As Aunit gazed at the stranger's face, she noticed something peculiar. his features seemed almost...otherworldly. His skin had a subtle ethereal glow, and his eyes, though closed, appeared to be an unnatural shade of blue. Aunit's curiosity got the better of her, and she gently reached out to touch the stranger's hand.
As soon as their skin made contact, she felt a sudden jolt of energy, like a spark of electricity had passed between them. The sensation was both exhilarating and terrifying, leaving Aunit feeling breathless and bewildered.
The stranger's eyes flickered open, and he gazed up at Aunit with an unnerving intensity. For a moment, they simply stared at each other, the air thick with tension. Aunit felt like she was drowning in the depths of his blue mesmerizing eyes, unable to look away. Then again without warning, the stranger's eyes closed and after few seconds he opened them again as if he had a dream and wanted to wake up. Aunit saw it called her father to come in and check on the stranger, at that moment the whole family halted in the room and looked at him with curiosity and questions.
The stranger quickly sat up seeing all the faces with question marks staring at him, he felt terrified and looked at Aunit as if he was asking for help. Aunit quickly looked at her whole family.
"Calm down guys, stop staring at him, I think he is terrified" said Aunit, while making them stay a few inches away from bed.
Rajendra, Aunit's father as being the guardian of the family he asked the stranger in a deep voice, "Who are you, what is your name, and from where are you?"
"One question at a time honey, don't scare him, he looks quite terrified." said Nalini
The stranger was quiet all the time, seeing their eyes staring at him he buried his face in the quilt and clutched is legs in his arms. Aunit felt like may be the stranger was not feeling well and couldn't say a word or may be he had become deaf or may be dumb or may be he had lost his memory after falling from above.
"Dad, I think he doesn't want to talk now, why don't we let him rest for a while and then ask later." said Aunit
"I think so, currently he looks like an afraid puppy, so let him rest for now, and go make something for him to eat, I think he needs food.'' said to family
Everyone retreated to the living room again and started discussing about the stranger. Aunit went to the kitchen to warm some milk for the stranger, Nalini went after her.
"What are you doing, beta?", said Nalini to Aunit
Aunit: "Oh! I think a cup of warm milk will help him in this cold weather, so I was going to warm some milk, But Mom then again, I am thinking what if he doesn't like drinking milk."
Nalini smiled and said to Aunit "You don't worry, I think he needs someone by his side now so go and sit beside him, I will warm some milk and make porridge for him to eat in case he doesn't like drinking milk"
Aunit went into stranger's room and saw that he was looking around and was scanning the whole room with his ocean blue eyes. Seeing Aunit he stopped and looked at her up and down and clenched the quilt in his fist like he was afraid. Aunit noticed and tried to calm him down with her every step saying, "I'm not going to harm you", "calm down", "I'm here to help you".
The stranger didn't understand a word what Aunit was saying as it was all Greek to him. But he understood the hand gesture that was trying to say that "calm down", he let his fist open and looked at Aunit up and down, she came near him and sat on the other side of the bed. They both were looking into each other's eyes and was lost into it. Aunit saw that the stranger made a face like he remembered something and then that sense of recognition was gone in a flicker. Aunit felt disappointed but then after few minutes of silence she tried to talk to him but then he reacted as if he didn't know what she was trying to say. And in between that useless conversation Nalini came with warm milk and porridge in the tray.
"Here, eat some porridge and then after if you like, drink some milk" said Nalini to the stranger with a smile on her lips and motherly affection in her eyes.
The stranger looked at the food and then looked at Nalini and then looked at Aunit as if he wanted and explanation of whatever Nalini said. Aunit was firstly confused but then understood the assignment, she took the bowl of porridge in her hand and scoop a spoonful porridge and took it to her own mouth to show him that she wants him to eat it and then she took the glass of milk and showed him the same way.
The stranger understood and took the bowl from the tray and started eating. After a spoonful his reaction said that he liked it and finished the whole bowl in few minutes. Nalini was happy to see it.
After the meal it was already 9 at night and the family members had their dinner too and went to bed. Aunit was in her bed seemed lost in her thoughts. She was thinking about the stranger who suddenly appeared in her life and made her wonder about the otherworld. She was also worried about him not being able to speak and looking lost but she had a feeling that she knows the stranger from decade which was not true cause she had never met this man, at least not in this life. She was wondering what he was doing whether he went to sleep or not and was being restless, So she decided to go and have a look herself.
As the stranger's room was next to Aunit's room she just had to go for two steps, it was already mid night and everyone in the house was already in deep sleep.
Aunit opened the door of stranger's room and as she entered, she saw that the light was off, but she heard someone sobbing, she quickly reached to the bed and removed the quilt, the stranger sat up quickly but wasn't aware of who it was standing beside the bed, but in few seconds, it seemed that he recognized the person and quickly wrapped his arms around her waist and let his head rest at her stomach...