Kusum - oh my gosh!!! You almost scared me.(until then I didn't realized I was holding my breath, I took a deep calming breath. Strengthen my posture and faced the stranger who is wearing strange clothes and strange ornaments all over)
Stranger- I don't have to try to scare you. You are already scared miss...? (While speaking he examined his nails then regarded me with a look)
Kusum- what do you mean by miss? I am not a miss I am a Mr. (I regarded him with a scowl while fixing the collar of my battered shirt, rubbing the wrinkles on the shirt and loose trouser and then I patted my cap)
Stranger- you are a 17-year-old girl who lives in that orphanage down the street. You wear boys clothes and come out at night to sweep the road and sell the garbage for money.i.e; RS 50 per 10kg. Right? ( he said all that in one breath. He was so fast that it took me a moment to realize what he said.)
Kusum- Um..you what? What are you talking about? (I was trying my best to not give away anything, my jaw is touching the ground and any second my eyes are going to pop out of there socket. I am so dumbfounded that I Don't know what to say)
Stranger- I also know that this is the last day of your road sweeping. And since you have been cleaning this street for a long time which also happens to be my property I am going to tell you something very important.
Kusum -who are you? how do you know all this?
Stranger- I know everything. The past, the present, the future. I also know that you don't in believe me. You think I am some crazy stranger who thinks this street belongs to him.
Kusum - are you a mind reader?
Stranger- yes and no. Only when I can see someone's future then I can also read their mind.
Kusum - so you are a FORTUNE TELLER?
Stranger- you can say that. Do not stop doing what you are still doing for the next 23 days. (he started walking the other way after finishing his speech)
Kusum - (In a haste I gathered the broomstick and the garbage trolley and started towards the direction he went. But when I looked up there is no one. I turned everywhere and looked again and again but the whole street is empty and it is a vast lane without a single building or any place. How can he disappear like that? I am having cold sweat at the back of my neck and every passing second my palms are getting more and more slippery. I left the place without turning back.)
{23RD DAY}
Finally the rain stopped around noon after raining madly since the day before yesterday. The whole place is so dirty that I am sure I can collect around 30 kg in a blink without doing any effort. I m sure he knew about the rain that is why he wanted me to come every day or else I wouldn't have found this place. It's a place besides the beach where I get lots of garbage due to the wind. And it is also not very far from my usual spot where I met that stranger who claimed to be the fortune teller. [2 hours later] Any moment now I m going to start ripping out my hairs. I always thought that this particular corner was filled with sand because of the beach. Little did I know it is a hole which is getting wider by every stroke of my broomstick. Why am I even doing this? It's my last day so my conscious wants to leave this place as clean as it can get. It's more than 15 minutes now and I think I am done with my conscious. I m about to drop the broomstick when suddenly I felt something thick and hard under the broomstick. After my many attempts, it's still not bulging. I bend down to examine it, I can't make out what it is so I took out the torch from the back pocket. After coming into light, it took me a moment to understand what it is. I can't believe my eyes at what I am seeing. It's a white like substance whose other part is cemented into the ground that is why it didn't bulge. Oh my gosh! I think I will pass out.
{7 MONTHS LATER}
INTERVIEWER- ladies and gentlemen, the person whom we are going to meet today are one of the youngest archeologists of our country. At the age of 17, she has discovered a whole town, bones, and fossils which have not been known by anyone. The scientists from all around the globe are still examining it and they claimed that it was an island which was drowned around 700 years ago but until now they don't know how its remains were found under the beach. Let's welcome our guest of the night. Everybody, please give a round of applause for MISS KUSUM. (After entering the room she gave a bow, smiled gently towards the crowd and took her seat)
INTERVIEWER- what did you felt after the discovering?
KUSUM- It's so surreal. I didn't believe my eyes and I still can't believe that this is happening.
INTERVIEWER- Everybody in the world is talking about you and they all wants to meet you. How do feel that the town which you have discovered is going to be known by your name?
KUSUM- I don't know what to say. I think I was in a good place or a good time, I don't know. I m just very grateful for what happened because it changed my whole life. I don't have to worry about a proper home, proper meal, my studies, my career. And most of all I found my destiny which is to become an archeologist. (The interview went for half an hour more. And then I came here as soon as possible. I wish I could finally meet him today. After checking the time, I got up its been 2 hours, I have lost all hopes. I don't think he will ever come.)
Fortune teller- why have you dressed again as a boy?
KUSUM- oh gosh!!! You came.
Fortune teller- this was the last day you would come, so I had to come.
KUSUM- you knew?!! You knew I have been waiting for 7 months for you to show up but still, you didn't show up.
Fortune teller- I told you I know everything.
KUSUM- I can't believe this!!! You made me wait for 7 whole months. And no apology?
Fortune teller- you came here to thank me. Didn't you?
KUSUM- Yes. But now I am not sure whether I want to thank you or not.
Fortune teller- ok, if you don't have anything to say then I am going.
Kusum -no, wait!!! Thank you so much for what you did. It changed my whole existence, my life, my future and mostly my destiny. Thank you for everything I will never forget you.
Fortune teller- your finding of your destiny was my last reason for existence in here.
KUSUM- I don't understand. What?
Fortune teller- You heard right about the street on my property. There was a ghost in there. Drunk people use to create chaos in there that's why I frightened them. Yes, I am exactly what you are thinking. I have been dead for 80 years, and I was waiting for you to show up on that day. Just remember your destination is not just being an archeologist but also giving what you got and what you never had. Have faith in people, never forget where you come from and your hardships. Exactly 6 years and 7 months later you will meet you other destiny. Be prepared and be happy. My time and destiny has finally come to an end. (He smiled and disappeared with the passing wind)
YOU ARE READING
THE LEFTOVER SPELL
خيال (فانتازيا)Brief description of my short stories... Story 1) The Leftover Spell- A girl gets a wand which brings leftover things, she uses it for everything but not everything is leftover. She learns the value of hard work, knowledge, will, determination and s...
