Dream - Part 6

 

Questions to the Unseen

Arjun stood frozen.

For a long moment, he could only hear his own heartbeat.

He swallowed hard, took a deep breath, and asked in a trembling voice,

“Why… why did you come here?”

She tilted her head slightly, watching him with amusement.

“What do you want?” he continued. “As far as I know, I didn’t hurt you intentionally. Why are you here? Will you… will you kill me? Please don’t. I have responsibilities.”

The word responsibilities sounded heavier now.

Ananya burst into a soft laugh.

“Uff yaar… calm down, calm down. I am not here to kill you. Even I don’t know why I am here still. Maybe it is because I died in an accident, right? So the heavenly people were not ready yet. They are still preparing my palace and arranging a grand welcome party for me.”

He blinked.

“Huh? Welcome party aaah? What nonsense!”

She folded her invisible arms proudly. “Why? You think I don’t deserve?”

“If you are not here to kill me,” he said cautiously, “then what are you doing, Pishachi?”

She gasped dramatically.

“Pishachi? I am not Pishachi! I am… more like an angel. A cupid, you know?”

He shook his head. “No way. You can never be a cupid. You eat people’s brains and drink their blood. Now maybe you got license also.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Very funny.”

His phone rang suddenly, breaking the tension.

He almost jumped before answering it.

“Yes, sir… yes, I’ll send the file… give me ten minutes.”

He ended the call and looked at her again.

“I have work, dear Cupid. Shall talk to you later.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Oh busy human. See, one should be like me — free from all worldly pleasures. No files, no meetings, no deadlines.”

He gave that same small, silent smile — the one she had always loved.

“Now go, please. I have work.”

She shrugged lightly.

“Sure, I will. But keep this in mind… I will be roaming around you.”

He stiffened again.

“Hey… wait. You won’t kill me, okay. But you won’t kill my wife also, right? Or… possess her? You won’t do anything like that?”

Fear had returned to his eyes.

Ananya stared at him for a long second.

“Heavenly lord,” she said slowly, “I never thought you have such criminal thoughts in your heart. I always felt you are a good, cool dude.”

She stepped closer — though her steps made no sound.

“I will not kill you. I will not harm your wife. I am not here to interfere with your family or your life. I was just roaming… and I came to see you. That’s all.”

There was no jealousy in her tone now. Only something softer.

“Okay,” she said gently. “I will go. Bye.”

She began to fade — not dramatically, not like smoke — but like a memory that slowly loses clarity.

Arjun remained seated, staring at the empty space where she stood.

His cabin was silent again.

Only the untouched cup of tea remained on the table — now completely cold.