Arjun Roy and The Saviour of Hope

By Karan S Oberoi

Arjun wakes up to an unusual dream one morning. Little did he know his simple life would soon change, thereafter. He meets a messenger from another world who acquaints him with the truth of his life. A truth so overwhelming, that compels him to take a journey to Nuarrg- a planet they call Second Earth. But why Arjun?
Because they say, he’s their last hope!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Notion Press
• Release date: Oct 26, 2015
• ISBN: 9789352063574

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1

Restless grey clouds drifted across the sky on that blusterous night. A young, masked warrior clenched onto the rugged hemp ropes tied to the rocky mountains in the middle of nowhere. A silver necklace with a winged bird for a pendant adorned the warrior’s neck while he hung a golden shield to his back and gripped a shiny sword in his right hand. The hostile surroundings couldn’t be judged more clearly courtesy the roaring ocean beneath and the dark of the night.

Only light that could be seen was from the lightning that continuously tore apart the impatient grey sky, and the thunder that followed made the night more frightening, more direful. Booming waves hitting the sturdy mountains produced a noise that could have jolted any brave man’s heart, shaken any audacious man’s soul. Shouts and cries of Coshan! Coshan! sounding somewhere from above, filled his ears and pierced his heart. But the warrior looked determined, he looked focussed.

As he rappelled down the ropes, the sight turned appalling with scary creatures barking at him from below. The Shait Lord wants him alive! He kept hearing the name again and yet again. He bears the key to Koloustone. Stop him! Crush him! Quash him! But, he, at all cost, must not enter Nigahweth! The deformed creatures were yelping at him. The chaos was outrageous, the fear formidable. But he looked focussed, he looked determined.

I’ve heard Nigahweth has two surface entrances. We’ll use the second one to slide in. It’s less guarded- said another voice, somewhere closer to him. This was a rather friendly voice that had cordiality of a loyal companion. -you enter first. I’ll watch out for the shadowing danger!

The fearless warrior leapt onto the stone platform on his right, missing the notion of an exposed danger from behind where three stalwart men waited for the opportune moment to charge with their swords. Sensing peril, he pirouetted, drew up his shield, and took guard behind it.

Thundering steps advancing towards him; muscular figures waiting to crush him; and potent warfare much bigger for his size, did not shrink him. The masked figure swung his weapon handsomely in front, his eyes focussed on their upper thigh where the protection was least, cemented his foothold on the ground below and waited for their assault…

But before the situation could be understood any further, Arjun’s eyes opened in a flash and he went blank. All he could hear was his vociferous heart buffeting, loud enough to deafen him, clamorous enough to seize his mind from accessing his whereabouts. All he could feel were tremors coursing through his body, injuring his soul and immobilising his spirit.

His light brown eyes looked up at the mirror clipped in an iron frame on the rustic wall in front. An image of a young boy with messy silky hair, donning a bluechecked night suit, submerged in deep fear reflected in it.

Where am I? He said to himself, wiping the sweat off his forehead as he looked around perceiving the realism. There were no rocky mountains to descend but just a small wardrobe stationed in a limp and sluggish corner. No hemp ropes to hold onto but only a warm quilt over him that he gripped furiously. Neither there were hollers to stab him as he lay there alone and nor there was any darkness to be afraid off as it was taken care by the little window on the back wall which let the sunlight storm in that sparing and listless room. It was his bedroom.

6:30 a.m, February 21, 2014, his shivering eyes read the clock dangling next to the mirror on that artless wall. The day was correct, it was Thursday yesterday. The year was correct, he’d turned ten this year. Everything was in its place in his bedroom, just like he’d left it before going to sleep last night. Everything was normal, everything was the same. He realized he was safe.

Yet, he sweated, sweated hard on that balmy morning. The nightmare had shaken him, thrusting him halfway to the middle of the bed where he lay frozen. Of his various dreams, he’d never seen anything like this before. Although he was at ease, being at home, but couldn’t figure what the fearsome dream was about. Who was the valiant warrior? What were those deformed creatures? What’s Nigahweth? The thoughts filled his mind.

He loosened his grip and let go the quilt suffocating in his palms. It was a nightmare, just a passing dream, he convinced himself. I’m home! I’m safe!

2

Moments later he heard a voice which got louder and louder with each step up to his room. Arjun! Arjun! Are you awake, son?

His eyes responded in the affirmative as they riveted to the door which opened swiftly towards the inside. A fair, slender lady, standing tall around five and a half feet, with black hair rolling down her shoulders stood calling for him. The brightness of her hearty brown eyes, the softness of her beautiful face, and the comfort of her relaxed posture was all that Arjun needed for solace on that flustered morning.

Mother, lovingly, he said, his voice weightless. Thank God, you’ve come!

She sat on the bed and embracing him, planted a gentle kiss on his forehead. Good morning, son! Why are you sweating?

I had a frightening dream, ma, he said, tightening his hug. A very bad one!

-a dream? she smiled. My brave son got scared by a dream. That’s not you, is it?

It was strange, ma, with lots of scary and weird people shouting at someone. I couldn’t relate to the image at all. It was too messy.

Shouting at someone? she didn’t look a bit amazed. Well, I can guess who that someone is in your dream. Untangling his hair, she playfully stared into his eyes, didn’t utter a word, but her gaze stated the obvious.

Mom, it’s not funny! he frowned. The dream threw me out of the bed. Look, I was about to fall and it wasn’t me for sure. The entire picture was really scary, uncomfortably he added. Swords, shields… it was like a war zone. And the worst part is I still remember bits of it.

Nightmares are gifts only to late sleepers, son. Try hitting the bed early next time. Then no more nightmares, no more falling.

I don’t know, mom, he sighed, rubbing his palms all over his face as he got off the bed. It’s such a bad start to the day. Wonder what all can go wrong today?

C’mon, a bad dream doesn’t mean a bad day, son. That’s no logic. I’m sure your day will be good!

What can I say, mom. I think it’s better if I stay at home today.

His mother frowned a bit. Now I see where you’re taking this, boy. She got off the bed clearly understanding his message. Although she got hold of the subject a little late, but now it was more than obvious. There’s absolute no respite from missing school, son. No matter how much it’s against your wishes, you’ve to go.

But ma-?

No! No second thoughts about it, end of topic! You’re going to school. Bad or good dream, school is where you’ll be in the next hour and a half.

He narrowed his right eye, curled his lips upwards and playfully banged his right fist into his left. Well, it was worth a try! But I guess there’s no escaping school today. Be prepared, Arjun Roy, think with all you’ve got!

Mom, isn’t there even a slightest chance-?

-no! she said firmly and at the same time was getting suspicious of Arjun’s tenacity. Agreed, school was one institution Arjun was not fond of, but his repetitive urge to skip school raised many questions in her otherwise calm mind. Why are you so desperate to miss school today? You know you can share with me.

Arjun answered in a drawl, Everything’s fine, ma … it’s just I wanted to catch up with more sleep.

Mrs. Roy, though sceptical decided not to probe further. She picked up a half-empty water bottle beside the bed and was ready to make her way out of that penurious bedroom that had two single beds, a mirror, a wall clock and a tilted wardrobe in the name of furniture, when she again looked at him and said, -as soon Nikita comes out of the bathroom, you step in. I want to see you downstairs in twenty minutes for breakfast.

She isn’t coming out early, mom. She spends a lifetime in there. I don’t understand why these girls take so much time in dressing and all, he answered playfully. One can really-

-wait till you’ve a girlfriend, Arjun Roy! said a sweet voice that floated from the bathroom and the next moment the bathroom door flung open.

A fair, young girl, looking a few years elder to Arjun, pretty face and height resembling much to Mrs. Roy, with tied up black hair, stepped out of the bathroom fully dressed in her grey school uniform. What were you saying? she demanded at the instant.

Nothing, Di, I didn’t say a word, Arjun replied cautiously. I mean nothing about you in particular, I was generally talking-

-I heard something about spending a lifetime, she probed. Was that in general, too?

Poor Arjun looked at his mother for help. Did I say something like that, ma?

And, Mrs. Roy, well, what could she say between her two kids. Staying neutral, she seemed evasive about the issue as she took Arjun’s uniform out of the limp closet and handed it over to him. All these talks can be done later as well, kids. Not much time is left for your school bus to arrive. Arjun, you get in the bathroom, and Nikita, you mind the main door as Jaswinder Aunty would be arriving any moment. Tell her to wait for a few minutes while I prepare your breakfast.

Certainly, mom, rhymed both the kids together as one stepped in the bathroom with his uniform while the other stepped out of the bedroom with her mother for further routine work of the morning.

As they reached the last step of the staircase, Nikita heard the door bell ring. After wishing a silent good morning to the portrait of late Mr. Roy on the staircase wall, she hurtled towards the main door for answering. Just as she had thought, it was their plump neighbour, Mrs. Jaswinder Batra.

Ah, Jaswinder Aunty! How are you doing on this lovely Friday morning? Nikita greeted her. The tubby lady’s neck was hardly visible and her face was a combination of bitterness and disdain.

What’s so lovely about this morning, Nikita? It’s the usual lame morning, the corpulent lady answered. I see nothing special in it.

Well, the Sun has come out in full, Aunty. It feels so fresh, isn’t it?

Not to me, at least! Sanjit doesn’t allow me freshness anymore, she answered in a hopeless voice. A worthless dumb duck he is! Every morning I see his face I go sullen.

Nikita tried hard to ignite a positive conversation with Mrs. Batra today as well but it seemed the latter was not in a mood yet again. Least interested in her conversation, Mrs. Batra asked, Is Neena ready for work or does she need more time?

Mom’ll be coming in a minute or so, Aunty. Why don’t you come in and take a seat by then?

I’m fine here, she instantly popped. At least no one to get on my nerves here. Although Mrs. Batra was a resident of 36 Valley Street, Dehradun, for the past fifteen years, it didn’t bring any major difference in her behaviour towards the Roy kids or any other resident of that street for that matter. Usually she sounded rude and coarse and that quality of hers had proudly earned her the title of ‘Roaring Bull of Valley’ from its denizens, which of course, she was unaware of.

Only person in all of Dehradun who had managed to keep this Bull on her toes and had constantly put her in a fix, enraged her to the maximum she could tolerate, and had even managed to survive on Valley Street despite breaking her favourite vase, was the one for whom standing at the threshold her eyes constantly searched.

Arjun’s getting ready, Jaswinder Aunty, said Nikita understanding her reluctance to get in. He’ll be coming down for breakfast soon if you want to meet him.

Who said I want to meet him? She flinched at once and slowly murmured, if only he gets time off from breaking things, he can think about anything else. You know my golden vase-

-sorry for interrupting you, Aunty, I think you should come inside and then we can discuss things the way you like.

I’m more than fine here, Nikki. You needn’t worry about me, she said, maintaining her composure. Just ask Neena how much more time she needs.

Soon, Mrs. Roy was through preparing breakfast for the kids. Dressed in her black farm dress, she came to Nikita’s aid. She carried a handbag from which she took out some money and handed it to Nikita with a small list of groceries which she requested her to collect on her way back from school.

Once they left for work, Nikita closed the door behind them with a promise to her mother that she wouldn’t let Arjun skip his breakfast and no matter what, they wouldn’t leave the breakfast table until Arjun had eaten his full share. Sometimes, she wondered why her mother only thought of Arjun and his well-being all round the day. If ever anything happened to Arjun, like last week, when he fell from his skateboard, her mother ate up Dr. Kumar’s head, asking him a hundred questions about the seriousness of the injury. Thankfully, it was because of Dr. Kumar’s recommendation of appropriate medicines that Arjun’s wounds healed in two days, a time which was a great mystery to Dr. Kumar himself. He’d set up a review after a week and was immensely surprised when Mrs. Roy came knocking in, thanking him for the wonderful treatment only after two days.

First Dr. Kumar didn’t understand - How can a deep wound of half inch heal so quickly, he’d never seen such speedy recovery! But, Mrs. Roy’s freshly baked cookies made him forget the miraculous recovery. For once, he even wished if Arjun could fall ill regularly as he’d get to taste the cookies often, but in the next thought, he couldn’t believe he could think this selfish.

Few minutes later, Arjun joined Nikita for breakfast at their fusty dining table. The outmoded table resting under the staircase was accompanied by equally hoary four chairs which when moved, yielded more noise than the local church bells. It seemed that they could fall apart any moment, with parts ready to disperse in all directions. But, on the contrary, they were still functional, still utilizable.

Arjun, as usual, showed his reluctance in finishing his breakfast, but then had to give in when he learnt he couldn’t compete with Nikita’s persistence. Half-heartedly, he chewed his sandwiches and quarter-heartedly he sipped from his glass of milk.

Jaswinder Aunty was mumbling about her golden vase and asking for you, Nikita said, hiding her giggles while she applied butter to her toast.

What-? She still grieves over it-? asked Arjun a bit taken aback. It was just an accident!

You know you can’t afford accidents with Jaswinder Aunty, can you? Don’t you remember the Kitchen Tap incident?

Well, The Kitchen Tap incident was something about Mrs. Batra which was as famous in Valley Street as the Big Ben in London. It was one fine day Mrs. Batra walked into her home after work and found streams of water flowing out in the living room from the side of the kitchen. Highly concerned, she rushed to the kitchen only to find her husband sleeping in a corner as the sink tap spewed water all over the innocent floor.

What happened to poor Mr. Batra after that, well you can only imagine! He got a bashing so hard that half the hair on his head disappeared that very moment. So, the Kitchen Tap incident and the half-moon on Mr. Batra’s head had always served a perfect reminder of what happens if you get on Mrs. Batra’s wrong side.

Tell me, frankly, brother, why did you cover up for Mandy? asked Nikita as she chewed the last bite of her sandwich. I know it was Mandy’s elbow that pushed the vase onto the floor. Why did you take the blame on yourself? Jaswinder Aunty would be after your life for as long as she remembers…

Mandy wouldn’t have been able to digest her mother’s fury, Di. He would’ve been banned from watching television probably for the entire summers, he said. Sometimes, I feel bad for him. He can’t even speak in front of his mother. Anyway, can we leave now? I’m so full!

No, you’ve to finish this. I’ve promised mother that we’ll not leave until you finish your part. So, eat fast and we shall get going.

Arjun, at last, had to finish his bit. Nikita was so tenacious that Arjun realized he cannot charm her on this. But it wasn’t something that played on his mind when they waited for their bus to school at their usual stop. Another aspect of the day, his primary concern of bowing out of school gripped his mind furiously when his best friend, his only friend, Mandy Batra, a thin, haggard looking boy with round spectacles, who stood next to him, spoke in overwhelming fear, Have you prepared for the History test, Arjun? Wonder what will happen to me this time? I’m getting goose bumps since morning. Look-?

At first, Arjun thought if he just kept silent and avoided the issue in front of Nikita. History Test had been the premier reason that had swallowed his past week and to worsen things he hadn’t discussed the test at home either. The more he thought of it, the more he became uncomfortable.

But Mandy couldn’t control his urge of sharing his fear with Arjun… not today, not on this morning.

Did you get the last chapter which we’d to study? he said, as he flipped through his textbook. This stuff just flew over my head. Do you remember any of it?

Shh! Not now, Mandy! prompted Arjun, signalling him to keep his voice low and keep the textbook aside. We’ll talk about it in the bus. Not in front of Di!

TEST! But Nikita’s ears were too thin to let the talk pass. Arjun? Nikita raised an eyebrow as she spoke further, You’d a test and you didn’t bother telling me?

Di, I well … I-

Now, don’t pretend you’ve forgotten about it, she said, beaming her protruding brown eyes at him. Tell me, frankly, have you prepared for it?

Umm … I-

Have you or have you not?

I’ve tried to prepare for the test, Di, he answered in a low voice. But, History, I just don’t seem to get it!

Now, what does that suppose to mean?

These historical dates always confuse me, Di, and I don’t understand why states have to wage wars with each other, he said hesitatingly. I mean, why war?

You’d certainly understand it, Arjun, if you care to come out of your dream world and pay some attention to your books for a change. This time I’m not going to save you in front of mom. Better come up with some good excuse yourself… Are you even listening to me, mister? Nikita snapped her fingers before Arjun’s eyes. Where are you lost?

Nothing, Di, he replied with caution. I was thinking about my history test only- Then, he slowly turned towards Mandy and with a stern face, shot daggers at him with his red eyes. Arjun didn’t say a word and neither did Mandy, but both knew what went in the other’s mind-

Why in the world you’d to bring the topic here? Couldn’t you just wait for some time?

I didn’t know you hadn’t shared it with anyone at home. I’m sorry!

Sorry? I could’ve easily hidden my grades of the test. But now, thanks to you, Di will specifically watch out for it and will show it to ma as well.

But the test is yet to be taken, Arjun. You can still prepare.

Yeah, right! I couldn’t prepare for it in a week and you tell me to prepare it in an hour? Great, Mandy! I don’t get history at all!

Sorry! Now what can be done?

Nothing! I just have to appear for the test, then the grades will be out, then ma and Di will see it, and then I’ll be screwed! See, so easy.

Arjun, I swear I didn’t mean it-

Arjun’s thought went quiet for a moment. He knew Mandy, of course, hadn’t done it intentionally. He never meant any harm to him. How could he? After all he was his best friend, his only friend.

It’s okay. Let me think of what can be done.

Yes, think hard… if anything I can do?

Arjun thought hard. He wondered who could bail him out this time. His grades had been dropping regularly in History. His only hope was a miracle from God that could save his grades, which were plunging deep and deep into the melancholy, and were as depressing as The Great Depression itself. To add to his fright was Mr. Awasthi, the History teacher, who gave an impression as if he’d some past life unfinished business with Arjun. Even if Arjun scored a decent ‘B-’ (that was the best that Arjun had scored in History, ever), he