Thriller Short Story – Stuck in the time loop!!
Photo credit: dhester from morguefile.com
In the midst of nowhere, he stood, puzzled. Still unaware how he got there . He had to find a way out. With a millions of questions in his mind, he started walking. Trying to answer his own questions and then again raising doubts on his own answers, he kept searching his pocket for any clue.
All he could see was dark lonely road and dust. A few trees covered the road ahead. No sign of any vehicle , not even a single street light. Yet the roads seemed familiar. He kept walking still wondering where he has reached.
Soon he saw light… a window. A house! He walked in that direction and the house seemed familiar even in darkness. There were people inside. He saw a kid eating. The kid looked up, outside the window.
Looking at the kid,he started sweating, he lost his grip on the ground. Out of shock , he fell , still unable to believe what he saw.
He heard his mom calling his name and his eyes closed.
“Mom” he said and he sat straight as he woke up.
His mom, Mrs Leela came running and found her only son sweating badly. She started wiping his face.
“Mom I saw myself as a kid!” He wanted to tell her so many things.
“OK nice son, you can dream anything. Now go take a bath.” She patted his cheeks.
“But it was not a dream!” He said. But Mrs Leela was too busy to listen any more of it.
He wanted to share what he saw but no one was ready to listen. He wanted to smoke. He went on roof. Everything seemed so normal. His normal mobile phone. The same neighborhood. The known roads. The familiar crowd. He felt relieved.
A sunny warm morning welcomed him as he started his day. A professor by profession he lived a strict disciplined life. He started his car. Stopped by his favorite pizza shop and picked up tacos for lunch later. His college cafeteria was the best place to get the best coffee. So he headed there to have a wonderful start of the day.
He was in his classroom at sharp 9. Students were seated properly, scared of him. His strict nature was well known among the college students.
“May I come in sir?” A sweet voice came.
“Mary!” He was shocked. He looked at the sitting students and he could not believe it. It was ‘HIS’ classroom. The girl asking permission to come in was ‘HIS’ girl, the girl he wanted to marry!
“Ah she came!” he heard a guy’s happy voice and no doubt it was his voice. He looked at his younger self. There he was-‘HE’ smiling, happy to see his girl friend entering the classroom.
How was this possible, he could not understand.
“May I come in Sir?” again the voice came, this time a little irritated. She glared at him and then looked at her love waiting for her.
“Yes” he said and he felt dizzy.
The clock showed 9 as he woke up. It was the time for his class. How could he be sleeping when he was just in college.
Surprised, he ran out of his room. Mrs Leela was in the kitchen.
“Mom” he said.
“Ah finally you woke up! It is Saturday so i let you sleep.” She said lovingly.
“Was I sleeping all the time?” He was shocked.
“Yes, peacefully”. the happy mother added.
There he was sitting in Coffee Cafe Day with Mary. They were in a deep thought.
“It looks like you are Mr. Scrooge and ghosts are showing you your past.” Mary tried to make the environment lighter.
“Stop kidding! I am serious. I saw myself as a kid as well as in college. Even you were there. All the things seemed so normal and suddenly turned abnormal. I am so scared.” He confessed.
“How many times it has happened?” She inquired.
“Mom says I am sleeping a lot lately. But I can remember only these two things.”
‘You know one thing” Mary whispered. “From past five years , you are telling me the same incidents and you go back to normal as soon as we walk out of this place and it repeats.” She added slowly.
“What! Are you kidding me?” He almost shouted.
She did not say anything. She was used to this now. She sat silently and finished her coffee while he kept asking her too many questions.
She completed her coffee and stood. He followed. She came out of the coffee shop and looked at him.
“Ah Mary, So nice to see you after so long. Let us go on a walk! ” He said.
–END–
