Tomorrow is my 5th birthday and I am sitting on the park bench all alone why is that, I don't know
Mom and Dad said they had some work to attend to and left Grandpa also left and Grandma was getting tired so she went to sleep feeling bored at home I called all of my friends but for some reason, they were all busy and couldn't come to play
It was kind of suspicious for them to be busy on Saturday so I even went to their house but they weren't there none of them, they all went out somewhere without telling me
I mean I get that you guys have a personal life and you don't have to tell me everything but still,
Tomorrow is my 5th birthday I thought we would all plan the party together
Wait.....is that what is it? are they all planning for my birthday and surprise me?
hehehe that would make me really happy
"What with that face you are making?"
"I am happy"
"Open your eyes first before speaking that's rude you know"
"What?" opening my eyes I saw Aditi standing in front of me
"Aditi? why are you here?"
"That's what I should be asking you, what are you doing in the park by yourself?"
"I am swinging"
"Even I can see that, I am asking why are you alone?"
"The others were busy and weren't at home"
"They are probably out for that" she went into thinking whispering to herself that it's hard to hear
"That aside what are you doing in the park, Aditi?"
"Aunty and Uncle asked me to bring you home as it already getting late" I just noticed that it's already evening
'Mom and Dad are already at home I wonder if they bought any presents for tomorrow' getting all excited I get off the swing "Then we should go back, Aditi"
***
Today is my birthday
Waking up early freshening up and going downstairs for breakfast
"Good morning Ashwin" my mom greeted while putting up the decorations
"Good morning" I greeted back and got down to the kitchen
"Morning son," Dad said while reading the newspaper
"Morning Dad"
"Good morning my dear" Grandma said while she is cooking
I take a look around the room again but didn't see Grandpa is he out for work
"Why are you looking down son" Recognizing the voice I instantly looked back "Grandpa!"
"Good morning son," and "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!"
Suddenly everyone Shouted
"Thank you, everyone," turning towards Grandpa
"Thank you Grandpa I thought you went out for work"
"Today I decided to postpone the work to celebrate my son's birthday"
"Really that means I will be able to celebrate my birthday with everyone?"
"Of course"
I am happy I am really happy
***
After eating breakfast I asked Mom if there was anything I could help with but she said 'It's your special day you should go out and have fun instead' and I had to leave the house
I had nothing much to do so went to my friend's house to call them but all of them went to Aditi's home for some reason
Might as well go there
Ding Dong pressing the bell of Aditi's home I waited
"Coming"
After a few seconds, the door opens and the face of a boy peeks out from the other side of the door
"Boss, what are you doing here?" My friend asked
"I was getting bored with nothing to do so I came here to pass the time playing" I replied
"Who is it?" someone's voice came from the inside
"Ah Vice-captain, boss is here"
The boy went inside and the face of a girl peeks out of the door now
"What do you want?" the girl asked flatly
"I have nothing to do" I answered flatly
"Then do something?"
"That's why I came here"
"There's nothing for you to do here"
"But everyone came here you all must be doing something"
"Yes we are but there's no need to add you to whatever we are doing"
"Be honest is it related to my birthday"
"No comments"
She shut the door on me
"What was that"
***
Right now I am not Ashwin but Agent X my mission is to find out what the gang of 5 year old is doing hiding in Aditi's home
When I rang the bell two of the gang members came to me but before they came they said 'coming' and 'Who is it' and the voice was close enough for me to hear, the chances of them getting downstairs to check the gate are low with how fast they replied one after the other and the time it took them to get to the entrance where I was
My plan is to go around the house to the area of the kitchen and take a peak from the window
Keeping my breath in control, with silent footsteps I slowly get close to the window
After getting considerably close and extending my hand to the window
the window slammed open and a girl with a deadpan face is staring right through my soul
"Yo" I tried to act all-natural making a V sign with my hand, there was no need to panic just because the vice-captain found me
The vice-captain closed the window and put on the curtain
Mission failed
heh who I was entertaining with this funny spy act, I guess they really don't want me to see what they are doing, the only thing I can do is go back home and read some books I guess
***
The night has come most of the guests are here, the cake has been cut and refreshments have been served
I received presents from the guest and now the adults are hanging around while the kids are having fun forming their group or more like they are afraid trying to get close to us we are taken as a gang after all and all the members of my friend circle are here for some reason they waited till everyone gave me the gifts
"Boss here's your gift from us"
They handed me a box wrapped in green
"Open it Ashwin you will be shocked," Aditi said all confident
The others are also smiling eagerly
Looking at them also gets me curious, I am anticipating something crazy
I slowly unwrapped the gift and it was the backside of a book with a plain green-ish colour I looked at them again and they were urging me to flip the book and read the title so I did
"Thi...this is" I couldn't believe what I am holding right now this book is Rewind by unknown
"What do you say boss isn't this the best gift in the world," the boy said with others nodding
"Yo...you how," I am too excited to speak clearly
"You are always reading about time this and time that with your whole room filled with things related to time and time travel, so we all thought something like that would be great and started researching on the internet and came across this book someone was selling this for 500rs so we all collected that and bought it for you"
They all did this for me
"Boss, are you okay?"
"Thank you, thank you all for this, this is the best thing in the world"
"Of course" they all look so happy with my reaction
***
After that the party ended and I was in my room with the book
This book is so rare that there are only 8 copies of it in the world
It's written by an unknown author and was discontinued on the author's wish
It's so hard to come by that even 1 copy is being sold for millions
And the people who have this book say 'it's the book about time and space' 'the book that changed everything we knew about time'
I always wanted this book but because of the price I gave up
But now it's in my hand God bless the good (stupid) person who put it up for 500rs
But as I thought after reading it I got more questions than answers, I have been studying about the whole time thing for quite a while now and I would say I know a thing or two about it but this book is way beyond my level of comprehension, I got sleepy reading it so I put the book on the table besides me and went to sleep
***
'The crackling of the wood the sound of people crying'
Ashwin mom and da... 'Grandpa is saying something'
Yes Ashwin no... 'Grandpa is crying'
'This moment how can I forget'
Gasp
"It...it was a dream," waking up *heaving* sweating profusely "Time what time is it" I looked at the clock "Shit" throwing away the bed sheets, jumping out of the bed I run as fast as I can, out of the room, down the stairs, seeing my parents on the entrance about to leave there's not much time left "Stoooop" I shouted