Moving Out

I sighed in relief as I lowered the last box. It's tiring moving out of your parent's house, leaving behind all your memories and not to mention all the work you are expected to do for your house. But I was not fazed, I was waiting for this opportunity forever to work as my own boss and not listen to others. As for my previous job, I did like parts of it. I loved coding creating new websites and applications, learning about cool new technologies and even mom and dad had no qualms about my job since I lived with them and did not run off somewhere else. But the work ethic there was terrible, I did not have a say on what projects to pick and even though I worked and practically lived in the company for five years, I was not given a second glance for promotion to project manager. Heck, I didn't even get to work as a team leader let alone dreaming about being a project manager. My junior from my college, Deepika got into the same company and tailed me asking questions and idolizing me. But she showed her true colours when she got to be team leader for a project handing me most of the work and making me work late hours. That was the last straw and when I was offered this opportunity by my friend, Anupriya in her startup, I packed up all of my things and took up all my savings and moved out to a new city and new house and...here I am I guess now. All alone and so many chores to do.

I drudged into my new house and slowly shifted all of the boxes from the porch into the living room already furnished with a sofa and table left by previous owners. I then began exploring my new house.

Well, it's not new, My uncle bought it before moving abroad and rented it out to someone else. When I told them I was about to move out. He offered me his house for free as it seemed the last owners left. Lucky me. It was spacious and cut out from the city at the outskirts. That didn't worry me at all on the contrary I was elated I loved driving and I cannot wait for tomorrow to go and buy a second-hand bike with Anu.

 There was a kitchen attached to the living room, a modular one at that. I did have a box with kitchen appliances a cooker, a pan and plate, a cup and a spoon with a knife and scissors. I didn't carry the stove with me as the house came with that. They would never even cover the platform of the kitchen. I made a mental note to buy some kitchen appliances. Then I visited the front yard which was littered with weeds. I sighed inwardly I had to clean that up too. I am not a garden enthusiast but I had to draw a line at overgrown weeds that made the house seem like bhoot bangla. There was another room downstairs but I quickly moved upstairs where a bed was already set up with a mattress for me by Anu. She also volunteered to come home and help set up my house. I was grateful and tired. So I collapsed into the soft mattress not bothering to cover it up with sheets and just drifted off to sleep.

 All of a sudden I was not me. Then I (who was not me) traced a coppery scent in the air. There were noises of something banging downstairs. I slowly sneakily got downstairs where a woman who I vaguely recognized and she was holding a knife to some man who was dead on the floor there was blood everywhere. I screamed and started crying. Hearing me she seemed to come out from her trance and began sobbing heavily and took me into her lap began to soothe me. After few minutes she composed herself and held a hand out for me. I put my hand in hers and she lead me to a table and handed me a glass of chocolate milk. She seemed to have something in a glass for her too. She looked over me with sad eyes and quickly gulped her glass and gestured me to do the same.

I complied and after a few minutes, my insides began burning.

I screamed and woke up in my bed. I( who am me again) looked around and undecided whether it is a dream or not slowly moved downstairs.

It was as I left it.

I was nursing a cup of coffee when Anu found me the next morning.

She looked bright and cheerful," So how's my new employee doing?" she greeted me with a huge grin. I groaned "we both are only employees dude". She scowled, "That's no way to start a new day. Be optimistic we will have tons of new and old employees by end of the year". I nodded my head and was about to take a huge sip from my cup. Suddenly I remembered the dream and dropped the cup. It spilt it all over the floor. Anu gasped "Are you okay? are you hurt? what happened?" she asked in rapid succession. I held my hand in front of me in a placating gesture," I am okay..It's just I didn't have sleep yesterday and I am tired." Anu looked over the house and scowled " You didn't have sleep ? what for? nothing here seems arranged, what were you doing up all night?" I dragged her toward the sofas and explained her my dream. She looked at me with a small grin. " I told you to stop reading all those crime novels long ago. They seemed to have messed up your mind. It's now reflecting your dreams"

I rolled my eyes," It's not that. This is real. I felt it." She placed a hand over mine "It seems to be all of that stress moving out and all. Just sleep you will feel better." I nodded, that much was true I needed sleep and maybe I will feel better.

"So are you up for shopping today?" she asked with a little concern.

I assented and we set off into the city to go shopping.

  I stood up from the sofa to go drink another cup of coffee when Anu stopped me. " Where are you going again?" she asked. We made my house our mini office and started working here. 

"I have to go get some coffee. I am so tired" I replied.

" It's your third cup! that much coffee can kill you" she chided me.

She looked at my expression and realization dawned on her.

"It's those dreams again arent they?" I nodded. It's been a month since I moved in and there isn't a day when I am not haunted by those dreams of the man crying in agony, the women sobbing. I sometimes can hear it during the day too. My mom reckoned it was bad sight and Shani and conducted havan at the house. I swore the problem increased since.

" Maybe", Anu said biting her lip hesitantly," Go to a therapist." "What? Why? I am not crazy. There is nothing wrong with me."I almost shouted.

Seeing her concerned face I calmed myself down.

"See nothing wrong" and I tried to grin which turned into a wince due to throbbing in my head.

"I have a good therapist's number here with me," she said scrolling her phone and ignoring my protests.

I relented and took the number and promised I will visit the therapist and went to get another cup of coffee.

"So you were having this dream for a month?" He asked me. I nodded. I was seated on a plush sofa facing a middle-aged man who patiently listened to my story. 

He then scowled thoughtfully. "Maybe it's a ghost or something," I said trying to lighten the mood.

He looked at me and said, " It's not ghosts but there seems to be a negative presence affecting you." " Isn't that pseudo-science?"

"Well, yes but there seems nothing wrong with you. and these dreams began when you moved into a new house. Am I right?"

"Yes but all of the ghosts ran away from my mom's havan" I joked again.

I mentally kicked myself. There was a hint of a smile on his lips," That's not really effective though I am sure your mother had best intentions in her heart." "So what should I do? move out?" I asked." That would be effective through the negative presence seems to be attached to you now." Great, I thought. "Today, when you sleep let the whole scene play out. You wake up in the middle of it right?" I nodded. "But why? why is it happening? Why me?" I asked. He closed his eyes and slowly opened them," When we sleep we often let our guard down. Then it is easy for anyone to occupy that space to send you messages through the afterlife." I shivered at that.

Unnerved by what I heard I moved out and quickly reached my house my eyes begging for sleep. I closed my eyes and then the dreams began to play out. I was not me. I was crouched on the bed and I heard voices arguing. "She has a gift. you can't deny that. She has the power of telepathy, you can't keep avoiding that" then a woman whose voice was familiar shouted back," I can and I will. She is not some lab rat." and the voices grew hazy and soon there was a thudding noise. I took the cue and walked downstairs. I saw the man clearly today. He was my therapist.

I then slowly raised my head and saw Anu with a knife and I started screaming as Anu smiled.