Across the Heights : Part - 1

A Sci-Fi Story 

by Zeashan Zaidi

In the middle of the city was situated ‘Strokes’ art gallery, which was crowded by arts lovers. In this exhibition of modern arts, many well known artists’ paintings were present.

In between the spectators there was also a group of college student.

Tanya was neither interested nor understood the modern art. Every painting appeared to her as an inverted routed sweet to her. Anyway, as she was one of the group members, she was forcefully dragged along with the group.

But this one painting forced her to gaze a look at it. Don’t know what it had in it, there was nothing so catchy in the picture. The canvas was painted with a man trying to pluck a fruit from a tree. Tanya was so lost in the picture that she did not realize the group had left her behind.

At the same moment darkness swept into the art museum because of a power cut.

*****

Suddenly Tanya found the same man’s picture talking to her.

“Come! I was waiting for you only.” The picture produced a flowing voice.

“Wh…Who are you?” Tanya asked shockingly.

“Don’t be scared. Come close to me. I’m your love. I love you.” He stepped towards her opening his arms wide. Tanya tried stepping away from him, but it seemed as if her feet were frozen there.

Soon the man from the picture wrapped her in his arms tightly. Suddenly, all the walls in between them fell apart. It was a frightening thunder that Tanya was caught in and Tanya fainted when the thunder faded away.

*****

When Tanya gained her consciousness back, she found herself on a white bed and the bed was surrounded by her group members. Worry was reflected from their faces. As soon as they saw Tanya opening her eyes, a sigh of relief ran through their faces.

“Tanya, are you alright?” Rohit stepped forward and asked Tanya.

“Yes. B...But.”

“You fainted while looking at a picture in the museum. Then we brought you here in this hospital. Thank god! You are OK.” Vinay Said.

“This means I was dreaming while being unconscious.” Tanya Murmured.

But this was just the beginning of the dreams. Thereafter she started dreaming everyday about the same man hugging her in his arms and talking about love and romance.

“My love is getting nourished in your womb.” He said one day.

“Really! And even I don’t know about it?”Tanya said jokingly.

“I’m not lying.” He said seriously.

*****

To Be Continued...