Dating : A book of Ajiyan — Short Story

“Finally, it’s done. Thought it took me a year to finish, but it feels like a decade.” I stood up from my desk and went near the window. Sun is rising from a beautiful valley and looks like the sun is congratulating me to finishing my book.

“It’s been a year I am away from my family and friends and staying in this stupid lodge to complete this stupid book.,” I put the book aside on the nearest table and lit a cigarette and took a puff. I can’t forget that night a year ago that changes my life upside down.

March 20, 2019, when all it started. I went to Nainital with my lovely wife, Raanchi, for a vacation. We booked a suite at Vikram Vintage, the 5 star resort, to blow off some steam.

We both were corporate sluggers who worked day and night to sustain our status in society and not to forget to make our living, and it was our first vacation in last 3 years. After all arguments, we settled for the Nainital.

Time flies fast when you enjoy your moments. We didn’t realize our vacation was almost over and tomorrow we are going back to our monotonous life.

On the last night, we were having a drink at resort’s bar and enjoying our last day of vacation. I went to the bar for refills.

“One scotch on rocks with a twist and one strawberry margarita please,” I ordered and stated looking on my phone but attention broke when a person next to me ordered the same drink.

“One scotch on rocks with a twist and one strawberry margarita please,”

I looked at that person, a well-built person about my age and wearing the same outfit as mine. He has a beard and bind his overlong hair in a pony. It looks I am seeing my doppelganger.

“Sir, you are together?” Bartender got confused for a moment as we both ordered in unison.

“No..!!!” again in unison

We laughed as our eyes locked.

“Two separate orders,” the other person replied calmly to the bartender and gestured for a handshake to me.

“Hi, I am Yashpal Sharma,”

“I am Karan Singh” We shook hands. Somehow person has some unique aura which feel familiar.

“Have we met before because you look familiar,” tried to clarify doubts because as far as I know I don’t know this person.

“I don’t think so. I just came back to India after 15 years. So until I am in your imagination I don’t think we ever met” he winked. There is something about him that bothers me, but I could not figure out. It could be because of 2 drinks I already had.

“Thats funny. I do not imagine boys that for sure,” I tried to laugh and hide my dubious lines from my face. “So where you came from?”

“I never stayed at one place. I am a nomad and travelled all over the world. And India is my next destination.”

“Oh, I see. Thats interesting. I always wanted to travel, but our job couldn’t afford the travelling,”.

“Well, you can earn through travelling you know.,” He picks his drink and motioned to me “Cheers,”.

“Cheers.” We clicked our glasses together and took a sip. “Yeah, but you see I can’t come out of my cacoon,” we both laughed. “So what are you doing in Nainital?”

“I’m working on my travel vlog, making a short film on Nainital and its popular destination,” he finished his drink in a single gulp and signaled the bartender for another drink.

“Sounds interesting. Good luck on your vlog,”. wondering this guy has same passion I used to have but never pursued.

“Nomadic Venture is my channel on YouTube. Checkout the same sometime,”

“Sure, I will.” I picked up my glass and gestured myself out to my seat. “I’ll see you around”

“That’s a lie Karan, you are going back tomorrow. Arnt you?,” he taunted me without even looking at me and continued sipping his drink.

“How do you know I am going back tomorrow,” he took me by surprise

“You just told me. Looks like you boozed a lot tonight, Mr. Karan,” he patted on my back.

“I think so. Well good night,” I left him alone with his drink and started towards my seat with a dilemma.

“As far as I remember I never mentioned about my flight. Might be I did, lets call a night. I think he is right, I had enough for tonight,”.

From far off I saw Raanchi talking to a Yashpal. He was standing near her seat with a drink in his hand and as our sight matched; he smiled and waved at me. I turned around in that instant and Yashpal was sitting on the bar too.

“What the hell is going on.? Am I drunk? Or I lost my mind?,” I hustled towards Raanchi and as soon as Yashpal saw me approaching he rushed away.

“Who was that?” I asked Raanchi though I know who was that. I placed her drink on the table and took a seat opposite to her.

“Some friendly lad, Yashpal. He is a travel blogger, and he is working on some story on Nainital,” Raanchi leaned towards the table to pick her drink.

“Why he dressed exactly like me and doest he looks familiar?” I tried to hide my awe, I don’t want to worry her as finally she got some peaceful time.

“What are you talking about? He doesn dressed like you nor he looks familiar though his features are like you. Anyway, I am tired. Lets call a night, this will be our last drink and could you please order dinner,” Raanchi took a sip and extended menu to me.

“Something is not right,” I felt a weird sensation in my body but I ignored the same assuming it is because of alcohol.

We ordered our dinner and once finished we went straight to our room. After sharing an intimate moment, Raanchi slept in a minute, but I keep staring at the ceiling thinking of a series of event took place this evening.

“Was I hallucinating, this gives me a headache.” I checked our bags but didn’t find any medicine.” I hope reception may have some”

I cautiously opened and closed the door and went for the elevator.

“Come to me” I sensed someone hissed in my ears. I ignored at first, but the sound keeps stronger.

It feels like someone is pulling me to the opposite direction. I tried to resist the same but eventually I started moving towards the voice’s direction.

After few steps, I was standing in front of 13B room. I kept on glaring on the room plate but didn’t find courage to knock. I am not sure why I am here and what I need to do now and then suddenly I heard my name.

“Come inside Mr. Karan.”

Door opened automatically with a creek sound. I gulped in that moment and witnessing my worst nightmare. I don’t know from where I got courage and made my first step to the room. I don’t believe in god or ghost, but this time something gives me chills.

As I reached a living area, I saw a person is sitting on a couch but his upper body hides in dark.

Room structure and furniture is exactly the same as mine’s, compact kitchen on left, bedroom after living area. Living area furnished with a couch and coffee table and lamp right side of couch where this mysterious person is sitting.

“Hello Mr Karan. Please have a seat,” Person in dark offers me to sit on a couch opposite to himself. “and make yourself comforatble”

“Who are you? Why I am here? What do you want from me?” I rejected his offer and rambled all my questions at once as my entire body was shivering in terror.

“I’ll give you every answer, but please first have a seat.” There was a strange calmness in his voice, like a peace before a tornado. I followed his instruction and sat on the couch. “What would you like to drink, say scotch on the rocks with a twist?”

“How do you know what I wanted,”

“Oh, I know everything about you, Mr Karan. You a software engineer. Your wife Raanchi works at media and you both are here at vacation, which you guys took after 3 years. And tomorrow you guys are going back. Arn’t you.” Though I can’t see his face but I can sense he was smiling at me.

“How? are you spying on me and….” before I could complete my sentence waiter placed my drink at the table. “Here is your drink, Sir”.

“What the hell…,” I almost shouted in terror when I saw the waiter’s face. It was my face. Same complexion, same features, everything except the dress. It looks like I am serving drink to me..

“Do you need anything else sir?,” the waiter grin. I know he was mocking me on my reaction.

In shock I dashed towards door but stumbled on ground because of side of table. I can feel a drop of blood from my nose as my face meets the ground. Someone came forward to help me in standing.

“Please Mr. Karan, don’t be afraid. We all are friends here. We all are travel bloggers,”

I saw his face for the first time; he was Yashpal whom I met on bar “Yashpal…???” I exclaimed and pushed him and took a support of the couch.

“You remember me, Mr. Karan. I am honored,” Yashpal chuckled and took his seat at couch again.

He clapped and 3–4 more person with my face gathered in the room holding some kind of gun, and the room’s door closed automatically giving me no way out.

I was still in shock and in pain and wondering what will happen to me, what they want from me and what they will do to me. What are they up to?

“Do you like us now Mr Karan” every person asked in chorus.

I realized in that moment that being in terror or shock won’t help me. I need to stay calm and understand their motive. I took a deep breath, holding my nose and sat on the couch.

“Why I am here and what do you want?”

“Very well, we know you are a smart person. Lets talk shall we.,”

“Why everyone has my face? Are you some kind of shape shifter?”

“You guessed it right but partially correct. We don’t have any face. Guys, please show our actual face to Mr. Karan” Yashpal clapped, and every person circled me. Slowly, everyone’s face disfiguring like melting wax and revealed their blank face with no feature. No eyes, no ears, no mouth.

Yashpal stood up and put his hand on one of the member’s shoulder.

“This is our genuine face with no features. Yet we can see everything, smell everything and have sensitivity more advance than human,”

I pinched myself hard to check if I am dreaming; I am in my worst nightmare surrounded by the living being that we are not aware of.

“Who are you guys and why are you here?” I asked, keeping my calm.

“We are Ashiyans living 10K light years away from your milky way galaxy. And we are here because you invited us, Mr Karan,” Yashpal took a sip from his drink.

“My invitation, what the hell you are talking about??” How mere human like me can invite any alien race. There must be mis-understanding and they misunderstood me with someone else “I never invited you. You must be mis-understood me with someone else” I tried to explain them.

“Not you your program Mr Karan. Remember, last year when you were in Dallas and working on OM program with Akaash,” Yashpal stood and took a seat on my couch and put his hand on my shoulder.

I remember how me and Akaash spend our 6 months in exploring OM chants through training our AI program but nothing works. “Yeah, we were working on AI program to analyze the OM chant. But that was a failure. I still not able to get what you are saying.”

“Well, lets take a one step at a time. Once you have completed the program what you did next” Yashpal hold my hand trying to comfort me but with no expression on his face he scared more rather comforting me.

“Well, our AI program could not analyze the data and we both give up. But for fun we manipulated the chant and using our blue tooth speaker we broadcasted the sound,”

“Well, that’s where you invited us. The manipulation you did is exactly like our ancient language and gives us the welcome message,” I can sense the sharpness in his voice.

“How it could be possible. How a mere blue tooth speaker send you any message. This doesn make any sense.”

“Universe works mysteriously, Mr. Karan. Even a simple blue tooth speaker can send messages. As soon as we received a message, we found what we are looking for from last 1 million years,” Yashpal can’t hide his excitement.

“What are you looking for that you found in my sound,” Yashpal’s excitement intrigued me.

“Our elders recognize your sound as from Ajiyan. Only Ajiyan can create this sound in all universe. And Ajiyan is the only person who can decipher the script which has all information of medicines and herbs that helps us in fight against endemic in our planet,” though I can’t see his tears but I can sense he was crying.

“What do you mean Ajiyan?”

“In our civilization, Ajiyan is the God who reincarnate every million years. He has wisdom to decipher any language in the universe and have absolute intelligence. Our plant is on the verge of extinction because of endemic. We have already lost millions and our group assigned with responsibility to search for Ajiyan and translate the script in the book using which our elders can create a medicine and cure our planet,” Yashpal pulled out a script from his pocket and handed the same in my hand.

It was around 2 foot longs scroll and I failed to understand how this big scroll fits in his pocket.

“I can understand the pain you and your planet is going through. We have also faced the pandemic few years back, which took million life. I want to help but to be honest I don’t know how to decipher it.” I can relate with the pain they are suffering from. Coronavirus pandemic took a million of life from our planet until our doctors found the cure.

“You can. You just need to reuse the program you have written. And feed your program with the script letters and write the translation in the book.”

“I can give you the program and you can translate on your own,”

“We can’t even with your program because we can’t see anything in script. The last Ajiyan sealed the script to keep it safe from wrong hands. Only an Ajiyan can see the script writings.”

I wonder is it similar to encryption we used on earth. “How I can open it?” I tried to open the scroll but I can’t find any way to open the same.

“Oh sorry, I forgot to tell you. You need to use incantation and place you hand on script. Once you have completed the chant, it will open.” Yashpal handed me a note having an incantation written.

I followed his direction and started incantations and place my hand on the script. Script started glowing and slowly opening in a layer. I can see some kind of alien language in weird letters. He handed one of the opened script to Yashpal “Can you see anything?”

Yashpal looked at script in amazement. He flapped the script multiple time and at the end, “No, its blank. Are you able to see anything?”

“Yes, some weird alien language. That means you are telling me the truth,” I handed the script and scroll to him.

“There is no reason for us to lie to you. Would you help us?” Yashpal along with other members starting pleading.

“Okay. But it will take some time and I dont know how much,”

“We have full faith on you will complete as soon as possible. But one more thing. Our elders told us to inform you to translate everything alone. There should be no one around you.”

“Why is that so?”

“Because during translation there could be chances of emittance of cosmic rays which may harm people around you,” Yashpal warned me about the consequences of translations and handed me all the scripts and scroll

“What about me?”

“Being an Ajiyan, there won’t be any impact on you. You are the creator of this script,”

“Hmm, okay. Let me get down to the work and will send you the message as soon as it gets completed,” I kept all scripts inside of scroll.

“Thank you.” Yashpal handed two devices, one with a red button and one with a blue button. “Please take these two devices with you. The one with the red button is to inform us you finished your work and we will come instantly and the blue button is to get anything you wanted food, money whatever you wish for,”

“You’ll come in an instant. Thats amazing. Can I see your ship?” I always wanted to witness any space ship. Watching sci-fi movies and imagining the ships was all I did during my college days.

“Ship?? we don’t have a ship, we are using portal,” Yashpal laughed on my innocence, “What made you think we travel through any ships. It was ages ago, but not now,”

“Thats how we always imagine aliens would come. What do you mean by portals?,” I felt a little embarrassed by his remark.

“You humans really don’t have any idea about anything on earth. We have a portal on earth using which we can teleport at any part of earth. You called them pyramid in Egypt,”

Karan jaw dropped in shock. He knows that pyramid are wonders of earth but they are portals for outer world is unbelievable.

“There are many things on earth you guys considered as wonder but were portals for different realities. We will teach you about everything once you completed our translation,” Yashpal patted on my back.

“Well, I’ll be waiting to get all information and this also encourages me to complete the translation ASAP,” I can’t hide my excitement.

“Well, its time for us to go. We will wait for your signal,” Yashpal signaled a person standing behind him and he brings out some device from his pocket. “Good Bye Mr. Karan”.

They all just vanished from reality, leaving me behind at the elevator and scroll in my hand.

I went to my room where Raanchi was snoring loud. I kept scroll in my bag and went to sleep.

Next morning, we checked out from hotel and went back to our usual life. I made an excuse of on-site trip for a year; I knew Raanchi won’t accompany me on this trip because of her workload. I selected Colorado as my destination, where I rented a lodge and started working on the translations.

I worked day and night on the translation. It took me 3 months to translate the first word, but afterward it was a piece of cake for me.

It’s been a year now that I am working on this translation and today this book contains all translations.

“Now it’s time to call them and take this book to save their planet,“ I took out the device with a red button and pressed the same. As soon as I pressed the button, 5 Ashiyans appeared out of nowhere.

“Hello, Mr Karan. You summoned us. Any splendid news?” All of them has the same blank face, though I remember the Yashpal’s voice.

“Yes, I translated every script and put it down in this book” I handed the hard-covered book to him. He looked at the book and started reading.

“Its magnificent Mr. Karan. We can read the translations. Thank you so much, Mr. Karan,” Yashpal exclaimed in joy. I can sense ecstasy in his voice.

“What can we do for you, Mr. Karan, anything you want? You don’t understand the importance of this translation. You saved our planet. Is there any more books are just this one,”

“This book has everything you need to save your planet. And I need nothing. I just want to go home, its been a year that I seen Raanchi. Also, please take devices with. I no longer required the same,” I turned around to grab the devices from drawers.

“You are an altruistic person Mr. Karan but we would like to give you something. Takshesee,”

“There is no need Yashpal,” To my surprise I saw one person pointing his gun at me. “What is this?”

“This is our returning gift, Mr Karan. You knew about us a lot and we can’t let you live now,”

“Hold on, I just helped you guys to save your planet and this way you reverting my favor,” I do not understand what is going on.

“Save the planet..!!!!!!!!!!!!!” everyone laughed so hard on my remark. “Our planet was never in the danger Mr. Karan and never will be. This script holds the recipe of advance weapons and our ancient mythology to conquer the universe and with your help we got all we need to start our conquest.”

“You betrayed me and my efforts. You lied to me. I gave my one year of life for your lie.”

“Don’t be such a baby. Takshesee finish him, and just to appreciate for your efforts we will start our conquest from Earth and we first finish you and then your family as a courtesy to give you guys a quick and painless death,”

Takshesee aims the gun at me and fires a shot.

As soon as a laser materialized from Takshesee’s gun, a white light started glowing around me. I can sense the shot speed and as soon as it came near to I deflected the same to another direction. I took every person in the room one by one except Yashpal who is standing at rear of room holding his face.

I move and stood behind him.

As light settled down, Yashal looked at all his members in shock and point her gun vaguely in air. “What is this? Who did this?” his voice trembled in fear.

I touched his shoulder and as he turned around; I gave a blow on his face, throwing him to bed. A white light intertwine over my entire hand like a snake and my eyes started flowing in blue.

“You forget the ask what was in the book before making your move Mr. Yashpal or Mr. Yaksahi,” He shocked to hear his actual name from me

“How do you know my actual name?” He hurries away from bed and pointed his gun at me. Even with no feature on his face, I can sense he is sweating in fear.

“Your knowledge is half heartedly. An Ajiyan like me wrote and sealed the book, but this book doesn contains knowledge of weapons or any medicine. It is used to awaken Ajiyan, a protector of Universe.”

Yaksahi ran towards one of his men to get the teleportation device but before he reaches to the device, I picked up the same and crushed it in my fist.

“Not so fast, dear. I know you race always ready to create a chaos in universe and now you are looking for a destructive weapon. I think now you search ends today,”

I lifted my arm and aims at Yaksahi. “Say, goodbye my dear friend” I open up my fist and the entire room again filled with white rays.