The omniscient

“Close your eyes, Chris!”

“Yes, Aster.”

“Now what do you see?”

Young Chris smiled.

“The chocolate you hid behind your back.”

“You peeped at me!!! That’s not fair!” Aster protested while Chris tried to convince her that he didn’t. As usual, she didn’t believe him. 

Nobody ever believed him when he said he could read their minds. He found out about this when he bit his mother’s hand and felt her pain through him. That happened during his pre-schooling period. When he told his mother, she merely patted him and didn’t even stop for his explanation on her way to work. Dad would be in front of his laptop most of the time; he rarely gets to talk to him. Grandma just smiled at him and ruffled his wild brown hair, faking an excitement. It was only Aster, his neighbourhood friend who went to school with him, who even bothered to test him out. It didn’t look like she was taking his words either.

“Do one thing. I’ll blindfold you. And you answer me. Okay?” Aster finally suggested.

Chris shrugged. 

Aster took her ribbon out of her hair, letting it tumble down into a blonde cascade. She tied it carefully around his closed eyes and made sure he can’t cheat again.

“Now what do you see?”

Chris replied immediately.

“I can see a spider on your hair.”

Aster shrieked and shook her head, furiously hitting an invisible creature.

He chuckled. “So you do believe me, don’t you?”

The girl stopped and glared at him for making a fool of her. She turned around, searching for a twig to hit his bum.

“You want to hit me now?”

Aster turned back at him. After a moment, she sighed and plopped down on the grass, spreading her bright yellow frock. 

“Okay. I believe you. Come sit here, won’t you?”

Chris removed his blindfold and sat down next to her. The grass was moist and cool against his hands. It was sure going to create wet spots on his khaki shorts but he didn’t care. It was mid-afternoon and the sun was hovering somewhere above their heads. There were robins singing above them, welcoming the autumn already.It was their favourite spot to play. There was a lot of shade because of the big, old oak trees, whose leaves were turning red now. Soon the ground will be covered in a red carpet and it would be the most beautiful sight he could ever see around. He randomly picked up a leaf, engrossed in his thoughts. 

“Aster?”

“Mm?”

“Why don’t people take us seriously?”

Aster wondered for a long time. 

“Coz we are kids. We don’t know many things that our mama and papa know. That’s what mama always said.”

Chris pondered over this for a long time. 

“So when will we get to know what they know?”

“Oh I don’t know….when we grow up maybe?”

“So when will we grow up?”

Aster shook her head.

“You ask too many questions. I don’t know Chris. Ask your mama and papa.”

Chris fell silent and stared at Aster while she opened the bar of chocolate which had started to melt off by now. Her hands were sticky with a brown coating when she tried to break it into half. Nibbling on the piece of bar, they sat there watching a squirrel climb up the tree. He didn’t believe what she said.

“Can you read the minds of animals too?” Aster asked out of nowhere.

“I dunno…. I never tried. Why?”

“Nothing.”

Chris didn’t pursue. His attention had gone back to the squirrel. It now had a blueberry in its hand and was nibbling on it. He tried to read its mind, but felt nothing. He was about to share his discovery with Aster when he noticed that she was absentmindedly plucking out grass around her. Her face was sad. He listened to her thoughts. Through her mind, he saw a filthy white and brown puppy whimpering near a garbage can. He felt her sympathy and sadness pouring into her mind. More than that, the desire to take it home. But she was held back by a wall of fear. 

“Where is that puppy?” Chris asked kindly.

Aster, still not able to digest the fact about his newfound power, stared at him shocked. Then slowly, she replied.

“Near Mr Campbell’s house. I found him today morning when I went to Harry's to get the milk. He was crying at me. I didn’t find his mama there. He was all dirty and hungry. I gave him my biscuits but he wouldn’t eat. I think he needs milk. That’s what mamas give babies, isn’t it?”

He nodded.

"Don't you think Mr Campbell might be feeding him?"

Her face held all the anger it could hold at that moment.

"Oh, he is a sick man. Harry once said he had beaten em all away when they tried to pluck the mulberries hanging from his walls. He would never bother about a puppy for sure."

“Why don’t you take him home then?”

She swallowed hard. 

“I’m scared they might scold me.”

Chris glanced at her. Her honey coloured eyes were tearing up. He moved closer to her and held her sticky, chocolate smelling hand.

“Nonsense! Why would they scold you? Who doesn’t like a puppy?”

Aster turned to him expectantly. “Really?”

“Of course! I’ll come with you to take him home.” 

She grinned wide and hugged him.

“That would be our dog then.”

Chris felt the gratitude flowing through her.

“What will you name him?” he asked.

She looked up at the sky, thinking.

“I don’t know…let’s just call him puppy.”

“Okay then. Let’s go get our puppy!”

Chris got up and dusted his shorts, waiting for Aster to finish up hers. Then they both ran towards the so mentioned garbage bin, and there lay the puppy. He was sleeping, his long ears drooping down to the sides of his head. On their approach, he looked up at them with his deep black eyes and started whining. Aster squatted in front of him and patted his head. She looked behind at Chris, who gave her a nod of approval. She turned back at the puppy and slowly lifted him up. They both ran back to her home, where Aster’s papa, Mr Brown, was watering his garden. They walked in slowly, hiding the puppy behind them. Chris loved Mr Brown. He always gave him lollies of different flavours whenever he came there.

Aster whispered. “Chris, tell me what he is thinking.”

After a moment, he whispered back. ”He is not angry…..he is curious at what we are hiding.”

Mr Brown raised an eyebrow as they stopped in front of him.

“What are you both up to today?”

Aster nudged Chris with her elbow while he was waiting for her to speak up. He jerked in surprise and stammered.

“Mr Brown…..that is….umm…we found a puppy….aaand…..it was alone and hungry…..so….umm we took him…”

“A puppy? Did you people just grab a stray dog and come here?”

Aster was already shaking in fear, holding the puppy to her chest. “Papa he was crying for his mama but mama wasn’t there…”

Chris tried to hide his smile.

“I see. Why are you smiling Chris?” Mr Brown caught him.

“Because I can read your mind! I know you are not angry with us.”

“Yes papa! He can really read minds! He read my mind and understood that I was sad because of the puppy and he helped me!” Aster almost bounced in excitement.

“Wow Chris! You are a superhero already! You saved a puppy.” Mr Brown smiled widely. 

“Let’s give our puppy a bath shall we?” 

Chris knew he actually didn’t believe him. But he absorbed in what he said. I’m a superhero.

Chris opened his eyes with a start. It was dark in his room except for the occasional blinking of his phone. He felt a movement beside him and turned. Aster had turned in her sleep. She was smiling. He realized it was her dream that he saw, which soon developed with his own set of memories. He kept looking at her, thinking over and over how beautiful she looked in her sleep, with her honey blonde hair curled up around her face, her long black lashes grazing her high cheekbones every time she breathed. Chris smiled to himself and tried to sleep again but it had left him long back. He sighed and slowly got up, careful not to wake her up. He walked into the well-lit modernized bathroom and looked into the mirror at his reflection. It had been fifteen years since that dream or rather, that memory happened. It was the fire that lit every ambition in him. Throughout his life, Aster was a constant; the only person who truly understood him. She had helped him grow, taught him to pursue his dreams and finally get here on top of the world. His mind tricks were renowned now; as aspired he became an independent consultant, was always in demand by investigation agencies and psychologists, and made billions of dollars. The world called him the omniscient. He chuckled at the memory and ran a hand through his ever so wild brown hair. 

Suddenly, a low moan was heard just outside, which developed into a high pitched wail. He ran out of the bathroom and walked towards the cradle in his room which was shaking with a baby’s cry. He hushed and took his son in his hands and cradled him gently in his arms. Aster opened her eyes and tried to get up, but Chris shook his head. She smiled and rolled back to sleep. He took the baby and walked around kissing and cuddling until he was calm. He finally sat down, holding his son who was gazing into his eyes. Chris smiled and said, “You know, I never had anyone to talk to about what I had in me. None but your mom. But I won’t let that happen to you. I don’t know if you understand now, but I’ll keep telling you, that if you have anything to talk, anything at all, come to dad. Okay? And when you finally understand what I’ve said, come to me and I’ll tell you the story of how I became a superhero.”