OraOra

  Friendship has really been something that has eluded me for all my life. I haven’t really been able to grasp the idea of what a true friendship is. I’ve had people come into my life and haven’t really cared to give anyone the importance that is needed to begin having a friendship. I guess I would take that as one of my biggest mistakes as well because some people deserve it. Some people deserve the importance in your life. I say this now because I know how it feels to be there. Alone. The phone had stopped vibrating for a while now. I was still trying to get back into my senses. The impact of the knot was extant around my neck. The window curtains were closed but a sliver of light creeped in through the top of the curtain. My hand was in pain as well but it didn’t compare to my throat, which felt crushed. I spat on the carpet. I wasn’t bleeding. I leaned against the bed for a moment. I think I cried. Its never a good thing to accept that you cried. But I think I did. I didn...

                                                 I woke up early next morning to a bruised hand. Now, this wasn’t any normal bruise. There were cuts across the knuckles and the knuckle of the middle finger was swollen as big as the finger itself. I looked around, and all of them were gone. All that remained was three unsmoked but lighted up cigarettes alongside the edges of the sofa. Now, I would have actually thought of calling Jeffry for help and all, but today, I had a certain sense of clarity. I mean, there couldn’t really be another me! I was just going paranoid because I haven’t really slept that well. Also, I have seen a lot of movies like this.  I picked up the cigarette pieces and put it in my pocket. If you like, just saw me, doing that, I assure you, you’d think I was one of those street plastic collectors. No offense to anyon...

  There I was with a room full of chatter angry grumbles and cries. It was like a circus. I turned around and looked at Jeffry. “So umm” He started. “These are the others! Well almost all of them are here” “What?” “The others, the other versions of you” “What the fuck are you on about?”   I looked around and even though our voices matched, I couldn’t see how these people could be… me. “Are you serious?” asked Jeffry. “I mean they look the same act the same talk the same” What the fuck was this guy talking about was the first thing that came to my mind. All I could see was a child, a middle-aged uncle, and three people who barely showed their faces sitting at the corners of the room. “Mate shut up with your British accent shithousery, and get you and your imaginary friends out of here, Its hard enough dealing with you every day!” “But… They’re me, I mean you!” I grabbed his hand and dragged him before the first man. He was an old dude may be in his 40’s hi...

    At the thirteenth day of my grandfather’s death, I had to visit their home. It a ritual of some sorts. I don’t really know what happens. When my own uncle died last year, frankly speaking, I do not remember what all we did. I don’t fancy myself reminiscing those days. So, here I was like Dracula from Castle Vania. I didn’t give a shit. I was just there. I watched. The priest had his work cut out and my mothers had theirs. The men sat chatting somewhere, some of my uncles played cards while some helped with food. I watched. My cell phone had gone crazy in the last few days. Between me and Jeffry I had been calling her for about 150 times a day. The phone couldn’t handle much of it. The mic started glitching and soon, the mic was gone. Gone! I mean I couldn’t speak anything through it so it served no other purpose than playing games. But I needed to call her still so I had to get it to work. You know, the other day when I went to get it fixed the guy said 2 weeks? 2 ...

I woke up a bit tired. I think I slept like around 11 yesterday, but again woke up early as I always do. My eyes always wander to the Bojack horseman poster but today my other self was seated on the chair and his face covered the poster by almost half. His phone was ringing with a song. It was melodic. I listened quietly. At first it was hard to point to but then I had it. Cold/Mess “Prateek Kuhad?” He turned to me as if he was shocked but his face showed no expressions. “Yes, what about it?” I looked closely at him. “When did you sleep last night?” I was concerned. I mean. The guy’s face was like he was beaten up by three people at the same time with the same punch. His eyes were grouched and carried around them the blackest of bags. They almost looked like a leather purse. Eww. Don’t imagine that. “I didn’t sleep” “So, what have you been doing” He showed me his phone. As if I had to instinctively know what he had been doing. I, umm, I do know what he was doing but...

  “I can’t believe she blocked me?!” I had my phone in my hand calling her number, which always came back busy. That’s just an elaborate way of saying she blocked me. Although she did block me. “She can’t have blocked me” I was blabbering. My other self was aloof, expression less, and standing by the drawer next to the window. He was looking outside and back at his phone continuously. “Must have been a mistake, she’ll unblock me soon” “Aren’t you going to say something?” I asked him. He looked at me, barely for a second and went back to his phone. “Isn’t she the love of your life too, I mean you must be worried as well” He did the same routine again. One look at me and back to his phone. “I thought you were me, guess you’re not me enough” I blabbered. I mean the fucker showed no sign of emotion at all. He was busy with his phone. What a fucking rat. Has the audacity to claim he is me. I cursed in my head as he turned to me once more but this time he spoke. “I am worried...

  That day was weird indeed, but it slipped off my mind like butter slips off roasted pieces of meat. I’m not much of a chef so I don’t know if that statement holds, but you guys get what I mean. I forgot about that day.  I had left a message to my G about 2 days ago, saying how we should meet cause there could be another big lockdown soon and shit like that. I was casual like we never even fought, cause that’s my thing, I guess. Ignoring the big fat elephant in the room, because I don’t like body shaming. I was waiting for a reply to the message till yesterday, right before I had to go bald. My grandfather had passed away, and there is this weird custom of going bald when someone passes away. So, I had waited for a reply until that very moment but as soon as the last hair was off, the feeling in me wanting to meet her was gone. I look like a little chimpanzee when I go bald so I don’t really want to meet her when I look like this. But two days had gone since then and I ...