Sunday, March 23, 2014

The mysterious power

I was sitting in the park a little away from my apartment watching the children play merrily and the cacophonous noise they created. Some youngsters were jogging while some oldies ambled along on what they considered a walk. A candy man was seen making large sugar candies cotton like in red color crowded by eager children. I could see amid the bushes young things in love snuggled close to each other. I enjoy this evening time watching everyone happy. True some urchins or beggars come to me seeking alms but they never return disappointed. I do not like company and prefer solitude. I choose vacant benches.
As I was munching Brittania Good day biscuits enjoying music in my iPhone, a slightly built old man in a white pajama and ochre colored kurta came and sat by my side. There were strings of beads, tulsi, rudhraksha on his neck and sandal was applied on his forehead. I moved slightly to make him sit comfortable. He smiled at me and said to no one in particular that weather is fine. I nodded my head and proffered the biscuit packet.
“Do you live here? I come to the park daily and haven’t seen you so far” I asked
“I am a nomad and never stay in one place. You can say peripatetic: he replied
“What do you do for living?”
“Should anyone do anything for living? Breathing is involuntary till one’s hour comes” he said with an impish smile.
“Very true. Still one gets hungry and need a place to sleep” I said
He looked upward and said “He takes care of everything. Would you like to have some mysterious power?”he asked
“What power? What do I do with it?”
“You see, no one knows when his/her time has come. I hereby vest in you the power to know one day earlier or even lesser time  when a person’s end will come. You have just to look at his eyes intently and the answer will come in your mind. Do not divulge to others  this power of yours lest it stops working”
“Why should I know? If God has willed that it remains a secret, so be it” I said
“True. But you can help in little ways to reduce the immensity of the blow. You should not however tell the other person what you know. You are desisted from using it for making money. It will not work for you. I have transferred the power already to you” he said and walked away  briskly.
Two days my neighbour’s father from adjacent apartment met me and asked for 15G form for IT purposes as I generally have spare copies. Involuntarily I looked at his eyes intently of course and was shocked by the realization that he had only two days to live.
“What are you seeing?” he asked
“I thought your left eye is slightly reddish in color.”
“Could be as it was itching”
“Ok uncle. I will get the form from post office and give you. Please do not stir out” I said. I was feeling uneasy thereafter and could not sleep well. I wished I had not the power given to me or it did not work.
On the second day as I was having my dinner, my wife came running and said in a shocked tone “our neighbour’s dad had a sudden massive attack and expired 30 minutes back even before medical help could reach. He was hale and hearty with no complaints.”
When I looked at her blankly without emotion, she asked “Did you hear what I told you?”
“Yes, it is sad and shocking news” I said. I could see a trace of worry in her face.
I started looking for the man in ochre kurta to take back the power. He was not seen. The burden of power was sitting heavily on me and I was afraid of looking at the eyes of others. My son asked me one day “What is wrong with you? You are not looking at the eyes when talking to us and turn your head sideways. People may mistake you”. I mumbled that it is nothing and may be a new habit to be got rid off.
The next day as I was in the park looking for the man,a young girl of my building complex came running to me and said “Grandpa, where is the biscuit you usually give me?”As I gave her a couple of them, I chanced to see her eyes and was stunned to see that her time was just two hours. I gave her the entire packet and was about to ask where her mom was when she came running looking for the girl.
“Please take the child home immediately” I said with certain urgency in my tone,
“Why uncle? We came only a few minutes back” she replied.
Impatiently I shouted “Don’t argue with me. When I say take her home, please do what I tell you”. She gave me a strange and hurt look as she took the child along with her.
Next day morning as I was having my shave, my wife came silently behind me and said "Sad news again. You know Lalitha, the good looking and curly haired lady on the fifth floor. Her young daughter got electrocuted last evening when she meddled with some electric plug. Lalitha is inconsolable. Shall we go and meet them?”
“No, you please go” I said.My wife looked at me somewhat strangely.
That evening as I was sitting with a heavy heart in the park, the ochre kurta man suddenly appeared before me .I recounted the two sad incidents and pleaded with him to take back the power. He said “No need. It will not bother you anymore, I am sure” he said and left abruptly even as I was thanking him.
Little did I notice that he looked intently with his power  at my eyes before he replied as he did.







26 comments:

  1. Wow! Great story. It scared me.

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  2. Very nice story. Loved the ending. The man in the ochre robe's intent look says it all. After all he is the original owner of the power. I just wish you had mentioned how much more time this man had, not that he could have done anything. The man said he will not be bothered by the power any more. So does that mean his end was immediate and not in a few days or hours? Eerie!

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  3. This is really eerie.... Loved the way the story flowed..... Actually I'm amazed at the way you spin stories out of very simple topics.....and entertain us all the same !

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  4. Scary KP. The person shd hv looked into the eyes of the kurta clad person! Would it work if lthe man looked at his own eyes intently? Master story trllef KP!

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    1. Looking intently will tell only when the person seen is to die within a day or two.Looking in the eyes will not bring death.The protagonist wanted the power to be taken back and the ochre clad man said there was no need as evidently he had looked into the eyes of protagonist and knew his end was very near.

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  5. This is an excellent story - it had me hooked until the end. Though I could sort of guess the end (as it came), the rest of the story was very good.

    Destination Infinity

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  6. Very very interesting story...the twist was a surprise for me.

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  7. Your storytelling skill soared as high as it could, brilliantly woven!
    My friend had a similar power and when she looked at old people, their death followed.So she hated the power.

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  8. Clairvoyance and destiny were working in their own ways. What a curse to have such power. Nice story KP. Best,
    Aparna

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  9. Clairvoyance and destiny were working in their own ways. What a curse to have such power. Nice story KP. Best,
    Aparna

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  10. Nice story KP! Clairvoyance and destiny were running on parallel tracks, such power I think is more like a curse. Life when it takes its path without futuristic predictions is carefree.

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  11. Bone chilling premonition. Enjoyed reading this one.

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  12. Nice but sad twist. A very interesting read.

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  13. Nice twist , very interesting story. very well written.

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  14. That's a fab story, well narrated!! It is scary to have such powers... more like a bane rather than a boon!

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  15. The last line gave me a jolt!
    Interesting story!

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  16. OMG..such stories make me feel like meeting one such man..I have heard about people predicting many things and being true, but nevr seen any good astrologer even:(

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  17. Really interesting Partha,though scared to read about the end. Brilliant thought.

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  18. eeerie... :) but nice. Lovely narration.

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  19. That's a very interesting end to this eerily nice story!

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  20. This is an evil end sir... truly evil.

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  21. This is a lovely piece… if we closely observe the happenings at a beach or park or any such area I m sure we can easily stumble up on such incidents… you have a vivid picture of the same here

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  22. It could be read two ways. isn't it?
    The stranger looked intently in the eyes and went away. Could also mean that perhaps the poor fellow had only little time to live and the stranger concluded that the power given to the fellow would not matter now as he was going to die.
    And it can also be read as you mentioned- the stranger taking away the power to see death.

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  23. Oh what a amazing story ! Just couldn't stop reading it :) And the end was simply fab... Love your write ups Sir .

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  24. Great power to have, Sir.
    Imagine the guilt- you ask the child to be taken home & the child gets electrocuted...
    If death is imminent, it'll arrive in whichever way wherever we are...
    The ending is super!

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  25. Eerie thought after the eerie story -Could the death of the little girl be avoided if the protagonist would let her play in the park instead of sending her home.Resonates with the idea- With great power comes great responsibility.

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