An Ordinary Day
Earth19C looked no different from any other world — at least, not in the mornings. Morning light filtered into a quiet house in Ananta.
“Nayan! Wake up. You’ll be late for college.”
Nayan Kumar, twenty years old, groaned and turned in his bed before finally sitting up.
“Ha, maa… I’m awake.”
After freshening up, he changed quickly and walked downstairs.
“Maa, give me breakfast.”
“It’s on the table,” his mother replied, already annoyed. “Every day it’s the same. Always waking up late.”
Before she could continue, another voice cut in.
“Janaki, stop scolding the boy. It’s not that late.”
Nayan immediately nodded. “Yes, Papa’s right. I won’t be late.”
He glanced at his father and mouthed a quiet thank you.
His mother sighed. “Raghav, this is exactly the problem. He thinks he can do everything in a hurry and get away with it. One day, he’ll get into serious trouble.”
Nayan picked up his bag and the bike key, stepped outside, and pulled on his helmet.
Sitting on the bike, he called out, “Maa, bye! I’m going to college. Bye, Papa.”
His mother came to the doorway and waved at him.
Nayan smiled, waved back, and rode off.
By the time he reached Shantivana College, the campus was already alive with students. He was in his second year of B.Sc. Psychology. He parked his bike and walked toward his classroom.
As soon as he entered, he spotted his friends.
“Hey, Isha. Karthik. How are you guys?”
Karthik smirked. “I’m good. So… will you try anything today at least?”
Isha shot him a look. “Hey, Karthik! Stop it. Don’t talk nonsense.”
Nayan laughed and slipped into the seat between them.
The lecturer began the class by talking about hallucinations and perception.
He explained how the brain can sometimes create things that don’t exist — extra sights, sounds, or sensations — and how such experiences often interfere with normal functioning.
Medicines, he said, helped calm the brain and bring perception back to a stable, shared state. They reduced these unwanted creations and allowed the mind to function normally again.
Long after the class ended, Nayan found himself still thinking about it.
“How are hallucinations really a problem?” he asked, turning to Karthik and Isha. “What if we don’t treat them?”
Isha frowned. “Why would you want to live with random brain creations? They could keep pulling you away from reality.”
“But what if they are reality?” Nayan asked quietly. “What if those things are actually true?”
Karthik shrugged. “Even if they are, the world only accepts what everyone else sees. Anything outside that becomes abnormal.”
Isha sighed. “Okay, enough. I don’t want another lecture right now.”
As they walked out, Karthik leaned closer to Isha and grinned.
“At least today, tell me you’ll ask him out.”
Isha froze for a second, then flushed. “Hey! Stop it. There’s nothing between me and Nayan.”
Nayan watched the exchange, laughing.
“Okay, calm down,” he said. “Karthik, she’ll give you hell if you don’t stop.”
All three of them laughed, the moment dissolving into easy familiarity.
“Okay, guys. See you tomorrow,” Nayan said, waving as he got on his bike.
He rode off alone, the road ahead unusually empty.
The quiet tempted him. Without thinking, he sped up.
Then everything went wrong.
The bike skidded. He lost control.
A two-wheeler appeared too suddenly — there was no time to react.
The impact threw him forward. He landed hard near the edge of the road, his helmet striking a large stone. It cracked on impact.
Pain exploded through his head. Warmth spread beneath the helmet.
And then—
Nothing.
