Episode 2
1509 Words
Manav understood that he somehow travelled back in time and had to save the world from apocalypse.
While his mother spoke something, he rushed out of the house and took out his cell phone while he walked on the streets. He opened his contacts and tapped on the name ‘Tanisha’.
Tanisha was a girl of his age with a fair complexion. She had short hair with the length up to her shoulders.
The phone rang, and someone received it.
“Is it you, Manav?” The voice from the other side asked.
“Yeah, it’s me.”
Manav’s face formed a smile when he heard-
“We met an hour ago. You can’t live even an hour without me.”
“That’s true, but I have called you because I have to tell you something important.”
“Is it more important than me?”
“Just come to Café Delight. I will wait for you there.”
“Is it a date?”
“Just come.”
“Okay, I will be there.”
Manav disconnected the call and walked towards Café Delight. After he reached there, he took a seat and waited for her.
When he tapped his index finger and looked around, he noticed someone entering the café. His mouth hung open in awe when he saw Tanisha at the entrance. His heart almost burst when she smiled and waved at him.
“What are you looking at?” She said when she noticed Manav lost in some thoughts.
“Oh, nothing. Please, sit.”
He still stared at her when she sat parallel to him. She wore a yellow top and blue jeans.
“Her short hair looks so good and fits her face well. My Tanisha, you don’t know how much I missed you. I thought I would never see you again,” He said in his head.
“What important matter did you want to discuss with me?” She asked.
“I don’t know if you would believe it or not.” He hesitated to tell her.
“Tell me before I could believe it.”
“Should I tell her? What would her reaction be?” He thought.
She noticed he again got lost in thoughts. “Manav!”
“Yeah.”
“Come on, tell me. What happened?”
“Ah, I don’t know, I think…” He took a pause and stared at the surface of the table he sat on.
“You think?”
He raised his gaze up and replied, “I think I have travelled back in time.”
“What?” She reacted.
“Yeah.”
There was an awkward silence before she laughed out loudly. Other people present there stared at them.
“I think you have become mentally unstable now. Did you watch a science fiction movie?” She said while she still chuckled.
Manav looked around and noticed the people staring at them. “No, I am serious,” He said in a lower tone than usual.
“Come on, then, prove me.”
“She laughed at me. I knew no one would believe me,” He thought and sighed before he replied.
“What date is it today?”
“April 21st.”
“A member of the parliament will pass away tomorrow.”
“Really? Who will it be?”
It was clear from her face that she still didn’t believe him.
“Dushyanti Devi, and the cause of the death will be heart stroke,” He replied.
Tanisha wanted to believe him, but this idea of him travelling back in time was something unimaginable for her.
“Okay, let’s see. What now?” She said and looked into Manav’s eyes.
“What?”
“Isn’t it a date?”
Manav smiled and replied, “Yes, it is.”
While they talked, someone entered the café. It was Ashwin with a skinny body who wore a green half-sleeved t-shirt and white pants.
“You rascal!” He said when he looked at Manav.
Manav stood up when he heard it. Tanisha also turned her head and saw Ashwin approaching them with a frown.
“Hey, Ashwin. What are you doing here?” Manav asked.
“You told me to place your bets but you haven’t told me the team yet,” Ashwin mentioned.
“Place my bet on Mumbai.”
“Really? But the favorite is Chennai. Everyone is saying they will win today.”
“I am telling you Mumbai will win today. Pullad will make a half-century,” Manav said in a confident tone.
“Let’s see. How much?”
“Five hundred. I can only afford this much.”
“You will get three times the money if you win.”
“I know but I will go with five hundred.”
“Okay.”
Tanisha could hear everything. “Guys, betting is not a good thing,” She said with a concerned face.
“It’s just for time pass,” Manav replied.
Ashwin looked both of their faces and smiled before he said, “Okay, guys. Carry on,” and left.
Manav took his seat when Ashwin left. “I will prove my point after the result of today’s match.”
“Okay, let’s see.”
They then chatted and spent their time with laughter.
After having a good time with his girlfriend, Manav returned home and turned on the TV to watch the cricket match.
“Let’s see. I already know what is going to happen in the match but it’s better than doing nothing.” He sighed when he sat on the couch. “I am way too chilled for someone who knows that this world would end.” His lips formed a relieved smile. “It’s still a year for that. Let’s watch the match right now.”
He looked at Chennai’s playing eleven. As expected, it was the same as he thought. He then looked at Mumbai’s playing eleven.
“What?” His eyes expanded in shock to see that Pullad was not even in the team. He was unfit for today’s match.
“How come he is not even in the team? He scored a half-century in today’s match.”
When he still tried to figure out what happened, his phone rang. It was from Ashwin. He received the call and took the cell phone to his ears.
“Your Pullad is not even in the team. Bro, I told you to place your bets on Chennai. I feel bad for you man,” Ashwin spoke.
“I will talk to you later, Ashwin. I have some right now.”
“Sure, why not? Just don’t forget to pay when you lose.”
“I have not lost yet.” Manav disconnected the call.
“What is happening? Even the stadium is not the same,” He thought.
“Manav! Manav!”
When he was still dumbstruck, someone called his name. It was his mother who wanted him to bring milk from a general store nearby.
He left the house after taking the money and went to the general store. While he was on the way to his home, he passed by an electronics shop where they aired the cricket match.
“What?” He got massively shocked and could not believe what he was witnessing on the screen.
“Something unnatural is happening in the stadium. The people are running and biting each other. We can’t understand what is happening right now,” The commentator of the match said.
The stadium was in chaos. Manav could see the people biting and tearing each other as the camera was still on. Many people gathered around the electronics shop after hearing the commentary.
“But how? Didn’t it happen a year from now?” Manav thought. He got terrified as he could remember the horrifying experiences he had.
The people who stood around him murmured at the scene they witnessed.
“What is happening?”
“This is unbelievable. Are those… z-zombies?”
Manav sprinted to his house and saw his parents watch the news upon entering.
“Many disturbing events are happening across the country. The prime minister has left the country in his private jet. Is humanity going to end?” The anchor of the news channel spoke.
Manav watched this and held his head in utter disbelief. “How can this be? I just wanted to spend a day in peace. How come the zombie apocalypse is happening right now?”
He remembered about the changed stadium and Mumbai’s playing eleven. His eyes widened as he realized-
“Could this mean the reality has been altered?”
- Writer
