Who knew a small glitch in time would impact so many lives? Who knew a broken soul could be pieced together by a mistake? Who knew Fate had a soft spot for love?
Destiny rolled its dice, and Time made its move.
Punch. The stone-cold young lady only...
The shrill cry of the newborn baby echoed among the stone walls of the aged temple. Unexperienced with children so young, the father of the child tried to console her cries for her dead mother. Seated crisscross on the cold floor made up of marble, he reached for the small bottle of milk next to him. It seemed to be the answer to her sobs as the child's demeanor calmed down.
The old priest continued with the astrological calculations dancing at the end of his finger tips, unbothered by light the chaos in front of him. His wrinkled hands held onto a paper tinted with turmeric and vermillion, etched with the horoscope of the baby. His eyebrows crunched together as he repeated the same calculation over and over again, bewildered at the conclusion he was approaching. He sighed in defeat eventually as he spoke cautiously, "Beta (son)....this child....her life is a kaarana janmam (born with purpose). But she seems to have no future. There seems to be a praana-gandam (life-threatening danger) for this child at the age of 20. Her future beyond is dark....she may pass away at the age of 20."
Tears pooled in the father's tired eyes. His adorable daughter lay in his lap drinking milk quietly, staring up at him with her doe eyes. Her mind was too young to comprehend the dangers planned in her life. He couldn't look at her innocent little face without the harsh reality burning his soul. Clutching the baby close to himself, the father let loose the tears in his eyes. His heart was already broken with the death of his wife during her labor pains. Now hearing that the child his wife sacrificed herself for would die so young, only stabbed at his heart worse.
"Pandit-ji (priest), i-is there any p-pooja or vrat I can do f-for it? I-I'm sure t-there must be something w-we can do?" the father asked brimming with desperation. The priest felt the younger man's pain, but he saw no other options to save the child in his arms.
"I'm sorry beta (son)...I'm afraid there isn't much we can do. Ishvara-icha (whatever the ultimate wish of god is). You must stay strong beta (son). Pray to mahadev (Shiva) with a pure heart, he will never let any injustice happen to his devotees," said the priest. He couldn't see the young father cry in vain. Blessing both the father and daughter with everything in his soul, he left without another word to the family.
2022, Punch POV
"Dad, I'm heading out to college!" I screamed. I zipped up my biker jacket and walked in the hall to collect my things. The bike I fought my dad for stood proudly outside, ready for our journey together.
"Panchami! How many times have I told you to pray to God every morning?!" Dad yelled from the pooja room. My shoulders dropped at his words. Rolling my eyes and sighing frustratedly, I turned my feet and made my way to the pooja room. Dad believed in God, I didn't. But I believed in dad and did it for him. Hurriedly joining my palms together, I prayed to a god I thought was non-existent.
Dad believed all of this, even that old priest who told him I would die at 20. These days, so many people fake all of this just for money and what not. It was absurd and I didn't want to be a part of it. As for God? Where was that god when innocent people die for the crimes they didn't commit? Where was God when my mom died?
"I'm out dad. Also, I'll probably be out late. I've to meet my history prof about that archeology excavation project." Kissing him on the cheek quickly, I walked out, grabbing my helmet and backpack. Had I known it would be the last time I'd see him alive...I wouldn't have left that day. I wouldn't have rolled my eyes and sighed annoyedly at his simple request. I would have prayed for God to save him.
Amidst my break between my classes, I had gotten the call. "Hello ma'am, am I speaking to Panchami?" asked a tired voice from the other side of my phone.
"Yes....um may I know who I'm speaking with?" I responded. My confusion was clearly audible in my tone.
"Ma'am...I am calling from the public hospital. Your father has passed away, ma'am. I'm extremely sorry for your loss." My heart stopped. It may have been a few seconds, but it felt like hours. My breath echoed in my ears and the world around me drowned out. My fingers trembled and then I felt it. Fear. And confusion.
"Punch, who's on the phone?" Dhruvi asked. My best friend, Dhruvika, read my expressionless features with ease with the countless years we have known each other for. She turned towards me, clutching my shoulders.
"N-no, no...y-you must have g-gotten the wrong number" I mumbled into the device.
My heart picked up its pace and ran. I felt it pounding against my chest, trying to escape my body to go see him well and fine. Dampness collected against my hair line before it rolled down my temples. I couldn't feel any air in my lungs as it constricted tightly. Salt water pooled in my eyes and my vision blurred without my permission.
"Ma'am, it was a fatal car accident...he was pronounced dead at the crash site. We recovered his phone and got your number from it," continued the lady in my ear. My mind was in no place to comprehend her words. I couldn't. I wouldn't. Grabbing my phone against my ear, Dhruvi pulled it towards herself to hear the lady.
Tears rolled down my face, but my voice stayed lost. My mind was fuzzy and slowly my vision faded until the cold black consumed me.
A lot shattered in me that day. My only family was no more, and I didn't know how to handle my grief. Endless tears hollowed my heart. Hours and hours of silence in the house consumed my carefree personality. I had nothing to say and nothing more to feel. I loved the silence and obsessed over my emptiness. Nothing much seemed to matter. Nothing other than D, my Kawasaki Ninja 400, and well...the subject of history I was passionate about.
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First chapter is out 🥳🥳🥳I would love to hear your comments and definitely would be happy if you guys vote! See you all next time!
