The morning sunlight filtering into the hospital room did little to lift the weight in Sidharth's chest. He sat on the edge of the bed, restless, haunted. Flashbacks struck him like lightning — a baby in his arms, a woman lying motionless on a bloodied bed, cries that didn't belong to this timeline. Akhil had just entered, panting, after trying to find the old man who'd helped bring Sid to the hospital.
"I looked everywhere," Akhil said, catching his breath. "Asked people around, checked the CCTV cameras at nearby shops. There's nothing. It's like he vanished."
Sid didn't respond. His eyes were distant, fixed on something invisible.
"You okay?" Akhil asked gently.
"No," Sid muttered. "I'm not. I'm getting flashes… of things I've never lived. A woman, a child, blood… It's like watching someone else's life but feeling every bit of it as my own."
Akhil was stunned. "Sid, this isn't normal. You seriously need to see a therapist. This could be something psychological—"
"Stop," Sid snapped. "I don't need a therapist. I need answers. And I need you to give me some space."
"Sid—"
"I've already taken a week off. Please... just let me be."
With that, Sidharth stood, picked up his bag, and walked out despite the doctor's protests. Akhil tried to stop him, but Sid was determined. He left the hospital and drove straight to his apartment. After a quick shower, he packed a few essentials into a small backpack. There was one person he thought could help now — Sudarshan.
But Sudarshan wasn't picking up his calls.
Frustrated, Sid drove to his house, only to find it locked. A neighbor confirmed he hadn't returned since yesterday night. Desperate, Sid remembered the name Sudarshan had mentioned — Dr. Rajiv Mehra. One of the top scientists once involved in the secretive Project Kurukshetra.
Sid called an old contact at the Times who had access to government listings. After a quick favor, he got the answer — Rajiv Mehra was currently in Delhi for a conference.
Without wasting a second, Sid booked the next flight. It was evening now as he drove toward the airport, the city bathed in amber light, traffic crawling through the veins of Mumbai. His eyes flicked between the road and the rearview mirror — his mind was racing.
But then, as he drove past Marine Drive, something happened.
His heart skipped a beat. On the walking path by the sea, surrounded by scattered silhouettes of passersby, he saw her.
Her.
She was walking, hair fluttering with the breeze, her steps gentle and distant — like she belonged to another world. Sid's breath caught in his throat. With a screech, he pulled over, barely parking the car before jumping out. His eyes scanned the crowd, panic setting in. Was she real? Was he hallucinating again?
He rushed across the road, weaving through people, desperate.
And there she was again — walking calmly toward her usual spot.
Relief surged through him like a wave. He started walking faster, almost running now. But then... everything turned black.
He staggered, his limbs trembling. He hadn't eaten since morning, only a glass of fruit juice. The stress, the heat, the emotions — it all hit him at once. He tried to take another step, but his legs failed him.
He collapsed to his knees, the world around him spinning. He reached out, lips trembling, voice cracking.
"Anaya..." he whispered.
Her name. Why did he say that name?
Anaya, hearing her name faintly amidst the crowd, turned around. Her heart paused for a moment. That voice… familiar. Urgent.
She walked quickly, eyes scanning the walkway. A small crowd had started to gather around someone lying on the ground. As she pushed through the people, her breath hitched.
It was him.
The man from last night.
His skin pale, shirt clinging to his chest with sweat, eyes fluttering half-shut.
"Oh my God," she whispered, kneeling beside him, her heart thudding in her ears. "It's you…"
She lifted his head gently onto her lap and poured water from her bottle into his mouth.
He drank, slowly, his gaze meeting hers. He smiled weakly, and she saw something in his eyes — relief, recognition, something else she couldn't name.
The crowd murmured, offering help. A man called an auto. Anaya, holding Sid's hand tightly, climbed into the vehicle beside him. He didn't let go of her hand the entire ride. In fact, he smiled at her like he'd finally found something he didn't know he was searching for.
Anaya didn't know why, but tears rolled down her cheeks silently. Her chest ached in a strange, aching way. She had no idea who he was, but something in her soul already knew him.
At the hospital, doctors rushed to take Sid into the emergency room. Anaya followed until the ICU doors stopped her. Her hands were shaking.
Anaya sat near the ICU waiting area, her fingers gently tracing the edge of Sid's phone. Her mind still couldn't wrap around the strange whirlwind of emotions swirling within her. She barely knew this man, yet something about him made her feel… connected. She didn't know his name until now. She had only seen his face, heard his voice once when he called her name—Anaya—just before collapsing.
Just then, the phone in her hand vibrated.
A call was coming through.
"Akhil Calling…"
She hesitated for a moment and then answered.
"Hello?" her voice was quiet but steady.
There was a pause, then a worried voice came from the other end. "Who is this? Where's Sid? Is he alright?"
"He's in RB Hospital," she replied quickly. "He fainted at Marine Drive… I helped him, brought him here."
There was another silence before the voice softened slightly. "Thank you. I'm Akhil, his friend. I've been trying to reach him since morning. Can you stay there until I arrive?"
"Yes," she said, almost instinctively. "I'll wait."
The call ended, but Anaya continued staring at the phone for a moment, as if expecting it to speak more truths to her.
She leaned back in the chair, glancing again toward the ICU doors. Who are you, Sid? she thought. Why did your name feel familiar before I even heard it?
Her thoughts drifted again to the way he held her hand in the auto. That tired but gentle smile. The way her heart pounded, her breath caught. And now, here she was… waiting for someone she didn't even know, yet couldn't walk away from.
And she didn't want to.