which seemed wanting to come out, came out and with rage I abused him and abused all the others. They were shocked and realized something was wrong. I hadn't noticed that earlier but that pretty young lady was also standing there. I said, "Time changes a person. I was deeply upset after receiving the news of my friend's death and I guess that came out as rage from within me and you all had to see it. I'm sorry." I rather felt light hearted and better and from then spoke such words occasionally whenever I felt like.
This time my house (group) was supposed to play host. We had to prepare the meal, decorate the place and invite other houses (groups). I had expected this as the last thing on the earth to happen to me but it happened and I was made the head of all this, especially the food preparation part! I, as always, ended up delaying the things and on the last day had a lot of things to be prepared! I was really freaked out and was also frustrating the others in my group. The long list of unfinished items that I looked at made me realize that nothing can be done now... it's over. Still I tried and divided the work and as I was about to leave for my long list of work, when I thought, why not call someone from the other group to help me, some friend of mine and guess what, I called Rahul. Of all the people I called Rahul! Anyways, he came, and a few of his other friends. I asked him to do something and though initially he was hesitant, he agreed. Interestingly enough I had written To Do things on some eatables (as a reward for those who finish that To Do thing) and he picked the corresponding one, while I was about to write it down on some paper. He said, "Thanks, I'll do it and then have this", grinned and left. I felt a bit apprehensive but also better after realizing that I'd reduced some work for myself.
As I was about to leave to do the work I'd assigned myself, someone called me.
It was that pretty young lady again and this time she was calling me "sir". Perhaps she must be my junior or maybe since I'm in charge, she was using that word! I followed her into an adjacent room and what I saw both embarrassed me and also made me respect her. She said, "Sir, I've prepared, or rather got these thing prepared as I saw them in your list of To Do things." She sounded hesitant as she might be thinking that she looked into the To Do list and it was wrong. Well of course it is wrong to look at other's things without permission but I guess it was the right thing to do. I mean I looked at the prepared dishes, and a few which she had served on a plate and it looked perfect. I felt like hugging her and saying "Thank You". I just said, "That's good." and before I was over with saying that, a few people got a few things by carrying them on their back. She directed them to keep it at some destined places. Those things were packed so I couldn't see what it was.
I then realized that she saw me with those guys and she also knew that they were from some other house (group). I felt guilty of not being able to do things after I was made in-charge of the whole event. I then saw that those packed in the room were meant for decoration. She was bending towards one of them to open it and then she turned and looked at me, and smiled. I felt she was smiling sarcastically and wanted to say, "I knew you wouldn't be able to do it and this time also I had to take care of everything."
Finally everyone came and we had a good time. I also eventually prepared a few dishes and did a bit of decoration work. The last thing I remember was talking to Asrar, Gaurav and others about the awards kind of things that India wins. Someone said, "India ko US mein koi award nahi milte hai but UK mein mil jaate hain har baar." Others agreed and I saw Asrar grinning broadly at that fact, but I couldn't understand what it was, even though I agreed fully to the fact.
Next thing I remember is that we were having sex... I could feel the warmth and the touch, the smell, it was gentle and smooth... I was totally into it... looks like I am telling myself subconsciously that I want something (even though I don't really think about it while I'm awake) and also I am training myself for the same subconsciously using the information gained from external world and the coded information in my genes... oh it's too complicated, let's stop at that!
I hardly ever get angry enough to shout, but something happened that changed it all. I received the news of death of one of my best friends of high school and I think it was Himanshu. I had not met him since last 4 years and it was a straight shock. So, that evening itself, when someone was
cracking a joke on me (like sometimes people do and I play along) while we were standing on a
training ground (beside the rope climbing area) which looked like a military exercise ground, but
this time something inside me, which seemed wanting to come out, came out and with rage I abused him and abused all the others. They were shocked and realized something was wrong. I hadn't noticed that earlier but that pretty young lady was also standing there. I said, "Time changes a person. I was deeply upset after receiving the news of my friend's death and I guess that came out as rage from within me and you all had to see it. I'm sorry." I rather felt light hearted and better and from then spoke such words occasionally whenever I felt like.
This time my house (group) was supposed to play host. We had to prepare the meal, decorate the place and invite other houses (groups). I had expected this as the last thing on the earth to happen to me but it happened and I was made the head of all this, especially the food preparation part! I, as always, ended up delaying the things and on the last day had a lot of things to be prepared! I was really freaked out and was also frustrating the others in my group. The long list of unfinished items that I looked at made me realize that nothing can be done now... it's over. Still I tried and divided the work and as I was about to leave for my long list of work, when I thought, why not call someone from the other group to help me, some friend of mine and guess what, I called Rahul. Of all the people I called Rahul! Anyways, he came, and a few of his other friends. I asked him to do something and though initially he was hesitant, he agreed. Interestingly enough I had written To Do things on some eatables (as a reward for those who finish that To Do thing) and he picked the corresponding one, while I was about to write it down on some paper. He said, "Thanks, I'll do it and then have this", grinned and left. I felt a bit apprehensive but also better after realizing that I'd reduced some work for myself.
As I was about to leave to do the work I'd assigned myself, someone called me.
It was that pretty young lady again and this time she was calling me "sir". Perhaps she must be my junior or maybe since I'm in charge, she was using that word! I followed her into an adjacent room and what I saw both embarrassed me and also made me respect her. She said, "Sir, I've prepared, or rather got these thing prepared as I saw them in your list of To Do things." She sounded hesitant as she might be thinking that she looked into the To Do list and it was wrong. Well of course it is wrong to look at other's things without permission but I guess it was the right thing to do. I mean I looked at the prepared dishes, and a few which she had served on a plate and it looked perfect. I felt like hugging her and saying "Thank You". I just said, "That's good." and before I was over with saying that, a few people got a few things by carrying them on their back. She directed them to keep it at some destined places. Those things were packed so I couldn't see what it was.
I then realized that she saw me with those guys and she also knew that they were from some other house (group). I felt guilty of not being able to do things after I was made in-charge of the whole event. I then saw that those packed in the room were meant for decoration. She was bending towards one of them to open it and then she turned and looked at me, and smiled. I felt she was smiling sarcastically and wanted to say, "I knew you wouldn't be able to do it and this time also I had to take care of everything."
Finally everyone came and we had a good time. I also eventually prepared a few dishes and did a bit of decoration work. The last thing I remember was talking to Asrar, Gaurav and others about the awards kind of things that India wins. Someone said, "India ko US mein koi award nahi milte hai but UK mein mil jaate hain har baar." Others agreed and I saw Asrar grinning broadly at that fact, but I couldn't understand what it was, even though I agreed fully to the fact.
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