Pathways: Anecdotes from Further Beyond

04. Altered

Prompt: "For many years, magical creatures lived hidden among the humans. No humans can see them, yet you are a human and you see them. How do the magical creatures discover you can see them?"

'Will you stop gawking at me? It creeps me out.'

I quickly averted my eyes. Even so, I could see the strange glance my classmate cast at me from the corner of my eye. Being on the receiving end of their suspicion, however, was the least of my worries.

The Malhotras' car had a broken windshield. They had been visiting us for a while now, so it came as a surprise when they found the son of their friends standing with a cricket bat in his hand near their car, which had a broken windshield. My parents, as usual, apologised profusely for my disgraceful behaviour, saying I was usually well-behaved and they couldn't understand why I would do such a thing. But the truth was that they were hiding my "condition". They were too embarrassed by me.

People only believe what they can perceive. Our very concept of reality is defined by what we "see" with our senses. Thoughts bounced around inside my head as I heard my parents arguing downstairs, in the living room. I couldn't hear the words, but I was well aware of the content. I treaded to the window of my room. It was nearly dusk and the slivers of light from the dying sun streamed through the narrow slits between the curtains, dimly lighting the room. I could not bring myself to gaze outside for fear of what might be waiting.

****

Dinner was a quiet ordeal, the silence broken only by the clatter of dishes. My parents asked nothing, probably because they knew what my answer would be. It was just as well for me, and I went back to my room without a word.

It had started a couple of years ago, and my parents had laughed it off when I had told them. But as I continued telling them what I saw, they grew concerned. I remember hearing "Schizophrenia" several times. It was not as serious, though. I still went to the same school with the same friends. The only difference was that now some of the teachers were aware of my "condition". I think my friends suspected it as well. I didn't care. I knew what I saw was real. Did it matter if no one else believed it?

As I got dressed for school the next morning, I risked a glance through my window. Like every other day, they were all perched outside, on rooftops, electrical cables, lampposts. I tried ignoring them as I walked to school that day. It was frightening that no one was remotely aware of them despite how many of them were sitting everywhere. Fortunately, not a single one was on the road. Could it be that they knew they might get hit by a speeding vehicle, I wondered casually as the traffic light blinked red.

School was a strenuous affair. With the final exams right around the corner, The air in the class felt much heavier than usual. My friends were sitting in separate seats, engrossed in the teacher's words. I would have been much happier had I done the same.

Alas, fate had something else in mind. I cast a glance towards the clock. Half-past two. An hour was left. When I turned back to my friend, a scream nearly escaped my lips. Fatigue left me and I was on high alert.

It was curled around my friend's arm, as he scribbled quick notes in his notebook. As I watched with a mixture of piqued interest and trepidation, it turned its head from side to side, the lazy gaze finally settling on me.

For a moment, my body stopped completely. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, and an uncanny silence fell over the classroom. The thing stared at me for a long moment, the tiny crescent-shaped eyes glittering under the little carved wooden mask that adorned its oblong head. The next thing I knew, it was sitting on my palm. Its weight was nearly non-existent, and I felt no warmth or cold from its body. It continued staring at me from its new position.