Chapter 17

Chapter - 17

“This doesn’t seem too bad,” Mridul checked Ansh’s wound carefully and looked at him, “The question is - how did this happen?” “We were getting late for… Umm…Our chemistry class and Ansh sped up a little…” “Is that so?” “Yes Papa.” Karan gulped a little while Mridul smiled inwardly. “Your curriculum seems to have advanced a lot compared to our time.” “More than youcan imagine Chachu.” Rishi feigned enthusiasm trying to hide his nervousness.

“Definitely, after all, we didn’t have to study chemistry to complete our MBA.” Mridul cocked his eyebrow at the cousins who just realized their bluff. “Haven’t I taught you anything?” He twisted Karan’s ear playfully, “Come up with at least three different responses and say it out loud to ascertain which one sounds more plausible.” He let out a chuckle and sat beside Ansh, “Even Vedashree Bhabhi is better than you guys.”

“Perfect! Keep spoiling them like this,” Mohana entered the room with Chaitali, “What can we expect from them when their father still behaves like a child?” “Oh come on,” He said rolling his eyes, “Our boy just met with an accident. He doesn’t need a twenty pages long lecture on ‘How To Become A Responsible Youngster’.” “We have Vedashree Bhabhi for that.” “See, Chaitali Bhabhi gets it.” Despite their best efforts, Rishi and Karan burst out laughing, annoying Mohana further. “I can’t believe this!” “Relax Mohana, I’m meeting you guys after two weeks. Let’s not make it so serious.”

While Mridul tried to cheer her up, Mohana took a quick glance at Ansh. They decided to hide Ansh’s sudden outburst from Mridul as they didn’t want to worry him unnecessarily. But what exactly happened to her otherwise gentle son? Why did he attack her and why was he behaving in such a strange way?

Ansh on the other hand, kept looking at Mridul in disbelief. When Karan informed him about their father’s arrival, he thought he was talking about Shekhar. Although he had seen a family portrait earlier, his mind still couldn’t register Mridul was alive in this timeline. A sudden pang of heartache overwhelmed him as he recalled his childhood. After their parents’ death, Vedashree and Shekhar took him and Kajal in. They even decided against starting their own family so that neither he nor Kajal ever felt like they were adopted.

Yet, there was a part of him that longed for his birth parents. He grew his hair since Mridul had long hair. While he accepted Shekhar as his father wholeheartedly, he also tried to keep Mridul alive in him in some ways. Now that his father was in front of him, how was he supposed to react? “Ansh?” Mohana’s voice broke his trance, “What’s the matter son?” The genuine concern in her voice didn’t escape his notice. Would it help if he saw her eyes glowing rather than those two pools of love?

He remembered the first time he met Mohana as an adult. When she hugged him, begging him to accept her, he felt torn between her and Vedashree. For a moment there he felt jealous of Kajal who didn’t seek others’ validation and openly expressed her feelings. And then he saw her for who she was. Nothing ever came close to the devastation he felt when he learned about Mohana’s true motives.

Time and again she mocked them for letting her getting away with everything. If only he could tell her that it wasn’t their foolishness but a desire for some sort of a miracle where they could co-exist without hurting each other. Perhaps the child in him was exceptionally delusional to accept the truth. Lucky for him, his adult self was wise enough to hide his true feelings from his so called mother who would waste no opportunity to use his vulnerability against him.

It was a fact that Piya’s rejection made him ponder over his situation. Nonetheless, given the chance, wouldn’t she prefer a world where all of their family members were alive, and more importantly happy? He knew he would, if it was a choice between being the most powerful entity and living a simple life, he would choose his loved ones every time. Too bad his wish always came at the expense of his loved ones, one way or the other. Being with Piya required him to go back as far as needed and remove the glitch in this timeline, thereby restoring the grim world he always wanted to escape. Whereas choosing his family would mean giving up on Piya as well as their kids.

“If I were given a choice, I would choose you all over again, with my eyes closed, in every single lifetime, in every alternate reality. I would choose you because I love you!”

Wasn’t it funny? Of all their shared memories, he held onto that one moment when she promised him of everlasting love. Anyone who’s madly in love would make such a statement. But what if they were given a chance to start over? Wouldn’t she be better off without him?

“Are you still angry with me Papa?”

“No dear, in fact, I’m sorry for lashing at you like that.”

“So… if I ask for something, will you get it for me?”

“What do you want?”

“I want you Papa. I want to spend some quality time with you when no one will disturb us… Can’t you do this much for me?”

“Why would Mohana kidnap Pari?”

“Because she’s your daughter!”

How many times did Adi have to step up when he was clearly faltering at his duty of being a decent father? How many times was Pari’s life endangered just because she was his daughter? His eyes moistened reminiscing their faces. Just before he left their house, he promised them to take them out for a movie. Irrespective of whatever was happening, he knew somewhere in the future his kids were waiting for him. All he wanted was to get back to them and make up for the lost time. Was he being selfish again? Those kids deserved a doting father, not a demon like him who could only give them a life full of misery.

“Ansh?” Mridul’s voice interrupted his thoughts again, “Are you okay son?” “I’m fine.” “I know you hate it when I say this, but are you sure? You zoned out suddenly and…” “I’m sorry about that. It’s just that I’m feeling a little tired, that’s all.” “Alright… I think you should try to get some sleep. If you need anything, your Maa and I’ll be right next door.” “Papa wait!” Without thinking about anything, Ansh hugged Mridul tightly, finally letting go of his guards. Surprised at first, Mridul hugged him back and ruffled his hair lovingly. “Do you want me to stay here with you?” “Will you?” “Anything for my kids.” Mridul broke the hug and smiled to assure him. “Let me get a few things from my room and I’ll be joining you shortly, okay?” As Mridul left with the rest of the family members, Ansh went through his phone and dialed a particular number, “Can I speak with Dr. Dev please?”

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“It’s time.” “Are you sure about this?” “If you have a better idea, I’m all ears.” Saavi remained silent. “Piya is right Saavi. We are running out of time. It’s now or never.” “It’s a forty storied building and Rathods live at the topmost floor. You think it’s safe to climb all the way up when none of us have any powers?” “Well, for that we have a mystical device called elevator. Just because we are Reevavanshi, it doesn’t mean we have to deal with everything magically.” Annoyed, Piya got down from the car. “It’s gonna be fine. Besides, Naman will be with me. Wait here and don’t do anything reckless, can I count on you for that much?” “I…” “Let’s go Naman.”

Naman looked around again and opened his side of the car’s door. “She’s pissed, isn’t she?” “Yes, not that we can blame her.” “I just wanted to save her life.” “I’m sure Piya understands that. However, given the time and situation we are in, I’d suggest give her some space. She’ll come around.” “But…” “No buts Saavi. If something goes wrong, you won’t be able to run properly. That’s why she asked you to stay in the car, there’s no other reason.” “Naman?” “Coming.” He closed the door and looked at Saavi again, “Listen, it’ll be over soon. We can talk about it later, alright?” She nodded her head and bade them goodbye.

Once inside the elevator, Naman sighed loudly, trying to draw Piya’s attention. “Are you feeling scared?” “Kind of, you?” “Me too.” Piya pressed on the elevator button and faced him, “I know you want to talk about Saavi.” “Piya…” “Go on, I’d rather talk about anything than worrying about what will happen if we fail in this attempt too.” “All the more reason we should avoid this particular topic.” He paused for a moment, “This whole ‘Everything’s Perfect’ act is weighing on you too, isn’t it? That’s why you want to vent.” Piya said nothing and stared at him, “Do you love her?” “What?” “I’m talking about Saavi, when the link was severed, what was your first thought?”

“I thought I screwed up and got Saavi trapped.” “Then you surely have some inkling of how terrified she must have been before she pulled you out.” “I do, which is why I feel so guilty for putting her in that position in the first place.” “And how exactly do you plan to repent?” “Excuse me?” “Ever since you came back, you have barely looked at her, let alone giving her a chance to explain herself. Do you think it’s fair to her?” She shook her head and looked away to hide her tears. “Then snap out of it, talk to her. She’s perishing under the burden of your silence; I can see it’s causing you great pain as well. It’s time you put an end to it.” “Sometimes I forget how perceptive you are.” Piya replied with a faint smile, “I’m glad that you are with her.”

“So, what’s the plan?” Naman tried to divert the topic. “We find Ansh and explain everything to him.” “That’s it?” “What were you expecting?” “I don’t know… Since you packed some of that powder you used in the hospital, I thought…” “I don’t intend to use Stramonium on anyone unless it’s absolutely necessary.” “What about earlier?” “I had no choice. If my condition was half as bad as Baba told me, no doctor in his right mind would release me. I figured by the time you and Saavi would wake up, things would get more complicated. Hence I blessed some Stramonium fruit from my garden and brought them with me since it’s a hallucinogen. Without our powers, that was the only way I could make the doctor sign my discharge paper.”

“Is it toxic?” “Very.” “Is that why you don’t want to use it?” “Yes, I used a very small dose on my doctor. I was hoping he would start showing symptoms by the time we left and other doctors would treat him immediately. Outside a hospital setting, I don’t ever want to use it.” “Do you have anything in your garden that can counteract its effect?” “I guess so, why?” “In that case, I suggest we use it on Ansh right away and take him back with us. Once we’re there, we’ll be able to treat his symptoms easily.”

“That would be too risky. This dream world stemmed from his subconscious. We can force him to accompany us but what if some part of his consciousness gets stuck in between? Or worse, what if his mind is trapped here and body is there in the real world? I can’t take that chance.” “So he has to come with us voluntarily?” “Yes, he’s the only one who can reverse the spell.”

A moment later, the elevator door opened. “We can take the backdoor and wait until everyone falls asleep.” “Or we can take that passageway. It directly leads to your room.” “How do you know about that?” “Remember I was once possessed by Ruby? She used that path to get inside your room.” “Great, let’s go.” It took them another couple of minutes to reach Ansh’s room. Surprised by the change in its decoration, Naman picked a photograph of Ansh with his siblings, “The guy surely knows what he wants.”

Unbeknownst to him, his words sent a shiver down Piya’s spine. Everything Ansh had ever wished for was a reality in this dreamworld. What if he refused to come with her? Could she really blame him when a huge part of herself wanted to stay behind and cherish her long lost family? “Someone is coming.” She pulled Naman away and hid behind a curtain. “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?” “I’m sure Papa, I’m feeling a lot better now.” “Still, if you need anything…” “You’ll be right next door,” Ansh said smilingly, “Good night Papa!” “Good night!”

Once Mridul left, Ansh closed the door, turned off the lights, and walked towards the center of his room. For some unknown reason, he felt as if the ambience had changed in his absence. How was that possible? Earlier he saw a jar of fireflies was kept on his table. He picked up the jar and noticed the flies were trying to come out of the container. Puzzled, he opened the lid and saw them encircling a particular area, giving it the shape of a girl. “Hi Ansh,” Piya came out of the shadow, “I’ve been waiting for you!”

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“If you’re angry and you know it, clap your hand! If you’re angry and you know it, clap your hand! Good Lord!” Saavi punched on the dashboard and regretted immediately, “Ouch! Damn it!” She cursed her fate. “I see Naman’s weird habits are rubbing off on me.” She glanced at Ansh’s flat again and heaved a sigh. It had been ten minutes since Piya left with Naman. Was it just her or time was moving awfully slow? Suddenly her phone beeped, “We’ve gotten inside……. Naman”

She was about to put her phone away when another SMS flashed on the screen, “I’ve talked to Piya. Everything’s sorted, just talk with her…….Naman” Unknowingly her lips curved into a smile, “I love that guy!” Her face turned red realizing what she just said. Even though they were engaged, she hadn’t yet verbalized her feelings to him. Perhaps when all these would be over, she should take the next step and let him know how she felt?

Just then, she saw Karan and Rishi coming to her way, prompting her to hide under the seat. “What a day!” “At least it ended well. I’m glad that Papa came back exactly when we needed him the most.” “Do you think we should inform Chachu about that girl?” “I was thinking about the same. Although… I’d like to talk with Ansh first. Things with Piya didn’t end well and he’s been acting really weird since then.” “Did you know he contacted that quack?” “Who? Dev?” Rishi nodded his head, “When did that happen?” “I’m not sure, I saw Neha received a call from him and eavesdropped. Apparently Bhai consulted with him and requested him for some medicine.” “This Ansh! What the hell is wrong with him!”

“I don’t know Bhai. I don’t trust that Dev guy one bit. Also…” He stopped midway, unsure of whether he should finish his sentence or not, “What is it?” “When he hit Dev, I saw a momentary flicker in his eyes, as if… His eyes were glowing.” “Are you sure?” “50/50. It happened really fast and I know it sounds crazy but I feel there’s some truth in Bhai’s narration. If he had been schizophrenic, wouldn’t we have noticed at least some symptoms before?” “I agree with you. I don’t give a damn about Dev’s explanation either. I saw the way Ansh was looking at Piya in the hospital. No one can develop such strong feelings overnight just by writing a book. There’s more to it.”

“What are we gonna do now?” “For now, let’s give Ansh some time. Rest, I’ll talk to Papa tomorrow and maybe he can convince Piya’s parents or whatsoever.” The cousins left discussing while Saavi felt her heart skipping several beats. The last time their paths crossed, Dev created a rift among all of them and nearly overpowered Piya. If he was conjured again, Piya would stand no chance against him, specially in a world where every single thing was designed to rip her apart from Ansh’s life. She grabbed her phone and frantically dialled Piya’s number, “Come on, pick it up Di!”

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“Ansh?” Piya walked towards him, “What’s the matter?” Ansh felt his heart racing. It was almost midnight. How on earth Piya managed to come at this hour? Until a few hours ago her condition was so serious that the doctors weren’t allowing anyone in her cabin. There was no way she would come all the way to meet him, that too after turning down his proposal. He must be hallucinating. Yes, that was it - his mind was repeating its cruel games with him again.

“Stay away from me!” He pushed her away violently, “This is not real, this can’t be!” Piya, who wasn’t expecting Ansh to react that way tripped and crashed on the table causing it to shatter. “Piya!” Naman came outrunning, “Are you okay?” “I’m fine.” Still dazed, she wiped off the blood from her forehead and turned to Ansh who was shaking like a leaf.

“Ansh…” “Please leave me alone!” He cried out, “I don’t want to hurt you.” “Why would you hurt me?” She approached him again and gently touched his face, “It’s me - your Piya.” “No, you’re not. You said you didn’t want me in your life…” “That wasn’t me, I can explain…” “Ansh?” Piya froze hearing Mohana’s voice. “Is everything alright?” “Everything’s fine Maa.” “Are you sure?” “Yes, go back to your sleep.”

With bated breath, Piya waited until she heard Mohana’s footstep disappearing. Ansh on the other hand, kept staring at her in disbelief. “Well that was close,” Naman peaked through the window to see if anyone else was coming. “Listen Ansh…” “What do you want?” “I’m sorry?” “What brings you two here?” “You - we’re here to get you back. This world is an illusion Ansh. You haven’t simply travelled to the past. You have created a dream world where everything is perfect.” “You are lying.” “No…”

“You told me you were happy with your life. Then we met again and you said you would always find your way back to me. But when I tried to hold your hand, you pushed me away. You said you would never accept me in your life. Then why are you doing this drama now?” “It’s no drama Ansh, I came here just for you. What happened to my Ansh who went through time and space to revive me? I know all of this is very confusing. Give me some time and I’ll explain everything to you. Don’t you trust me” “I…” He stopped midway. What she just told, reminded him of the life he had known forever. Was she telling the truth? Or was it his subconscious trying to override his senses again as Dev had warned him?

“It is not wrong to love someone. However, you should value your partner for who she is, not because she fulfills the criteria you set up based on a fictional character.”

“How can I be sure you are not lying? You have read my book; you know what I think of you, don’t you?”

“I do, which is exactly why I’m not forcing my methods on you. You are yet to understand the full potential of your subconscious mind. I have a feeling you’ve started experiencing it. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have sought my help, would you Ansh?”

“Just tell me what you want me to do. I’m tired of your mind games.”

“You love this girl, right? Then do the right thing for her. Observe your surroundings, analyze your situation, slowly you’ll realize what’s possible and what’s your imagination. Be the ideal man your girl deserves, not some imaginary supernatural entity who thrives on others’ misery and tries to romanticize it.”

Tears blurred his vision as reality hit him - it was his wishful thinking. In the real world, no one would accompany his fiancé so she could profess her love for a complete stranger. He was clearly hallucinating, again.

“You of all people should know how time-travelling works. Does anything in this world remotely follow any natural laws? Look around - everything is perfect! Everyone we ever loved are alive! That’s not how the real world works Ansh. You can’t find happiness without accepting your share of sorrow. Light would lose its allure if there was no darkness. I know I hurt you a lot through my words. But believe me, I meant none of those things. You are my greatest happiness Ansh. This perfect world means nothing to me. All I need is you!”

How he wished he could hold her hand and tell her he felt all those things too! Conscious or deluded, she was the only woman he had ever loved. Too bad their union would always pose a threat to her existence. No matter which version of reality he believed in, a schizophrenic writer or the King of Darkness – she deserved better, and he was gonna make sure of that.

“Ansh please look at me! Talk to me! I’m begging you, say something for God’s sake!” “Don’t you get it? I don’t want to do anything with you.” “Ansh!” Piya felt like her entire world crumbled around her. “People chase their dreams, they don’t dwell in nightmares. You are a figment of my imagination, nothing more. Henceforth I refuse to accept you.” Turning away from her, he opened his drawer and took out some tablets Dev prescribed him.

“Oh no!” Naman identified the medicine immediately. “Stop!” He snatched the container from Ansh’s hand and threw it out of the window. “Are you out of your mind!” “You tell me Oh Wise One, if we were a part of your worst nightmare, how come you haven’t woken up yet?” “I…” Ansh looked confounded. “And what the hell were you doing with those tablets? Have you forgotten? Mohana almost lost her powers upon ingesting them.” “Why do you even care?” “What do you mean why do you care?” “Did Dev give you those medicines?” “Piya what are you…” Naman stopped as soon as he spotted the prescription in her hand. “How do you know about him?” “Doesn’t matter, is Dev here?” “My God! You resurrected him too!”

“Ansh!” Piya hugged him immediately, catching him off his guard, “Why are you doing this?” Her voice chocked, “I gave you my everything, wasn’t that enough?” “Get away from me!” He jerked her off. “Why won’t you give us another chance?” “Because it’s not worth it! Even if this is a dream world, I would rather spend the rest of my life here than returning to your wretched world where I’m continuously looked down upon by the greatest Daivik of all time.” “Ansh listen…” “You want me to remember our life together? Well guess what? I want to erase everything that bears any sign of your existence. You were tired of being tied to me, right? I’m setting you free now. Go away and never come back.”

“This isn’t you! This can’t be!” “You should be grateful to me Piya. I’m saving us both from a lifetime of misery.” “You fool!” Naman rushed to support a devastated Piya, “You have no idea who you are hurting in your ignorance.” “What about our kids?” She mumbled in an almost inaudible tone, “What am I gonna say to Adi and Pari?” “After abandoning him for your false pride, now you are worried about his well-being?” “That’s enough!” “Any child would be better off without a mother like you. Don’t worry about disappointing them again Piya; you won’t ever have to face them again for they won’t be born to you.” “Please stop!” She broke down completely.

“I’m done Piya.” Ansh muttered with utmost difficulty as the sight before him broke his heart, “It’s time you accepted the truth.” “Wait,” She tried to hold his hand as a last ditched effort but he pushed her hand away, “I said leave me alone!” His eyes lit up all of a sudden when Piya was thrown across the room on his command. “No!” Naman ran towards her direction, “What did you do!” Horrified, Ansh couldn’t move a single muscle in his body. If he didn’t possess any power, how did that happen? “Piya hey, open your eyes!” Naman kept trying to wake her up but no one answered to his pleas…