"Hopefully this is your last day here," said the caretaker as he tightened a white cloth around his waist. He brought in food, kept it on the table, wiped the windows after opening them while twenty year old Tejas sat on his chair holding his pillow. Outside there were more buildings, surrounded by taller trees.
"Don't they have something to replace you?" Tejas mocked him. There were dark circles under his eyes and a wild black beard covered his neck and face. His white kurta fluffed and flattened due to a strong hot and cold wind and his brown skin stuck closely to his thin wrists.
The caretaker remained silent but he halted and took a deep breath. "Well, they don't have time to make an AI model for things like these," no sooner had he said that than he moved on to further corner of the room to resume his duties.
"You must be among the lucky ones!" he said again with the same mockery in his voice.
"Just like you are lucky to stay here without even having to work." The caretaker threw the dusted pillows on Tejas' bed and left the room.
Tejas walked to the window and stared at the clear sky. In ancient books he had read that the humans would gradually destroy the planet with their technology. But outside the sparrows chirped and from someplace distinct a Koel bird cooed.
He screamed, "I wish I was banished." Tears rolled down his face. He tried to stifle his sobs but in an attempt to do that, more tears poured out. He began to weep loudly until someone knocked at the door.
"Can I come in?"
Even when he didn't answer, the door slid open. A woman in Khaki dhoti pants and full sleeved khaki shirt stood there. This was the dress of the guards who worked in the asylum Tejas was staying in.
For 3 years he had been a tenant of that room in the asylum. Therapists, councilors, psychiatrists and other people paid their visits to bring back the bright and promising boy. But ever since his parents disappeared, Tejas' mind was clouded with an overwhelming sadness. He wanted to know the why and the how of that incident. For reasons unknown to him, he was shushed and kept there, treated like he was the one going mad. Since then his thoughts were trapped in a body that followed the rules of time.
"Do you need something, Tej?" the guard's mismatched eyes drooped slightly.
"I'm sorry if I'm bothering you," Trish looked at the floor, "but if I could be of any help?"
When the world was still a tolerable place for him, he had become friends with the sisters, Trish and Krish from the orphanage. Owing to their friendship, Trish visited him whenever he was at his worst.
Tejas flicked his wrist without looking at her. "Leave me alone."
"Ok, I will do that but," she walked towards him, "please promise me, you'll eat your food today."
"Why?" he looked annoyed.
"You need to eat to live. Look at yourself for God's sake," she pointed at his hands.
He looked down and then at the holographic platform at the corner. Every 5 seconds, their was a different picture of his parents. How his father's hair grew wildly with each changing picture! How his mother still wore her funky spectacles even when everyone she knew had found an alternative! And they smiled at each screenshot, their most genuine and beautiful smiles. "If only there were coloured holograms when I could still talk to them..." he thought out loud.
"I know you miss them." Trish tried to pat his back.
But he pushed her and snickered, "Like you would even understand how that feels."
"You're right. I won't," saying so she put her hands in her pockets and left.
No sooner had she left the room than his stomach growled. He clutched it, gulping down the glass of water. Before he could reach for another glass, his hands reached out for the pieces of roti. It was dry on it's own because it was supposed to be paired with the stir fried vegetables. But when he had the strength and the time enough to realize what he was doing, he pushed the platter off the table.
At 12 pm, it was time for his monthly evaluation. Two ladies, one with a young face but with long strands of grey hair, the other a middle aged woman with a ponytail tied in a bun, entered his room. Both wore short sleeved white shirts and black trousers.
"Krish, I want you to remain calm today. Okay," the lady with the bun stroke Krish's hair, "stay calm."
But when Krish sat down, she was unsure if she could promise such a thing. Tejas always made sure that he was able to bully her into saying something she would regret later.
"How do you feel today, Tejas?" the lady asked.
He looked at Krish instead. "You look old. So old."
Krish clenched her fists, closed her eyes for a moment. Then she noted every little detail about their 'patient' on the system that was attached to the wall of Tejas' room.
"Tejas, I asked you something." The lady stared into his soul. To counter that Tejas put on a flimsy mask of sarcasm.
"I don't know, aunty," he breathed heavily, "Sad, I think sad…Or angry? The usual, actually." He continued to breathe heavily.
"Still thinking about your parents?"
He stopped with the heavy breaths. "Am I? What do you think?" He rested his head on his hand.
"I think you are."
"Great! And do you know why?" His index finger and thumb and swung infront of the lady's face.
"Because you want to know what happened with them."
"Bingo!" He bit his lip and clapped. "Now aunty, will you tell me that?"
"I can't because I don't kn-"
"-Why do you bother then?" This time his genuine emotions showed.
The lady adjusted herself and leaned towards Tejas. "I know how it feels. I lost my daughter too-"
"-But even after losing her, Dheera aunty is still the same old Dheera aunty. How can you still believe in the government, in this country?"
His friend Purvi, the only daughter of Ms Dheera Dhane, had been a part of the same anonymous project his parents were working on. She too had received the same fate as that of his parents.
Ms Dheera crossed her arms. "Tell me, son, what should have I done then?"
"Helped me, aunty!"
"And what exactly am I doing right now?"
"This is not helping. I need answers."
Ms Dheera got up from her seat. "We'll come back at our next visit."
As soon as they left, Tejas slammed the door behind them. "All the people I cared about. All gone!" He screamed, "Why don't I deserve to know?"
When it was time for his dinner, Ms Dheera had returned. Her bun was down in a thin ponytail. There were huge bags under her eyes and her face looked wrinkled under the solar powered lights.
"I noticed the food on your floor. Are you not eating?"
Tejas sulked.
"You shouldn't waste food, Tej."
This made him look at aunty Dheera.
"The season for mangoes is almost over. This might be the last time you get to enjoy them." She lifted the small plate with the slices of the fruit.
It could've been the sweet enticing aroma of the fruit or the guilt that led him to listen. Under her supervision, Tejas ate every last bit of what was served. He felt drowsy enough to drop into a deep sleep after a very long time. Ms Dheera helped him to his bed and before leaving the room, she took a good look at him with sadness in her narrow black eyes.