CHAPTER 2> SOME CATCHING UP

How crazy would Roran think I was if I told him the truth about that creature following me? He was such a good friend of mine. He was like my elder brother.  And, there was no one else that I could talk to about this. After all, he was into ‘biology’. But right now was definitely not the time. In the back of my mind I seriously wondered how the creature found me. It was still stapled under the wrapper. It couldn’t see me for sure, it had no eyes. Yet somehow it followed me from ‘inside a plastic’. It was either too damn talented or plain spooky. At least one thing I was sure of, that the ‘thing’ wasn’t gonna leave me alone. So I just picked it up and put it in the backseat of my car.

Was it just my imagination or had the creature just grown?

Roran gave me a long side glance for throwing the wrapper in the truck. “I just don’t want to litter the road” I said. “Hey there’s a dustbin right by the gate. I’ll…” “No, it’s fine” I didn’t even let him complete. The journey seemed so short! We were chatting and laughing the entire way. We had a lot to catch up on.

I followed the directions he gave me and reached a row house. He was staying as a paying guest there. Man, he must be making a lot of money to rent a place like this one. His landlord opened the door. He was an old man with no wife or children. That explained why he was so whiny. Before even saying hello, he started rambling about how Roran hadn’t paid attention to him this morning about keeping the place clean. On giving a quite ordinary excuse, the man frowned at us. Roran introduced me by saying “This is Koyna, she’s just like my sister. We’re from the same village.” I might have seen a slight smile on the old man’s face. But then he instantly turned around and went inside.

“Why are you staying with this man? You can easily rent a hotel room! This guy seems a little crazy!” Roran laughed boringly, I’m sure he’d heard a lot of this. He started reciting the sentence like he’d learnt it by heart by now. “He’s not that bad. Plus, the house is great. I love the view and his rates are quite reasonable. Also, he’s so lonely. I might as well give him some company.” Humble, noble Roran. He hadn’t changed a bit.

“Do you remember how we used to play carom when we were little?” I said, more than asked. He instantly lightened up and went in the old man’s room, only to return with an old dusty carom board. “Another reason why I live with him, he was a carom champion in his days!” He winked playfully. “He doesn’t play much now though.”

We went into his room and Roran fetched a dusting cloth. Cleaning it was a really tough task! Once we were done with it, we were all smiles and shines. We started playing the game, chatting like old times and laughing like crazy. A tiny part of me cried for missing those days, missing home. But I was relieved to have someone from home, with me. “What are you researching currently?” I generally asked him. When he didn’t answer, I looked up only to find him confused. “What happened?” I asked him, wondering what had possibly gone wrong.

“I can’t tell you. It’s not that I don’t trust you, I just can’t tell anyone.” He looked apologetic. At first I considered letting it go, but then considering that I had a creature-secret to tell him, I asked him to trade secrets. Convincing him was rather hard. “Roran, I have to tell you something too. I have a secret, ‘some creature’ stuff and I’m scared of it. I have to tell you but only if you tell me this thing first. Come on. You know I can keep secrets. Remember that time you broke Aunt Talwar’s window??! And then anonymously paid for the damage! And that other time you got beat up by a squirrel!! Man, that was hilarious!! And that other time you kissed Tim and..” “Ok, ok you can keep secrets! I get it!” he said, smiling through the memories. I think he was seriously considering telling me.

His voice grew grave just as his carom pin entered the pocket. He took another shot, but missed it. Then passed me the striker. I acted like I was paying attention to the queen, when infact I was eagerly waiting for him to start. Simply so that he could finish and then I could tell him about the creature. “We’re researching about a foreign being. Something we call twinticles.” “Twinticles? Never heard that before, I exclaimed.” “Like I said, it’s a foreign creature.” Those words got him my attention for real.

He didn’t even pretend to care for the game now. “There is something going on Koyna. Something deadly. Twinticles are creatures that grow to be… twins of some human. They are twisted versions of a human being, or any living being for that matter”. This explanation was not enough for me. It left me more confused. He understood my expression but refused to continue. “It’s all I can tell you right now Koy. And remember, this conversation never happened.” I shook my head seeing the super serious look on his face. I’d momentarily even forgotten about the other weird creature in my truck until  Roran reminded me to tell him my secret now.

Well, Roran hadn’t told me his complete story so I edited mine too. “I’d gone to our village this morning. It’s just two hours from here after all. I saw some creature there. It was scary. We’ll go there sometime and I’ll show you then.” He certainly looked disappointed for such few details, but didn’t push me to say anything further.

We finally changed the topic and finished the game. He won, as usual. And I demanded a victory teat, as usual! We decided to go outside and eat an ice cream, when his landlord, Mr. H (as he preferred it) entered. He gave us a lovely smile and asked me who I was. Maybe he had memory issues. I introduced myself again and this time Mr. H whole heartedly said “You’re welcome to stay here if you like. We have an extra room if you want it”. He looked so loving now. “Uhm no thanks, I have a flat nearby.” I smiled in return and we left the house.

Roran said before I could ask, “he has Alzheimers and some personality conflicts.” That was weird and Roran’s expression confirmed it. Anyway, the sun was setting and I was getting late. “Let’s hurry” I said. We quickly ate my favourite, chocolate ice cream, and then I drove the truck home. As soon as I parked the truck, the horror struck me. I turned behind to see the wafer packet torn up on the back seat. And it was below a circular transparent ball, with water inside it, and a creature. The amoeba that was orange-ish, had turned to skin colour, which now looked like a small foetus. It was mesmerizingly cute, but in a freakish way. I didn’t know whether to be awed or freaked out.

But I definitely didn’t want it in my house. I quickly leapt outside and shut the doors close. I ran up to my room, and quickly drifted to sleep.