Episode 3: New Acquaintances.
“Oh, King! Every time I come back here, you come after me. This has no end. Tell me, Vikram. How long you can keep up, how far it’ll be?”
Vikram woke up and found himself in someone’s bed. He coughed, quickly removed the sheets and jumped out of the bed. The place was quite different. Although it was a strange place, it had a warmth that his previous address was missing.
Sooner, Vikram’s wounded arm drew his attention. It was now bandaged. The rough texture of the fabric reminded him of, “Basu!” He had jumped after her when Kala had attacked them. Slashing his arm, the blade had sent them through separately timed portals. Alas, he had lost her.
Footsteps approached and Vikram hid behind the door. Somebody opened the door and Vikram slammed it against them. “Ouch!” She let out a yelp.
Vikram, taken aback, carefully inched open the door to reveal her face. So much different from almost all of the worlds he had been to. Her attire reminded him of home and her eyes something divine.
“Blood!” She cried. It broke Vikram’s meditation and he became anxious. The girl had started bleeding in the forehead. She sat on edge of the bed and said, “That’s how you repay someone’s help?”
“Help?! So it was you who saved me from that crash?” Vikram asked kneeling in front of her.
She lifted her face and beamed. “Myself Dimple. The little kid you saved from the leopard is my nephew. So, thanks. But no thanx,” She pointed at her forehead.
Yes. Vikram remembered the kid, a boy whom he had mistaken for, “Basu. I need to go. Here,” he blurted out and ripped his sleeves. “Is there water here?”
The girl, Dimple, astonished, pointed outwards. Vikram moved through the door and entered a place that looked like a kitchen. He tapped, touched, and commanded the water tap by voice, but nothing. Dimple was peeking from behind the door. “How do you run the water?” He said.
Still amazed, Dimple approached snickering. She turned the knob and water poured from the tap. Vikram’s eyes sparkled at the sight of the pure liquid. He filled his hands and drank some. “Tasty.” He said to himself. “And clear,” he cupped his hands and watched it for a while. After so much time he had clean water or water altogether. He washed his face and wheezed.
Just then he realized where he was. He looked at Dimple. She was trying to hide her smile. Vikram got that and quickly gulped down the water. He then washed the cloth, soaked it and gave it to her. She chuckled and took it. She put some antiseptic on it and wiped the blood. She turned her face to him, with expressions seeking approval.
Vikram smiled wobbling his head. Then it hit him. “I…I need to leave…thanks for helping me,” he sputtered and started looking for the exit.
Dimple grabbed a hold of him, “Wait! Wait! Wait!! I can help you find Basu.”