Beginning of a story

Writing a post after a long break. This one has been on my mind for some time.

This is something abstract that I have written. My friend, Katya Naidu and my cousin, Aniket Herwadkar helped me work on this one and also gave me the confidence to publish the story so far.

Hope you guys enjoy reading it. And here's hoping that I overcome my block, and continue the story ahead.
“Have you experienced Death, Kring?” asked Niam. Krinka aka Kring was her best friend.

“Do you know what it is to die? I mean, how it feels?” persisted Niam, in a strangely calm and detached way.

Niam and Krinka had been friends from the time they had first met each other. Over the 10 years of knowing each other, their friendship had survived most of the storms—Boys, crushes and boyfriends, jealousy, possessiveness, personal losses and careers. And today, what mattered to them, more, was the fact that they are still together, at peace, understanding each other and helping out in tough tides while giving each other space otherwise.

Today, the weather was fine and they had gone trekking to this hill top close to home, the grassy path and flowers only encouraging them to do these treks more often. After a tiring hour and a half climb to the top… everything seemed worth it. There, sitting on a ledge and after chatting for some time, Krinka was taken aback when Niam asked this out of the blue.

Squinting her mischievous eyes, as if to look inside Niam’s mind, Krinka replied, “No man. I am alive. At least that’s what I think”.

“I know what it feels like,” replied Niam. “Every night…”

“Every night I experience death, only to live through it.”

“Too many supernatural serials, Drama Queen! You know that’s one reason why I ask you to stay away from these shows, movies and books. You need to chill. You need to be around positive things”.

“Maybe. But I dream this dream, every single night. I dream that I am all alone, by myself, sitting in some ski-cable-car kind of contraption, which is wayyyy high up in the dark black sky. As high, as the birds fly or even planes fly. It is just me….in my journey, to reach my destination. Everything is so still. Not even the pleasant warm breeze. The warmth keeps my nerves calm. Not a single soul in sight, not even birds, no noise, no stars. It is just I, me, myself, all alone in the so very still raven black night. There is just this drone—whrrrrrrrrrr--of the ski-cable-car-lift. The drone of the machine pierces the silence, but also soothes my anxiety, as I forget that I am alone.”

“Whrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…… I am going over land, and then a huge body of water. I don’t know if it is a sea, or a lake or an ocean. And I don’t know, if I have to cross the chasm to reach the land on the other side…or if I should just go with the flow. I can only feel, though I cannot see, the ripples of the water, in my mind. Seems like rippling black silk with flecks of mauve…….covering so many secrets and hungry for more.”

“Scary!” Krinka butted in, to stop Niam from talking more and getting uneasy about the conversation.

“My Heart skipped all the beats Kring, it does so, even as I think about it now. Anxious about crossing the eternal chasm of cold nothingness.”

“It happens then, I suddenly get tossed off my seat. I skip a beat…I am descending at such great speed...I know I will melt into the vast nothing, and then I hit the water, if that is what it is, and reach the bottom. But as I am falling and till the time I reach the bottom, I can see my life flash in front of my eyes….in a span of few moments.”

“And then I wake up with a start Kring, unsure if it was just a dream or some distant reality…every time. And always shaken and stirred. It takes time to regain my composure, and to make sure, that I AM in my bed. Usually a glass of warm water helps. After that, I go back to sleep again……a peaceful, dreamless sleep.”

“Don’t worry Ni...it’s probably nothing”.....assured Kring, who herself was unsure of the situation.

“You don't think I need a shrink, right?”

“No way. You need to just chill”. But Krinka was unsure, herself, saying those things. And as the Sun set, both of them started walking towards their homes.....

Krinka went home after a long dinner at their favourite bistro. They had got over their philosophical thoughts and ended up talking about clothes, fashion, and the state of affairs.

But something was still bothering Krinka. It was Niam's question. Not only did Niam seem a lot more worried than she would like to admit, but it also seemed like something was suffocating her.

Krinka knew what it was. It was fear. “But what does she need to be afraid of?” That was one question she could not answer.

Niam had been to a fortune teller a few days back and had blackmailed Krinka to join in too. The lady had told Niam a lot about her future, and surprisingly, she also let Krinka in on a reading.

“Is something bothering you Niam?” asked the fortune teller, who sat silently, thinking, after she heard about Niam’s strange dreams and morbid thoughts of death and despair. Krinka too was as shocked to know that Niam keeps on thinking about death, day-in and out.

“You need to help your friend,” The lady said to Krinka, “and you need to help her fast. More than just for her, because both of you are bound together by destiny. What ails her can kill you as well”, she said in a warning tone.

“The sword of death looms on Niam’s head and it is just a matter of time, when it will go loose, if she dies, so do you. I cannot say why. But save yourself and your friend.”

Something about the lady did not make Krinka feel that she was joking.

While leaving, the fortune-teller handed Krinka a note. “How can I help her?” was the only question on Krinka’s mind. “Follow her fear, and once you help her fight it, she will be safe.” Ever since Krinka never let Niam do anything remotely dangerous. Niam was surprised with her over protective attitude but never complained of the eccentricities of her best friend.

But now, sitting all alone in her drawing room Krinka had a sinking feeling. She kept re-reading the note. But just didn’t understand what to do.

He who is wise, He who is brave,

He, who can see beyond the dark grave,

For mistakes of past, can today haunt too,

And consume in its fire, close ones and you.

The cycle of life and death shall continue, never to stop,

Until you have redeemed for sufferings that you have caused,

Pain and distress shall be unto you,

What you have done to others, shall be due to you,

Pay by your blood and do what you must,

To see a new dawn and a new dusk.

To be continued