Chapter 1
“Breaking news. Welcome to the Future News. I am your anchor, Sadhana presenting you with the latest information on national and international happenings.”
The sound from his monitor was loud enough to fill the entire home. His mother’s lack of rebuke made the noise more apparent than it was a moment ago. Taking a look at the laptop on the teapot table in his living room, he took a bite of rice from his bowl.
The art of multi-tasking was one task that Vedant was proud to have mastered at a young age. In his 28 years, this was the second most vital skill that had sustained him. He filtered out the filler words that the anchor was shouting while taking stock of the materials that had sold the most from his online store in the past week.
“The accident on the National Highway has resulted in a causality of 8 people.”
As soon as he heard the report on the accident, Vedant placed the food container down. Now matter required his complete attention.
“Report confirms 19 people are injured due to the accident,” the anchor on the monitor was fervently reporting the news.
“It is estimated that two people have been hospitalized for immediate treatment. Our correspondent on the site, Ravi will give you….”
Reducing the system’s volume, Vedant got up to search for his phone. As a businessman, he was never without his mobile. Within seconds, his call to the top name on his contacts list was picked up.
“Tell me you are near the accident site,” he said, finishing the remaining food from the bowl.
“I am on way. I will update you on the situation,” the female voice replied.
“Do you need any assistance?” As he spoke he took the now empty bowl to the sink. It blended easily with the already present sink full of utensils.
“Honestly speaking I have no idea. I have never managed this many casualties. However, since this is an accident case, the outcome should be easy to handle?” Her voice started to fade out for a moment, promptly replaced by the sounds of sirens and horns.
“Mithila, if you are not confident things will turn ugly at a moment’s notice. I want to know if you can handle this. There is no shame in admitting help. You know that right?”
“Alright. I will handle everything here. You be in the shop. I will come there as soon as I wrap things here.”
“Okay,” He was never the one to hang the call. Seeing the other was still online, he continued, “I know you can handle this. I will see you soon.”
As if he had said the magical password, the call was immediately disconnected.
It took him twenty minutes to tidy up the room. His laptop was now inside his large blue bag bursting from various items shoved inside it. The monitor which usually filled the empty room was now switched off.
Mounting the bag between the seat and rear window of his newly purchased second-hand mini car, Vedant left for the shop.
The shop was approximately ten kilometres away from his home. It took him twenty minutes with traffic jams scattered throughout the path.
There was a large luxury car parked near the left corner of the three-storied building that had become his second home for the past year. With his usual spot occupied, Vedant took a detour, passing through the crowded road to the next alley which was empty of any people.
Underneath the huge Banyan tree, he parked his car and carried the bag on his shoulder trudging back to the three-storied building through the shortcuts in the alley.
Climbing to the third floor took no time. It was opening multiple locks on the tightly shut doors that never got easier with time. He kept the key ring on the board behind the door. With practiced precision, he opened all the windows while pressing all the switches on the board illuminating the various antiquities on the shelfs. From crystal balls to bronze gilded statues, from gold-plated shields to wooden lanterns, all the known and unknown, familiar and odd materials could be found in the room. Closing the door with only a small window open for ringing the bell, he started to move inside the shop.
Vedant placed his footsteps in between the two large silver-coated vases, one with dual handles pointed outwards while the other with an elongated neck with a perched peacock on it, careful enough to not touch the edges of both to avoid damage to the old pieces as well for his own safety. With similar steps, he trudged through the length of the room to reach the red door locked in the back.
Unlike the front door, this had no locks. Mithila had asked whether he did not care for the materials inside when he showed her the workshop the first time. It was not because he didn’t care. Rather the opposite was the case. He cared too much that he did not, rather he could not, trust any normal locks to protect its content.
He took the box containing his stylus from the bag and started to carve intricate designs on the door. The moment the door opened, all the strokes marked on the door moments ago slowly started to fade inside the wooden material. By the time he entered the room, the door’s smooth surface reflected the glow of the antiques.
Vedant removed the printed clothes from wall’s four sides, keeping them on the small chair packed with scrolls and torn pages. He opened the large box on the top shelf of the tiny armoires in the room. He managed to avoid scrapping his hands on the damaged part of the wooden frame.
He took a bunch of wooden sheets sitting on the top of the box and kept them on the same small chair. Once he was sure that all the things he required were ready, he opened his phone to call.
“How are things looking?”
“The accident was bad as reported in the news. We are working on helping everyone on the scene. I have to do overtime today,” Mithila said. He could hear her colleagues speaking hurriedly in the background.
“How about the others? How many should I expect?”
“I said helping everyone Vedant did you not hear me?”
The strain of the work was evident in Mithila’s voice.
“Sorry,” she said without a pause. “It’s a bit rough day for me.”
He did not comment on her words. He knew her well enough to recognize her mood. It was not like they did not tear each other’s hair when they were small.
“Anyway, two had passed on without any trouble. I have shared your contact with the remaining six. At least some of them will visit you in the next few minutes.”
“Okay. I am in the workshop.”
“Are you ready?”
“Yes,” just as he wanted to assurance her, a small ball of light shimmered in front of his eyes.
“They are already here,” he whispered, quickly standing up and holding his stylus tightly which had never left his left hand.
Her next words were drowned out amidst the buzzing sound that echoed through the small enclosed room.
“Hello, everyone,” he said as the last of the glowing orbs shifted, “I will be your guide of future journey. Welcome to the shop for the spirits.”
