Medona

Chapter 3-Meteor Spared My Life?

I returned to my apartment. I couldn't think about anything else for a single moment.
My bracelet made me go back there and listen to those words. It was all like pre-planned.
This was not just a distraction for me anymore. My curious personality started to block my mind from doing my routine stuff.
I had a deadly urge to solve this puzzle. So, I started my search with finding out what the hell Sanjid-e-Lordem means!!
I couldn't find anything online.
I went for hard stuff. I went to a library and almost scanned every book they had about dead languages. But all in vain.
I asked the librarian who had already presented me all the relating books. "Ma'am have you ever heard something like Sanjid-e-Lordem?" I didn't want to mention that infront of her.
Obese woman, wide cheeks, short brown hair, light blue shirt and chewing something that was making deep dimples into her cheeks with every chew_ stopped chewing for a moment, and then said disgustingly, "Are you one of those?"
Those?! I wondered who she was talking about.
Before letting me speak she added, "I mean are you looking for Seetamnari's trash?"
I didn't know who Seetamnari really was but I could swear the moment she was not a big fan!!
Just then another woman called for me, "hey pretty young lady!" She wove at me.
Five meters away, old yet young woman, gray hair, brown scarf around her neck, black and white checked frock, merciful smile on face, "may I have a word with you?" She asked me humbly.
I left the librarian in the middle of her badmouthing Seetamnari and walked towards the other lady, "yes?" I excused her.
"I have been noticing you from a while" she said softly.
Gosh! What did I do to attract an old lesbian.
"Are you looking for Seetamnari?" She asked the same question.
My goodness, I am already puzzled enough! now this Seetamnari I never heard about became the only thing/person I am looking for?!
"I don't know who is Seetamnari. Why does everybody keep asking me that? I am just here to find what does Sanjid-e-Lordem means. That's it!" I uttered the truth honestly.
She was starring at me eyes opened wide.
I asked her as a final *goodbye I don't need you anymore* ,
"do you know what is Sanjid-e-Lordem?" with disappointment and disgust.
She smiled, "no dear I don't, but I know someone who does."
"Oh! you mean Seetamnari?" now I started to take interest in this Seetamnari.
She shook her head no, "Seetamnari has died long ago." I frowned in confusion, "But there still live some of his followers. They might help you." She completed.
She further added a request, "but you have to promise me that you won't harm them."
Promise! Harm! This woman seemed to be older than her looks.
"Really? Are you sure they can help me? Will they? Do you know there address?" I asked non stop in a queue. My severe curiosity didn't even let me think If its moral or not.
She again repeated the same request, "but promise me you won't hurt them."
"Okay, okay", *as if I were interested in harming strangers* I assured her frustratingly.
She took my address and promised me that she will take me there whenever suitable.
I was confused yet excited. Atleast part of my confusion was going to get cleared.
*But what if she really was a lesbian and rapped me.* A dark thought wandered through my mind but I distracted myself thinking I can self defend.
Just as I stepped out of the library I heard Gabriel shouted, "Tarika! Where were you?!"
Almost gave me a heart attack!
"Should I tell you every place I went after the blast?" I looked at her face which was radiating immense worry.
She raised her eyebrows, "I was worried about you!"
"Why worry? I am almost always studying" I tried to reassure her.
"Did you go back to our university after the incident?" She leaned towards me a little, like a concerned parent.
"You mean that ancient city? Yes. Why?" Obviously our university was no more there.
She stated, "The manager told me that you touched the source of the blast."
I looked at my bracelet, confused, and defended, "My bracelet couldn't be the source?"
"No! It was a meteor. It was there near your bracelet. He told me you got a shock that threw you away." She exclaimed as *how out of mind I am*.
I told her I didn't know anything about any meteor.
She sighed, "the manager said that he was telling you about the meteor but you were lost in thoughts."
Ugh ! The time I was focusing on Sanjid-e-Lordem!
"I am fine Gabriel." I gave her a dead end reply to cut her off, didn't want to elongate this with her.
She put her hand on my shoulder, "Really? It's good to know cuz after lab examination they were saying it might have been a miracle that you survived."
I pretended in my signature cold behavior that I didn't care which I did alot to be honest!
Gabriel smiled in assurance, "like always, an odd!"
I shrugged my shoulders *that's what I am*. But deep inside a roller coaster of questions was wobbling in all directions.

Why do questions keep on increasing?
As more and more I try to get close to answers, the more I get confused.
And now my life is a miracle! Seriously!?
Who believes in miracles these days?
Who the hell directed my bracelet to go and sit next to that meteor?
And why the hell that meteor pitied me and spared my life?

I was happy that I got one of my answers from Gabriel:
"The source was a meteor"
And I will eventually get to know how it happened once they find out its chemistry.
A part of me was relieved at seeing things coming closer. Deep inside I felt like things were going too fast. I went through alot in a very short period of time. For a moment I would think I was being too desperate but I couldn't help my curiosity.
I wasn't considering my moves properly. I agreed to that old lady abruptly without proper precautions. I was not even sure if meeting Seetamnari's followers was safe. Or if it was, I was not sure if they could really help me.

Almost 7 p.m. I was walking towards my apartment digging deep into my thoughts.
"Well, being a psychiatrist and a PhD holder in time physics and historical sciences which are entirely different poles of science. I have made myself unique enough that time travelers almost always and almost anywhere in the world seek either my presence in their journey along them or my help for training." I heard a female's address on a speaker nearby.
I looked at the screen outside a hall in which the seminar held. Pretty adult black woman, natural face, bald, shining gray eyes , wearing a hot pink color lipstick addressing inside on the stage.
It was not just her looks that were attractive but also a firm yet soft attitude and her achievements gave me mentally a jaw drop.
I checked the lady's name on the lower left corner of the screen, it was Dr.Sandra. "Doctor suits with her name", I admired her in my mind.
She continued, " a single person is capable of doing alot at once. And the motivation behind is 'the work itself.' If a woman raises a child along with her job at the marketing company, her tiresome gives her the energy to study and write a book as well. The pride of a busy person is what keeps him busy."
Strong headed person with strong sounding words. A single person with all the impressive things. Human beings rarely inspired me. But Dr.Sandra did stole my attention. And she was worth listening.
I returned to my apartment thinking about how long the day was. I was yawning already, I lied in my bed, closed my eyes and let the 2000 BC freaks visit me in my dream, who as expected, did visit my dream. But I did sleep this time, that gave me a fraction of fraction of relaxation.

Two days later, I was sitting on my bed checking the news feed on my phone, wondering if something new was discovered about the ancient place.
That dangerous yet merciful meteor was under investigations. Hypothetically, it was said that its composition was totally different from any other element in the periodic table. It was hard for scientists to understand its chemistry. And a bigger issue was_ different scientists were proposing their own hypothesis and all of them wanted to look forward on to their experiments upon the meteor, who was already done with the rude handling of it by protective machines.
Dozens of messages from Gabriel and Sam wanting me to join the new community they have made in this university, although they knew I would never do that. I had been away from them since we shifted. I was confused how to refuse.
Meanwhile my AI that I named dark after the darkness of the night I created him in, grabbed my attention by saying, "Someone outside the door wants to meet you Tarika" with his humble and deep voice.
"Who is it dark?" I inquired while my eyes still on my phone.
"Do you want me to ask name?" dark confirmed.
"Yeah" I demanded.
After a few seconds dark announced, "its Mayi."
My ears stood straight in attention!
"Mayi?!"....