As the elevator came to a halt and the doors opened, he took the lead and I followed closely behind. The corridor was lined with work cabins, each occupied by individuals engrossed in their computer tasks. We made our way towards the end of the hall, passing by the busy employees. Finally, we arrived at a door, a combination of half plywood and upper half glass panels. He graciously opened the door for me, and I entered the room, with him following suit.
The room was well-lit, with bright overhead lights illuminating the pristine white marble floor. A large, imposing wooden table took center stage, and seated behind it was Chitra Gupta himself. Chitra Gupta exuded an air of professionalism, clad in a crisp white formal shirt neatly tucked into his dark blue formal pants. He occupied his office chair with authority, ready to engage in business discussions.
"She is seeking employment here," he stated, introducing my purpose to Chitra Gupta.
"Welcome, please take a seat," Chitra Gupta warmly greeted us. Positioned on the other side of the table were two chairs. I chose the one on the left while he settled into the one on the right.
Chitra Gupta requested, "May I have a look at your resume?" I responded with a nod and handed him my file.
"Your file indicates that you have completed an MCA degree, which is quite impressive for a typical data entry clerk position. However, I notice that there is no mention of any experience in Database Management," Chitra Gupta pointed out.
"I am familiar with the principles of database management, but I haven't had direct experience in the field," I replied.
Karthick chimed in, offering his support, "She is a fast learner, you can teach her."
"Dev, keep quiet. It's your mess that has landed me in this situation. If our superiors find out about this, I dread to think what consequences we'll face," Chitra Gupta reprimanded.
Now I wondered, was Dev his real name or was it Karthik? Who was their superior? I decided to seek clarification and asked, "Who is your superior?"
Chitragupta asked, "There are many superiors. Which one are you asking about?"
I inquired, "I simply don't know how your system works. Could you please explain? Does he have any other name besides Karthick or Dev? Is he a ghost or a human? And what brings you here to Earth?"
"You are probably familiar with Hindu Gods, and those deities were indeed real, which is how our system operates. His name is Prithiveera Guna Devan, and he was assigned this job based on his karma. As for me, I am here on Earth to carry out my work. This company specializes in digitizing people's karmas, which greatly aids me in maintaining records. Your role will involve managing this database system, and one of my employees will guide you in doing so. What other questions do you have?" he asked. The abundance of details overwhelmed me, and my brain struggled to keep up. Why would someone have such a lengthy name like Prithiveera Guna Devan? Personally, I would prefer calling him Dev.
"What am I doing here with you? How can you share your secrets with a mere human being like me? How did I gain the ability to see the things you see?" I inquired.
"Hasn't he informed you about anything?" Chitragupta asked.
"He informed me that I was dead, but it wasn't my destiny; it was simply his mistake. So, he resurrected me, and these are the side effects I am experiencing. That's what he told me," I replied.
"That's the truth," Chitragupta confirmed.
I continued, "Is there any other way to resolve this situation and return to living a normal life?"
"I'm sorry, my child, but there is no such possibility. You must learn to live with these circumstances. That's why I am here to assist you in making your life easier," he replied.
I pondered for a moment and then asked, "What if one of your deities has the power to restore my life to normal? Is that something that could be done?"
"I'm sorry, but it's not within the realm of possibility. You are now in a unique state, neither a normal human nor a divine being. A divine being possesses immortal life and inherent energy from birth, whereas you are different. This situation has never occurred before. You possess the energy of a divine being but will have a mortal life. Your energy will gradually manifest itself in due course. Until then, you must be patient and await the revelation of your energy," Chitragupta explained.
As I absorbed his words, my last flicker of hope extinguished. Even the Gods themselves couldn't save me from this predicament. "Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions," I said with a tinge of resignation.
"You're welcome, daughter. You can join starting from tomorrow. My assistant will help you get acquainted with everything here," he said, ringing the bell.
"Thank you," I replied.
"Why are you wearing sunglasses?" he asked.
"I have conjunctivitis, that's why," I answered.
The door opened, and I heard a voice coming from behind, "Yes, sir." The guy approached me and stood beside me. It was the same person I had seen in the elevator earlier.
"This is Saraswathi. Starting from tomorrow, you will be guiding her in database management," Chitragupta said, introducing us.
"Okay, sir. Hi, I'm KK. Here's my card. Feel free to call me if you have any doubts," he said, handing me his business card before leaving.
Curiosity piqued within me, and I asked, "Is he also a divine being?"
"No," Dev replied.
"He reminds me of someone. He truly seems like a good person. His full name is Kesav Kirupa, but he prefers the shorter version," Chitragupta explained with a smile.
Returning the smile, I nodded in understanding. "Okay then, let's go," Dev said, rising from his chair.
"Thank you for your assistance," I expressed my gratitude, standing up as well. We exited the room and began walking.
As we walked, Dev mentioned, "You didn't thank me."
Surprised, I questioned, "Why should I thank you, Dev?"
He responded, "Please don't call me by that name."
Confused, I asked, "But isn't that your name?"
"It is, but you say it differently," he explained.
"Very well, I won't call you Dev then," I replied. He rolled his eyes in response. We returned to the place where he had parked my scooter.
"Do you want me to give you a ride?" he offered. I couldn't help but notice the sudden change in his demeanor, as he seemed unusually polite. This was quite unlike his usual behavior, so I suspected that something must have happened.
"Is there something I should know? You seem different," I inquired, curious about the reason behind his change in attitude.
"What do you mean by 'different'?" he asked.
I stumbled through my words, trying to explain myself. "It's just... you know... it's just that you're... treating me differently. It's just... you're being nice to me."
He raised an eyebrow. "Is there something wrong with being nice to you?"
"No, it's not that," I hurriedly responded. "It's just that... you always used to scare me, threaten me. But now... now you're acting more human."
His expression turned serious, and I braced myself for his response. I knew he was about to remind me that he was the one responsible for taking the lives of my loved ones.
He smiled and replied, "I've never conversed with a human who knows who I truly am. It's quite refreshing to have someone like you around, almost like having a pet."
I was taken aback. Did he just refer to me as a pet? My brows furrowed as I responded firmly, "I am not your pet. Regardless of being mortal, you should show me some respect. That kind of language is inappropriate."
He took a step forward, closing the distance between us, and asked, "Then what would you prefer me to say?"
I stood my ground, determined not to back down. "I can manage on my own. Goodbye," I stated, my tone resolute.
Starting my scooter, I rode off towards my home, leaving the encounter behind. I arrived at my home, parking my scooter. Remaining seated on the scooter, I removed my glasses and peered into the scooter's mirror. To my dismay, my eyes were still black, devoid of any normal color. Curiosity getting the better of me, I cautiously extended my hand towards the mirror, attempting to touch it. Surprisingly, my finger passed through the mirror, while the reflection of my finger appeared to emerge from the other side.
Startled by the voice, I scanned my surroundings, but there was no one in sight. My attention was drawn back to the mirror, where I was confronted with a shocking sight. My reflection appeared to have a life of its own—it wasn't mirroring my movements but was instead smiling at me. To my disbelief, its lips moved, and I could hear its voice. "I need your help in finding the children," it said.
Perplexed, I asked, "Who are you?"
"The one you encountered in your dreams. I have been attempting to communicate with you for some time, but I couldn't enter your home physically. Hence, I resorted to reaching you in your dream state," it explained.
Witnessing myself speaking with different facial expressions was truly bizarre and surreal. "What dream are you referring to? I've had numerous dreams," I inquired, trying to make sense of the situation.
"The one where you were stabbed with a knife," it replied. A shiver ran down my spine as I remembered that particular dream.
"Yes, I remember. But what does that have to do with anything?" I asked, my curiosity piqued.
"I experienced that same fate. You can imagine how horrific it is to die in such a manner. The ones responsible for that act are abducting children for their body parts. My brother is still trapped with them, and I need to save him, along with the other children. You possess a significant amount of power, making you a vessel suitable for me to enter," it explained.
"Who gave you permission to enter my body? This is my own body, not something to be taken by strangers like you," I scolded, feeling a mix of anger and apprehension.
As I spoke, I noticed a child observing me curiously from the balcony adjacent to my building. Talking to myself like this must have seemed quite odd to them.
"I need your help, and I will protect you. You have the ability to save many lives. Only you can see me and assist me," it pleaded, its expression reflecting a sense of anguish. The pain etched on my own face through the possession was even more pronounced. I realized that I had become a host for some spirit or entity. I knew I had to find Dev and share this unsettling development with him. But where could I locate him? Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and focused my thoughts on him, remembering his eyes and his face—Prithiveera Guna Devan.
Suddenly, I felt a touch on my shoulder, causing me to startle. When I turned, there he stood beside me. "What's going on? How did you manage to summon me?" he asked, his face displaying a mix of surprise and shock.
"I'm not entirely sure. I just focused my thoughts on you, and here you are. I need to talk to you about something important," I explained, trying to remain composed despite the strange circumstances.
His expression grew serious as he inquired, "What is it that you want to tell me?"
Taking a deep breath, I gathered my thoughts before sharing the unsettling truth. "Yesterday, something incredibly strange happened to me. I found myself in unfamiliar locations and encountered unknown individuals. To my surprise, I even attacked them. But the next thing I remember, I woke up in my bed the following morning. My eyes turned completely black, as did my hands. I discovered that I can pass through mirrors, and the most unsettling part is that my reflection can communicate with me," I explained, revealing the bewildering events that had unfolded. Dev listened intently, his expression a mix of concern and intrigue.
"That explains your eyes. Show me your hands," he requested. I extended both of my hands towards him, palms facing upward.
Dev gently touched both of my hands, interlocking his fingers with mine. In that instant, everything around us underwent a drastic transformation. The buildings dissolved into dust, and the sky turned a haunting shade of gray, filled with dark clouds. We found ourselves standing on a desolate landscape, resembling gray sand or ashes. There was nothing but emptiness, except for a large mirror situated nearby.
As I glanced into the mirror, I was taken aback by the reflection of Dev, holding hands with a young girl. She was wearing a blood-stained uniform and appeared to be the same girl I had previously noticed following me. Confusion and concern washed over me, and I turned to Dev for an explanation.
"What is happening? Who is that girl?" I asked, my voice filled with uncertainty.
"This is the realm of 'Nowhere,' existing between the afterlife and the living world. The girl you see in the mirror is the one who is possessing your body," he replied, his expression revealing a mixture of gravity and solemnity.
I instinctively attempted to release my hands from his grip, but he quickly cautioned, "Do not break our connection. You must keep holding onto my hand. This place holds great power for souls, but it is not suitable for the living."
With that, he released my right hand while maintaining a firm hold on my left. Together, we approached the mysterious mirror. He sternly demanded, "Leave her body."
His face bore a seriousness that sent shivers down my spine. But she defiantly replied, "I will not."
His expression hardened further as he warned, "Do not force me to hurt you. Leave now."
She retorted, "Only after I save my..."
He interrupted her, cutting off her words, "I have no interest in your revenge story. Whatever it is, I do not care. Leave, or you will deeply regret it," his voice resonating with a firm determination.
It was a side of him I had never witnessed before, and it instilled a sense of fear within me. "I won't," she stubbornly declared.
Suddenly, without warning, Dev turned his gaze towards me, locking his intense eyes with mine. His face bore an expression of fierce resolve. My heart raced, and my breathing quickened. In an instant, he swiftly grasped my neck, his grip tightening.