The Prediction by Prasad at Inkitt

Story Notes

Without missing a beat, the editor said flatly, “Get out. And give me a better one.”

Rohini walked out quietly, not looking up even once. She knew the entire office was watching her, taking in her humiliation with a mix of pity and relief that it wasn’t their turn.

She walked briskly to the washroom and splashed cold water on her face. When she looked into the mirror, her eyes were red and brimming with tears.

She needed a break. A real one.

Deciding to clear her head, she headed down to the basement parking—where she usually took a short walk after lunch. It was a habit she had developed for moments exactly like this.

Once in the basement, she avoided the lift and made her way toward the far end of the parking lot. It was usually dim and quiet, a space no one bothered with. That’s exactly why she liked it.

But something felt different today.

As she reached the end of the lot, she slowed. The air around her felt... dense. Still. Almost heavy. Then, inexplicably, she walked straight into what looked like a solid cement wall.

Only it wasn’t solid.

On the other side stood three figures, as if they had been waiting just for her.

Summary

It was raining cats and dogs - not the light, misty drizzle Mumbai usually teased with, but a full-throated, sky-cracking downpour. Ramesh stepped off the last local at Virar, the final ghost of a train that still ran despite the city being half-underwater. He wasn't from here. Just another man from a village in Uttar Pradesh, carried into the belly of this city with a dream in his pocket and dust on his boots. But tonight, even dreams took shelter. The station was nearly shut, its stalls dark, shutters clanging in the wind. His stomach growled, sharp and hollow. He stepped outside into knee-deep water, the streetlights flickering like dying fireflies. That's when he saw him - an old man crouched by the gate, drenched but calm, devouring a vada pav with both hands. The smell - warm, fried, spicy - cut through the rain and hit Ramesh like a memory. Something about the man. Something about the air. Something was off.

Genre: Scifi

Author: Prasad

Status: Ongoing

Chapters: 5

Rating: n/a

Age Rating: 18+

The Vortex

The smell of the vada pav was extremely inviting for ramesh. It was a no brainer for him that he wanted to eat so without much thought he waded through the knee deep water to the opposite foot path where the old man was sitting and having his last meal of the day, he went and sat next to him said “Baba can I have one” I have not eaten since morning. I will pay you for this one what ever it cost plus some extra. The Baba laughed. His typical laughter reverberated through the falling rain and struck something deep in heart of Ramesh. There was something in the eyes of the baba. Also he was not the regular beggar that one saw every day on the streets. He was what in the olden days we called a sanyasi. The baba offered him one of the 2 vada pav that he had. Ramesh who was so famished even forgot to thank him as he grabbed one and started stuffing his mouth one bite of the Vada Pav and suddenly he was feeling dizzy. He was shocked as he did not expect this. Something was wrong this should not have happened, he collapsed. The baba smiled and waved his hand in the direction of the deep dark street the rain had stopped by now. A blue or rather deep blue and white vortex appeared and 2 figures looking somewhat like humans stepped out of that vortex and walked calmly towards the sanyasi they picked up the crumpled body of Ramesh fully unconscious one of them put Ramesh on his shoulders and the other walked besides him. While the sanyasi to whom they addressed as Giri baba walked behind them. All 4 of them reached the vortex in a matter of seconds and the vortex expanded to simply swallow them all at once. Suddenly there was darkness all round the street had returned to its normal self. The rain was falling incessantly. The cat in Ramesh’s home growled slowly showing its displeasure as Ramesh had not yet returned to feed its dinner. Ramesh’s Apartment was dark as devils cove. A small shiver ran down the cats spine. It had sensed a presence it stared at the blank wall where a single frame of lord shiva was hanging right at the top. Slowly another vortex of orange light was emerging watching the scene unfold the cat jumped out of the window squealing with fear and ran away . While the cat jumped out the vortex completed itself and another sanyasi wearing pitch black robes stepped into the room. He was searching for something or someone. Seeing the empty room he was visibly upset and smashed his fist on the left palm of his hand