The Third Dimension (2023) #Wattys2024

19-1952

"You must be...hmm...Mamun's grandson and the unborn baby's son, aren't you?" said the old haggard.

"How do you know?" asked Mamun.

"As you see, the time jumpers weren't seen for the next 900 years. Until, a girl came by and asking the same questions as you. Haven't you asked yourself that why are you there during the jump-off to the 80s?"

"Nope, because, even if I felt family there, I haven't asked as I was aware of the timeline. But I haven't asked myself that why I was there or why am I here, in the 50s?"

"History is to be told, while 900 years ago, there were group of holy men who used to go to the future with the respective timelines. Maybe past, present or the future. They are called the astral. There are small snippets of histories, and one of them was the group were so fascinated by the future, that one of them went through meditation. He saw a car and came back to the present. Everyone got shocked to hear it, when one of them saw it in the 1930s. It was happening since the beginning of Bengal, with the rise of the Sufis and Buddha" said the old haggard.

"So how come that I could be among the astral? I am just an ordinary kid! How...and Why?" exclaimed Mamun as Jawad.

"The astral are nowadays called time-jumpers, because the actual time-travelers are called the astral. They are invisible, when they possess the fainted body or almost dead, but not the decomposed ones or shot in certain elements such as brain. Astral, on the other hand are those who could be visible in time but they only show up to a time jumper. Some of them are accidentally shot on footage, which were seen in the future. Only the time jumper possesses when they find the variation within themselves" explained the old man. "More things would come in a way. In order to go back to the timeline, you need to do some responsibilities that the people in the original couldn't do before they die. And pay attention to the grandfather clock plus the calendar at home".

"But, what are my responsibilities?" asked Mamun.

The old man vanished and the forest lightened a bit. The clouds were seen. When, Mamun got back home, with the shortcut road by riding on an auto-rickshaw. He gave the fare of 5 Anahs, which would be fifteen taka in the future. He saw Sayeeda, sitting back home, while Sohail lovingly and softly patted her baby bump. Hopefully, he doesn't end up to become his workaholic adult self from the previous timeline, 1980s.

In the radio, a Tagore song 'Purano Shei Diner Kotha' (Back in the Old Times) and an Urdu-Hindi from a film Mughal-E-Azam song 'Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya' (Why Afraid, If You Have Fallen In Love). He entered his room and put some of the savings money in the clay bank and also some in his wardrobe. When he had done his task, suddenly, out of nowhere, Sayeeda looked at him, smirking.

"Look at the spoiled brat. Now, he's doing his responsibilities for our children's future! Smart!" complimented Sayeeda.

"A..a...actually, I came to realize that, I should spend my wealth to the good use. Maybe, we have a great future together. Sohail and Haleem could get a best life, indeed! So have you met Haleema?" asked Mamun.

"Haleema? You mean Sifarah Ameen Haleema, from the English Literature Department? The one who Haleem follows most of the time?" exclaimed Sayeeda.

Sohail overheard of the conversation. He ran into them by delightfully interrupting a conversation. It made them awkward and at the same time, giggling when he commented "Uncle Haleem always throw letters through Haleema aunty's windows!"

Both of them laughed with him, because no one could expect a child talking 'smartly' over the adult conversation. Mamun and Sayeeda felt that the joyful life could make a safer home.