T minus 5 years

Blending into the past

Rajit asked for the bill after finishing the meal. The dinner was a silent one as Vikram struggled to meet his eyes with Rajit. Rajit knew it was because of what Vikram told a few hours ago. Rajit felt the awkwardness rising but had no clue how to connect with him. Vikram was one of his best friends but he struggled to even talk to him. The person he dropped off at the office in the morning and the person he picked up from the restaurant in the afternoon was not the same person although they claimed to be.

Vikram finished his meal and went to the washroom to wash his hands. By the time Vikram came back, Rajit has already paid the bill. "What next?" Rajit asked Vikram.

"I don't know. I think I should find something to survive" he said. "I may go to the job I was doing when I was in 2015. I can't keep expecting or asking you to pay for me"

"I don't mind doing that, Vicky" Rajit said. "Do you want to eat anything else?"

"It's not right, Rajit. You're not expected to provide for me. It's not like I cannot provide for myself. I just don't know where to go"

"How much money do you have with you now?"

"I think some 1500 rupees" Vikram said.

"We're in the middle of the month. You getting a salary right now is not something that is going to happen. Do you have your bank account details?"

"I'm not sure at the moment. I am not sure. I hope I kept the same bank accounts in 2020 too"

"You said emails and all, right? Couldn't you check in that? I'm pretty sure the future is going to be digital"

"Yeah, the future is entirely digital. Demonetization was a big push towards it. I think in 2020, there was a massive shift" Vikram felt someone hitting his head from the inside with a small hammer.

"Why what happened?"

"I'm not sure. A lot of things happened. Digital became the only way to live at the time. The entire world turned upside down. Everything that we held dear was broken" Vikram felt the intensity of the hit become stronger.

"Can you remember?" Rajit asked.

"I think this may be the key to finding what I am to do, Rajit. My head is hurting. I think we may have found the direction we need to think in" he said.

"Is this how it is going to be like? Does a hurting head help you fulfill what you want to fulfill?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. But I think I need to adapt to the pain, Rajit. It's a curse along with the burden that is on me right now"

"Hmm"

"I don't understand, Rajit. Why was I sent? And I keep picturing you dying, Rajit. It makes me wonder if I should involve you. But without you, I don't think I can survive in this timeline. I'm conflicted, Rajit" Vikram said, a tear running down his eye. "I know something. I don't know anything and it's all confusing. I have deja vu because I lived this and I'm supposed to also change this. It's just overwhelming, Rajit"

"I hear you, Vikram. I don't know what to say. Just know that I'm here for you. Maybe my death is one of the things you can change"

"Maybe. I want to but I don't think that is the main reason I was sent back" he said.

"That hurts. But either way, it's weird seeing you like this, Vikram. I've always known you to be this determined guy who'll stop at nothing short of death to get what he wants. Here you are, confused and helpless and it makes me wonder if this is what the future has done to you"

"It could be the situation, you know"

"It is not the situation, Vikram. Things are never clear, you know. I mean, did you know a couple of years back you'll be in market research? That you'll be doing these things that you did? You didn't. But you didn't back down. You always tried to find a way to do something. Today, I see you and I think that person I called my best friend is no more. I can see a husk of his presence but nothing more, Vikram"

Vikram said nothing. He kept thinking. Why the f**k did you send me back here? 

"I don't mean to discourage you, Vikram. It's scary. I can only try to understand how scary it could be. But you were not the one who got scared. Maybe that's why they sent you back instead of someone else. Now, let's get back so that we can figure out how to get you some money" he said.

Vikram stood up from his seat and walked to Rajit's bike. Rajit's words kept repeating in his head. You were not the one who got scared. Maybe that's why they sent you back instead of someone else.

Rajit dropped Vikram back at his place. "I'll tell Ashu to notify your seniors that you are hospitalized. I'll manage a bill from somewhere. Don't worry about that. Tomorrow, I'll work from home and I'll help you figure out the bank stuff, okay? Get some rest. You had one hell of a journey and you need your energy to fulfill the purpose. Even if you don't know what that is"

"Sure, Rajit" Vikram replied. Rajit bade goodbye and left the place. Vikram locked the door and changed into comfortable clothing. To a surprise, he was still able to fit into those clothes. He couldn't forget Rajit's words. You were not the one who got scared. Maybe that's why they sent you back instead of someone else.

I'll change the future, Rajit. Vikram told himself. If not for the world, at least for you. Till death do us part, brother. Till death do us part.