I'd always felt different from others, but I couldn't quite pinpoint when it started. Maybe it was that day — the day I lost her. The memory is burned into my mind, as vivid as if it had happened yesterday. I was only four years old...
"Grandma, we'll go home soon. Just wait a little." I said, my small hands gripping hers as we struggled together to escape the burning car. Smoke swirled around us, acrid and suffocating, making it hard to breathe.
"Vedu, more force." I urged, my voice trembling with a mixture of fear and determination.
Summoning all the strength I could muster, I strained against the seatbelt that trapped her frail frame. My arms burned, and tears streamed down my face, but I refused to give up. Every muscle in my tiny body ached, but the thought of leaving her was unbearable.
"Don't be scared, Vedki. Grandma is alright." Old Madam Narayan whispered, her voice gentle but weak, as though she was trying to convince both of us. Her words were a stark contrast to the chaos around us, as flames danced closer, the heat growing more intense.
"Please! Help me!" I cried out, begging for more assistance. Desperation clung to my words like a heavy weight, echoing in the empty surroundings. "I want to save her! I want to save my Grandma!"
Her breathing grew labored as she spoke again, her words trembling. "Nanhi Veda, get out of the car if you need help."
"No!" I protested, shaking my head vehemently. My vision blurred with smoke and tears, but I refused to leave her side. "There's the driver - and a man who looks just like you, Grandma! They should be able to pull Grandma out of the car!" My childish voice was filled with a naivety I didn't yet understand.
Her eyes widened in shock, her frail hands gripping mine tighter. "What... what did you say? A man... who looks like me?" Her voice carried astonishment, and tears began to well up.
I nodded, confused by her reaction. "Yes!" "But... why aren't they helping? Why!" I shouted, the frustration in my tiny voice barely masking my fear.
Her expression softened, and she spoke with a strange mixture of urgency and sadness. "Vedika, listen to me. You must leave. Go call your parents. They'll help escape this pain." She urged, her voice shaking, struggling to continue.
"But Grandma -" I hesitated, torn between her words and the fear gripping my heart.
"Go, my dear. If you want to save me... go." Her voice trailed off, her words laced with a sense of resignation, a knowledge that I couldn't comprehend back then.
Reluctantly, I obeyed. I ran as fast as I could, my tiny legs carrying me to safety. The world around me blurred as tears streamed down my cheeks. I gripped my phone tightly, its cracked screen a testament to the chaos that had just unfolded. Despite the damage, it still functioned, and I dialed with shaking fingers, my heart racing with fear and urgency.
"Why are you late?" A voice came on the other end of the line and asked, but before I could respond -
A deafening explosion erupted behind me. I dropped the phone, my scream piercing the air. "Grandma!"
That moment shattered something inside me.
A month later, the impossible began. Ghosts appeared before me, their forms shimmering like fragments of another world. Some were strong and vivid; others were faint whispers of what they had been. I realized they were trapped, bound by unfulfilled wishes, unable to move on. And somehow, I was the only one who could see them.
———
"Ved..."
The voice was soft at first, like a whisper tugging at the edges of a dream, but a bit familiar, and it grew more persistent with each passing time. "Ved, darling... wake up!"
It felt like someone was shaking me vigorously, their voice piercing my drowsiness as they shouted... "Wake up!"
A sudden start woke her, Vedika Narayan, from her slumber. Her mouth still agape and drooling slightly, as she lurched out of her slumber.
"Mmm..." She murmured, her voice husky from sleep. She rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the haze. "Did we reach our destination, Sumeru port, Shivangi?" She asked, her eyes slowly focusing on the girl in front of her.
Shivangi Goenka stood before her, arms crossed and an exasperated look on her face. Her milky fair skin glows with a soft radiance, complemented by her rich, dark brown hair that cascades down her back in loose, luscious waves.
Her intoxicating blue eyes are like a deep ocean, drawing you in with their mesmerizing depth. If you gaze into them, you'll feel like you're being swept away into the unknown, lost in the depths of a boundless sea.
"Not yet. We've got another hour." She replied, shaking her head. "But wake up! Why are you sleeping in the middle of our project?" She frowned, her voice tinged with mock annoyance.
"Project? Slept in the middle?" Vedika mumbled, still half asleep, rubbing her eyes to clear the haze. Her gaze fell to the table in front of her, where scattered wires and chips lay. Panic set in as she noticed a small puddle of drool dangerously close to the centerpiece of their work.
Frantically, she grabbed a tissue and wiped the table. "Good, it didn't reach the chip." She exclaimed, wiping the sweat from her forehead.
Shivangi let out a dramatic sigh before her expression brightened. "So, is it done? 'The God Chosen and Four Princes'?"
Her eyes sparkled like a cat's in the night, shining bright with enthusiasm, and her entire demeanor radiated excitement.
Vedika's gaze slowly shifted to Shivangi, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "Almost..." She began, her voice trailing off, inviting Shivangi's curiosity.
She inserted the chip into her wrist-top device and pressed a series of keys. The projector in the middle of the table sprang to life, and holographic figures and breathtaking scenarios began to materialize in the air.
Shivangi's eyes widened in awe. "Oh my God. This is incredible!" She leaned closer, marveling at how her novel, 'The God Chosen and Four Princes', had been transformed into a stunning Virtual Simulation Scenario Reality (VSSR) game.
"As expected of the top youngest computerized genius of geniuses, your art and work are top-notch." She continued to praise Vedika's imaginative vision and dedication to bringing the game to life. "You've perfectly captured the medieval, regal, chivalrous, and mystical elements I wanted."
Her words made me laugh, and for a moment, the heavy weight of my memories lifted. Shivangi's joy was infectious, a bright contrast to the shadows that often haunted me.
Vedika leaned back in her chair, her gaze fixed on the holographic figures, she let her smile linger. This project, born from her story and my skills, felt like a tangible reminder of what I could achieve - of how far I'd come since that fateful day.
But deep down, I knew that incident of my past was never far away. It lingered, waiting in the periphery of my vision, a constant reminder of what I had gained - and what I had lost.
And somehow, I felt certain that this was only the beginning.
Shivangi clapped her hands in excitement. "This is going to be a hit!"
Vedika beamed with Shivangi's pride, her cheeks flushed like fresh red tomatoes.
"Thank you, thank you very much!" Shivangi said, her honey, sweet voice filled with gratitude.
Vedika gently traced the edge of her wrist-top device, a silent promise forming in her heart. Whatever lay ahead, I would face it head-on. Because even in the darkest moments, there was light to be found - and I am determined to find it.