The Dream

The Dream

Episode 1: 

Rohit watched as she sobbed hard. Her tears just wouldn’t stop, she trembled with fear and croaked “ he will definitely kill me, just like he killed his previous wives, he is a devil. Each wife he kept for only 21 days . Today I complete 20 days with him. Tomorrow he will definitely kill me “. “ don’t say that maybe he will have a change of heart, and why would he do that ?” Rohit retorted and wondered how can anyone even think of raising a finger at a wife so beautiful. Her silky long lustrous hair bounced as she shook her head. Her large eyes looked like pearls amongst those tears. Her skin shone like the morning dew in the yellow suit that looked ethereal on her. He had never seen a beauty like her. He closed the distance between them and gathered her in his arms. She clutched him and cried. “How I wish I could live longer if only I had not believed in him”. “ I will not let him do this !” Rohit retorted, “ I will not let him do this!”

“Rohit, Rohit !, “ Rohit ‘s dream was interrupted by his mother’s voice “ you are getting late for the office”! She shouted. Rohit looked around and muttered sadly “it was just a dream”.

He quickly freshened and got ready for the office. He always found this monotony of life very tiring. Being a loner, at 30, he just had a handful of friends. He started his bike and proceeded towards the office. Strangely, he still remembered the vision of the beautiful girl that had popped in his dreams last night. With a smile bouncing on his lips, he rode along. He suddenly braked when the signal lights turned red. Being already late, he waited impatiently for the green signal. Tapping his foot he glanced to the left. Suddenly, his heart started thumping hard, he felt the hair on his arms rising, he blinked and rubbed his eyes, nothing changed, yes he had recognized her, he saw the girl from his dreams right next to him in a car in exactly the same yellow suit. He gaped with his eyes wide open

The car started moving as the signal turned green, Rohit started trembling, he froze, the vehicles behind him honked frantically, only when he lost sight of the car, did he slowly start threading ahead .” Should I follow her ? How is it possible ? Am I hallucinating ? “ he kept mentally convincing him that he was imagining things. He reached the office and immersed himself in work.

That night he had an early dinner and retired to bed.

Episode 2

“See Rohit, these are Raghav’s earlier 2 wives. His best friend told me that, Raghav has a psychological disorder, whenever he gets the slightest doubt that his wife is cheating or ignoring him he kills her on the 21st day “, Tina pointed at the pictures of 2 young women and said. “But, Tina, he does not know that you are not cheating on him

or ignoring him right ?, then why would he kill you?” “ he knows, Rohit, just yesterday he dropped a hint about ”, Tina replied as pangs of fear engulfed her.

“ we should not be meeting at your home like this “Rohit gazed outside the window and said. Tina’s white bungalow was located on the outskirts of the city. Rohit always loved this part of the city. Tina’s bungalow was quiet and huge. Their voices echoed whenever they would have their little arguments. He loved the cosy corner at the end of the living room where they spend most of their time cuddling each other. The thought of losing Tina would make him gasp for breath . “ let’s run away Tina, away from all this “. I can’t live without you”, Rohit pulled her in his arms and pleaded . “ it’s not possible Rohit,”

“Please Tina, come with me, come with me !”

“Again you are late to the office today !” What is wrong with you !” Rohit’s mother shouted and pulled him out of bed. Rohit clutched his throbbing head. His head burst. He rubbed his eyes,” Tina, yes Tina”, today I remember her name as well”, he trembled and thought, “ I’m going crazy, guess I’m overworked “, he muttered and rushed to the bathroom.

As he rode towards the office he unknowingly again started visualising the scenes from his dream last night, the name “Tina”, he felt he knew her and more strangely he felt the pit in his stomach, he felt “happy”, he felt “Young” he felt in “love” with “Tina”, he visualised her huge bungalow, the marble flooring, the cosy corner in the living room, them cuddling ..everything was so

Clear . “ what is happening to me ?”, he sweat profusely, he felt he knew the way to the bungalow as well, he suddenly took a sharp turn towards the right and rode towards the outskirts of the city.

Episode 3: He rode along the narrow road, looking around, “ this path looks so familiar, although I don’t remember when I had been here”, he muttered under his breath, he rode almost for an hour. He braked unconsciously in front of a giant gate. He parked his bike and entered the gate that was partially open, the silence was eerie, he almost thought of retreating. Soon, he stood in front of the white bungalow from his dreams he almost shirked with fear, “ this can’t be true, how can…..” he did not know what to make of all that was unfolding as he stood rooted on his tracks. He tried to look further away towards the door that was ajar, he could not see anyone. He looked up towards the second floor, and then he saw ‘her’ the girl from his dreams, the girl whom he saw yesterday in the car. The same lustrous hair, her eyes shone like a pearl. She was staring in the vastness of the sea that faced the bungalow . He gathered himself and slowly covered the distance, she looked when his shoe hit a rock and he let out an involuntary scream, “ who are you?” She asked quickly wiping her tears, “ I’m Rohit “, he blurted, “ I don’t know. I think you know me. I think I know you ….” He tried to make sense but did not know how. She look at him totally lost and confused, “ you are Tina, right?”, He said hoping that she refuses and he gains his sanity back. She fluttered her eyelashes in astonishment and rushed downstairs. He heard her rushing towards the door . “ you are stalking me !” She angrily shouted and tried to shut the door, Rohit leapt ahead and pleaded “ you are not Tina right, your husband's name is not Raghav right ? He folded his hands and pleaded for an answer, “ how do you know my name, you are stalking me she shouted”. Rohit felt his head spinning when his worst fears were confirmed. He pushed his way inside and looked around. The same cosy corner at the edge of the living room, the same marble flooring, everything same. It was as if he was living his dream. He shifted his gaze towards her. “What a beauty “ as if she had walked straight from his dreams.” Your husband is going to kill you . He knows your…secret” he blurted, his eyes fixed on her, “ just like the way he killed his earlier two wives “ she now glared at him totally scared .” How do you know he was married earlier.” I do not have any secret”. She pushed him hard and bolted the door. Rohit kept pleading but she did not relent

He finally gave up and rode back home. That night he kept wondering whether he was hallucinating, whether he was mad, and how can it be possible. Totally tired and drained out he dozed off.

“ Tina, tomorrow morning, I will come to pick you up and we will be gone before Raghav wakes up” he finally convinced her.” I’ll wait for you Rohit”. Tina smiled and hugged him. The next morning, he reached her bungalow early morning and as planned sneaked into her room through the open window. He peaked in and found her bed empty. He looked around and slowly opened the washroom door. There she was lying covered in blood, with multiple stab wounds and the pics of Raghav’s 2 wives lying next to her. “ I could not save you !! I could not save you !!! He held her and cried out loud. He turned when he felt an arm around his neck, Raghav hovering over him with a blood-stained knife.

Rohit jerked out of bed, this time again he could remember every detail of the dream, “ I need to save her”, he screamed and rushed out. He started his bike and raced towards the bungalow. He rode at full speed hoping that he would be in time to save her. Once he reached the bungalow he jumped off his bike and ran towards the front door that was left ajar. He looked around and shouted, “ Tina! Tina!”, there was total silence, he dashed upstairs towards her room, but there was no one around. He felt his heart thumping hard, his hands shivering and sweat leaking through his brows. He slowly walked towards the washroom and shut his eyes, not wanting to see, gathering all the courage that he add, he slowly opened his eyes. He rubbed his eyes and watched again. His head spun hard at the sight that he saw ., Raghav lying on the floor with multiple stab wounds. Pictures of 2 young men are placed neatly beside his body. Rohit turned when he felt a warm hand on his shoulder. There she was smiling with bloodshot eyes, blood-soaked knife in hand raised towards him!