WHITE ROSE

“And roll number twenty- five… twenty-five, is twenty- five absent?’’

“psst, Nyx ma’am is calling you, wake up’’ my friend Bea whispered in my ears. When I looked I was startled by the look Miss Marie was giving “ yes ma’am I’m…I’m present’’, She glared “the class was not waiting for you miss, look at yourself, sleeping in first period, laps around the field, now!!’’, “and my day starts”, I said grabbing social studies book from my bag, which made Bea chuckle a little.

I went straight to the field which was downstairs to the right and let me tell you it is hundred yards field, obviously I will just fake lapping till the bell rings for next period. I normally sleep during boring classes, saving energy for best ones but coming to field make me refreshed, as field is covered with flowers, trees and bushes but what attracts my eyes are white roses, seeing white roses always remind me how beautiful you can be even if you’re not colorful, you can be colored in any color, it’s yours to decide. I took in the whole scenario and started lapping around with slow pace but after completing two laps I was out of breath, so I just stood near the bushes of white roses staring them, plucked one white pink tint at base which attracted mine eyes, it was really attractive and something was really extra ordinary about it, when I bought it close to smell, it smelled awful not anywhere near to what roses smell like. I threw the rose immediately and turn around to continue my lap but as I turned my eyes went round, I rubbed them twice even pinched my skin but nothing could change the fact that I am standing in my school but the only difference was that, the field was covered with students I don’t know and that too with different dress code. I went over to a student and asked “why everyone is wearing this dress, when I came here nobody was wearing this dress’’, the student looked at my dress and then in my eyes “ what are you talking about? this our dress code and what are you wearing?, change or you will be punished’’, saying that he went over his group to have lunch. I turned and started making my way towards class, I can hear students whispering about my dress, as I entered my class terror overtook my face, that was not my class, so I went outside and looked for class section plate, it was correct but not classmates, these were not my classmates. I looked for Bea, miss Marie and everyone but no one was there, then I felt a tap on my shoulder, I turned around, it was an old teacher which seemed familiar in some way “ miss, I think you are wearing wrong dress, but not exactly, it was the dress code of this school twenty years ago but you are not allowed to wear, I will let this one slide, you better not break dress code next time or you will be punished’’, my mind went blank, so I said “ yes sir’’, then the bell rang and everyone started moving to their classes, I gathered all the courage and started moving toward my seat “ are you in this class? Never saw you before’’, as teacher said those words I couldn’t think straight so, I told a lie when nothing came to my mind“ I was transferred today”, “okay, now go and take any empty seat”, I moved and took the seat in the corner which I hate the most. 

It was history class, as teacher came, I looked on the white board in front of me and the next shock made my head spin, the date and month was same, but it was twenty-two years ahead. I wanted to tell teacher that the year was wrong, but I was never able to. One class after and school finally got over, I left the school immediately and went straight to my house to confirm, did I time traveled? Yes, I figured out that by now as much I wish that it was a dream, but it was too real to be a dream. As I reached my house, I was awed by how big my house had become, but as I was going to ring the bell I saw a name plate on which it was written “MISTER PETERSON’’, I stopped myself from ringing the bell but I wanted to know if it was all true, and what happened to my family?, So I mustered up all courage and finally rang the bell, a lady dressed in checked dress appeared on porch, “hello young lady, do I know you?’’, she said with sweet accent “ actually no, but I came here to know what happened to the family of MISTER ROBIN, if I’m not mistaken they used to live here’’, as soon as I completed my sentence I can feel the tension building in air “ who told you this?, and remember I don’t have any business with those rotten souls, you better leave or I’m calling police”, the sweet nature of her was no where to find and I was suddenly worried what happened that she hate my family this much “ oh I just wanted to say hi, his daughter is old friend of mine nothing more, I’m leaving you better not call police, if you have personal matters I can understand’’, I said and was ready to leave when she said “ A piece of advice, if you want to live a normal live just keep your life out of their mess, and especially her daughter she is real reason, friend or not you better forget about her and it’s not a personal matter”, I can’t help but feel the sudden rage inside my body but I decided to remain calm and find out what happened in this twenty two years that people hate me and my family this much “okay I will try, thanks’’

Then I just left, I didn’t even ask about any further information or at least their address. As I reached on the main street I wondered where I can go now and how can I find about my family. I dragged myself down the street and can see how much things changed, new shops, malls and even the little coffee shop that I love is totally renewed. I moved further and decided to stop by the park that I went often to, the park was changed too, new bushes, more flowers, and more swings. I went over a bench and sank myself, took a deep breath and flash backed everything that happened so far, first things first, I came here after smelling a beautiful yet awful smelling rose, my dress code changed, my house changed and the most important people hate me. I came in future only to know people hate me, what I did?

 I was deep in thought as an old man sat next to me, I was really confused so I decided to talk to him about my family maybe he knows what actually happened, “ hey do you mind if I ask you something, I am new here”, he looked toward me and I can tell something was familiar about him“ sure go on, people here don’t help often due to some reasons”, I exhaled “ so the thing is I came here to visit my old friend Nyx Robin Williams but I think something happened and people hate her, so can you tell what happened?’’, old man clenched his jaw “ you should never ever ask people about her again and don’t go telling around you’re her friend or you have to face consequences’’, “ but will you tell me what happened, I promise I’ll go after knowing that”, I said sounding desperate, old man turned his gaze from me to the flower bush a meter away “ I think you really want to know about her so listen, fifteen years ago when Nyx graduated from college, she was an ordinary with extraordinary dreams, she was sparkling with hopes in her eyes, she didn’t have big plans for future but I still remember she used to tell me “I want to be center of attention ” but she chose the wrong path to achieve what she wanted (sighs), people treat her like some freak now”( yeah I still want to be center of attention but what’s wrong with that, what I actually did?) he was on the edge of crying which made me more confused, why do he care?, does he know me?, but keeping other things aside I asked “but what actually happened?’’, he gave a long sigh “I’m still trying to figure out what happened, anyhow after ten years when she still didn’t get the attention she craved for, she created an machine more like a robot, I’m still not sure why she made something that awful”, ( wait I thought making an robot is something like contribution to science, there is nothing to hate about) I scoffed a little “ is making robots a crime here?”, old man again looked toward me “ not exactly, but I guess what she did was a crime, as much I hate to admit, it is true that she created robot to slaughter people not in the way exactly but that’s what that robot did, she made her invention with intention to help people with their problems, at least this is what she thought”, I can feel the grimace on his face as he completed his sentence “ her intention was good but people misused it, this is what you meant to say right?, so in that case If I were you I would not have blamed her”, “ no young lady I think you got the wrong idea, It was she who thought it was a help to people but it actually wasn’t, she made a robot to take orders from human who wanted to kill their enemies, she thought in this way their will be no blood on human’s hand and she can gain quick attention but she forgot every intention to kill someone is born in a dark soul, she took blood of all those death on her hand. People hate her and because of this people here doesn’t get involved in other’s business and don’t help each other’’, all his words pierced right through my body I found that unbelievable, my love for attention and science will one day bring me here, I wanted to kill myself right there but I still want to know what happened to future me? “So where is she and her family now, was she punished and what happened to robot?’’, his eyebrows snapped in one “ she is in jail now, while her family went missing and her robot was dismantled to pieces and melted, it killed hundreds of people’’, suddenly I thought will I ever be able to go back to my present and make things right? And if future can be changed?, “ okay, thanks a lot for your information, I’ll better get going” I said with cracking voice and was about to leave when he held the corner of my shirt “you will try to change your future right?’’, I was in complete shock, he knows I came from past “ excuse me? What…what are you saying’’, he smirked “ you don’t need to hide it from me, I was the one who brought you in future’’, I was a little relieved “ ooh that’s good, but do you know me and most importantly how I came here”, he made me sit again beside him“ you smelled that white rose right? That’s how you came here", I thought a little “ yes and it smelled awful but how can a simple rose bring me here”, he sighed “you created that too, the rose with pink tint has got your fingerprints so only the person who’s fingerprint matches can travel future, I knew that you like white roses so I planted machine everywhere you go, I thought you will sure pluck one and plan worked”, I was just amazed with what I did but suddenly guilt took over “ but how do you know so much”, he grinned and said “ come on girl don’t tell me you forgot your dad”, my eyes widened, then I noticed he seemed familiar when I met him, I hugged him “ so how do you find me? And how will I go back”, he got back on his legs “ obviously near old house, and you will go back the way you came” I looked over the white rose that he was pointing “ okay, so I have to smell that thing again” , he chuckled “ yeah if you want to go back”, but before departing I hugged dad once again and said “ you know future cannot be changed, you just wanted to see me again, right??’’ he hugged me back “ don’t make your old man cry, now go before I stop you” he gently pushed me, I went over the rose bush and plucked a white rose “ Okay dad see you at house” he smiled, and I smelled the rose, when I opened my eyes I was back at field. I went back to class where Miss Marie was about to leave “I’m sorry ma’am”, she nodded and left.

I went and sat on my seat (never thought I will miss my place), I can’t believe I created that robot after knowing the consequences. Is there any way to make things right? How can someone be so greedy, feared creeped on thinking what my family must go through because of me. As school got over, I went to my house and hugged my mom, dad and little brother, they were confused on my sudden behavior but never said anything. Then each day I used to help everyone with little things in hope that I could change future.

Greed is one hell of a disease, it’s incurable but you sure can prevent it by letting love overpower, dreaming about spot light isn’t bad but what about the people you put in dark for coming in spot light, let the idea of light do not darken your soul.