Was it just a dream?!

On a rainy evening around 6 pm, a 25-year-old guy stood in front of a sliding window watching out at the rain and held a sharp knife in his right hand.

“Today, even nature is crying just like my heart.” He said with a tearful smile.  

Cops chased a person in a black, long raincoat ran on the street, they entered a “GATED COMMUNITY AREA.” The person being chased hid behind a car, checked on the cops, and they were searching for the person. Culprit looked around to enter a house and hide. Found a construction site opposite to which there was a house.

The guy at the sliding window placed the knife-sharp edge on his wrist and closed his eyes. He remembered his parents and friends. He was about to cut his vein and heard a knock on the window.

Saw a person with a black raincoat drenched in rainwater on the balcony. In startle, he dropped his knife on the floor. The person in the raincoat removed the raincoat. She was a 27-year-old beautiful girl with wavy hair and eyes were twinkling like a star. She observed the Morse code book on the table and communicated in Morse code. She said, “I am in big trouble. Please let me in.”

“I think she is the last person whom I am going to help in life.” Said to himself and slid the window. She entered in, the doorbell rang. “Please don’t tell them that I am there." He went downstairs, opened the door. 2 cops were standing.

“Sir, sorry to disturb you. Did anyone with a black coat barge into your house?” One constable asks.

“No one entered, all good.” He says

“We found a ladder lying down below your balcony, so came to check. If you find any suspicious activity, please report to us. We will be at the entrance gate”.

“Sure.” He replied. Constables walked away.

He closed the main door and ran upstairs. Water trails will be all around the place, lead him to his sister’s bedroom. A shower sound will be coming from his sister’s bathroom. He carefully places his feet in dry areas, walks to the bathroom, and knocks on the door.

“Did they leave?” She asked.

“Yes, they left.” He replied.

“I was scared that they will enter and check the house, surprised that they didn’t check.”

“They didn’t check because my dad is a high court judge.” He replied.

“Woah! So a judge’s son covered for me!?” She exclaimed.

He remained silent without a reply.

“Sorry, I know I spoiled your suicide plans. Don’t want to ask you about that and make you feel more depressed.” She said.

“Oye! You still there?” She shouted.

“Yes am here.” He told in a low tone.

“At least tell your name.”

“Arjun.” He said.

“Sorry, without your consent, I borrowed your sister’s clothes.” She said and opened the bathroom door. In that steam, she walked out, drying her long hair with a towel.

She looked at Arjun. He was sitting silently with his head down.

“Won’t you ask the reason behind my chase by the cops?”

“I don’t care. You asked for my help, I helped. It will be really helpful if you leave ASAP.” He said.

“Your help is not yet done.” She said with a smile.

“What else do you need?” He asked in an angry tone.

She holds his hand and pulls him to the balcony. She pointed at the main gate and showed that cops are still waiting for her. “Until I escape from them, you can’t die, and your help is not over. Where can I find the safest place other than High court judge house.” She said and smiled.

Both went back inside. “However you decided to die, then die happily. Why being so sad. Do what you want, eat what you like, and then die.” She said.

He sat on the couch with a sad face. The girl went to the kitchen and searched for the Maggie and bread. She couldn’t find any, went to the living room and sat on the couch beside Arjun. “I am damn hungry. But, no mood to cook and eat. Give your phone, will order something.” She asked.

Arjun pointed to the teapoy, on which his phone was there. The girl takes the phone and gets surprised that the phone didn’t have a lock. She opened Zomato. Found that the previous order was from KFC.

“Oh, you also like KFC?” She asked.

Arjun nods his head.

“I am placing an order of 2 buckets of chicken wings. Do you have cash? Because it is not accepting online payment.” She said.

“Don’t worry about it,” Arjun said.

She found a PS5 Gaming console next to the TV, an unopened box.

“Oh my god! PS5!” She exclaims.

“Always wanted to play on PS5 since a kid.” She said

She saw Arjun. He was still sad.

“Arjun, you will be alive for a maximum of 7 to 8 hours. Just be happy for that time and then die peacefully. You don’t want your soul to regret that you died without playing on the PS5.”

The girl set up the PS5. “For the food to reach it will take another 45 minutes. Let’s play until then?.. Please.” She asked.

Arjun hesitated at the beginning, later took the joystick. Both started to play FIFA 21, got involved in the game. Arjun forgot his sorrows and enjoyed the game.

The girl won the first game. Arjun said, “I will win the next game for sure.” The doorbell rang. Arjun was totally into the game. He said, “You go open the door. I think food came.”

“It might be cops also!” she whispered.

“You hide in the kitchen. I will check.”

Arjun took cash, went out, and paid for the food delivery guy. He checked the surrounding for cops. They were checking other houses. Arjun entered the house with a laugh, holding the KFC buckets.

The girl came out of the kitchen. Saw KFC buckets in Arjun’s hand, “Finally, finger-licking good food.” She said.

They kept the food on the plate and got settled on the couch.

“What did you do such that cops are doing their duty so sincerely?” He asked.

“Why wouldn’t they. It's related to the home minister son’s engagement ceremony.” She said.

“What did you do?!” Arjun asked in shock.

“The home minister’s son was forced for an engagement with finance minister’s daughter. So, he asked me to steal the engagement ring. It was their hereditary property. Without the ring, engagement won’t happen.” She said.

“So you are a professional thief. By the way, how did you get on the balcony?” Arjun asked.

“Found a ladder in the construction site opposite to your house. Used it to get in. I pushed the ladder after getting on the balcony. So, only cops came here.” She said.

“Hmm, okay,” Arjun said.

They were eating, Arjun's phone starts to ring. It was his mom.

“Hello, Arjun. Did you have dinner?” His mom asked.

“Yea.” He replied recklessly.

“We will reach by tomorrow morning. Your dad wants to..” Arjun interrupted her.

“I am busy ma, Will call later.” He told in an aggressive tone.

The girl smiled and said in a sad tone, “I still don’t know how it feels to call a person mom.”

“I am sorry,” Arjun replied.

“No, they aren’t dead, and I don’t know if they are alive or not also. I was found on a footpath by orphanage people.” She said.

“I am sorry to hear that,” He said.

Arjun’s phone rang. It was his uncle, Dr. Chakravarthy.

“Arjun, Grandpa slipped on stairs. His head is hurt and bleeding profusely. Come fast!”

“Yeah, I am on my way,” Arjun replied and disconnected the call.

Arjun left the plate on the couch and grabbed the car keys.

The girl asked, “What happened?! Any emergency?”

“Yeah, get in the car. I will explain on the way,”

Arjun and the girl walked out, locked the house.

“The cops, they might find me!” The girl exclaimed

“It’s fine. I will tell them that you are my friend. Don’t worry.” Arjun replied.

Both got into the car. It was raining heavily and the time was 8 pm. Arjun started the car and drove it fast. Cops observed the car is fast. They found that it was Arjun’s car and allowed it.

The 1^st cop questioned the 2^nd cop. “Did you see any other person in the car?”

“No, I didn’t. Did you?” 2^nd cop questioned back.

“If you didn’t see, then I also didn’t see.”

Both looked at each other in a puzzled state.

The car entered the main road.

“Finally away from cops, What happened? Why such hurry?” The girl asked.

“My grandpa got injured. He is bleeding profusely, His blood group is O-negative, and he can receive only from O-negative. I am the only person in the family with that blood group. He is one of the closest people to me.” Arjun told with a teary eye.

The girl placed her hand on Arjun’s shoulder and said, “Everything will be fine. Don’t worry.” 

She observed the tears in his eyes

“Arjun, A couple of hours ago, you were planning to take your life. Now for your loved one, you want to live. Just imagining your grandpa’s death, you are petrified. Think how your parents would have felt seeing your dead body the day they will be back.” She said.

Arjun remained silent and increased the car speed. They reached the hospital around 9 pm. Arjun and the girl ran to the emergency ward and asked about Arjun’s grandpa.

Dr. Chakravarthy came at the same time to Arjun and said, “Go to room number 5, hurry up.”

The girl waited outside in the waiting area. Arjun came out from the room by holding cotton at the venipuncture location.

“I was trying for blood at blood banks, in case if it would have become late for you to reach, but there was no O-negative. If you weren't there, we could have lost your grandpa.” Dr. Chakravarthy said.

Arjun saw the girl waiting in the waiting area, Ran to her, hugged and cried. “If it weren’t for you, my grandpa and I wouldn’t be alive. Thanks a lot.” Arjun said.

The rain stopped. Arjun and the girl sat on the chair.

“Sorry I forgot to ask your name. What is your name?” Arjun asked.

She just smiled. Arjun heard a doorbell sound and woke up abruptly from sleep.

“Oh, this was just a dream!” Arjun said to himself.

Arjun went downstairs, opened the door. His parents and sister were standing outside. He hugged his parents.

“Someone is getting emotional.” Said Arjun’s sister in a sarcastic tone. Everyone smiled.

“Hey, did you watch the news?” Asked Arjun’s Dad.

“No, did anything happen?” Arjun asked.

Arjun put the news channel on TV.

The headline said, “Home minister’s son’s engagement broke off as someone in a black raincoat stole the ring.”

As soon as Arjun saw the news, he ran back to his balcony and checked. There was a black raincoat there. Held the raincoat and thought, “Was it just a dream, or did it happen?!”