In the dead of night, Ravi found himself stranded on a desolate street. He had a flat tire and as far as his eyes could see on either sides of the road was nothing but a creepy darkness. Except for, what appeared to his tired sleepy eyes a tiny flickering light at a distance. He could be wrong he couldnt be sure of his eyes after driving nonstop for 16 hours in a new city. Instead of waiting he decided to go ahead and find out. As he approached the light, it got bigger till he was finally able to see what appeared to be a modest small hotel. There was pin drop silence and not a soul in sight except for what looked like a figure of a lady standing just outside the building. As he approached her he noticed her long beautiful hip length hair, her back was towards him. "Excuse me Ma'am," he said. The woman jolted out of shock and turned around. "Oh i'm sorry i didn't mean to startle you. I just wanted to ask...."And Ravi stopped mid sentence, his mouth ajar, staring and registering the unbelievable beauty of this terribly scared woman. Startled big frightened eyes, an innocent pout and the most luminous skin he had ever seen. She looked divine. She stood there studying him as well and Ravi realized he had been staring impolitely for long. Getting back his train of thought and laughing nervously he said, "Sorry i got a flat tyre. I just wanted to ask you if you knew where i am and where can i find a mechanic. My cellphones got no network around here so if you could help." Still finding it a bit hard to trust this stranger she just pointed towards the building. Ravi studied the building and found it odd that it had no signage. He gave her a quizzical look and she finally uttered her first word in a very soft, gentle voice, "Hotel." Ravi was even more mesmerized by her now. Beautiful and with the voice of a nightingale. He didnt want to leave her side still he said thank you and moved towards the building unwillingly. She smiled back at him sweetly. He was about to enter the lobby but turned one last time to see her. She was still standing outside, looking his way and smiling. Ravi smiled and after a bit of dithering entered the building. Booking a room for the night, he gave his name, asked about a mechanic (who could be summoned only in the morning) and when he was handed the room key finally mustered the courage to ask the receptionist about the lady waiting outside. "Is she staying at this lodge too?" "Which lady?" asked the receptionist. "That lady," Ravi pointed outside but as both stared beyond the glass doors it was an empty street. She must have left he thought. Strange. "Never mind," he proceeded to his room.
Next evening Ravi ventured out in the hope to meet the beautiful mysterious girl. He had dreamt of her beautiful vulnerable face and thought about her all day long. He desperately wanted to meet her once again. And there she was again. Near the porch. Plucking and smelling pretty flowers totally oblivious to the evening hustle and bustle of the lodge and its noisy guests. "Hey there" and Ravi startled her again. "I am so sorry. Again. This has turned into some ritual now. Me unintentionally startling you," Ravi managed awkwardly. The woman didnt seem to mind and laughed with him.
"So what is your name?" "I am Sonia," the pretty girl replied. Ravi was almost under her spell. He wanted to get to know her. " Would you walk with me. Just you know around the porch." Sonia studied him for a while and agreed. They spoke for hours, laughed, strolled leisurely. Evening had turned to night and the guests had retired to their rooms. Ravi realized he should get back too when he asked her,"Whats you room number?" Sonia replied," I dont stay at the lodge." Ravi found it odd. He was in two minds and wanted to ask whether she worked at the lodge or else why was she here but thought maybe it would appear as prying. He didnt want to say anything that would displease her. So he left it at that. "Well i should get going now. Time to sleep. See you again, tomorrow?" "Maybe," smiled Sonia. Ravi could feel falling for her every moment that he spent with her.
Turned out, Ravi's car had more problems than a mere flat tyre and would need servicing for another whole day. Ravi didnt mind. He wanted to spend more time with Sonia. They met the next evening. She had seemed a bit private, almost distant since the beginning never giving out details like her phone number or where she lived. Maybe she was taking time to build trust and Ravi didnt want her to get frightened and stop seeing him. So he was patient. Despite his car now working and returned to him at the lodge he stayed a few more days, just to spend the romantic evenings strolling and laughing with and looking at Sonia. Finally, one evening Ravi felt he had acted like an unbelievable romantic hero and surprised himself by overstaying at a hotel just to spend time with his crush. It was time, he thought to take things forward. That evening he saw Sonia, as usual at the porch. He mustered the courage and blurted out,"Sonia i think i am in love with you. I overstayed at the hotel just to get to know you better. God knows what spell you have me under. My days are spent waiting to see your face, to talk to you. I promise i will....." he went on and on. Sonia had stopped smiling now. There was always a hint of sadness in her eyes, but this evening Ravi noticed a deep almost unbearable melancholy. "Sonia, i am sorry if i have...." Sonia stoped him mid sentence. "Ravi you cannot see me anymore." Ravi was devastated. "Why Sonia? Dont you like me?" "Its not that." "Then? What is it Sonia?" Ravi persisted. " Its because i dont exist." Ravi was shocked. He could have expected any reply right from she already has a boyfriend to shes just not into him but this? Was she mocking his intelligence? Wasnt he worthy of even a decent reason? "Come on Sonia. You think i am stupid. Give it to me straight i am not good enough for you instead of lame excuses." Ravi's tone was now getting infuriating. "Its true Ravi. I am a ghost. I visit this porch daily because i had jumped off from the terrace of this very place. Dont you find it strange." Ravi was shaking his head in disregard but looking at her straight face and the seriousness of her tone he realized she was not joking at all. A strange fear gripped him suddenly. He didnt know what it was. Of realising that he had fallen for a ghost or that she was going to leave him. "You should go back in now. Its about time i let this place go. And you let go off me too." Ravi was about to retort when he felt a tapping on his shoulder. It was the receptionist. "Sir who are you talking to?" Ravi turned to point at Sonia but she had disappeared. "Sonia" Ravi whispered in disbelief and with a heart full of grief. The receptionist took his arm and gently said,"Sir let me take you back to your room. You look tired." Ravi's head was dizzy from the shock and his feet couldnt support him. A bellboy passing by saw him and rushed to support Ravi before he collapsed to the ground. "Lets take sir to his room." The receptionist told the bellboy. Back in the room, the bell boy got Ravi a glass of water and Ravi instantly fell asleep. They turned off the light, quietly shut the room and tiptoed outside. "How is his condition now Doctor?" "Well he still thinks i am the receptionist and you are the bell boy and that this hospital is some kind of a hotel. He still talks to the air. But today he came up with a name. Sonia." "Sonia?" replied the startled hospital orderly. "Wasnt there a mental patient named Sonia who jumped off the terrace of this facility and killed herself a year back?" "Yes indeed. Wonder where he heard about her. Or it just so happens to be someone who is a figment of his imagination." "Who knows. Anyway double his dosage tomorrow morning with breakfast or as he says room service," signed off the doctor.
So did Ravi's illness made him create a fictional character Sonia? Or indeed Sonia's ghost was real and talking to Ravi? Who was telling the truth?
-Sneh Chaudhary
Next evening Ravi ventured out in the hope to meet the beautiful mysterious girl. He had dreamt of her beautiful vulnerable face and thought about her all day long. He desperately wanted to meet her once again. And there she was again. Near the porch. Plucking and smelling pretty flowers totally oblivious to the evening hustle and bustle of the lodge and its noisy guests. "Hey there" and Ravi startled her again. "I am so sorry. Again. This has turned into some ritual now. Me unintentionally startling you," Ravi managed awkwardly. The woman didnt seem to mind and laughed with him.
"So what is your name?" "I am Sonia," the pretty girl replied. Ravi was almost under her spell. He wanted to get to know her. " Would you walk with me. Just you know around the porch." Sonia studied him for a while and agreed. They spoke for hours, laughed, strolled leisurely. Evening had turned to night and the guests had retired to their rooms. Ravi realized he should get back too when he asked her,"Whats you room number?" Sonia replied," I dont stay at the lodge." Ravi found it odd. He was in two minds and wanted to ask whether she worked at the lodge or else why was she here but thought maybe it would appear as prying. He didnt want to say anything that would displease her. So he left it at that. "Well i should get going now. Time to sleep. See you again, tomorrow?" "Maybe," smiled Sonia. Ravi could feel falling for her every moment that he spent with her.
Turned out, Ravi's car had more problems than a mere flat tyre and would need servicing for another whole day. Ravi didnt mind. He wanted to spend more time with Sonia. They met the next evening. She had seemed a bit private, almost distant since the beginning never giving out details like her phone number or where she lived. Maybe she was taking time to build trust and Ravi didnt want her to get frightened and stop seeing him. So he was patient. Despite his car now working and returned to him at the lodge he stayed a few more days, just to spend the romantic evenings strolling and laughing with and looking at Sonia. Finally, one evening Ravi felt he had acted like an unbelievable romantic hero and surprised himself by overstaying at a hotel just to spend time with his crush. It was time, he thought to take things forward. That evening he saw Sonia, as usual at the porch. He mustered the courage and blurted out,"Sonia i think i am in love with you. I overstayed at the hotel just to get to know you better. God knows what spell you have me under. My days are spent waiting to see your face, to talk to you. I promise i will....." he went on and on. Sonia had stopped smiling now. There was always a hint of sadness in her eyes, but this evening Ravi noticed a deep almost unbearable melancholy. "Sonia, i am sorry if i have...." Sonia stoped him mid sentence. "Ravi you cannot see me anymore." Ravi was devastated. "Why Sonia? Dont you like me?" "Its not that." "Then? What is it Sonia?" Ravi persisted. " Its because i dont exist." Ravi was shocked. He could have expected any reply right from she already has a boyfriend to shes just not into him but this? Was she mocking his intelligence? Wasnt he worthy of even a decent reason? "Come on Sonia. You think i am stupid. Give it to me straight i am not good enough for you instead of lame excuses." Ravi's tone was now getting infuriating. "Its true Ravi. I am a ghost. I visit this porch daily because i had jumped off from the terrace of this very place. Dont you find it strange." Ravi was shaking his head in disregard but looking at her straight face and the seriousness of her tone he realized she was not joking at all. A strange fear gripped him suddenly. He didnt know what it was. Of realising that he had fallen for a ghost or that she was going to leave him. "You should go back in now. Its about time i let this place go. And you let go off me too." Ravi was about to retort when he felt a tapping on his shoulder. It was the receptionist. "Sir who are you talking to?" Ravi turned to point at Sonia but she had disappeared. "Sonia" Ravi whispered in disbelief and with a heart full of grief. The receptionist took his arm and gently said,"Sir let me take you back to your room. You look tired." Ravi's head was dizzy from the shock and his feet couldnt support him. A bellboy passing by saw him and rushed to support Ravi before he collapsed to the ground. "Lets take sir to his room." The receptionist told the bellboy. Back in the room, the bell boy got Ravi a glass of water and Ravi instantly fell asleep. They turned off the light, quietly shut the room and tiptoed outside. "How is his condition now Doctor?" "Well he still thinks i am the receptionist and you are the bell boy and that this hospital is some kind of a hotel. He still talks to the air. But today he came up with a name. Sonia." "Sonia?" replied the startled hospital orderly. "Wasnt there a mental patient named Sonia who jumped off the terrace of this facility and killed herself a year back?" "Yes indeed. Wonder where he heard about her. Or it just so happens to be someone who is a figment of his imagination." "Who knows. Anyway double his dosage tomorrow morning with breakfast or as he says room service," signed off the doctor.
So did Ravi's illness made him create a fictional character Sonia? Or indeed Sonia's ghost was real and talking to Ravi? Who was telling the truth?
-Sneh Chaudhary
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