ALSphere Foundation
At the centre of the edifice of power was ‘Mananiya Prem Kumar ji’, a man whose sweet tongue and charismatic smile had won him the adoration of the masses. With promises of change and prosperity, he had risen to prominence, his name spoken with reverence by those who believed in his vision for a better tomorrow.
He had gone from door to door with folded hands during election promising free health care, free housing, free water, free electricity, free education and waiver of loans challenging all economic theories. All words that the naïve ‘janta’ wanted to hear during election. All words that would become meaningless as soon as he would be back in power.
Once in power, free health care, free housing, free water, free electricity, free education and waiver of loans would be applicable to him!
You see, beneath the veneer of charm and righteousness lay a heart consumed by greed and ambition, his every action driven not by the desire to serve his constituents, but by the lust for power and wealth.
It was on one evening, after a day of fake smiles and false promises that ‘Mananiya Prem Kumar ji’ found himself sitting on his favourite reclining chair before a full-length mirror framed within a finely carved wooden frame. It was in front of this mirror that he had practiced his very famous speeches.
Drawn by an egotistic force, ‘Mananiya Prem Kumar ji’ glanced admiringly at his reflection in the mirror.
A sudden chill swept through the room, dark clouds thundered, bolts of lightning ripped through the angry skies and the mirror began to form ripples like a pool of dark water.
From the depths of the mirror, a figure emerged – a slightly different version of Mananiya’ Prem Kumar ji’. He looked much the same, except for his twisted blood-stained hands from which drops of blood seemed to be oozing.
A shiver went down ‘Mananiya Prem Kumar ji’s’ spine. He recoiled in horror, his heart pounding in his chest. “W-what are you?” he stammered, unable to tear his gaze away from the apparition.
The apparition laughed – a sound that echoed with the weight of a thousand sins. “I am you, ‘Mananiya Prem Kumar ji’,”
“The part of you that you try so desperately to hide from the world.”
‘Mananiya Prem Kumar ji’ felt a cold sweat break out across his brow. “No…” he whispered, his voice barely above a terrified whimper. “This can’t be real…”
But the apparition grinned wider and said, “Oh, but it is,”
“You can try to deny it, bury it deep within you, but you can never escape your true nature.”
‘Mananiya Prem Kumar ji’ was now reminded of the promises he had made to his constituents – vows of change and progress that had fuelled his rise to power. But with each passing day, those promises had been forgotten, cast aside in favour of deals struck in backrooms and alliances forged with the highest bidder.
Tears welled in ‘Mananiya Prem Kumar ji’s’ eyes as the truth washed over him. “No…” he whispered, his voice barely a whisper.
“I-I never meant for this to happen…”
The apparition laughed, his voice full of mockery and scorn. “Oh, but you did!” he sneered, his eyes boring into ‘Mananiya Prem Kumar ji’s’ very soul. “You chose this path, every step of the way. And now, you must face the consequences of your actions!”
With a final chilling laugh, the apparition faded away, leaving ‘Mananiya Prem Kumar ji’ alone in the darkness. Trembling with fear, he stumbled backwards, his mind reeling from the horror he had witnessed.
As he fled away from the mirror, the echoes of his own sins haunted him every step of the way, a grim reminder of the darkness that lurked within his own heart. He knew this paranormal encounter would forever haunt his dreams.
It was now up to him to change himself or deny the experience.
Time would tell…
Neeti Parti
