The TWI$T

1. The Nightmare

1. The Nightmare "Stop it," I broke out in the middle of my sleep. My heart was beating rapidly without a pause. For the last five days, I could not sleep well as every time I tried sleeping, the terrible words of Babaji would flicker in my mind again and again. I wished I hadn't gone with Priya the other day, but there was no point regretting it. My watch read 3:45 a.m., and I was reluctant to go back to bed. I fetched myself a glass of water from the kitchen and tried to calm down. However, the words of Babaji kept reverberating again and again- 'YOUR END IS NEAR, SON...YOUR END IS NEAR'

Hi, I am Arjun Kashyap, a name not very popular among the 139 crore odd people of my country, except for my family, neighbours, relatives, and friends- real and virtual. My journey in this world began on 22nd February 1994, and I have been thriving since then. Being the lone son in a middle-class family, I had my own advantages, which also made me irresponsible of the two siblings. I am in my late twenties, serving as a product manager in Ajanta Pharmaceutical. I was an atheist by heart but had to surrender to the constant efforts made by Priya to make me believe in God. Ultimately, love took over the battle between God and science. And, my dear readers, that was the greatest mistake of my life.

A few days back, I argued with Priya as I didn't want to go to Babaji to know about my future which she urged on repeatedly. There is no match to the taste of roadside tea stalls to the well maintained luxurious restaurants. And when it’s a winter evening when the fog is just setting in, a sip of steaming red tea can be declared as a golden buzzer to heaven. A group of older men was boasting about a local saint to predict anyone’s future correctly and fetch them whatever they wanted.

“Heard them? Let us visit too, someday?” Priya buzzed in.

“You really shouldn’t be eavesdropping like that. It’s a bad habit, my love!”

“Oh hello, it’s not like they were having a personal talk about their fantasies or something!”

“Fine, I got your point.”

“So when are we going?”

"Tomorrow afternoon after lunch, we will start from my place. I don't want to delay it further."

"But what's the point to know about the future?" I questioned her over the phone just after lunch the next day.

"I have to see how good your future is," she reasoned.

"I don't believe in all these things, my dear."

"You're going or not?" she sounded angry.

"Aah, I don't think so."

"Ok then, I'm going alone. Don't come after me," Priya shouted over the speaker.

And thus, she won again by her emotional blackmails in the form of faux tantrums! I stopped her, "Fine, let's go together."

"That's so sweet of you. Reach my place in an hour" saying so; she cut the call.

I took a quick shower and put on a plain white T-shirt to match with the blue denim. I got on my Pulsar-220 and reached her place in a short time. She was already ready, waiting for me, which was rare as typically, I would have to wait an eternity for her. She looked gorgeous in her maroon salwar-kameez. I took a glance at her from top to bottom over again.

"What?!" she raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing," I shrugged, "Shall we proceed?"

"Ya, what are we waiting for!"

We reached our destination within an hour. The place was both scary and creepy. If the thick bushes lining the cave hid the sun rays from entering, the half-fossilized skulls added a fearsome topping. There stood a big old Banyan tree some yards outside the entrance, which, my guess, had sheltered the weary animals and birds for many years until the so-called-saint tarnished this place. The stairs leading to the temple had also worn out, and I was conscious of every step that I took, not to tumble. Accompanying us were a group of monkeys, shrieking and running all along the way. I wondered how Priya felt comfortable there

(she would even get frightened by the sight of a cockroach).

We found Babaji chanting a prayer for the appeasement of ' Manasa Devi' , the Goddess of Snakes.

Pranam Babaji," Priya folded her hands and signalled me to do the same.

"Khush Raho Beti", the Babaji placed a hand on her forehead.

"This is Arjun, about whom I talked with you the other day," she pointed at me. The last two words made it quite clear that she had been trying to set me up into visiting him, and well, I was the proof that she succeeded.

"Come towards me," he asked me to sit on the mat lying beside him.

I hesitated, but Priya pushed me. As soon as I sat down, Babaji took my hand and started chanting. He then mingled with my hand for about a minute or a couple and let it go. It felt like an hour for me, and I secretly wished for this thing to be over soon: claustrophobia was making me dizzy.

"Ok, you can go now," Babaji told in a nervous state.

I took a sigh of relief and was about to get up when Priya spoke in, "But Baba, you didn't predict his future."

Babaji was silent.

"What happened? Say something, please?" Priya seemed anxious.

"He has no future!" Babaji answered Priya steadily.

I was confused about whether to agree to what I heard or ignore it altogether, laughing at it! Priya's joyous face was gone, and she seemed hurt.

"Baba, please tell her that you are joking," I urged him.

"I wish I could," Babaji replied, "but your end is near, son ... Your end is near." Though it was difficult to make out his expression for his long beard, I felt he was tensed and sorry at the same time. Taking careful, steady steps, he then went away, counting his beads.

I looked at Priya, who had moist eyes by then. I wiped off her tears from her cheeks which have turned red. She hugged me tight, "I don't want to lose you, Arjun."

"You won't. Nothing of that sort will happen to me," I tried to console her, "let's forget about it now and return home. It's getting late".

"But didn't you hear what Babaji said?"

"Yes, I did. But this is an absurd prediction. I don't believe all these."

"I can't think of any moment without you," she started sobbing, "Please don't leave me alone."

During our return trip, I didn't speak any words, and neither did she. However, she kept pinching me at regular intervals in the back to check if I was alive or not. I dropped her and went straight home. I was totally exhausted from the happenings of the day; as such, I fell asleep as soon as I got down on the bed.