As I stood at the designated meeting spot, I spotted Rani searching around for me. It was amusing to see her looking so intently, unaware that I was right in front of her. I decided to have a little fun and play along. I stayed still, watching her movements for a good 10 minutes, until finally, I couldn't contain my laughter any longer.
"Hey, Rani! I'm right here!" I called out, unable to hold back my amusement. She turned towards my voice, surprise evident on her face. "Oh my goodness, Sara! You've been here the whole time? I was searching all over," she exclaimed, a mix of relief and laughter in her voice.
I walked over to her, still chuckling. "Yes, right here in plain sight. You should have looked a little closer," I teased, giving her a playful nudge. Rani joined in the laughter, shaking her head. "You got me good, Sara. I guess I need to work on my observation skills." With our laughter echoing through the air, we continued on with our plans, ready to make the most of our day together. Sometimes, it's the little moments of light-heartedness and camaraderie that make life truly enjoyable.
We walked into the newly opened ice cream parlor, and the delightful aroma of freshly made waffle cones filled the air. Rani's excitement was contagious, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation as we approached the counter.
"I'll have a scoop of chocolate truffle, please," I requested, my mouth watering at the thought of the rich, creamy chocolate flavor. The server skillfully scooped out a generous portion and placed it on a freshly made cone.
Rani, on the other hand, opted for a scoop of vanilla, her go-to choice. I raised an eyebrow teasingly, "Still not a fan of chocolate, huh? You're missing out on the best flavor!" She chuckled, taking a bite of her vanilla ice cream. "I know, I know. I'm just not into sweets like you are. But hey, more chocolate for you, right?"
We found a cozy spot to sit, enjoying our ice cream as we chatted and caught up on each other's lives. The creamy sweetness of the chocolate truffle combined with the crunchy texture of the waffle cone was a pure delight.
As we savored each bite, I couldn't help but reflect on the mysteries of life. Some things, like Rani's aversion to sweets or the unexplained incidents that had happened earlier, seemed beyond logical explanation. But perhaps that's what makes life interesting, the little quirks, the unanswered questions, and the moments shared with loved ones over a simple ice cream treat. With each scoop, we created new memories, embracing the unknown and cherishing the friendship that had brought us together. And in those moments, everything felt just right.
"Hey, look over there on your right side, next to that gift store," she pointed out. I noticed a guy wearing jeans and a bright yellow polo shirt, but the color exaggerated his dark complexion, which didn't really suit him. "Nope, he's not my type," I shook my head. She then pointed her finger further behind that guy and said, "Behind him, the one who looks more like your type." I looked at the man she was referring to. He seemed familiar, but I could only see his side profile. Rani was right, though; he did have a look that appealed to me. He was wearing black jeans and a white shirt, which made him look cool. He was fully shaved, and his Indian complexion looked really good in the white shirt.
Rani pulled me towards the elevator, saying, "Let's go to Maxi." Maxi store was located on the 3rd floor, and it happened to be my favorite clothing shop. Due to my fear of heights, we decided to avoid the escalator. The escalators were designed in a criss-cross model, spanning across two floors from the left corridor to the right, without a stable base. Rani had already agreed to try clothing my way, so we made the decision to buy matching t-shirts for both of us. However, to our disappointment, the t-shirts that I liked didn't have sizes available for both of us, or they only had one piece left. Rani began searching for other items instead. I wanted to catch a glimpse of how the building looked from the balcony on the 3rd floor. As I reached there, I noticed numerous people going about their lives, enjoying themselves. Laughter filled the air as they shared joyful moments. Among them, I saw some children crying, probably because their parents didn't buy them the toys they had asked for.
Suddenly, screams erupted from the direction of the escalator. Oh my God! The escalator was broken, as if someone had snapped it in half. Half of the steps dangled precariously from the floor we were on. To my horror, I saw a child clinging onto one of the hanging steps. I didn't even realize how close I had gotten to the escalator.
Without thinking, I swiftly positioned my right foot on the first step that remained intact, gripping the handrail tightly. With my left foot securely planted on the stable floor, I reached out towards the child. He was about four steps away from me, and I could see that he was around four years old from the small size of his hands. Determined, I bent down and stretched my hand towards him, desperate to grab hold of him and keep him safe. Finally, I managed to catch his hand, holding onto it tightly. Suddenly, I heard a cracking sound. Oh no! The handrail was breaking. Panic washed over me as I feared I would lose my grip and fall. But just in the nick of time, someone grabbed hold of my hand. I turned to see who it was, and to my surprise, it was the same person I had seen yesterday. Without hesitation, he pulled me towards safety with remarkable strength. In his other hand, he held the child, lifting him to reunite with his relieved parents who were crying tears of gratitude. The man continued to hold my hand, ensuring my safety. With a gesture, he directed me away from the dangerous edge of the broken escalator. Finally, he released his grip on my hand, and I stood there, grateful and in awe of his bravery. Rani was in shock as she asked, "Hey, are you okay?"
I reassured her, "Yeah, I'm fine." It was then that I realized this guy's presence was no coincidence.
He smiled at me and said, "You really don't think before doing anything, do you?"
Confused, I asked, "What do you mean?" But quickly composed myself and expressed my gratitude, "I'm sorry, thank you for saving me." As I looked at him, I noticed he was wearing black jeans and a white shirt. It suddenly clicked in my mind that he was the same person I had seen downstairs while enjoying my ice cream.
"No thanks, it's my duty," he replied with a pleasant smile, displaying a calm demeanor. It seemed as though he wasn't even phased by the incident. Meanwhile, Rani remained quiet, observing the interaction between us.
"I feel like I should do something for you. It's quite a coincidence running into you again after seeing you yesterday," I said, expressing my gratitude. Rani raised her eyebrows, clearly intrigued by the conversation.
I nodded and added, "Yes, the truck incident. "As I mentioned it, he looked at me with a suspicious tone and asked, "You still remember the truck?"
I narrowed my eyes and replied, "It just happened yesterday. Why would I forget something like that?"
Curiosity evident in his voice, he asked, "What exactly happened yesterday?" However, before I could respond, Rani interjected, eager to explain, "Actually, yesterday as she was crossing the road, a truck was about to hit her. But suddenly, she found herself on the other side of the road, and there was no truck in sight." His expression turned thoughtful as he processed Rani's words, seemingly intrigued by the strange occurrence.
He murmured, "Not possible," seemingly taken aback by the information.
Intrigued, I asked, "What do you mean?"
He quickly recovered and responded, "Nothing. Is there anything else you remember from that incident?"
Curiosity piqued, I inquired, "Why are you asking these things?" trying to maintain a polite tone.
"No, it's just that one of my friends has also had similar experiences, which made me curious," he explained with a smile. I couldn't help but be intrigued by his response. It seemed like there was more to this person than met the eye.
His voice had a pleasant depth to it, and I found it comforting to listen to. "Oh, it's nothing," I replied, trying to dismiss the strange occurrences. "I might have just imagined or hallucinated those things."
Curiosity got the better of me, and I reached out to touch his elbow. However, in that moment, everything suddenly turned dark, as if the electricity had been cut off. I gasped and instinctively pulled my hand away from him. But just as quickly as it had happened, everything returned to normal. I was left bewildered and wondered why these bizarre experiences always seemed to happen to me. Rani noticed my reaction and asked, "Hey, why do you look like you've seen a ghost?"
I gazed into his eyes for a moment, then shifted my gaze to meet Rani's eyes. "Bye," I said to him, before taking hold of Rani's hand and walking away. Rani chimed in, saying, "Sorry, bye, and thank you for your help." As we moved away, a realization struck me. What I had just experienced couldn't be a mere coincidence. It felt like there was a connection between the strange occurrences happening to me and this person. Something inexplicable was unfolding, and it left me with a mix of curiosity and unease.
"If you continue to be like this, you'll be single forever," Rani frowned, seemingly frustrated with my cautious approach.
"Oh, come on, Rani. This is something serious," I responded, emphasizing the gravity of the situation. I had a strong desire to understand why these strange occurrences were happening, and there was something about him that sparked my suspicion. I had always trusted my instincts. Rani asked, puzzled, "What do you mean?"
"When I touched him," I began explaining, "I saw something completely different. It was like everything turned dark, but as soon as I stopped touching him, everything returned to normal."
She replied, clearly skeptical, "Hey, you must be trying to fool me, right? I've been observing you since yesterday, and you haven't been acting normal."
"No, I'm telling you the truth," I insisted. "If you don't trust me, go and test it yourself. Touch him and see what happens."
Rani seemed determined now. She said, "Fine, if it will put my doubts to rest, I'll test him." She turned and walked back towards him, with me following closely behind. But to our surprise, he was nowhere to be found.
"He's not here," Rani frowned, confused by his sudden disappearance. I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The whole situation was becoming increasingly mysterious. Finally, I arrived home, feeling exhausted and mentally drained. As I searched for my keys in my pockets, I realized they were nowhere to be found. Did I give them to Rani? I couldn't remember. To make matters worse, my parents weren't home either, as they had left for my cousin's wedding and wouldn't return until the next evening. Frustration and irritation overwhelmed me as I leaned my back against the door. Unexpectedly, the door swung open, catching me off guard. Fortunately, I managed to steady myself and avoid hitting my head. Confused and alarmed, I wondered why the door was open. It was pitch black inside, and the time was already 10 p.m. With a mix of fear and curiosity, I switched on the lights. My scream echoed through the house as I stood frozen in shock. There, sitting calmly on the chair in front of me, was the figure of the man I had encountered earlier. It was him.
"Excuse me, what the hell are you doing here?" I shouted at him, unable to contain my frustration and anger.
However, he hushed me, gesturing for silence. "Shh... It's nighttime. Everyone must be asleep. We need to keep it quiet," he whispered, trying to maintain a calm demeanor. Frustration welled up within me, and I couldn't hold back my anger any longer.
"What the heck are you doing now?" I demanded, my voice filled with frustration and irritation.
"I know what you saw, and I'm the only one who understands that what you've witnessed is true," he said with a smile.
"But before we continue, please close the door. It's windy outside, and we should talk in peace."
"No, I don't want to talk now. Whatever you have to say can wait until tomorrow. Get out, or I'll call the police," I responded, determined to assert my boundaries. I reached for my phone in an attempt to carry out my threat. Ignoring my words, he calmly approached me.
"I also know what you're going to see next, and I understand why you're seeing these things. It's because you're dead," he revealed, causing me to take a step back in shock.
"What? Dead?" I stammered, struggling to comprehend his words.
"Yes, it was a mistake, but I brought you back to life. The things you're seeing now are side effects," he explained, his tone filled with a mix of solemnity and understanding. He then walked past me, as if the gravity of his revelation had been delivered, leaving me in a state of disbelief and confusion.
"Hey, wait! What do you mean by side effects? This is insane!" I called out to him, my voice filled with confusion and disbelief. But he continued walking away from me, seemingly ignoring my words. Fueled by curiosity and a desperate need for answers, I shouted again, "Stop!" and followed him. Eventually, he came to a halt on the balcony and turned to face me. There was a few feet of distance between us.
"You will believe what I told you. And when you do, I will explain everything," he said with a smile, an enigmatic expression on his face. I stood there, perplexed, unsure of what to make of his words. The situation had become even more bewildering, and I couldn't help but feel a mixture of intrigue and apprehension.
"What do you mean I will believe? And what exactly are you going to explain?" I pressed him for more information, my voice tinged with a mixture of confusion and desperation.
He smiled enigmatically and replied, "When you want to meet me again, just think about me." Before I could process his words or ask for clarification, he climbed onto the balcony railing and without hesitation, jumped off. My instinct kicked in, and I rushed to catch him, but my attempt was futile. When I looked down, there was nothing. He had vanished into thin air. My mind raced with questions and disbelief. Was he some kind of ghost? I desperately hoped that this was all just a dream, so I slapped myself in a feeble attempt to wake up. However, the reality remained unchanged. This was not a dream. Feeling a surge of fear, I hurried back home and locked the door, seeking solace and security within the confines of my familiar surroundings.