PART 1:
It's quit cold in here. The air-conditioner is set at 21 C. I feel slightly imperturbable. We'll talk about this later. It's already 8 o'clock and I'm getting late. The meeting between me and Altaf is set to take place at 9 am and we will go to the site afterwards. I've to get ready and have my breakfast within an hour. Fun Fact: I didn't have to wait for my breakfast to get ready. It was there at my door the moment I ordered it. I can skip time for little things like this by just imagining through it. It sounds like super power stuff. But jokes apart, everything comes at a price and in this case I felt a little headache every time I used it.
Mr. Altaf arrived. He was a tall man with a fair complexion and a clean shaved look. Though he is going bald, whatever is left on his head is burgundy colored. The thing which looked odd and noticeable about him is his queer walk. His right leg appeared to be shorter than the left one which resulted in him walking with a tilt. His voice wasn't in sync with his large and heavy personality and every time he spoke, he sounded off the beat.Though he sounded quite jolly, I cannot decide if that's his real personality or just a result of years of attracting clients. After spending 30-40minutes with him I could
easily tell if he was lying or not. His actions were quite obvious when observed closely. and his Banarasi accent sounded too cool.
The property was in Lanka at a walking distance from Banaras Hindu University, the hub of students from all over India, buzzing with life all round the clock. The property was situated in a good location with shopping malls nearby and two schools under ten kilometer radius. A mango tree was planted by someone outside the plot and was bearing fruits. After the survey of the plot, Altaf suggested to have a glass of lassi. (a drink made from milk, sweets and some other ingredients). It was quit delicious. Nearby there was a "paan ki gumti"(paan shop) so we had a "full mitha paan". A paan is a preparation combining betel leaf with areca nut chewed for its stimulant effects. It melts as soon as one puts it in mouth and its amazing texture makes it irresistible. However, it has a downside. As one chews it, it creates residue which has to be spitted out every few minutes and it turns your mouth red.
I was going back to the hotel when all of a sudden I found myself back in Kanpur. This transportation was inexplicable since I wasn't thinking about it. As you already know, since the last incident, I had become quite wary of my thoughts as they had started affecting the reality. But how can I be in Kanpur without even thinking about it?
I sensed another mystery here. I took the GT road and drove to a secret location in Bidoor, Kanpur because I didn't want others to know I'm in here, particularly my family and friends.
I am sitting on the bank of a river at present. The surroundings is as beautiful as always. I used to come here in my college days bunking classes along with my friends. And now I'm bunking the entire journey of 350km. Who could have ever thought of it?
Haha , jokes apart, I am in deep thoughts continuously trying to remember when and how did I thought of myself in Kanpur. I cannot take the help of the book as it is in my hotel room in Varanasi. What troubles me the most is that I never travel in portals
without the book. Till now I believed that the book has powers and since I am in contact with it, its powers are being transferred to me. However, this incident shook my assumptions about the book and its powers completely. Calculating the possibilities, I was struck with the idea that what if the power was not in the book but in the words which were written in it and to unlock the powers you have to read the book. The more you read , the more powerful you become. And what about the prism at the last page. What does that entail? I also noticed that while the book was illegible at first, the words became familiar and easy to pronounce as I proceeded further. It was almost as if my brain was learning and adopting the material at the speed of light. I didn't notice these facts before but now things were getting pretty much clear to me.
Rummaging through my thoughts, I exalted at the assumption that what if I can do more magic. I mean if I can travel through portals without knowing it, there might be few more tricks under my sleeves. Till now I know that I can do two kinds of magic; travelling through portals and skipping the waiting time for small events. Can you even think of the endless possibilities that these two powers of mine guarantee me?
But there must be few more things which I can do. I thought of trying my powers right away but then dropped the idea for I didn't have the book and I would be in a pickle in case something goes wrong. Despite being in Kanpur, I cannot reach to my family and friends for help right now. Having used up all my mental reserves and not being able to come to any conclusion, I think I need something relaxing to get my mind working again.
Well, my peddler lives nearby so I brought some marijuana and rolled a joint. For me, smoking at the river bank has always been the most relaxing moment. Just sit at the bank, place your feet in the water, feel the water passing through your toes and then take a drag. "Fuuuuu" Relaxed. All the tension anxiety, problems just passed away with the smoke.
I am clear in my head now. I need to reach the hotel before my meal arrives. This time
I take a little challenge.I order my food from Kanpur which means I've to reach the hotel before the delivery.
It's not a simple race but one with time, distance and speed. Let's see who wins.