They reached around 5.30 AM at Pondicherry – cold air brushed their skin.The bus had been fine – they felt refreshed after sleep.The feeling of holidays , taking in the fresh air – all contributed in they experiencing out of the world about it . They boarded an auto for their resort.Each road was being celebrated by them.As they came near resort,they saw Serenity Beach .The waves conspired with the environment to attract them.The resort had a restaurant in the front,which was closed.They went closer to the water and started walking along the edges. They planted their bags on the beach,removed their sandals,walked towards the incoming waves.Prateek went more closer and stood at a safer distance where waves would not touch his legs – though he secretely hoped they would do.A few seconds later , the waves did reach his legs. It set off an emotional cord off Prateek.He went further away from the shore.
Prateek could lifelong stay in a beach and would never got bored.He ventured deeper into the waves to have more of the water.The water came around hip deep.Prateek, a strong man – 5ft 11 inch with a strong jawline and big shoulders and chest – the waves were strong enough to push him back a distance.His cousins,Sonali and Priyanshu also went inside the waves. Prateek stretched his hands in a white walker pose,closed his eyes and let the waves play around his thighs,legs.Sonali glared at the sea as if sea was the answer.Priyanshu was busy with playing with the water. Prateek felt a touch on his feet – a human hand like.He brushed it off as a stupid feeling.
Prateek,” It felt as if someone tried to touch me.”Sonali gave a confused look.Priyanshu was too busy playing.
He felt again as if someone tried to get hold of his legs – may be some fish would have collided – the feel was unusually soothing and cold.The mysterious nature of the touchs though got his sixth sense on the move – He started seeing in the water around his thighs. He got lodged off his feet and fell right into the water.His body got dragged amidst water.Sonali and Priyanshu felt stuck in their legs for a moment.He was nowhere to be seen.Sonali and Priyanshu,out of desperation, called out their cousin , checked the water around him but no traces of him.They began shouting vigorously – many of the fishermen and adjoining people gathered there.Five of the fishermen started their boats in search for him.Hours passed and there was no sign of him.
A loud noise caught Prateek’s ears.Prateek gradually opened his eyes.He could see glass walls on three sides.Beside the glass wall up,he could see water.He sat upright on the bed.There was a thin bed sheet kept on him.He could not recognise his clothes – a comfy trouser and a vest.He could not see anything below the ground.There was sand everywhere in his room.He went upto the glass walls – touched them ,hit them – they were too strong.There seemed no way out.There were multiple glass containers he could see around his room – each with a bed.There was a pathway in front and across the pathway,there were a lot of containers like his.There was no sound except that of water.Hours later he heard someone coming in the pathway.He saw a person on a skating scooter – a weird scooter with a large unit stretching in the back – A tail like structure emanating from the person ‘ s body rested on that and it moved as the person moved.A person with male characteristics up from the thighs came and stood in front of his container.He had a notebook in his hand.He noted some details.Prateek tried to communicate – said a hello but it did not spark off any reaction off him.From a little up the knee,his thighs,his knees were joined together and it ended with the tail resting above the scooter.He had never seen anyone wearing this type of clothing which groups together the legs.The person seemed a crippled of some kind.He left after spending a few minutes.
One of the walls showed some commotion.The whole bed along with the wall turned at right angles.There was another room.There were various people with the same scooter type structure.Prateek had a startled look seeing them.One of them pointed a gun like structure at Prateek and the next moment,he was on the ground.He saw himself being put in a round small tub concrete and fires were put around the tub.There were people with tails all around him chanting something.There was a girl in between them with normal legs and hands – She led the chanting. She pointed to the cieling and Prateek saw a drum like structure being overturned to pour something onto him.Prateek lost his consiousness.
Prateek found himself getting boarded on the boat by some fishermen.He opened his eyes for some time but could not hold it for a long time.Next time he gained consciousness,he found Sonali and Priyanshu next to him.Sonali,”What happened,bhaiya?”.
“I.Where am I?”Prateek dozed off after some time.
Chapter 2
Prateek was lying in the bed,sleeping.Sonali was reading a novel sitting in the chair beside the bed.Priyanshu pointed a concerned look, towards her. ”He is behaving weird for the last one minute. His whole body is shaking .Look at his face – it goes to the left and then,again right and it is in a loop for the past 1 minute.”
Sonali touched his brother 's hands on bed to calm him down but of no avail.Prateek woke up after a few mins.