Chapter 1 -
‘Dunno...’ said Nyan Goswai.
‘What?’ asked Deeds.
‘Just don’t know, what to do.’ Without the diary.
‘We’re talking, aren’t we?’
‘Yeah, but talking when I’m down, just gets me more down.’
‘You could write it down.’
‘Maybe later.’
Deeds, traced a tentative semi-circle, with his toe. ‘Remember when we first spoke... and got talking about... Vinash?’
‘Not really... did we?’
‘You said something about being connected, to him.’
‘Yeah… don’t know about that. We haven’t spoken, in a while.’ A long, long while.
‘And he’s here now, ladies and gentlemen.’ said Deeds, pointing backstage, like a talk show host. ‘Not everything has to make sense.’
Nyan shrugged and said. ‘I just know, talking... tires me out.’
‘Maybe it’s thinking too much, that tires you out.’
Zip, tweet. Honk. ‘Hey I just had the tingles! And from a car honk, nonetheless!’ That was a big deal. Or was it from the bird song?
‘See, when you’re not thinking, you’re talking perfectly fine!’
‘Or maybe, I have the attention span, of a magpie.’
‘Look, I know it takes a lot, out of you. But I’m here. Think of me as a brother.’
‘Makes me feel old.’ Nyan clapped, and cupped his sunken cheeks, with his palm.
‘What date is it today?’
Nyan thought for a second, then said. ‘Jan the first... why?’
‘Hate to bring it up... but it’s the day, your grandfather died.’
Blimey. ‘Seven years ago, today. How do you know? I never...’
‘Told you, I keep my eyes, and ears open. Especially to people, I’m interested in. Maybe you’re forgetting.’
Or maybe you don’t exist. ‘Maybe you’re just... another character in my head.’ Nyan said.
‘Meta, hard to refute. I may be just a character, in your head. But your head, is a character in mine. We’re both characters, in life’s head.’
‘Ow, stop. My brain hurts.’
‘Try it... write it down.’ goaded Deeds.
‘Talk to you... over text?’
‘Sure, what’s the difference... if I’m in your head?’
‘But I ain’t got paper, or muh phone.’
‘Then to the ward, we shall go.’ They did. Nyan’s diary and pen, were on a stand, by his bedside. Deeds wasted no time. ‘Grandpa died, seven years ago. When did you, first develop OCD?’
‘You sound, like a shrink.’ Maybe that’s his stock character. ‘Wait, I never told you, about my OCD.’ He had the distinct sensation, of talking to himself. ‘Fourteen years ago.’ Nyan scribbled anyway.
‘Stepping on cracks, counting tiles, while walking. Avoiding shit on the ground, just like him.’ said Deeds.
‘Lara Croft, more like.’ Pause. ‘How do you know, all this stuff man? Have you been, talking to my shrink?’
‘Give me a break. I’m not used to, non-paying customers, being this cagey.’
‘Look, who’s projecting.’
‘Look, who’s talking just fine!’
‘Come to think of it, I did develop, an ear sensitivity. But it wasn’t, cos Grandpa died. It was meditation, that made me hyper sensitive.’ Nyan said, setting his diary aside, once more. Back of his mind, he knew none of this was true.
‘Just curious to see where it takes you?’
Would Deeds’ reflection, show up, in the bathroom mirror across? If only, the door was slightly ajar. ‘I’m sorry, are you performing occlumency?’
‘I don’t even, like Snape.’
‘But the silver doe... “After all these years”? “Always”.’
‘Until book 7, yeah. Look, I’m just high man.’
‘Because we all know, drugs make you a mind reader.’
‘We’re both high.’ Deeds said, clearly not listening. If he really was, just a character in his head, that would make him, Nyan an unreliable narrator.
‘Must read through, my diary again.’ he thought, while sighing. This was fun, if tiring. ‘Let’s table the whole, are you real or imaginary thing.’ Nyan gathered his thoughts. ‘Let’s see... I started this whole spiritual thing, in earnest, maybe seven years ago?’
‘Aha! See?’
‘But I didn’t find my teacher till 3 years ago.’
‘Look you believe in astrology. Why not synchronicity?’ Fair game.
