THE DREAM

I was in Delhi working for an MNC. One evening I met Amresh shopping in the market. We decided to have dinner together. After dinner, we started discussing various matters.

“ Amresh, do you know? I can predict the death of a person?”, I said.

"Come on. What nonsense! “ Amresh said.

“Really yaar. If I look in the eyes of the person, I can tell when he is going to die.” I said confidently.

“Okay. Look into my eyes and tell me about my death.”

“No jokes. Why should we try out this unholy power that I have got?”

“No, Satish. I want to know about my death. Look into my eyes and tell me when I am going to die.” Amresh.

“Okay, let me start.” I went closer to Amresh and stared at him. For 3-4 minutes, I looked into Amresh’s eyes. I was terrified. I wiped the sweat on my forehead.

“What happened Satish? Could you not see my death? Or am I immortal?” Amresh said laughing.

“No. no. I could not see your death in your eyes. I think I do not have that power anymore,” saying this, again I wiped my forehead.

“I knew, you were b. Satish, do not joke on such serious matters.”

Amresh compelled me to tell the truth. “Amresh, you are going to die just after we reach home," I whispered.

“Oh my God! That is great. That means, your authenticity will be tested very soon.” said Amresh with boisterous laughter. “ Satish, you come with me to my house. So that you can arrange for my funeral, quickly.”

Amresh appeared funny but was terrified from within. He was scared to stay alone. He needed my company. I agreed to go with him to his house.

We reached Amresh’s flat in Connaught Place. After entering his flat, Amresh made arrangements for two beds. He changed into a nightdress. All of a sudden, I saw Amresh getting choked as if somebody was throttling him. I got horrified. I ran with a glass of water to him. But Amresh was getting strangulated and I could not bear the sight of his wiggling. He was trying to say something but could not utter a single word. In a couple of minutes, he was silent. Amresh had left this world. I was so much frightened that I drank two glasses of water wondering what to do further? Amresh’s dead body was lying in front of me. The police arrived and saw me sitting near the dead body. They did not need any more evidence. They started dragging me to the custody, handcuffed. I was trying to resist going with them shouting "No. I have not killed him. He was my very good friend." But the police paid no heed to my cries. They took me to the police van.

And suddenly Bhaskar came into the room and tried waking me up. Maybe I was shouting aloud. I was awakened and I thanked God that it was just a dream.

I got freshened up and had breakfast. Bhaskar asked me why I was scared in my sleep. I told him about my dream. Mentioned my power to tell the death of the person by just looking into his eyes. And our friend Amresh died in front of me despite my warning him.

Bhaskar said, “Such weird ideas can come only in dreams”.

“No.no. This is true in my case. I can tell your death by just looking into your eyes.” I told Bhaskar.

“Arey, just now I woke you up from a dream and you are saying you have the power to predict one's death by just looking into his eyes," Bhaskar said.

“It is okay if you don’t believe it. But I have got that power.” I said.

“Okay. Tell me when I am going to die.” Bhaskar.

"Let me see in your eyes," I said and in a short time, I was staring into Bhaskar's eyes. After 3-4 minutes of looking into his eyes, I started sweating. Bhaskar realized that I was terrified.

“Do not worry. If you can not know the death, nobody loses anything. Forget about it. But please, don’t fool anyone this way.”

“No, Bhaskar. I could see that you will die very soon, in a few hours." I told.

Bhaskar was shaken up. He wiped perspirations on his face.

And all of a sudden, Bhaskar was being strangulated. He was getting choked. He was wriggling, throwing his hands and legs. I was also horrified. Bhaskar was trying to say something but his voice was getting muffled. Slowly, the movement of his legs and hands stopped. And he was no more. Soon the police arrived and tried to take me along to the police station. I was pleading” I have not done anything. We were good friends”. The police were firm and they were carrying me with them. I was shouting. But no one was ready to listen to me.”

Chandu entered the room. He found me screaming in my sleep. He shook me to wake me up. I was awakened. When I realized that it was just a dream, I was relieved.

When I got freshened up, I saw Chandu grinning. I asked Chandu what made him smile.

"You were kicking vehemently. You must have had a really horrible dream."

I told him about the dream.

Then he said,” What, looking into eyes and telling the death of the person. Absolutely good imagination.”

I could not bear this ridiculing the power which I had.

I dared Chandu that was a dream but I was sure of predicting death by looking into their eyes.

“Ok. Tell me my death.” Chandu looked at me.

I looked back and stared into his eyes. After 3-4 minutes I was terrified. I wiped my forehead. "You are going to die just now, Chandu.” Before I could complete my sentence, Chandu was gasping for breath and in no time he was dead. Police arrived at the scene and started pulling me along with them. I was shouting but no one was paying attention. I was made to enter the van. I was throwing my hands and legs. 

And then only Dilip woke me up. He said, "looks like you had a bad dream.

"Satish, there is flash news. Our group members Amresh in Delhi, Bhaskar in Chennai, and Chandu in Kolkata were strangulated. All of them are dead.”

These words from Dilip struck me like a thunderbolt. I was petrified.

I got up and went to the washbasin. Splashed some water on my face. Reached for a towel. And while wiping my face I looked in the mirror.

I was shocked at what I saw in the reflection of my eyes.