The Demon Deception

CHAPTER 1

Nightmares

Sharath Chandra propped up on his bed, staring into the depths of darkness before him. His face was pale with fear. His bloodshot eyes were wide open in shock. He was breathing heavily. He was perspiring yet tried not to move at all.

A few silent minutes passed by before Sharath started stirring. His eyes focused on his surroundings when he finally realised that he was sitting on his bed with no memory of when he woke up.

When Sharath understood what happened, fear welled up inside him. It had happened again. It has been happening for the last one month. He had once again visited the darkest part of his dreams without a hint of what lived there. His hopes dashed.

He had grown used to the nightmare and the effect it brought upon him. Once the scare was over, he tried to assess the condition of his body as he did on a regular basis.

He was still sweating heavily. The sound of his pounding heart could be heard distinctively. His hands clutched the bed covers so hard that he expected them to tear any second. His muscles were poised to spring from the bed at a moment’s notice. His jaws were locked together very tightly as if resisting the urge to scream. Sharath tried to loosen the grip on his jaws. The sudden motion sent a current of pain up his ears.

Ouch!! he yelled.

He rubbed his chin absently trying to numb the pain that had already alleviated. The pain had brought him back to reality. Once his assessment was complete, his fear turned to worry.

This isn’t happening again, he moaned silently to the room around him. But no one comforted him. He only heard the muted breathing of his brother Subhash sleeping beside him. Sharath took deep breaths, trying to bring his heart beat back to normal. He wiped off the sweat from his brows.

It wasn’t the first time Sharath had found himself in such a peculiar position. He was going through the toughest phase of his life. He couldn’t sleep well these days for fear of nightmares that haunted him. He didn’t even know whether he saw the same dream every time or different dreams haunted him.

Having such experiences wasn’t common and Sharath knew it very well. He tried to maintain his composure but the doubts emanating from his mind threatened to consume him.

What’s happening to me? Why are these nightmares haunting me? Why can’t I remember my dreams?

There were more questions than answers and that propelled him forward, fuelling his resolve. By each passing day, his determination strengthened yet frustration mounted. Controlling his emotions, Sharath went through with the procedures.

He strained his memory to recall any part of his nightmare. It was a tough exercise but he was getting used to it. As always, he could only remember the hopeful thoughts he had before drifting into sleep. The rest was obscure until he found himself sitting up on his bed.

He tried harder and harder but could not remember anything. At last, he gave up and sighed. The questions had been tiring him a lot these days. The circles under his eyes grew darker by the day. Sharath feared that he might not be able to keep it a secret any longer.

He had been exhausted due to lack of sleep for a fortnight. His fear prevented him from leading a normal life. Sooner or later, some-one would notice these signs. Sharath feared voicing his concerns to his family. He knew how they would react. Subhash would freak out if he knew. He wouldn’t waste any time before telling their parents. Sharath hated the fact that Subhash was overprotective. Thus, he wanted to gauge the severity of the problem before telling about it to the others. But now it was enough.

He couldn’t wait any longer. It was time the elders dealt with it. It did not matter if they forced him to meet a psychiatrist. He could no longer bear it. He didn’t have enough patience to question himself.

Suddenly, an idea struck him. May be I’m asking the wrong question, he wondered silently.

Sharath believed that the answer to a question always stares in your face. You have to look in its direction to grasp it. The way to look at it, he believed, was to ask the right question. He wanted to give his theory a try. So, he racked his brain to look at the problem from a different angle.

There was something he had forgotten to consider in the last month…something that had been eluding him. That was when it struck him again. He realised that he had been primarily worrying about the nightmare. He had taken it for granted that heavy breathing, sweating and pounding heart were caused by fear. He had overlooked the fact that similar things happen after running for a long distance. The quickened pulse could be a result of anticipation and excitement as much as it was for fear.

He had forgotten the most elementary rule that running in a dream would not necessarily make his heart pound and leave him breathing heavily. Sharath dispelled whatever doubts crossed his mind. There are exceptions to every rule and he was no exception to it. As he thought about exceptions, many pictures from his past flashed across. His life was full of strange and inexplicable events. He was so used to it that he was seldom surprised anymore.

It all began at the age of five when he began to observe his surroundings closely. One day, Sharath was leaning against the railing on his terrace, looking at the mountains. They had always amazed him. His parents were seated across a table, having supper. The sun was about to set. Sharath saw a strange creature, twice the height of an average human, scampering off towards the edge of the forest. He thought it was a giant monkey. Before he could show it to his parents, it had disappeared into the forest. He became too afraid to look at the mountains. At that age, he thought that monsters still existed on the earth.

At the age of ten, Sharath found a pool of green sap on the pavement. Before he was able to look closer, the sap vanished. He pointed it out but no one else had seen it. His inner consciousness told him that it was visible only to him. A shiver ran down his spine.

Three years ago, Sharath accidentally came across a footprint thrice the size of his. At that point of time, he had grown enough to understand that there was something happening around him. He decided to ignore it, knowing that it was the only way he could get on with his life.

As he grew up, such strange things started happening more frequently. He saw weird things, smelt horrible scents and heard strange sounds almost everywhere…theatres, shopping malls, markets, streets. He told himself that they were all illusions created by his mind.

Thinking about all these events, he assumed the symptoms to be the result of excitement and anticipation. He again concentrated on his dream for a few minutes. His persistence paid back in gold when he got a glimpse of mixed emotions, the likes of which he hadn’t experienced before.

Am I going crazy?

He was regarded as a crazy person by almost everyone in the world. But it was the first time he doubted his own sanity. The string of emotions continued to flow through him. He felt something clawing at his heart. There was a fog settling around him, sowing seeds of grief and suspicion. There were no words to describe how he felt. He felt excitement, fear, persistence, stubbornness, happiness and worried at the same time.

Only a second had passed since he doubted his sanity but multiple emotions continued to flow into his mind. He tried to force them away from his mind but in vain. They continued to wander across his mind as if trying to deliver a message.

He could not understand what was happening to him but it was nothing short of mental torture. Though he felt no physical pain yet he was emotionally drained. He felt insecure and uneasy. He was gasping for breath.

The time seemed to have completely stopped as Sharath was lost in his own thoughts. He tried to be brave and stop the inflow of thoughts and emotions. His defences shattered as he experienced more emotions. He struggled for a while but accepted defeat later and collapsed into the never-ending dimensions of his mind.

Sharath couldn’t bear it anymore. His mind had almost become numb. He became extremely nervous. He tried to move his body but in vain.

After a couple of minutes, the uneasiness started to subside. Ten minutes had passed by before Sharath was back to his normal self. He could finally think about something else. He felt light as a feather. It was finally over. His hands had turned pale and he was panting.

What happened to me?

He voiced his curiousness but decided that dealing with the extraordinary was dangerous. The short and excruciating moments of mental torture were hellish and he wanted to forget about them. His breathing became normal, his muscles moved and he could finally relax. He remained still, expecting the pain to start again.

A couple of minutes passed by but nothing happened. There was complete silence around him. He could again hear his brother snoring, an owl hooting nearby. He felt exhausted and hence decided to forget everything and get back to sleep.

As he started to move his body, incoherent thoughts started to race through his mind once again. Sharath dug his nails into his palms expecting nothingness to engulf him. But he was experiencing something else this time. He felt as if his mind had created a shield protecting him from pain.

It was an interesting thought. He tried to drive away stray thoughts and concentrated on the new wave of emotions. He allowed them to pass through his mind to the whole body. He let them sink into his being and then tried to read the hidden message.

Suddenly, he felt as if some life-altering event was going to happen soon and the stage was set for it. He thought that he had been waiting for it to happen forever. It seemed highly unnatural and sounded similar to the premonitions people used to have during the ancient times. But hadn’t that vanished long ago?

Why was it resurfacing?

Premonitions were considered witchcraft by many in our country and people seeing them were either burnt alive or treated as gods. He wanted neither of these things for himself. All he wanted was to lead a normal life.

Sharath lived with his parents, Krishnamurthy and Rohini, and his brother on the outskirts of Vishakhapatnam. Krishnamurthy was a retired navy employee. Rohini was a homemaker. They loved and cared for Subhash and Sharath. Sharath was fifteen and completed eleventh grade. Subhash was a year older. He had completed twelfth class and was preparing for the engineering entrance examinations.

The brothers were very close and shared a good rapport. Subhash was the responsible person and Sharath was well, careless. Sharath was outdoorsy and loved to go trekking in the nearby mountains. Those mountains housed dangerous wild beasts and Subhash worried that Sharath might get hurt. To protect him from any harm, Subhash would accompany him. They trekked every Sunday. Subhash used to take precautionary measures and carried things like small crossbow, wood and matches to scare the animals. He never had to use them as they had never encountered a beast. Subhash used to say that it was good luck but Sharath always felt suspicious that there was something more to it.

Sharath felt depressed and stressed out. His mind pleaded: End the torture. End the torture…

It chanted the words like a mantra. Just as he was thinking he could bear it no more, he heard a very sweet voice of a man in his early twenties. A voice that sweet could convince anyone to obey him.

Have some patience, Sharath. Everything will settle down, it said.

The voice created an image of a handsome man in Sharath’s mind. A fortnight ago, he would’ve freaked out and ran to switch on the lights to see the man who had entered his room. However, he remained where he was and closed his eyes. The voice soothed him magically. His body slackened and calmed down. He knew the voice very well. He also knew that the voice wasn’t originating from the room but from inside his head. He realised he had been listening to this particular voice for the past fortnight. It wasn’t normal for humans to hear such voices. He felt he was losing his mind.

This is excruciating. I can’t bear it anymore. I don’t know what you’re doing to me. But if you’re planning to kill me, please do it immediately, he requested using his mind’s voice. He was sure that the voice had heard him.

That was a mistake. I don’t plan to kill you, the voice replied.

In that case, please tell me why you are contacting me and why do I see nightmares. I demand an answer now, he shouted at the top of his mind’s voice.

He didn’t expect the voice to answer. This wasn’t the first time he had asked this question. The voice simply ignored him.

You certainly deserve an explanation. Keep patience. The time is up and you’ll be told everything very soon. I’ll now take your leave. Goodbye, Sharath, the voice concluded. Before Sharath could say anything, he felt he had lost consciousness.

That was very helpful, his thoughts yelled sarcastically at no one in particular. Be patient. Is that all I’m going to get after going through all this?

It all began a month ago. He found himself leaning against the bedpost with sweat trickling down his face. He rolled over and fell asleep soon. Though he recalled it in the morning, he suspected nothing. Next night, he found himself in the guest room which was forty feet away from his bedroom. He panicked as he had never walked in his sleep before and the possibilities scared him. He wanted to tell Subhash about it but his thumping heart warned him against it.

The nightmares continued every night and his hopes of normalcy shattered day by day. One day he cried after such an incident. He was trying to think ways to evade these nightmares and failing at it, he even contemplated committing suicide. That was when he first heard the sweet voice whisper in his ear.

Don’t worry, little one. Everything will be normal. Have some patience and let it pass by, it whispered.

Sharath didn’t have the strength to react to it. He was shocked and his heart almost skipped a beat. He knew instinctively that the voice was coming from inside his head. The reverberating voice sent the necessary signals to his mind. The room started to shimmer and the world seemed to spin around him. His lungs screamed for oxygen but he couldn’t breathe in, however hard he tried. He was gasping for air and his windpipe had almost blocked. Sharath didn’t realise that he might be dying. He lost his vision and he was stuck in a void. After a long time, or so it seemed, he opened his eyes. He was lying on the floor. He could finally breathe.

The next time he heard the voice, he was prepared. He took special care in monitoring the passage of air inside his body. He got used to the voice. Its frequency increased once he realised that it didn’t want to hurt him. Whenever he mentioned it, he used to call it The Voice.

Sharath got off his bed and groped around for the switch of the light. As he found the switch, the room was bathed in a faint white light. He could make out the shapes of things in the room. The room was spacious, judging by the amount of furniture in it. In addition to the two beds at the centre, the room also consisted of a wardrobe, a study table, a dressing table and a couple of cupboards. The door of the wardrobe was ajar with keys dangling from it. Ironed shirts were hanging inside the wardrobe and many pairs of jeans were placed on a lower shelf. The dressing table had a life-size mirror.

A book was propped open on the carved wooden table, and a study lamp was crouched over it as if it was trying to read the book. Some books were placed in a neat stack at one corner. An old clock hung over the wall along with a calendar with the face of Lord Hanuman. The bedroom opened into the hallway at one end and a washroom at the other.

Sharath went to the washroom and switched on the light. Bright orange light sparkled across it. He went to the wash basin and looked into the mirror hanging above it. He saw his reflection and noticed that his green, tired eyes were encircled by dark shapes. He imagined a glimmer of fire in his eyes.

Apart from the marks of tiredness, his face looked handsome. He had a perfectly carved nose. He could see the hints of a small moustache indicating the dusk of teenage. His lips were thin, smooth and had little colour in them. His hair was thick, long and black and fell on his shoulders. He towered above other boys his age with his six feet tall body. His fingers were thin and long, giving him the look of an overgrown person. He was quick and agile. His shoulders, biceps and thigh muscles were well-built as a result of the weekly trekking trips.

He stared at his reflection for a long time before tearing his gaze away from the mirror. He washed his face and the cold water soothed him. He removed his shirt and tossed it onto the pile of dirty clothes. He washed the sweat off his chest and went back into his room. He pulled out a T-shirt from the wardrobe and wore it.

Sharath felt refreshed. He went to the kitchen to drink a glass of water. Coming back to his bedroom, he opened the windows. The air felt cool against his freshly washed face even though it was hot.

The city before him seemed empty with the street lamps flickering every now and then. Sharath stared at it, lost in thought. The silence and darkness seemed beautiful and he wanted to keep standing there. Soon he started feeling sleepy and he wanted to relax. He knew that tomorrow would be a long day, it being a Sunday and so his trekking day.

He sat on his bed, chanted a prayer before lying down. He unfolded the blanket and slept.

*** ***

Sanjay looked up the instant the light was switched on. He was surprised to see that someone was awake at such a late hour. He saw a teenager opening the window in the building opposite him and staring outside. Sanjay knew that he couldn’t be seen there but he felt that the boy stared at him for a moment before closing the window. The room was devoid of light again as Sharath drifted into unconsciousness.

Sanjay knew he had gone through the strangest day of his life. How could things change so suddenly? He felt certain that Sharath had the answers to his questions. He had to.

CHAPTER 2

An Old Friend

Subhash woke up the next morning to a clatter from the kitchen as his mother was already awake. He rubbed his eyes, trying to forget his dream. Unlike Sharath, he perfectly remembered what he was dreaming about. He let out a gust of air in protest.

What am I protesting against?

He couldn’t blame anyone else as he was responsible for the whole thing. Why must he suffer when everyone else enjoyed a normal life? He saw Sharath sleeping peacefully. At least, he wasn’t having nightmares. That thought gave him the strength he needed to live through the day.

Subhash promised himself that he wouldn’t let them trouble Sharath. He’d stand as a barrier, protecting his brother. He had been observing Sharath closely of late. Sharath was nearing his sixteenth birthday. If they were to contact him, this would be the moment. In fact, it had been Subhash’s sixteenth birthday that changed his life forever.

At that moment, Sharath moaned, I can’t take it anymore. Subhash understood what was going on. He said the same sentence over and over again during the nightmarish period of his life. He was aghast as he realised that his worst fears had come true.

How did this happen?

He felt helpless. As he stared at Sharath, he noticed dark circles below his eyes for the first time.

Of course! How did I miss that before? He had not suffered sleeplessness himself. It looked like Sharath was exposed just like him. He could not believe that Sharath was experiencing sleeplessness during his nightmares.

Subhash forgot about his friend Rahul lying unconscious in the hospital, with the doctors wondering what had happened to him. That was nothing compared to what Sharath would soon suffer. He had to do something. He wouldn’t let Sharath have the same nightmares that he was having. He decided what he needed to do.

*** ***

In a few hours, Subhash and Sharath were ready for trekking. Sharath had found a good trekking spot during the week and he intended to visit it. Subhash packed some food, three bottles of water, two cans of juice, a pair of fresh clothes and a stack of rope.

Sharath reviewed his decision one last time during their walk towards the mountain. There was no other way. He started to lose hope. Lately, he was beginning to feel alone. Before this, there were no secrets between them.

How should I bring it up?

*** ***

Subhash thought the same as he walked. He wanted to sound casual and did not want to divulge anything in case he was imagining things. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sharath. He seemed lost in his thoughts.

You’re very quiet today. I didn’t think that was possible, Subhash chuckled. It was a forced laugh and Sharath gave him a look that said, let’s stop fooling each other.

*** ***

Sharath looked at Subhash wondering what was wrong with him. Why was he trying to force a conversion?

Subhash was a lean person, somewhat shorter than Sharath. He was stronger than Sharath. He could beat anyone into a pulp with unbelievable power and speed. His nose was slightly crooked due to a childhood accident. His upper lip was slightly thicker than his lower lip as he smacked his upper lip often. He had short, spiky hair. He had blue eyes and suddenly there was so much pain in them.

So are you, Sharath said before he could control himself. He bit his tongue immediately but it was of no use. The damage was done. Subhash stopped fooling around, and when he lost self-control, his eyes betrayed him.

What happened, Subhash? You seem to be very unhappy today. You can tell me, you know, Sharath egged him on.

*** ***

I don’t think that’s possible.

Subhash would rather take his secret to his grave. He searched the reasons for his misery. He remembered Rahul and the tears immediately clouded his eyes. He wanted to cry like a child. Sharath placed his hand on his brother’s shoulder and consoled him. Subhash controlled himself. There were more sensitive matters to deal with.

Rahul suffered a fatal accident yesterday. The doctors are unsure whether he will recover, he said. Sharath nodded sympathetically. Subhash felt guilty of lying to his brother when he should be confiding in him.

He thought about yesterday when Rahul’s father called him and enquired about Rahul’s whereabouts. Subhash told him that he had seen Rahul some days ago and promised to call up his friends and intimate him if he found anything. Subhash called all his friends but no one knew anything about Rahul. He hoped that Rahul might have lost his way in the huge city as he was new to the city and had a poor memory. But that didn’t happen.

He got a call three hours later that Rahul had met with an accident and was admitted to a hospital. Subhash rushed to the hospital. The doctors were examining an unrecognisable body, which they claimed to be Rahul’s. As Subhash went near to it, he became certain it was indeed Rahul. It seemed that Rahul was mauled by bears. There was a stench oozing out of him. Then it hit him.

This isn’t possible.

He barely recognised the smell, coming across it only once in his past…a past that he didn’t want to remember. He’d investigate into it later. If he was somehow responsible for Rahul, he’d never forgive himself. The man told him that the people around him would be targeted. But he never believed it. Was everyone else in danger because of him?

Are you that boy’s friend? someone asked him. Subhash nodded. He’s in a very bad state, isn’t he?

Leave me alone, Subhash shouted, irked. The nurse motioned him to keep his voice down. Then he felt something he hadn’t in a long while. He turned around, expecting someone to attack him. Instead he was greeted by an old man.

I’ve waited for ten hours to meet you, Subhash. Would you tell me how you’re still alive? the man smiled.

That was enough. His fears were confirmed. They were not going to allow him to walk away. Without saying a word, he had stormed out of the hospital.

I’m sorry, Subhash, Sharath said, breaking his stream of thoughts. We must go back now. Subhash was surprised. He wasn’t going back until he confirmed certain things.

If I didn’t want to come today, I would’ve told you so in the morning. I came because I wanted to talk to you.

I came here to make sure you’re not going to suffer like me.

What’s it that you want to speak to me about? Sharath asked cautiously.

Let’s walk.

*** ***

Their destination loomed over the surrounding valley. It looked intimidating. The more intimidating and challenging it looked, the more excited Sharath became.

Subhash looked grim as he walked towards the mountain through overgrown bushes. He was silent and contemplating. The silence between them was unnerving. Sharath felt the tension rise inside him.

Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, Subhash lowered his bag and extracted the cross-bow along with a couple of flares. He pocketed the flares, whirled the bag across his shoulders and held the cross-bow aloft as he turned towards Sharath. Sharath had never seen Subhash look so grim.

What’s wrong with him?

True, he did not like trekking much. But he seemed to enjoy it lately as much as Sharath did. With practice, they had become expert trekkers. Sharath now depended more on his instincts. He could scale heights while thinking about Subhash.

Subhash was not his usual self today. Sharath felt nervous as he wanted to tell him about his story without freaking him out. Gauging his mood, Subhash could easily get worked up.

Is it safe to bring up the topic now when Subhash is already stressed? The immediate answer was a no. His problems could wait. In a span of three hours, both of them were sweating heavily. Subhash sat on an outcropped boulder to rest. Sharath removed his bag from his shoulders to take out a can of juice. He took some sips and gave it to Subhash who gulped it down.

Have you decided? Sharath asked. Subhash sighed and stood up. He walked towards Sharath and stood near him.

I’m going to ask you something. Will you promise to tell me the truth?

I promise, Sharath said. Subhash narrowed his eyes but didn’t say anything. He sensed a faint reluctance in Sharath’s voice.

Are you hiding something from me?

*** ***

Subhash hoped that Sharath would say no. But life was unpredictable.

Is that all? Are you hiding something from me? What kind of a question is that? Sharath laughed nervously. Subhash assessed his reaction.

Just answer my question, Sharath, he asked in an authoritative tone.

If you’re asking me about Rahul, I promise…., Sharath’s reply was cut off by Subhash. This has nothing to do with Rahul.

Subhash shivered at the mention of Rahul’s name but continued to stare at Sharath as if he was in on the secret.

*** ***

Sharath felt the ground shaking but he tried to stabilise himself.

Impossible! This isn’t happening. This must be a dream, a really bad dream. I want to wake up. I’ve had enough of these dreams for my entire life. I must be sweating. My heart must be thumping with fear.

In the core of his heart, he understood that it wasn’t a dream. He suddenly felt stupid. He should’ve told Subhash about it long ago. Subhash seemed to know something about the nightmares and the voice. There was no other reason. He was suddenly interested in the information Subhash was hiding from him.

Yes, I’m hiding something from you, he uttered at last.

*** ***

The words rang in Subhash’s ears. It was the final confirmation to his theory and all his hoped dashed. Sharath was somehow pulled into the equation. It was a rare phenomenon, he thought, remembering the man’s words. He lost his composure.

*** ***

Sharath thought he was ready for anything, even accusations or a pat on the back saying he was proud of him. He never expected what happened. Subhash collapsed on the rocky ground with his hands covering his face. He was crying. Sharath stood flinched.

I can’t believe this. I thought it died with me. Not even for a second, I thought it would haunt you as well. How could I have let this happen?

I don’t understand what you’re talking about, stated Sharath.

Alright, I’ll ask you a straight question. Do you hear a voice in your head?

It was really happening. Sharath should have felt scared. But he looked into the eyes of Subhash and nodded excitedly. The time seemed to move slowly. He felt he had already waited for a thousand years for Subhash to tell him something.

But how…? he managed to say. Subhash stopped crying and he was back on his feet. He sat on the boulder.

What has the voice been telling you? he asked with a hard look on his face.

Not much. I only hear it every few days. Sometimes, it tells me that there are things many people wouldn’t understand. It also tells me that I’m special, Sharath replied.

As Subhash seemed shocked and angry, Sharath said cautiously, Don’t worry, Subhash. I ignore it all the time.

Good. Continue ignoring it. Don’t think about what it’s trying to tell you.

How do you know about the voice? Sharath demanded, noticing that Subhash was trying to end the subject. If he postponed the discussion, he’d never be able to ask him again.

I’m sorry, Sharath. I can’t tell you that.

Why not? You think you can scare me? Well, try me.

It’s not a question of your bravery, Sharath. Some things are best kept secret. It’s in your best interest that you’re kept in the dark. I don’t want you to suffer like me.

Subhash picked up the bag and started his descent back to the foot of the mountain. Sharath was angry with Subhash. He wanted to hurl something at him but he did not.

Overprotective fool.

From his conversation with Subhash, Sharath understood that Subhash had the same experience in the past. He might’ve had night-mares as well, but he was unsure. Subhash never mentioned anything about nightmares.

Sharath also had a nagging suspicion that somehow the voice was connected to Rahul’s accident. The thought sent shivers through his body. If Subhash felt responsible for his friend, there might be a strong force either monitoring the voice or acting against it.

Without thinking twice, he swung his bag onto his back and trotted behind Subhash. They didn’t talk for the rest of the journey. Though Sharath was still angry, he believed that Subhash might’ve had a strong reason to hide the truth from him. He had already decided that dealing with the extraordinary might be too dangerous. There was already the case of Rahul strengthening his opinion.

*** ***

By the time they reached their home, it was three in the afternoon. Subhash was surprised to see a yellow car parked in front of their house. They seldom had any visitors as they had a few relatives and some of them lived as far as New Delhi. As they were going to enter the house, they heard their father talking to someone. It has been so long, Sanjay. I never expected to see you again.

As Krishnamurthy saw his sons, he exclaimed, Here you are. How was your trip?

Krishnamurthy’s age was forty three but he looked younger. His auburn hair was unkempt as he never cared to comb. His clear blue eyes held nothing back and his smile was charming. It seemed to widen even more due to some reason. He was wearing a white, slightly stained pyjama.

His wife, Rukmini, was thirty nine years old. Her hazel eyes were more secretive. She was a wonderful cook and an excellent designer. The curtains draped over the windows, the pillow covers, napkins and several other things were stitched by her. She was an introvert and didn’t like to speak about her achievements. She was a loving mother and wife. Sharath loved her more than he loved his father.

It was good, Subhash mentioned as he slid past his father into the guest room. Sanjay was sitting there. Colour drained from Subhash’s face as he recognised the visitor as the man from the hospital. They followed him to his house?

Is there a safe place on the planet?

Sanjay was a man of about forty. His face was partly covered in scars. His head was neatly shaved and a hat lay beside him. He was short and skinny, yet strong and sturdy. He was laughing. Rohini sat on a chair opposite him, staring into the kitchen.

This is Sanjay, Krishnamurthy announced. He’s an old friend.

I believe we’ve met before, Sanjay smiled at Subhash.

Yes, we have. Subhash replied coldly.

How’s he doing?

Not good. Subhash left the room on the pretext of studying.

*** ***

Wait a minute. Did you meet Subhash before? Krishnamurthy asked before Sharath could muster his courage to leave the room too.

Very recently. I’ll tell you about it later, he waved at Krishnamurthy. He then looked towards Sharath. And I believe you’re Sharath Chandra?

Um, yes.

Sharath always felt uncomfortable around strangers. But he felt comfortable with Sanjay as if he already knew him. Meanwhile, Sanjay stared keenly at Sharath. Instantly, Sharath felt as if he was being consumed again. The memories of the last night came back to him.

Why’s it happening now?

It was afternoon and he was in the presence of his parents and a stranger. It would be visible that he was in pain. The presence left as quickly as it came. Sharath felt as if he had run a lot of distance. He was gasping for air. He began to sweat. Though he felt the presence for little more than a second, something was definitely wrong.

You look sick, Sanjay observed. Go take a glass of water and eat some food.

Sharath obliged and went into the kitchen. His mother followed him and gave him bread and curry. Sharath devoured the food. He went into the bedroom where Subhash was engrossed in reading a book and didn’t even notice him.

I’m sorry about what happened there, Sharath said. There was no answer from Subhash. He heard his parents talking with Sanjay. When Subhash didn’t answer for the next ten minutes, Sharath felt frustrated. As he was about to leave the room, Subhash turned towards him.

I’m sorry for my behaviour, Subhash said.

I am sorry that I called you an overprotective fool.

You didn’t, Subhash said surprisingly. He was trying to hide his smile.

I did, in my mind.

You know what? I’m an overprotective fool. So, don’t worry about it. The atmosphere cooled as the tension was lifted.

I already have a lot on my mind. I don’t want you to deal with it as well. It’s a lot to take, Subhash turned grim again.

I understand that there’s something serious going on there.

You wouldn’t believe half of it.

You wouldn’t tell me to see if I believe it or not.

You can’t make me break my promise.

Sharath was happy that he was finally on speaking terms with him. Subhash did not hold grudges against anyone. He went back to reading the book.

Sharath went to the hall where his parents were still engrossed in chatting with Sanjay. Ignoring them, he went to the terrace and sat in the shade, thinking about the events of the last two days. One thing was certain that something extraordinary was going on in this ordinary city.

It was six in the evening when Sharath finally came downstairs. The sun was setting. There were still last specks of light in the sky which would fade in the next half an hour.

Subhash was still studying in the bedroom. His parents had shifted to the veranda, enjoying the twilight. Sanjay stared at him for a moment before tearing his gaze away.

I hope you don’t have any problem with that, he asked Krishnamurthy.

Krishnamurthy didn’t even think about it as he replied, Of course, Sanjay. That would be great, wouldn’t it, Rohini?

We’ll be pleased to have you here. You can sleep in Sharath’s bedroom. Subhash is currently preparing for his examinations. He can sleep in the hall as he wakes up early in the morning, Rohini assured.

It’s settled then.

Sharath felt that Sanjay, like Subhash, was hiding something.

He remembered what Sanjay had said to Subhash about meeting him earlier.

Is it possible that Sanjay has a part to play in whatever Subhash is involved with?

He was about to get his questions answered. That night all of them enjoyed a lavish dinner prepared by Rohini. Everyone ate to their heart’s content. When Subhash was told about the sleeping arrangement, he nodded and said nothing else.

After the dinner, Sanjay excused himself to sleep early as he was tired after the long journey. Everyone but Subhash retired to their respective beds. He took his reading