The Food That Never Rots

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Hello Readers! It has been years since I had posted anything new but I am back 😊 Hope you like this one which is inspired by one of my most favorite anime movie 

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I find myself all alone at an abandoned railway station. It's humid and sunny. I check what I am wearing… strange… I do not remember buying this dress. I also have a handbag which is definitely mine — I can see the burn mark near the left handle from many years ago. However, my handbag doesn't carry a thing. I check my surroundings; the giant clock perched atop a pole is not moving. I look at the newspaper lying abandoned on a bench and see no dates on it. I peer into the shops and find all the merchandise intact, but no people. My footsteps echo as I walk further and check the offices and ticketing counters… again, no one. It is then that my perplexed self notices the train standing silent on the nearest platform. I keep my distance from it, for I feel more scared of the train than this ghostly station, for reasons I do not yet know.

I keep walking parallel to the train, past bogie after bogie, all identical. There are no signs of life, but I smell food even before I see any. I move a little closer to the train and check the compartments. They are loaded with luggage and the kind of food one would usually carry on a train journey. I also notice that though the train itself has an abandoned quality, the food looks fresh! And it smells divine… hot bakery bread with steam rising, but too much of it; fresh ghee on hot chapati, but the chapati doesn't look crumpled; freshly cut mangoes with no flies around them.

Saliva pools in my mouth as I take in these enticing aromas. I don't remember when I last ate, and the smell is driving me crazy, but something holds me back from approaching the train. A sixth sense, maybe? Or my overthinking? Whatever it is, I stay where I am.

Exhausted, I walk towards a bench under the shade of a tree. I hear a dripping sound and spot a tap next to it. I drink until the water sates my hunger, for now. The shade from the afternoon sun lulls me to sleep. I don't know how long I sleep… but when I wake, it's morning, and my hunger has returned with a vengeance.

I slowly sit on the bench. I notice my muscles don't feel stiff or sore, which is strange given that I was sleeping on a rock bench. I carefully scan the station again and notice no change from the day before. My hunger reigns supreme, and before I have thought about it, I am already next to the train. The same food from yesterday sits fresh and tempting. Today the smells assault me to the point I cannot bear it, and I have almost set my foot on the train steps when I notice it. A sound. A bell ringing rhythmically. I step away from the train and squint at the end of the platform.

I see an old woman squatting there with a bell in her hand and some wares spread in front of her. I am so relieved to find someone else that I sprint towards her. I make it halfway and almost faint with exhaustion.

I stop, take some deep breaths, and continue at a much slower pace. I reach her, and before I can say anything, she says, "So? You want to go back? Hmm… I see." This response has me confused. She chuckles and says, "I thought you would be tempted to take the easy path, like so many others before you — but I am glad to see I was mistaken. That doesn't happen often, my dear."

She spoke a lot, but I understood none of it. I ask her, "What is it about the train that scares me so?" She looks at me for a long time before turning to look at the train. "It is a one-way journey that many gladly take." She then looks back to me and waves a finger, stating, "but you are not ready yet."

Still smiling, she hands me a fruit. I say fruit because I have never seen any like this before. I hesitate, but hunger wins. I grab it and shove it into my mouth, and it's gone. It's a taste I cannot describe — sweet, juicy with a slight tang and a whole new taste I have no name for. It is delicious beyond compare. As I try to get another, she refuses, saying, "Oh no! One is what you need, and what you shall receive. Cannot have you imbalance the cosmos now."

I still do not understand what she said, but I am being lulled to sleep. Was the fruit drugged? Or worse, poisoned? Before I can panic, I am down under.

I am only my thoughts. I cannot feel pain, hunger, or fear. I cannot see, feel, or hear anything. Total sensory deprivation. I am alive only in my thoughts. My thoughts are all over — I am jumping from one thought to another and am a mess. I try to rein in my feelings by meditating. Time goes by, and my mind is now a ripple-less pool. I am still not fully awake, but I can hear a beeping coming from my right. I smell a strong odour… familiar but I cannot name it. I see a light being shined into my face and someone calling out my name. I slowly open my eyes and see a person I do not know give me a relieved smile.

 

The water we breathe

Hello readers!

This story is based on a thought I had during my daily commute to office. I had jolted down the idea least I forget! This is inspired by one of my all time favorite apocalyptic movies starring Will Smith.

Hope you all like it :)

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She still had nightmares about it. She'd get up in the middle of the night, covered in sweat, terrified. Even during the day, if anything...like a conversation, a movie scene or a newspaper article was remotely connected to her fear, it would upset her so much, many a time it lead to extreme panic attacks.
Drowning.
She hated that word. She hated the feeling associated with it.
Her sibling... Her twin sibling had passed away many years ago...they were teenagers back then when it had happened. Her sister had drowned to her death due to an unfortunate accident at the pool. She was scared for life. She had missed her so much. She'd always feel...If only we were able to breathe underwater..if only... This thought had fueled her.
She had researched about drowning after her sister's death with an obsession that was driven by a need. She didn't herself understand it but acted on this need.
When she was researching about drowning, it was as if she could relive the last few minutes of her sister's life...it was gut wrenchingly agonizing. Drowning is a very painful death wherein the victim has to go through a few seconds of torture as their lungs are filled with water...and she vowed to do something about it.
This was her drive, the need behind the obsessive researching and work.
She was very focused on what she wanted to do. She wanted to find a cure for drowning so that it no longer remained a mortal danger to humans.
And she did it! After finishing college where she had studied marine life, she starting commencing her research. She found a breakthrough after years of hard work. She had used the DNA from a particular marine species which had regenerative capabilities.  This lead to her creating a vaccine that enabled humans to breathe underwater.
After the initial animal trials, began the human ones. It was a 100% success!
After successful demonstrations and endless boardroom meetings...it was approved!
There was no looking back! She made sure that the vaccine reached every corner of the planet. In a short span of a year, it had reached almost every nation. It had absolutely no side effects and was a life saver for people who faced drowning as a occupational hazard on a daily basis.
She was hailed a hero and was not only conferred the Nobel peace prize for services to humanity, but also hailed as a worldwide icon and was worshipped as a goddess.

The vaccine was working absolutely fine! With people being able to breathe underwater for a while. This drastically reduced death by drowning. But over time it was found that people were able to stay underwater for a longer period of time. Everyone rejoiced at the fact that the vaccine was proving to be more powerful than given credit for. No one suspected anything.
All was well till the dreaded day it started. Death reports started coming in from places like Africa and middle East. Initially it was just deemed a coincidence. But as the numbers starting increasing almost exponentially....alarm bells started ringing.
By the time she and her team got hold of a few with the symptoms and understood what was happening, it had spread.

It was nearly a year later that the deaths started occurring. People started feeling uneasy. They felt like there was less air to breathe. They felt like they had to struggle to take breathe. They felt like they were choking. After many deaths, it became apparent that the vaccine was robbing them of the ability to breathe above the water surface. People started a mad rush to the nearest water body. Many took the risk and reached the beach. But many panicked and dove into the nearest lakes and ponds.
After a while, there wasn't a single live human being above the surface of water.
Either they were dead or underwater.
How will the surface world look now? Without human life? It'll take a few years before nature engulfs the cities, buildings, roads. All man-made structures will be unrecognizable after they become one with nature.
And the human race? Only time will tell whether the effects wear off over time.
Till then, they will need to fend for themselves and keep themselves alive till their salvation arrives.

The thing that killed me made me feel alive

Hello readers!
Yes...it's been a long time and yes....I apologize! But I'm back! Hope you like this one....and the inspiration for this one...take a guess! A clue! It's inspired  from   a Hollywood movie I refuse to watch and people around me never quit talking about!

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I was failing my arms, screaming my guts off, gravity was trying to do it's job but couldn't as my seat had strapped me to it. No matter what direction I was being pulled at, I would not budge from my seat...
Others were screaming too..some used  profanity while some prayed. Some were shouting at the top of their voice, while some were deathly silent. The world was Topsy Turvy, the outcome uncertain...
Jus for a moment...I felt so alive....at the cusp of life and death....I felt more alive than I had ever felt before...
My whole life flashed before my eyes ..
I felt regret....was my life so mundane that I could summarize it in a moment..
Was a instant all it took for me to rewind and replay my life? That is sad.
Is this how my trivial life ends? In regret? Feeling Unsatisfied? being Incomplete?
My sense of self pity was so intense, I felt something shift...an experience totally new, a feeling I was not familiar with....
I'm standing at the entrance of my school...
Wait.... what?! Wasn't I just... dying?!
What was that feeling? What had shifted??
It finally clicked....I had time travelled ....to the past! I had been given a second chance.
I took this opportunity as a God sent and began re-living my life in my terms!
I was making the most of it ..of what? My life!!! I pursued my passion.... designing. I went ahead and proposed to my crush! I gave back when I was disrespected, I loved with abandon... I lived!
And when the dreaded day came nearer and nearer...I decided to do something so different so far apart, it would change my fate...
So instead of the plane that I had to take for an event I was invited to, I decided to stay put in my place, on the ground. That's when my friends suggested an amusement park..
An innocent enough suggestion...

I was failing my arms, screaming my guts off, gravity was trying to do it's job but couldn't as my seat had strapped me to it. No matter what direction I was being pulled at, I would not budge from my seat...
I met my fate in the end. Could not escape it. A plane, an amusement park ride. Fate had tied them up together to deliver my Providence.
I stopped screaming and went silent as I thanked God for the second chance given to me..so that I could relive my life in my terms. I was ready to let go now....

Puppets Die, Puppets Cry

Hello Readers!

This one was my entry for Deccan Herald's Short Story Contest 2017. The results are out....Didn't make it to the top 3..Hence thought I'll post it here...I'm planning to give it a shot every year though...all thanks to my friend Sara for motivating me :) Hope you guys like it!

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I look at him with pity. I am not allowed to feel anything. I am supposed to carry out the sentence, which I definitely will. But I cannot stop myself from feeling sorry for the whole situation, for him, for me. He looks right into my eyes and I can see disappointment in his…not fear, which has me stunned as I am used to seeing fear in the eyes at the other end of the weapon. My eyes fill with tears when I point the laser to this temple and I give an involuntary shout of helplessness when I pull the trigger at point blank range…..

The year is 6100 AD. The location is Asia Major. The name is AS3ZOD1F76070. The occupation is Arbitrator. The emotional quotient Zero. The social Order is Elite.

Let me elaborate the above paragraph:

Yes. This is set in the future. Around four thousand years from your time. A time where everything is synthetic and artificial. Morals and Values changed drastically. We are fearful of letting go of this lifestyle, the one that is most harmful yet the one we are most comfortable with.

The geopolitical locations are divided based on the continents. The concept of countries, states etc..is long gone

What’s with the weird name you say? Well.. I feel your old fashioned names are really weird as they do not follow any format nor serve any purpose other than identifying oneself. Though I feel it fails in that singular aspect as well. Your name would not communicate anything to me save for the fact that it was chosen by your sires according to their fancy. Mine for example would immediately let the listener know that I am born in Asia, am a female, have a DNA code starting with Z indicating my Genes are one of the healthiest, undergone 7 medical procedures at birth (which is extremely rare as the usual ‘at birth procedures’ that one goes through will usually be around 250) , age 30 Earth Years

Who is an Arbitrator? An individual with the highest authority which cannot be questioned by anyone but another Arbitrator of the same ranking. He/ She has the authority to arrest, forgive, judge, condemn and execute anybody. A Policeman, a Prosecutor, a Defendant, a Jury, a Judge and an executor, all rolled into one and would pass the sentence at any point of time, right at the place of crime or confrontation

What is an emotional Quotient? Well, unlike your times, where IQ was the one sufficient to land you a Job, in our times, IQ is just a preliminary. One’s EQ score would dictate the role one played in the society. Higher the role, lesser should be the EQ. With mine being the least 0.1% in the populace, I was selected to be an Arbitrator and since I am ranked in the top 1% bracket of Arbitrators, I am of the elite Arbitrator class. I am never emotional on the job but who would have guessed that I would be bawling like a newborn after I encounter him.

We Arbitrators are there to eliminate threats to our society. That is our foremost goal. Any person who poses as a threat to our way of life needs to be eliminated. Because we are nothing without our way of life.

It was just another day of duty. Policed a few petty criminals, judged them for 2 years hard labor. Had caught a would-be drugs peddler. Since he was a minor, judged him into juvenile institution. Thwarted a Kidnapping attempt, found him guilty of a series of crimes in the past as well. Decided he is harmful to the society and executed him as a result of my verdict.

Little did I realize my world would be turned upside down in a few moments. I was doing a routine patrol in Area 54 which was a bit too deserted for my liking. It just spelled ‘trouble’. I was alert for any danger as I rounded a corner and came face to face with a person I’ll never forget in my life.

Instinct had me reaching for my gun and in a split second, I had the barrel pointing to his face. He just looked at me in a disinterested sort of way. I braked “Announce yourself suspect!” 

He deadpanned ‘Sebastian Lorde’. I glared at him and snapped “The next joke will cost you your life!” He just stood there.

I decided to take matters into my own hands and pulled out the scanner. This device would tell me a lot about the individual it is pointed at. When I got the readings, I was dumbstruck! The readings cannot be true!! Was my scanner faulty? Or was this person somehow …??

Let me elaborate, in another 500 years from your time, due to a lot of factors, a naturally healthy child is non-existent and by our time, a child at birth would have a lot of inadequacies. A child is always born with defects such as missing limbs, missing fingers, missing ears, etc.. Hence, a lot of medical procedures after birth is a must. I was a rarity where fewer procedures were required. But I too had two limbs missing. We have advanced so much medically, that artificial limbs could be implanted that would grow as your body grows. There were no births recorded wherein the baby had all the limbs. Also, the maximum life expectancy of a human being in my time is 50 Earth years, the average being 40 Earth years.

What had me flabbergasted was that according to my scanner, the man in front of me had no artificial limbs! He was born perfect which can never be! This had not happened for centuries and the only recorded baby who was born without any defects was in the year 3100 AD and now that I think back to my history lesson, his name was Sebastian too!!. Also, another stunning fact was that my faithful scanner was announcing to me that the person was 62 years old! He didn’t look a day over 30!

I watch him and he just nods his head. I still do not relax my stance. I just whisper ‘How?’ to him.

He takes a deep breath and tells me that the enemy I perceive isn’t the real enemy.  This sentence shakes me to my very core! I almost lose my grip on my gun. Almost, but I don’t. I am shaken because those were the words my father said to me before succumbing to an Arbitrator’s bullet.

Yes. He was shot before my own eyes. Why? They said he was conspiring against the government. My mind is on overdrive! I’m trying to connect the pieces.. I am vaguely arriving at a point of realization! Maybe these so called conspirators are naturalists defying the current way of life! Maybe dad was one too! Maybe I should be one too! But before I can come to a conclusion, I receive a directive…

I get a command on my earpiece and a visual identifying the person in front of me as a war criminal. I need to execute him right away as that’s the only sentence for war criminals. I know that it’s a false accusation made on him and is intended to eliminate him but I cannot go against our judiciary. I have a million unanswered questions but I steel myself and grip my gun harder…..

Silver Spoon in my handcuffed hands

Hello Readers!

This draft had been lying around for a long time! I had assumed it's fate was sealed like the many others and would get dropped into the Just-Didn't-work out folder. But was able to finish it and have deemed it post worthy :) This explores freedom within a boundary. is that freedom at all? Hope you like it!

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I take a deep breath and gather my hard-to-find-at-the moment courage.. I huff my breath out and launch into the speech I’d been practicing in my room from the past…month!

As I start to speak, it’s as if I can predict my family’s reaction more accurately than an astrologer! Dad gives me a nasty frown, mom gives me the ‘why-me?’ look and my bro! He puts on the holier-than-thou look, shakes his head and goes ‘tsk!tsk!” Grrr! Acting the good son part down to a T!

I start talking and they all start mumbling, grumbling or in my bro’s case smirking!

What could I have possibly said to make my not-so-conservative, living-in-a-metro-city, quite well off  family to become this medieval? Did I come out of the closet? Did I tell them my desire of marrying a marijuana smoking jobless bum who earns his daily bread by singing near the subway? Did I tell them I’d be part of the coming-soon-next-season of BIG BOSS?!

Nope! None of it! All I told them was this……

I want to become an artist…full time…not as a hobby but as a profession

You’d think they’d be a little more supportive as my family! But nope! Not in a million years!

They grounded me! For wanting to do what I love!

But we live in the era of internet…I can connect with anyone..geography no bar!

I got encouragement from one of the communities I was a member of…they taught me the basics..on how to setup a few things, the right equipment, the investments, the training etc…etc..

That would cost a bit…so I’d been saving up from quite some time, as I had a vague Idea on how they’d react and I was right! Damn I was! My family doesn't disappoint!

My dream? To establish myself as a graphic artist! Yeah! To be paid to do something that cool! A dream come true!

Oh! BTW did I mention I am currently a software engineer? It took a lot of thinking, courage and plain guts to take the decision I just announced…I had given 5 years to this profession and was in a good position, pay was great too…only…the job didn't excite me anymore! And what started as a way to while away time during some weekends, became more interesting than my work!

My family thought I was a fool and my mom was cribbing endlessly about my Marriage prospects looking bleak if I went ahead with this insanity!

How do I tell her that my marriage prospect is just fine…..as I have a boyfriend and both of us are pretty serious about our relationship and are planning to be a part of each other’s life forever. How do I tell her he is a techie and an extremely good one at that and is totally in love with his job. That being said, he gave me full support when I voiced my desire on changing my well paying profession  to a not so regular payment of being an artist.. It made me love him more!

Seeing my family react like this made me more determined…

I wanted to follow my dream….do something that I loved…I didn't want to live in a confined space anymore..It’s not that I wanted to break rules…I just want to follow my own….

Over the course of a few weeks..I got a basic grip on graphic designing, I found a decent place to stay which was in my budget..here my bf was a bit miffed that I refused to accept his monetary hand in this matter!

Now came the matter of my moving out of my parents’ home…They were horrified at the very thought!  They expected me to stay with them and get married and move out to his place! End of story…. But unfortunately for them, I had written a different story. They tried everything, blackmailing, crying, threatening,  but they couldn't budge me an inch!

I immediately packed my stuff (which is pretty less!) coz the only things I own other than my clothes and electronic stuff are a bean bag and my desk which would be my dining table/head rest during a snooze/clutter magnet!

I took about a week to settle down in my place. My very own place! It is really great when you live in a place you call your own. Now that I can fully concentrate on my work, I have come up with a new super hero! And a super villain too!  My hero is a lady who wears jeans and Tees, does not fly, does not have super human abilities, does not have a cape…then what makes her a super?

She is a super as she doesn't give a rat’s ass to what the gossip monger, middle aged, walking talking horror of a female thinks. She is a super coz she is the queen of comeback. You jus cant pin this one down. She’s a super coz she does what she thinks is correct and doesn't feel the need to explain the same to anyone. She’s a super coz she doesn't confirm to the rules of society. She’s a super coz she’s multi talented!

And now, coming to the super villain! What do you think of first when I say ‘Super Villain’?? Tall, Pale, Well dressed but entirely so in black (leather maybe!), Kinda Good looking in a sinister way, who happens to be super rich and is out to  destroy the world as we know it?

Well! Lemme tell you, my super villain is none of that! First of all, It’s a SHE! She is middle aged, wears loud jewelry (has an even louder mouth) and dons a crisp cotton salwar, thinks she’s holier-than-everyone (though narrow minded to the core), a narcissist in denial,  the list goes on…..She’s your typical aunty! The one who pokes her nose into everybody’s business! My comic strip was the daily adventures of Hisha, the protagonist against..well..the world! And in particular the super villain aunty!

Once my concept was solid and I had set the main theme of the strip, I came up with a few weeks worth of work and decided to scout for publishers.

These things do take time. I went from publisher to publisher only to have my work rejected, mocked and I even experienced a downright ‘Get her out!’ from an uncouth guy! This was when I really hit a low. I started to question myself and experienced a lot of self-doubts but what kept me from going back was knowing how my family would react and of course the never wavering faith of my man in me!

My persistence paid off! No…I didn't get a publisher, I opened a facebook page for my strip and started putting posts on a weekly basis.  It slowly gained momentum and it started attracting a lot a views! This in turn got media attention and my page was featured in one of the fortnightly magazines! I gave a couple of interviews as well. Things are turning for the better, as my parents have reconciled with me and my bro said he’s damn proud of me!! A first! Now that things are bit smooth at the home front, have decided to introduce my BF to the family…Wish me luck..coz I sure as hell need it!

Squeaky Clean Soul Connection

Hello Readers,

The idea for this one was from  a thought on difficult it is to find people compatible with yourself and what if you end up finding someone with just the proper dose of the same kind of weird you are!

Hope you like it! 

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I was walking without really bothering about my surroundings. I was far far away from the familiar road I was walking on, the road I take everyday to office. I knew the road so well, Knew the bumps and rocks and potholes like the back of my hand, that I would freely let me mind dwell on other stuff while my years of practice would be called in to guide me through that road. I came across the junction of main roads and immediately, my autopilot was switched off and I was woken up from my reverie. I dully turned my head to check for traffic on both sides before crossing the road, when my eyes saw the old mechanic shop to my right. There were 4 guys working there and one of them had taken a lunch break. Nothing very interesting but somehow, something was not quite right here. I had already turned away and started crossing the road but there was a nagging in my brain that seems to say something just didn’t fit in the scene that I just saw. IT took my boredom induced befuddled brain all of 5 secs to understand.  When I realized what it was that had somehow been a misfit there, I was so astonished that I came to halt! Right there! In the middle of the road! Stupid move! A car swerved to my right and just missed hitting me! The driver swore horribly and made some rude gestures. I raised my hands in apology and gave him a shamefaced look, that immediately cooled him down and he reprimanded me saying I shouldn’t be day dreaming while crossing the road and drove off.

I turned and walked back to the same footpath again because I wanted to analyze what I had witnessed a few seconds back. I had a look at the garage again. I was taken aback because they were all staring at me. They had just seen the stupid thing I did in the middle of the road. I was so embarrassed, I decided I’ll check this out some other time and again did an about turn. I heard someone laughing behind me which made me walk away faster!

I couldn’t sleep that night. The image of what I had seen kept flashing in my mind’s eye. I was wondering about the ‘whys’ and was coming up with countless possible answers! One weirder than the next! I decided I need to talk to this guy and figure out the answer to the ‘why’ else I shall not know peace!

So, the next day, on my way to office, I had a peek at the garage. Sure enough, they were all working. My brain was in tangles! I was finding it hard to decide whether to go talk to him or make my way to office like a coward….As I was contemplating, He lifted his head and shot me a curious look! That helped me with my decision! Coward it is!

By evening, I had made up my mind…I had to woman up and talk to this guy! I was unable to concentrate at work!

I was on my way home that evening  and as I neared the garage, my feet suddenly had a mind of their own and started walking towards the garage! Before I realized what my stupid feet had done, I was standing there, right in front of him!

I was feeling a bit awkward and was mumbling a bit when he gave me a kind smile and asked me to have a seat! I looked around for a chair and found none. He just chuckled and put one of the drums upside down and what had my heart beating so fast was ..he wiped it clean with a cloth before putting a sheet of clean newspaper on it! He then gestured  me to sit. I think that’s when I fell for him…hard!

He offered me a glass of water (which I accepted owing to the fact that I could see a clean water cooler inside). After I had gulped it down (I didn’t realize I was that thirsty!) I felt a bit at ease and started talking about what I have been planning to from the past 36 Hrs..

I told him that I had watched him eat his lunch the other day and found it surprising that a mechanic would be using a fork and knife to eat rotis! And the way he was using them made it clear that he used them well! He immediately lost his friendly disposition and appeared a bit stand-offish.

I realized I had upset him and in my eagerness to sort things out, I blurted out the first thing that came to my stupid stupid brain! “It’s just that I suffer from a mild case of Mysophobia and nothing turns me on more than a neat freak”

I realized I had said that aloud! My mind short circuited and I ran for it! I sent the empty glass in my hand flying and from the ‘Ouch!’ I heard behind me, I guess it had landed on his head!

But before I could cover some considerable distance, he overtook me and forced me to stop. I was so embarrassed, I started blabbering. He calmly asked me to be silent and inquired whether he could do some talking now. I nodded my head. He gave me a reassuring smile and introduced himself. He was not a mechanic as I had assumed, rather an entrepreneur who owned the garage and many other like them. Mechanical work was a passion he had. Hence, instead of just running the business as white collared entrepreneur, He’d spend most of his time in the garage, working with his mechanics.  He was well educated and was single. (He gave me a wolfish grin when he emphasized that!) and yes..He suffers from the very same illness that she herself had! Though his was limited to food. He just could not eat with dirty hands and he being a mechanic, his hands were bound to get dirty. Hence he had always used cutlery to eat anything and everything! That was the reason he was very particular on the cutlery and had a clean set on him always! To prove his point, he removed a pair of fork and knife from his pocket! They were wrapped in a clean napkin!

That did it! I knew he was the one! When one is berated for a quirk one had, when my family had tried everything they could think of to get rid of this oddity I possess,  when everybody made fun of or ridiculed me for being a freak, I finally meet somebody who would not only tolerate my freakiness but could also understand and relate to it!  The Gods have spoken at last!  

Deadly Deo

Hello Readers,

I'm again back to the first person narrative with this one. My natural style of writing and the one I'm most comfortable with. 

This is not as serious or dark as my previous posts. Please don't try to read more into it and forget what it basically is - a light take on a 'what if' situation. Hope you  guys like it. 

Have a very merry Christmas and a Happy new Year!! A suggestion: Why don't you make a resolution to comment on my posts :P

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          I was in a hurry! I had to dash out of the apartment in exactly 10 mins! I had a steaming mug of coffee in my hand, a huge collection of bills in my other, hair a mess, and was still in my bathrobe and was yet to change into the clothes I had laid out on my bed…..and I realize my deo is over! Empty! It’s something I need before I get out of the house! I will be too self conscious if I try to brave the day without my faithful deo! I have a brainwave and dash to his wardrobe and grope around in the unholy mess till my fingers clasp around the familiar cool container. I take it out and liberally spray it on myself. Ohhh! A bit strong! And a bit strange! This doesn’t smell like his usual deo..maybe he’s trying a new one… But hey! Not complaining! I’m just grateful to have a deo to use!

           After exactly 10 mins, I am dashing out of our apartment and trying to hail a taxi…unsuccessfully. I am so frustrated that I just look up at the heavens and let out a scream! To my astonishment, a taxi screeches to halt in front of me! I am really pleased and hop in. I immediately let the driver know my intended destination and relax in the backseat. I think I have dozed off for a while when suddenly I’m jolted awake by some rap music! I frown and try to tell her to cut the volume down when the lyrics hit me and God! Are they offending! Instead of reprimanding her, I just blush and am at loss for words! Especially since she’s mouthing the lyrics and watching me from her rear view mirror which I shocking note is directed towards me and not the traffic! She gives me a wink!

           I immediately ask her to stop, pay and jump out of the car without even bothering to get the change. I am still a few blocks away from office, but somehow, just can’t muster enough courage to get into another taxi..so I decide to walk the rest of the way. She really creeped me out!

          Am nearing my office when I spot Sue, the hot dog vendor.  I smile at her in relief! I am damn hungry as I’ve skipped breakfast! I walk up to her with a ‘Hello Sue! The usual please’ when she gives me a weird smile, not at all the usual friendly one she used to give me but kinda..i dunno…

Her hand lingers on mine when I am taking the hotdog from her and when I try to pay, she goes ‘Oh no no! It’s on me sugar!’ I literally run to my office!

            I frantically keep pushing the elevator buttons till one of them opens. I rush in as fast as I can. I feel a little safe inside and calm down a bit. There is a blonde in the lift who works with the packaging department. I greet her with a smile as the doors close. As the doors open, I sprint out of the lift and leaving her with a black eye! I just don’t want to narrate what happened in the damn lift!

It went on like this the whole day! I had women hitting on me left and right! Women I knew, strangers, women I hate..all of them!  And what had me flummoxed was that I knew most of them if not all…were straight as an arrow!

           I took the metro home. Just wasn’t ready to get into another taxi. I reached home to find the man frantically searching for something in his wardrobe.  In spite of my exhausting day, I am curious and walk to him and ask him what he’s searching for. He goes “My genetically enhanced spray! The one I was experimenting on! I cannot find it anywhere!!’

           I guiltily go ‘uh oh! Do you mean this?’ and hold out the container I had used in the morning. He grabs it from me and checks the contents. He then gives me a look worthy of Satan! ‘It’s empty’ he states in a deceptively calm voice. I gulp and slowly explain I had used it in the morning.

His demeanor changes in an instant! He says ‘Oh! Did you? That is great! I had thought you had thrown it away or something! But this is good!’

           I am so relieved he’s not angry anymore, I forget to ask about the spray. He’s totally excited and starts running about grabbing notes and blabbering non stop.

He makes me sit down on the sofa, brews me some coffee and after patiently letting me finish it, starts with the questions.

           It is then that I realize he’s working on a new enhanced deodorant for men. I do not get it at first but when I slowly realize the potential of this invention, I am dumbfounded! Part of me wants to congratulate my man for his invention is indeed a success!  All those cheesy deo commercials where a girl falls for a guy by merely smelling him! So tacky. But he has turned this into reality! None of the girls could help falling for me!

But then another voice in my head immediately resorted ‘but they weren’t themselves! They were forced to like you against their will!’ That got me thinking and I stopped myself from blurting out what had happed that day.

I thought about this…’Let me first analyze their behavior tomorrow and then decide how I’m going to play this’. I made up my mind and told him sweetly ‘ Why don’t we do this tomorrow evening?’ I rushed to explain when he got a bit angry and started to argue back and said ‘That way, I 'can also get you information on how potent this is! Whether its effects last more than a day!’

           That got him! More data for analysis! He nodded in agreement and started preparing the questions for me tomorrow. Whew! Am off the hook for now!

**********************************The day of reckoning ********************

When I got up the next day, I had a very clear plan in my head. I got ready and after assuring him I’d not get caught up in my work and forget the deal, I got down to the lobby and went outside. I was wondering how to get the taxi..not a taxi…but THE taxi…but I needn’t have worried...I spotted her. She had parked the car and was looking at my direction. I guess she was waiting for me! I was beginning to think this wasn’t such a great plan after all when she got out of the car and started walking towards me. I thought this was my clue to put as much distance I can between me and her and started to back off, but I came to a halt when I saw her raise her hands as if in an apology and gave me an embarrassed look.

            I stood there suspiciously, I was in a good spot. I could scream if I had to and I was just in front of my building and a lot of people would come to me if I’m in trouble. So, I stood my ground and let her approach me. She looked very sheepish and stammered an apology and told me she had a boyfriend and was straight and had absolutely no idea what came over her yesterday and said she was so sorry for having freaked me out.

           I accepted a ride to office in the very same cab which she offered to me as a token of apology. I was thinking about this all through the ride to Office. When I finally reached office, I insisted she take payment for the ride and told her everything was cool.

            I immediately walked towards Sue. She was not her normal cheerful self. She in fact looked a bit worried. When she saw me, her face drained of all color and she looked so pale! She was frightened! She just stood there looking at me and at loss for words. She handed me a note and turned away and continued her work. I read the note which apologized to me and said she was very confused and didn’t know what had come over her yesterday! She had freaked out afterwards! I told her it was no big deal and teased her for a bit. That got things back to normal and she gave me a tentative but friendly grin.

          It was the same thing at office, either they were too mortified to talk to me and avoided me totally or were profusely apologetic about yesterday.

          I was thinking about this all the way back home and had made my decision. This stupid thing had robbed away those poor women’s free will and the actions they did were because of the influence of the spray and all of them regretted it later. This thing was too dangerous! If this prototype gets out and is manufactured and sold….No! I will not let it be!

          I take a deep breath and entered the apartment. After half an hour, I had succeeded in convincing him that the deo didn't do anything extraordinary. I told him that the women kept remarking that I kind of smelt a bit weird and were a bit repelled by it. I lied to him about his work being a failure. His crestfallen face really tested my resolve but I just couldn’t let such an unjust thing happen to womenfolk! 

          I am an unsung heroine for all of womankind! Only I know the gravity of the situation that I’ve handled! Not a soul in the world is witness to this! This makes it all the more surreal.