Unreal Reality

It is all in your head

Sameer! Rhea went speechless. She was absolutely shocked. Her son, her dear son, was trying to run away!

Sameer was trying to escape into the backyard through the huge window in his room. What scared her even more was the fact that Sameer was holding on to somebody on the other side of the window, in the backyard. She thought her eyes must be deceiving her when she saw a dark silhouette of a grown up man. It appeared as if the man was standing behind the wall, trying hard not be seen.

She blinked, and poof! The silhouette had disappeared out of nowhere. "Sameer! What on earth are you doing!?",screamed Rhea the moment her instincts kicked in. Sameer stopped scrambling clumsily on the window sill and looked back.

His eyes were puffy and cheeks soaked with tears. He rushed towards Rhea and hugged her tightly,wrapped his arms around her legs and sobbed.
"Oh, mommy, I never wanted to..I never wanted to..run away, but, Jerry, he told me you were bad. I told him no, mommy is the best but then he threatened me. He threatened me, if I don't run away he will..."

"He will what, Sameer?"

"Mommy, I'm scared" whined Sameer. Rhea didn't want to force him, but the whole incident had irked her.

She decided probably whatever she witnessed was only happening inside her head and not in reality. She kneeled and hugged her son.

"It's alright, Sameer, it's alright" said Rhea as she stroked his hair and softly patted him. He fell asleep in her arms and she carried him to his bed, tucked him in and kissed him good night.

She then went to the window, opened it and looked sideways. Nobody. She sighed. She was about to head back but then she heard something. She stopped right there. A grunt and a snicker. She rushed to the backyard to catch the person red handed. But no, there was nobody was there.

Her knees felt weak and she had a feeling she might faint on the spot. She needed help. She needed a break. With great strength and courage, she headed back, locked the doors, did a double check and hit the bed. I'm imagining things perhaps. I shouldn't stress so much. Rhea, calm down. You're stressed.

Rhea tossed and turned. The incident bothered her a lot. Especially Sameer's behavior. She pondered and pondered and came to the most logical conclusion, according to her. He is watching too many cartoons. Television. One heck of an idiot box it is. Happy and satisfied with her conclusion, Rhea fell asleep, content, as everything was back to normal.

"Sameer, time to go to school!" said Rhea, aloud from the kitchen. Sameer was seven and bright. Plus, with him in school, I would be able to focus on the official work, court and myself for sometime.

"Mommy, what is school?" asked Sameer innocently.
"Um, school is.." said Rhea and paused. "School is a place where you will learn a lot of new things!" continued Rhea enthusiastically. I never enjoyed school. Wanted to burn that place down. Friends were the only reason I went to school.

"Sounds boring" pouted Sameer, as he blew away his silky, straight, light brown hair,away from his forehead.

He is adorable.

"Now, now, let's get into the car" said Rhea as she gently nudged her son to move forward.
"Mommy, will Jerry be given a seat as well? You know right, he is always behind me, asking me to take him along with me wherever I go."

Rhea stopped. She raised her eyebrow and gaped. That imaginary friend drama again. She restored her calm and kind expression and replied,"Yes, love, of course. Now it is getting late." Kids. She smiled to herself and headed towards the car.

"Children, welcome! Today is your first day at school and I hope you all have fun and make loads of friends!" smiled the big lady standing in front of a huge gathering of scrawny, clumsy children. Sameer felt bored. How childish everybody is, thought the seven year old Sameer.

"I'm borrity boreeeeed, Jerry" said Sameer to the person standing next to him. Before his Jerry could reply, a cute little thing interrupted them,
"Who are you talking to?" asked the girl standing in front of Sameer.

Sameer noticed the girl in front of him. Dark, straight hair, eyes as black and innocent as that of a pup, a blunt nose, thin, tight, baby pink lips with a skin as fair as that of the snow queen.

Who is this strange creature, thought Sameer disgustingly. He didn't associate with girls much, as he thought they were silly and stupid and yes, not pretty at all. No one is as pretty as my mommy, thought Sameer proudly.

"Why, I'm talking to Jerry, you don't see him?" blurted out Sameer, thinking how oblivious this girl is, but then regretted telling her. Jerry made me promise not to tell anyone about him. But then, that is only after I turn 8. Jerry is strange. But he is the only one who understands me...

"Who Jerry? I don't see him," said the girl sheepishly.
"Oh, you can't see him? Strange, nobody can see him but me," replied Sameer vainly.
"Oh, even I have a friend like that. She's Lily. She is really pretty and cute, you know," beamed the girl as she looked at Sameer with some strange kind of fondness.
"Really? Wow, there is somebody like me too," replied Sameer, suddenly taking an interest in the girl standing in front of him.
"What's your name?"
"Natasha. Yours?"
"Sameer."
"Can I call you Sam? It sounds better and more cute," asked Natasha hopefully.

Sameer looked at the girl and thought for a while before replying. This girl, for sure, is strange. But, she, too, has someone like Jerry. Probably she might not be as stupid as she looks.

"If that helps you keep your mouth shut. You talk an awful lot!" replied Sameer nonchalantly and started to walk ahead towards the place they were being asked to assemble at by their teacher.

"Sam! Wait for me, too!",said Natasha excitedly, as she struggled to keep up with him.
Oh boy, she is irritating. I should give her a name as well. Tasha. Yes, Tasha sounds funny. She might get irritated if I call her that. That would be awfully fun! thought Sameer as he smirked to himself.

He was about to tell his thoughts to Jerry when Natasha interrupted him again.
"Sam?"
"What is it, Tasha?" asked Sameer, annoyed.
Tasha? Did he just give me a nickname? He likes me! Plus, the name is so cute , thought Natasha, blushing.

"You gave me a nickname! Oh, Sam, you're sweet. But, bad at the same time," replied Natasha with a scowl on her face.

Little did the girl know how precise and accurate her judgemental skills were.

Sameer only nodded his head to let her know that he had acknowledged whatever she just said. Confused, how the name pleased her instead of irritating, Sameer stared at her and thought, perhaps all girls are like her.
So mistaken he was.

"You're bad at disguising your appearance," said a sweet, pleasant voice.
"Hm, don't you talk," replied a gruff voice.
"You think he is special? Like the way we've been told?" asked the sweet voice hesitantly.
"Definitely. His thoughts, so mature for his age. But he still is a kid at heart. Loves his mother more than anything else in the world," replied the gruff voice, dreamily.
"That might be bad..." said the sweet voice, teasingly.
"Don't worry, he will prove to be useful, very useful.." said the gruff voice with such coldness, enough to freeze a bucket of water.
They both stayed silent, wondering about the future.