The known stranger

Akash: (looking into his laptop)

Piyush:(hanging out his clothes in the closet) Where the hell is he? You said the store wasn't that far from here.

Akash: Don't know, he doesn't seem to be lost or something, he is coming the right way. But he is staying at some points for mentionable periods.

Piyush: Maybe he is really lost and he is analysing the land marks or reading the stars to find his way back home.

Akash:Ya, like his HART will let this happen. And more to that it's like a bright day outside. Not even a child could miss a step in that much light.

Piyush:Ofcourse, it's like a LED light bulb today. The bright shining Moon.

I opened the gate with Moon standing by my side.

G-one: Moon!! You know her?

Piyush:Why is she here? I am mean who is this and what is she doing with you?

Akash: (gawking at her) Is she an angel!!

G-one: Do you know her?

I walked in with Moon, closed the door and put the handbag on the bed.

Piyush:Do you know her? The question should be for you.

Moon: These were the friends you were telling me about. Hello! Nice to meet you.

Piyush:Hello! Likewise. You have already told her about us but never told us about her, wow!(claps)

G-one:(pulls Piyush and Akash by the shoulder to a corner and whispers) Don't you understand?

Piyush:Is there a fact? If there is, I don't see and understand anything.

Akash:Let me analyse. She was wandering around in the dark, you happen to stumble upon her and decided to bring her home with you, right?

G-one:(smiles)Right on the money. And you know we can't leave someone rolling down the streets like that during these times, and more to that she is a girl. You know what goes on the streets.

Akash:(freaky smile)And she is so pretty(tries to peek at Moon but G-one slaps him).

Piyush:This means you don't actually know her.

G-one:(stress laugh) Ya, you can say that.

Piyush:What the hell are you doing, nutjob? Bringing a stranger to our hideout. She could be an enemy spy.

Akash:Oh come on! Those thing only happen in movies. Look at her. Does she appear an agent to you of some kind. She is an angel.

Piyush: People who look like those are mostly the one having a secret identity.

G-one:You watch too much movies, hahaha!

Piyush:Shut the fuck up bitch, you once told me Ra-one has the ability to shapeshift. What if he turned in to her and followed you back here?

G-one:No way, I can sense Ra-one. I do not feel any malice coming out of her. Believe me, she is just ordinary.

Piyush:Oh really! One who can survive on her own all this time and to be surprised in Ra-one's area, might not be that normal you think she is. And how did she come to know about us?

G-one:I told her on the way back. Hahaha!

Piyush:You really don't know her, do you?

G-one:I don't. But I assure you, she is all clean. (Thinks) I can't tell them I have partial memories about her in my head. I don't know how I have them myself, what would I tell them?

Akash:When did you check?(head banged by G-one)

Piyush:You know, it wasn't easy to get a place to stay in this area. Yet, I managed to persuade the owner somehow. What do you think I would say if he asks about a girl staying with us here?

G-one:Tell him she is your sister.

Piyush:What!

Akash:Ya, this is a brilliant idea.

Piyush:Why my sister?

Akash:Because you are the only one who wasn't influenced by her charms and refused her to stay here.

G-one:To the point Akash, well done.

Piyush:(looks at Moon)

Moon:(looks at Piyush and smiles)

Piyush:You are right, first time, I am not having any naughty thoughts about a girl, and as pretty as she is, I don't have any.

G-one:You see, that's why, you are perfect.

Piyush:I guess, I can make her my sister. But what if she turns out to be an enemy?

G-one: She won't, I guarantee you. I will watch over her. Promise!

Piyush:Alright then, I will have to talk to the owner then(walks away to make a call).

G-one and Akash celebrate by a high five.

Akash: Nice getting Piyush out of the picture, man. Now its among us two.

Moon:(whispers) What are they so happy about?

G-one:Ofcourse, hey wait, but you already have a girlfriend, don't you?

Akash:(bites his tongue) Sorry, I forgot, hahaha.

G-one:Why you(grabs him by his arms and starts crushing him).

Akash:Sorry, I am out, I am out, my man.

Piyush:(comes back)What are you two doing?

G-one releases him.

G-one:Did you tell him?

Piyush:Ya, but he wants to talk to my father about it. I will have to explain him everything.

G-one:Wait, what are you gonna tell him about?

Piyush:The thing about my sister.

G-one:Why now? You do not intend to tell him everything, do you?

Piyush:What do you mean by intend to? He already knows everything(walks away to make another call).

G-one:(surprised)Wait!

Akash:Don't worry! Uncle knows about your powers and the mission. He is not afraid of anything, he knows that until you are with us, nothing bad can come any close.

G-one:Why didn't you all never told me that uncle knows everything?

Akash:You would be so stupid, I would have never thought. Almost everyone knows what is going on in the city from the past three years, yet some parents would be foolish enough to send their kids along the way to study here. Wow, talk about going deepshit oblivious.

G-one:Ok, I got it. No need to bad mouth me before her. I will have to thank uncle for letting us do this even though he knows the risk.

Piyush:Listen, I explained the entire situation to my dead, he said since G-one is emphasising to let her stay, better take care of her. Pulling some strings will let her join with us to the college tomorrow.

G-one:College! Why?

Piyush:Why! What? Are you planning to leave her alone here? Well, I am not leaving my sister behind.

Akash:Time changes fast,

Piyush:Its my father's order. He will like to meet her someday. One who survived alone in such an environment.

G-one:(thinks)This is going deep. I am not sure yet about her identity myself. What Piyush's family gonna make out of her, god knows. The real God I mean.

Akash:Better know about her ourselves before taking her to meet your father.

Piyush: Yup, I am sure it would be good to know about her past before she started rolling down in this deranged territory all by herself.

G-one: Ya, good idea.

Piyush:Hold it shit fuck, you have already done enough. Go cook something for us. It is getting late. Do your damn job.

G-one:Who went ahead and made me the cook?

Piyush:You yourself.

Akash:Ofcourse, you are the only one who knows to cook.

G-one:Why, you two know how to cook too. What's the big idea?

Akash:I only know how to roll chapati.

Piyush:I got some investigation to do.

G-one:What gives!

Piyush:(shows his palm) Which alphabet of groceries you didn't understand? I wonder. You went ahead and brought me a sister. Now I gotta take care of her.

G-one:Shouldn't I be the one looking after her as I took the guarantee?

Piyush: We are a team, we solve each problem together. So she is our guarantee too. Meanwhile, stand on your guarantee, and cook her something to eat.

G-one: Ya,(sighs and walks towards the kitchen)I hope she doesn't blabs out our relationship before them. How would I explain that?

Akash:Since you are cooking, don't forget to cook for us. Don't just take care of the angel over there. Dogs need food too.

G-one:(jumps to catch him but he slips)Why you, bitch!

Akash:(shows middle finger)

Moon:What were you all whispering about in the corner? Where is G-one going?

Piyush:He is getting something for you to eat. You come sit with us here, let's have a little chat.

G-one:Very smart, investigation my foot, they just wanna hang out with her. A girl in the group will really create disbalance. I am sure of it. What madness is this anyway, where am I getting this memories from? Why the fuck it hurts so much?(goes on cooking).

Moon sits on the bed while Akash and Piyush sit on the floor.

Piyush:So, Moon is it,

Moon:Yes,

Piyush:Me Piyush, and he is Akash.

Moon:I already know.

Akash:How? G-one never pointed us out for you, did he?

Moon:No, I just guessed it.

Piyush:A guess! Well then, should we guess too about you?

Moon:Why? I already told you my name.

Akash: He means to ask about your past. Means how you got lost here?

Moon:I am not sure, I just fell from the sky, I tried to ask people for help, but they refused to come near me. I don't know why. They seem to be afraid of me.

Akash:They are not afraid of you, girl. They are afraid of the situation here.

Moon:What situation?

Piyush:(surprised)You fell from the sky?

G-one: (peeping out of the kitchen) She is crazy, don't believe anything she says, she has amnesia.

Piyush:You keep your hands in your pants. What do you know about her anyway?

Moon:I don't have amnesia, its him who has amnesia.

Akash:G-one you say, has amnesia not you?

Piyush:What the hell is going on here? You are saying he has amnesia, he is saying you have amnesia. Is this a game of hide and seek we are playing?Huh! Tell me the truth. Who are you exactly?

Moon:I am your dear friend's fiancee.

Boom... Silence

G-one:(bites his tongue)The thing I was afraid of.

Akash: What was that you said?

Moon:I am G-one's fiancee. His future wife.

Akash:When, when was this settled?

Moon: Saurya made my father to agree to this when we were just kids. Actually, I and G-one were already a thing back then.

Piyush:Ok, Missy, hold on. I got it, this is what G-one proposed to get you to stay with us, didn't he?

G-one: (thinks) Good going, for a hot head, you are making this easy for me yourself. Go on,

Moon: G-one didn't do anything about it. I am the one who ....

G-one:(pops out of the kitchen) You got me man,(smirks) very perceptive of you.

Piyush:Like I won't see through that. And how come you agreed to go on with this Moon? Fiancee, seriously?

Moon:It is true. What part of this comes as a lie to you?

Akash:Fhew! I was startled for a second there. I thought G-one really beat us to this whom we thought is devoid of even g of the word girl, getting married. Pigs might have flied there for a bit.

Piyush:Ok, Moon, enough with the amnesia game, where did you come from?

Moon:I am from heaven and I don't have amnesia.

Piyush:(looks at Akash) Heaven! Where is that?

Akash:(raises his shoulder in denial).

Piyush: Now where could be that? Outside the city?

Moon:Heaven is in heaven. Not outside nor inside. It is the outside and everything and everyone is inside it.

Piyush:I am going crazy. Did you understand what she said?

Akash:Something like inside and outside of it.

G-one: I think she wants to say that heaven is outside of the city and the city is inside it.

Piyush:Ya bitch, now I get it. (looks at G-one) Who is cooking the meal?

G-one vanishes,

Akash: I get it, is there where your family lives?

Moon:Yes, they live in heaven.

Akash:We have a heaven on earth too, I never knew. Need to go see it soon.

Piyush: How many people are there in your family?

Moon: Me, my father and my mother.

Piyush:They might be looking for you. You have been away for three days altogether.

Moon:I am not sure, something was wrong, my father himself teleported me here. There was a misunderstanding between my father and the elder gods I guess.

Akash:Gods! Interesting.

Piyush: Your father teleported you here.

Moon:Yes, he was in a hurry, so he didn't had time to choose where to send me. So he teleported me in random and threw me here through the sky.

Piyush: Hey G-one! Is she a mental asylum run away?

G-one:(echoes) I told you. Don't listen to her. She got amnesia.

Moon: I don't have amnesia. G-one!

Piyush pulls Akash to a corner with him.

Akash: What's the matter, hotshot?

Piyush: G-one is right, this girl is a crazy nutjob. I am telling you, she is living in a fairy tale. Gods, elder gods, falling from the sky.

Akash:Everything appears to be made up.

Piyush:Ya, right. We better play along. I don't know what she can do. Let's follow her till she goes back to her home.

Akash: She is like a kid, let's teach her some basic rules of how to act normal. What do you say?

Piyush: Good idea. After that, I will tell her about our parents and sister thingy my father ordered.

Akash:Let's do it.

They head towards Moon again.

G-one: Why is there such a pin drop silence all of a sudden?

Piyush:Ok, we understand Moon, G-one is your fiancee. You keep him.

Moon:Finally, you understand. Thankyou.

Akash:No need to thank us. It's just, we don't think you are very familiar with how to be normal in this realm, as you call it. We have decided to help you.

Piyush:Come, we will have some talking and you will learn how to talk normally with people.

They started a series of long conversation with her, laughing and clapping, periodically.

G-one: What's so entertaining over there?

Moon: You know, once Saurya set G-one's pants on fire. He ran through the entire garden in search of water.

Piyush and Akash laugh.

Akash: (whispers) Do you believe what she is saying?

Piyush:(Whispers) By holy mother, nothing. But whatever, its G-one being humiliated. Let's enjoy that for a while.

Moon: You know how fast he is? Most of the time he couldn't even control himself and runs into walls and every other things even I don't remember.

Akash:Like a race car.

Moon:What's a race car? He is fast, very fast. You won't be able to see him, that fast.

Piyush:Now how fast could that be?

Moon:I bet you must have felt the strange vibes he gives when he is around.

Akash:About relaxation and recharging your mood.

Moon:See, that is what I meant. Mr. Lol gave him that.

Piyush:Lol!

Moon:Ya, one of the supreme gods.

Piyush:(laughs with Akash) What kind of name is that? Lol!

Moon: I don't get you all. I know now where did G-one get such stupid habit of laughing without any reason.

Akash: Mr Lol, ya, not very stupid than the one with his name as Lol.

Piyush:Mother flower!(laughs)

Moon:Lol stands for lord of lights.

Piyush:(looks at Akash and coughs)Oh! So it was an abbreviation.

Akash:That's some crazy op name tag. Lord of lights! Sounds very godly to me.

Moon: And the super strength, that is obvious I guess.

Piyush:Ya, whatever, did you know about that shining round object?

Moon:The one G-one found while jumping realms.

Piyush:What is this jumping realms?

Akash:It is on his chest, on the right side, here(indicates).

Moon:Not on his chest, you must be mistaken. It was on a table, he found in one of the house of one realm he visited when he was a kid.

G-one:(slides his shirt and looks at the HART) Everything she told is right, then why doesn't she know about the HART?

Piyush: Ok, enough, hey, how long is it gonna take for you to finish brewing your potion over there? Tomorrow is our first roll in into the college. Need to go down soon, or we won't be able to wake up early in the morning.

G-one:Ya, all's done.

Piyush: Listen, Moon, since you are new here and to everyone, let's try to blend in.

Moon:How so?

Piyush: You need to act as my sister.

Moon:Why?

Piyush:People might get the wrong idea if a girl lives with three young boys alone. You understand?

Moon: But my fiancee is here.

Piyush: Ya, it's between us only, no need to announce it to anyone. You just need to act as my sister, is it that hard?

Moon: I guess not. I can do it.

Piyush:Good, better stay with us till we do something about you going back to your home.

Moon:Ok. You know, you act so much like Saurya.

Piyush:Who is he? Your brother?

Moon:No, but he sure acts like one.

G-one gets stricken with another memory flash. The cry of the pain soared through the room.

Moon:G-one! Something's wrong with him.

Piyush:Akash, go and see what's happening?

Akash:I am coming buddy, hold on.

Akash rushes towards the kitchen and sees G-one crawling up.

Akash: How did you get down there?

G-one:Nothing, I just slipped. That's all.

Akash: You are a lot clumsy for a superhero.

G-one: Now who decided I am a superhero? Help me take the plates outside.

Piyush: I will like to meet this Saurya guy someday. Took you long enough. What was that sound earlier?

Akash:He slipped.

Piyush:In the kitchen! On what, bath soap?

G-one:Here, stuff your mouths and give me a little peace for sometime.

Moon: He was just asking me about you and Saurya.

G-one: Ya, great.

Akash: After eating, let's sleep. Moon, you take the couch, we will manage ourselves on the bed.

Moon:Ok.

G-one: You three became good friends already.

Moon:Why not? They are so kind to let me stay here. I must appreciate there kindness by being there friend.

Akash: Ohh! You are embarrassing me. Come on!

Piyush:(looks at Akash) Embarrassing you!

Akash: I mean, thankyou, to find G-one and get him back home.

G-one: I wasn't lost, dickwad. She is the reason it took me so long.

Piyush: Watch your language, man. We got a girl here.

Akash: Very bad G-one, don't abuse.

G-one: Why you, mothe(Piyush covers his mouth).

Piyush:Ok, let's go to bed.

The morning.....

G-one:(gulp) Stairs, not again,

Sobbing noise, coming from the front hall.

G-one: No please, I can't, I can't see her suffering like this anymore, over and over again. Someone, make it stop.

Even so, G-one climbed down the stairs, just as he saw a glimpse of his mother sitting on the floor sobbing, someone pulled him back and hugged him tight which made him loose his balance and he fell down the stairs. He opened his eyes with a quick deep breath and found himself lying on his bed again.

G-one: Nightmare!(covers his eyes with his right arm)Damn it all.

Another arm from the side, crawls over his chest pulling him closer.

G-one: What the fuck is wrong with you!(throws the hand off of his chest and turns to another side). Don't piss me off early morning.

Suddenly G-one feels a face rubbing on his back.

G-one: (opens his eyes) Fucker, move away.

He notices Akash and Piyush lying down on the floor, before him. His heart begins to raise. He turns to the other side, only to see Moon sleeping carefree, cuddling and buries her face into G-one's chest as he turns.

G-one: Oh my goodness! Ah! What is this feeling? My heart, it's going to pop out.

Soon he sensed some dark shadows standing behind him.

G-one:(gulp)

Moon:(in sleep) G-one, I love you.

G-one slowly pushes her away.

G-one: Hehehe! I, I , you see. Its not what you think.

Akash:Its everything we think. Throwing two gentlemen on the ground to have the time of your life. Time surely changes fast.

G-one: I didn't push you down. I don't know how you got there. Promise,

Piyush: What do you think you are doing to my sister, sucker?

Moon: (wakes up rubbing her eyes) What's the matter?

Piyush: This, this won't do here.

Moon:What won't do?

Piyush: The thing you two were doing.

Moon:He is my husband. What's wrong with it?

Piyush: He is your to be husband. Wait until you two get married. Until then, control your hormones.

Moon: But, I wasn't able to sleep at night. This is a new place for me. It's tough to fall asleep. I needed someone familiar to rely on.

Piyush: Rely or lie on. This is not good, Moon, I am telling you.

Akash:(whispers to Piyush) Understand her pain bro. And weren't you the one who was chirping on the bus about getting wet?

Piyush: Ya, but I can't accept an ass licker like him to get laid before me. And more to with my sister.

Behind Moon reinitiated the snuggling. G-one's heart was beating crazy and he froze there like a soulless statue.

Akash: She is your pretend sister.

Piyush: Whatever, a sister is a sister, pretend or not, this word carries so much weight than you can imagine. I gotta protect her from this rotten Sex rat.

Piyush pulls away G-one from Moon and drags him with him.

Moon:Hey! Piyush,

Piyush: Time to get ready, it's college time.

G-one:(comes back to his sense)Thank god, you saved me. I thought I was about to(gets thrown into the kitchen by Piyush).

Piyush: No benefit in trying to act the innocent one here bitch.

Akash: I will like to have tea before the breakfast.

G-one: (from the kitchen) Suck on my nuts.