The Middle Boy

It was one of those days when he did not leave the bed, not because of the weather or some bully, but because of the people who have been following him- the windowpane creaked with the gush of wind and a crow perched in peeping inside with a curious look.

That is when Subodh realized he has born in a different world the world he knows is not the same.

By catching hold of a book he dashed it for the crow to fly away, he was aware why the crow was there- he rose with tremendous excitement and saw the same men standing beside the pine tree with the crow perched on his shoulder,

He heard mom and looked at the kitchen and they are gone,

He got ready for school; mom saw bruises on his face and muttered

Again did you stumble upon something, she raved

This time it was a monster like a dog that chased me from school

It transpired into an inter galactical monster with soul-reaching teeth, I killed him by pulling his spine.

Mom giggled, and kept the plates back to the basin,

Subodh won- by appeasing mom that he can say the truth and still be laughed at.

He was born when the moon was full, and there was no electricity in the hospital, exactly between 11.59 to 12 am, no one knows precisely when- they say the time stood still.

They were not able to clock the time- a miracle the doctor calls him.

But Subodh's mom thinks it’s insane.

He is my normal boy, says his father dismissing the rumours.

Not that he was weird or have horns, he doesn’t lack anything to be a normal boy.

But he knew things or maybe sees unworldly things.

Like a moment before death- an evil kid, the realm between lives, he can feel people are pretending humans.

He sees an old man standing at the end of the corridor- wearing an old 40’s hat and staring right at him, he stands there without a budge perhaps waiting for the right moment, he disappears after the bell.

He is not good at studies but good at history, or something which already happened.

As all the kids ran amok, he saw a dog salivating, kept on a leash with a short man holding effortlessly,

He sensed this is it another adventure, he dashed towards the gate and the tiny man with a big dog followed him,

He stopped running in the middle of a road where there was no in plain sight

The tiny man turned into an ogre and the dog became bigger with claws.

He pounced on me with sharp teeth reaching my hand, I exerted pressure and pulled his innards by my bare hands, the ogre hit on my head with his hand and I fell unconscious, the last thing I saw his

He changes into the tiny man,

I woke up with birds chirping, an eerie silence with sunset visible farther, I dashed home

 Wondering who where they were and what exactly he needed from me.

My hands didn’t hurt but I felt stronger, a sense of vague strength- upon reaching home

Mom did not believe my story, so now I have to lie to her

I woke up with my legs perspiring with sweat, the same duo was standing in front of me, it was hazy but they stood there gawking at me, with a look of reassurance the dog wanted to clamber the bed but the hook held him at the place.

I couldn’t move and the tiny man uttering something which is not audible and the tiny dog looking straight at me ready to pounce

I was nauseous the next morning and running with a fever. Mon didn’t let me go to school; I sat on the bed pensively

The colour of the sky kept changing, and my fever subsided

The next day I went to school, and a bell rang I moved to the school playground to have my tiffin in peace, sat under a neem tree, no kids come here as crows keep shitting here every morning leaving a pungent smell

I glance at the principal cabin and he was standing looking straight at me, he’s eyes look devoid of the soul it was not the same principle, he got aghast- I looked surreptitiously

Maybe he knew more about me than I did

A boy fell in a distance and the principal disappeared in a jiffy,

The same tiny man came from nowhere sat beside me, and the dog was not there,

I know who you are, he said in a calm voice,

What you want I asked indignantly?

You are a saviour, and middle boy, he said matter-of-factly.

How do you know about me?

I just do, why are you following me? I asked curtly.

This principle you see has been taken away, he is not the same man,

His soul has been taken out and that void has been filled by a reaper,

A red reaper snatches soul and fills his stomach leaving them empty for some dreadful creature to fill,

In a few days, you will see most of the kids as a dead socket, leaving every living into a dead

Why can't you save him, I questioned?

Because I don’t exist on this earth, I have no power and no one other than you can see me, he smacked his lips and felt disappointed

Someone knows your value and he is not human, he sent me and one day he will come for you,

I got to go, kill him tonight, he said ceaselessly

He vanished leaving a trail of smoke leaving the entire hubbub in the background

That day I went home and looked myself in the mirror, it was quiet, mom was not home

I was able to concentrate, I kept staring at my reflection on the mirror, I gazed long enough something emerged behind me, I was not scared, like a part of me hidden from me so long wanting to manifest

For a moment I saw a dark man, hideous in this expression and burn marks all over the body

I fumed and startled with my appearance, I detested myself and knocked the mirror down

Someone rang the bell broke my concentration- I heard footsteps ascending

It was mom carrying groceries in one hand and her face grimaced.

I remember the tiny man's word to kill the principal,

Why you are sweating, mom asked perturbed?

I was ironing my clothes; I replied hastily and dashed out

I wanted to re-affirm what the tiny invisible man said, I went to the school- the peon was sleeping and the gate was ajar,

I walked past my class, and walked upstairs to the principal room, it was not close, tiptoed towards it

As I pepped inside, I saw a boy unconscious and his tiny hands are tied, the principal was nowhere to be seen; the office reeked of death,

I looked closely and the boy stood up with a gnarling voice which was terrifying, the principal was a tall creature with horns sticking out of his head,

The boy stood up and prostrated,

I hid behind the bench which was there unused,

The trepidation of attacking him made me lose my calm, I marched in and he was not there,

I flipped to see him on the wall, gaping at me with teeth protruding from his mouth, he dashed his claws which penetrated my stomach, but I did not feel anything, it heal itself

His claws kept ricocheting and scuttled away as I try to attack him

I kept focus and dodge his every attack, I hid behind the table and got the space to hold his neck,

He wailed and salivated, I kept squeezing his neck and for a moment I saw my reflection on the broken glass,

A black creature ten feet tall and a tail,

He fell and transpired into ash.

I ran out with haughty disdain and the same man stood beneath the street light, I ignored him and went home.