C - Conscious Conscience #AtoZChallenge

Monday Morning, 7 AM.

‘Chitra… Chitra… why are you still sleeping? Don’t you have this special event at college today? Aren’t you supposed to get ready already?’

‘Yes, ma. But I can’t wake up. I’m trying to open my eyes since long. Can you help me?’

Ma seems to be busy doing something in the kitchen. I asked her again.

‘No, I cant. I don’t want you to go before selecting the right answer. Green or blue?’

‘What’s green or blue? Why is everything covered in these two colours?’

I still don’t get it. Is it a saree she wants me to select?

‘Select one. Green or Blue. If you don’t, then you shall stay here forever.’

‘Don’t you know I’m getting late for class?’

‘If I cared I would.’

‘Don’t you, Ma?’

‘I’m a mere projection Chitz. You wanted someone to be soft and assuring, that’s why I am your Ma. Now you need to decide before the deadline, which is 10 seconds away. I turn into the person whose skeleton haunted you throughout your high school. Now 9.’

‘I’m trying to do it. But I can’t. I don’t know how to select. Help me. I don’t want to meet you. Ma, help me. I want to get away from the skeleton. Where are you, Ma?’

‘Tick Tock, Tick Tock, 5 seconds before the end. Now 4… 3… 2…’

‘I like green because plants are green. But oceans are blue. Because I like water much more than leafy veggies, I select…’

‘Chitra wake up. You’re still on bed? I thought you were getting ready already. Hurry up now.’

Then I suddenly woke up. One hell of a weird dream that was.

Monday Noon, 1 PM.

As part of ongoing fest in the college, I participated in a general quiz. I didn’t expect to be one of the finalists, but here I am.

‘This is the last question. Whoever answers it right becomes the champion. Question: It is widely believed that owls are the only birds which can see this colour. Name the colour.’

My opponent answered Green. It was declared wrong. I have nothing to lose if I guess a colour now, so I go with the one I chose in my dream. Blue. I won.

How weird is that? Best luck ever. I hope I get more dreams that help me in real life.

Tuesday Morning, 7 AM.

‘And the award for the best song goes to Gamma song. I request KRA and KS to come and collect it. Before that lets try to count the number of awards here.’

The count starts from one. But after seven a few more are added and everything is shuffled. Unless I complete the count, they can’t collect their award. How could I forget the count again? I turn to my right and see the skeleton I got in my dream there. I had to escape. I was running for a long time and now lost my breath. I need to find some water. If only I could drink water. I usually place it beside my bed… and I woke up.

Are my dreams getting weirder? Choosing colours is alright, but an award ceremony? I don’t remember getting dreams earlier. Why did they start all of a sudden? Hope a dream answers all these questions someday.

Tuesday Evening, 8 PM.

Nothing happened today. I didn’t get to dance to that song or watch a film either of those actors acted in earlier. Maybe I am over thinking. Maybe they’re just dreams and I got lucky once. Then I hear this on TV, ‘Which hit song is going to be remade in the next film of the hit pair KRA andKS? The first person to guess it right will get a chance to meet our stars. Tweet your answers now.’

I was almost convinced it’s a coincidence and here’s my chance to prove it isn’t. I answered Gamma. If it’s right then I’m convinced my dreams do mean something. The results are going to be announced the next day. Though it’s almost impossible for this to be true, I really hope I get to meet these celebs. I totally crushed on the guy.

Wednesday Morning, 7 AM.

All my friends are out there, dancing in the rain. They're  inviting me to join them. But I'm scared because a drop of rain water burnt my skin a few minutes ago. They’re not willing to take no for an answer. I can see the skeleton chasing me with a bucket of water through the campus. I’m running again. I didn’t realise when this happened but I got into the open area near the canteen and it started raining. I can see the drop falling. It’s about to burn my skin. I closed my eyes and wished to disappear from there. When I opened them, I was back in my room on the bed.

Wednesday Morning, 11 AM.

I just got off the call. I won the contest. I am really going to meet the stars. That means my skin is going to burn today. If only good things worked and bad ones didn’t. Isn’t that what everyone always wants?

Then I see my friends, all sneezing. It means common cold, not acid rain is going to attack me. I’m pretty much relieved. But I don’t want to catch a cold. Not when I’m going to meet the movie stars this weekend. I hid from my friends the whole day. At the end, just before I was going home, my best friend hugged and congratulated me. Apparently they posted it on my account and everyone knows that now. Also, they expect me to treat them at a posh restaurant because I’m going to meet that celebrity crush of mine.

Thursday Morning, 7 AM.

I have these three varieties of Biryani in front of me and I’m unable to choose just one from them. The manager just came to my table and said if I buy one, I get the other two for free. This should be the best day of my life. Seriously, free Biryani? Still unable to choose I ask the manager to help me select one from them. He called his assistant. The same skeleton. 

Hiccups started all of a sudden. Skeleton brought a glass of water. I try and hold my breath for the hiccups to stop. After few seconds, when I felt the hiccups are gone, I turned to see I was back in my bed. I like food so much that I can dream about eating? This must be the best dream ever. Also, I know where I had to take my friends for a treat this night. Who doesn’t like free Biryani?

Thursday Night, 8 PM.

The restaurant and manager are the same ones in my dream. There are three varieties of Biryani. Everything is the same. Except, there’s no person offering me free Biryani. All those dreams came true just to disappoint me now. I couldn’t believe my dreams deceived me. But that's what is happening now.

When we asked for the bill, along with the waiter came the manager. We were the 10000^th customer there and because of that not only did the bill get waived off, we also got free coupons. So the dream did come true. Now, I can’t wait to sleep tonight. Don’t know what dream is waiting for me. I have to put in zero effort, just select what my dream suggests and I win big. Isn’t this amazing? I’d never want to lose this ability.

Friday Morning, 7 AM.

‘Are you willing to leave it all and come with me?’

That is my Prince Charming, asking me to go with him. Isn’t that what every girl wants?

Then I see the skeleton in the corner, shaking his head.

He said, ‘Having a conscience only helps you know which side you’re on. Being conscious is what makes you know where the sides are and what they mean. Don’t just do what you feel is right for you. Do what is right for you, right here.’

I don’t know what to do now. This is the opportunity I never knew I could get. Before even choosing whether to go with him or not, I knew being in a position to choose has changed everything. Does this mean a guy is going to enter my life? The perfect one. But he’s asking me to leave it all. Am I willing to leave it all for this one guy? If I did, will it be the right choice? Being unable to decide is the worst because that means I can never decide anything in my life, ever again.

Never realised having a choice is bad. Also having a choice about making a choice is bad. I wish I had the skeleton chasing me now. How I hate being in this position where I’m not able to choose freely without having to face the consequences. Isn’t a dream supposed be the escape from reality? I wish I had a choice to select my version of dream at least, because reality is a real gamble. That’s when I figured it out; I can refuse to make a choice. I can wake up if I want to and end this dream at this moment. I closed my eyes and held my breath for five seconds. When I opened them, I woke up.

I’m much relieved that I never got a dream after that. Whenever I think about this crazy week, I wonder if there really is a choice for us to make. Or is it all fate and we're just pawns playing our role?