by Divya Singh
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“A sound of footsteps woke me up early; no I was awake, guilty of what monster I would become; lost, clueless; aimless at 3:31 am.”
“I was expecting ZA-vi/KEAH or other familiar face but a dusky 6‘1” man entered my room. Those eyes gleamed at mine as I turned on the lights. I was sure; I had not seen such familiarity, such thirst, sadistic amusement in any eyes since re-animation as if those intense blue eyes had met someone so close that they would be dampened any moment. “
At the time when I was saddened with my monstrosity, this guy 40+ clad inpatient apron began to instill the feeling of humanity in my soul! I am amazed; I have sensed a connection to him from my past life!”
“Hi! Dani! I am Devon! ……………” said he. “I have been told that you don’t remember a thing from your past life. I am sure even if you did there is no way that you must have recognized me!” He chuckled.
“Is it funny? I would prefer some meaningful explanation. I am in the state of a turmoil right now, so you better start talking.” I was outraged at the stranger.
Suddenly he picked up my right hand from the side of the bed and kissed it! It was really strange, it was the first time that such a thing had happened in this life and it calmed me a bit instead of pissing me off. It tickled my failed memory. Yes! This seems to be a person from past life rather than just being an object of excitement when I saw his body naked just a day or two before today. A man’s naked body, the first and only in this life, I had laughed!
Amidst all this thinking I gazed in his eyes, tears welled up in them. I was gasping.
“Why are you crying…..? I forgot your name what was it again.”
“Devon, ” said he. Continuing “You, Dani just you were the only person I have ever loved in my life.” He swallowed his tears again. Brought my hand towards his cheek and bent his face over it.
It is the first time in life that I had felt such emotions. As I said, there was a connection.
”Please tell me in detail Devon!” I said with the curiosity of reaching some conclusion as to what this all meant.
“Long story dear!” said he. “You should rest”. “I have just got awakened to this new life and wanted to see you as soon as possible the only reason that brings me here Dani.” His eyes were still damp, but he smiled. He probably had the best-looking smile I had seen so far in this life.
I protested: “We have time.”
Devon:”OK! Starting it from where it began. I was 7 years old, school boy when my mother had died. Then you came, I saw that person in you. You looked as if I had already known you for ages. You took me in your custody and volunteered to assist me financially all my life. I came to the table on which the forms you were signing were placed then I took your left hand and kissed it. You were told that I was all alone in the world. My father had left us, I do not remember when but I was too young then. I had nothing in this world, then you bent down with tears in your eyes you said, “He is not alone, I am there for him“and kissed my forehead. You gave me a nice place to live, provided me with food and education. You became my world to me. At just 21 years of age, you took care of an orphan very well.”
“You were the most generous, giving soul on earth for me. You were the most beautiful face for me. You meant the world to me. I fell in love with you instantly. I just saw your face when I was 7 and I became yours forever. It was the prettiest face I had ever seen and the most benevolent soul on earth. You became my Soulmate. My fallen Angel I considered you mine and I thought that this life and forever I belonged with you, every breath I took was yours.”
But then you had to leave for another town for work one day. I was devastated. I never thought that I will lose you one day. I lived five years with you, but I lived my life with the support of those memories. I had given my soul to you and there was no space for anyone else ever in my heart.”
I was listening quietly and could relate to this story for the first time in this life. It all seemed real.
He continued: ”Then after two years you phoned me that you loved a guy! I was devastated again! Till then I never thought that 14 years of age gap could be a problem in our relationship. I was a little boy who fell in love, but I think I could never tumble out of it ever in life. Rather I think now that love was so strong that it could not limit itself in one lifetime. But you instead chose a guy, well established, successful and wealthy, but also 14 years older than yourself!”
“But for you, I was happier. Because despite my despair, I trusted your choice of a man and that you would never be wrong in life, Dani, the one whom you needed to take care of you. I had lost, but I was happy for the only angel in my life. I was strong to move on. You had made me strong. You were a big name in life. You founded two companies and both were extremely successful. But your success and generosity were two contradictory elements which caused intuitive unrest in my mind. I continued the education you gifted me, but I began sensing that something bad was coming……………”
He almost sobbed: ”You Dani my angel was diagnosed with cancer! A third stage cancer! I was so devastated again, that I wanted to kill somebody. At the tender age of 29 doctors gave you just 6 more months to live the rest of your life! Grief struck me hard! Just as I had begun to adjust to something bad that happened to me, life would step ahead and something worse would happen. But this was the worst Dani! The worst!”
I was devastated too! Was life so cruel to me? I was all tears myself. I could not even ask Devon to continue further, but I also sensed curiosity about how and when I finally died. But what made me go against the ultimate nature of life i.e. Death and choose the horrible Cryo and reanimation.
“It was still not over Dani.” He almost sobbed.”The best thing that had ever happened to you was your engagement to the man you loved. You were so happy that day. But I could tell that the man you chose was not a gentleman.
I could say that from my intuition I had from seeing Mr. Sinister (Mr. Schneider) smile in the engagement photos. There was something fishy. You had a thing about white bridal dresses, so you wore one in the photos. You have had obviously thought that you would not live until the wedding. “
Continued he: “You lived for 3 years until the age of 32; falsifying the doctors’ time limit given to your life. You went through chemotherapies, Radiotherapies and various local surgeries removing organs one at a time. But you never seemed weary; you lived every way possible to each moment gifted as a bonus. Everyone voted in favor of putting you into Cryo hypersleep, all but you yourself, because you were a believer of life and that death was an inevitable nature of life; its ultimate destination. You believed and accepted it as a will of the creator. You died and were put in future science’s will to restore life in you. And I truly believe that it is Dani’s soul which came back from Heaven to resurrect this body. “
I said: “I still believe that death was my fate. Witnessing this future, this horrible truth and especially this horrible form, I still will choose death over this fierce life.”
But I did not know that life was so short and painful.
Devon: “It is not over yet Danielle!”
I turned back to look at him in disbelief. He said, “Your painful life had yet to reveal its misery. When you died, I could barely say Goodbye to my soulmate angel. My days and nights were all nightmares. I could not help but complain to God. I had lost faith in Him. My object of love was lost in oblivion. I began to think why he sent you into my life at first place when we were not meant to be. First, you stepped out of my life. Stepped into someone else’s and then suddenly life stepped out of you. I just absolutely failed to understand the very design of how life worked.”
He said: “But my sorrow was not meant to be lost forever. Soon it was replaced by anguish and despair. Just after your demise, the newspapers began to question the circumstances of your departure. They said it was not natural. That it was not cancer, which killed you. It wa
s a deprivation of oxygen. Yes, you were asphyxiated to death. They blamed Mr. Sinister for your unnatural death, so did I think. He was with you by your bedside when you breathed your last. Everyone including me believed that he was the reason. Yes ‘he killed you’ that was what I felt. But then the news makers brought evidence into public, raising many questions. A few, including me, filed cases. The state opened the case. The trial was a never-ending process that which took longer time because the accused kept on furnishing evidence in his support. At the moment of grief of losing you, he would rather be photographed with various women; he would never be seen sad, he was at the climax of enjoying his life to the fullest. He was a womanizer and it is unbelievable that you chose him. You were wrong Dani. For that one time Dani, you were wrong!”
He continued: “I grew up thinking all this and that if he would be responsible he will be made to suffer. I got educated and a prestigious job. I filed a petition to reopen the case. By this time he had got engaged to a much younger model. As per your will, he inherited your all shares, properties and companies, which in turn were being transferred to his present fiancé. A stone was stirring the still waters. The shareholders in both your companies wanted him off the board. Then with the little money, I began purchasing the shares in your companies and gaining the vote of confidence among prominent shareholders. My strategies were sound and with a little luck, I was able to gain a voice in both the corporations. Then the state law held him guilty and he was dumped behind the bars, though he remained convicted, but the humanitarian view of the legal systems kept letting him out time and again.”
“I became so distraught of life I had that I decided to commit suicide so that I can lay in Cryo to find you again in the realm of future time. I am now able to see the success of my suicidal decision and look you are sitting before me!” He stopped for a while after saying this.
“I will take your leave, my angel. I will see you soon. It was really hard to get out of the facility they had reanimated me in. they must be searching for me. For us, we have got a whole new life to talk about! Take rest Dani! I will come to you very soon. Be seeing you!” He lifted my hand up from his cheek and placed it back on my lap. He got up and went out of the door.
I sighed. So my life was a horrible dream and this rebirth was a part of it, an extension thereof. Just about the time I was thinking why I began turning into a monster. But now the feeling of guilt is giving way to the want of a second chance. Life has not been fair to me earlier and now I have a right to live my way. I have been selected for a second chance hence I am entitled to living on my own will.
This Devon had brought a little something new for me to think upon. The reflection of my life in his words was overwhelming. A story; which would tear up anybody apart, not to mention my own self, it was my own story. First, I couldn’t believe what he said but then I thought there was no reason for a stranger to make up a fake story before me.
This second chance being awarded to me is another opportunity to live my incomplete sickening life with an altogether new beginning. What I did with Despondra was worth it and it is not guilt that will wash away my reason for the act.
I thought right now what I needed was to get some relaxing sleep. Hence, I would prefer my brain to calm down, to the point of sleep and postpone the disturbing thoughts for the time I woke up.
I glanced at the clock which was showing now was 04:35 am. I reclined back and the physical exhaustion from the day wore me down to falling asleep sooner than I could otherwise have.
Chapter 18: The Lone Wanderer