~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Beyond 24
By Prakash Hegade
Copyright 2016 Prakash Hegade
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please ask them to download an additional copy for each recipient. Please do not use the contents of this book without the author’s permission and reference.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
For any query or questions kindly mail:
[email protected] ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
**********
DEDICATION
This story is a dedication to my two rejected research papers.
Hey, it’s been only 10 months of my research and so what if the first ones were rejected! The review has been excellent and I am psyched up to work ahead.
But before I restart, I take a break and write this book.
**********
Preface
Time!
Time is hideous, rigid and always on time. From time travel machine to fast forward future, time has been visualized in varying dimensions. The exquisiteness of time is that it always gives a new perspective to investigate and inspire.
Beyond 24 is a love story where the hours of time are bound to love. The time is bound to two people who are forced to fall in love by a series of time events.
Time lets us heal. It lets us grow. It allows us to see the impact of decisions we take. But what if there is a situation where we don’t exactly know what kind of decision to take? Is it not better enough to leave the consequences to time?
WoooW! Lot said already! Time to begin the actual story!
One
01 May - 5.30pm
“May I come in sir?”
“Come in. Please take a seat.”
“Thank you sir” saying that in a confident tone, Keerthi took a seat.
There were four people in the interview panel. With two years of experience, Keerthi was looking for a job change. This one was like a dream offer to her. It was the domain she wanted to work on from a very long time.
A lot of questions were shot at her and she answered all of them with buoyancy. She came out of the interview room in a very relaxed and contented disposition.
She went to the rest room, washed her face, looking at her watch, to the mirror she said,
“That was satisfying one hour!” and she walked back home with joy. She was positive about the results.
By night around 9.00pm she opened her mail box and saw a mail that said she was rejected for the job. It was the first rejection she had faced after a long time and that did not feel good. She wanted to squander a day alone, all by herself.
She dropped a sick leave mail to her office for the next day and went to sleep. She wanted to have an unplanned random day where she could forget and celebrate the rejection.
Two
02 May - 4.30pm
Keerthi was in coffee shop. She had wake up tardily, finished her daily chores and wanted some recreation time to sit some place serenely. Though she did not wanted to think of the denunciation mail of rejection, the thoughts were still speculating around.
She had ordered her second cup of coffee and was all prepared to sip.
“Hey, Hello!” she heard a voice from behind! She looked back and felt it was a known face but don’t know who! She had some confused questions on her face. He came and stood in front of her.
“May I take a seat?” asked he.
Keerthi kept looking at him. She did not want to say ‘Yes’. She did not want to say ‘No’ either. She just nodded her head in such a way that it could mean yes and no at the same time. He took a seat and said, “I was in your interview panel yesterday. It is me who rejected you!”
Now Keerthi was sure about saying ‘No’ and asking him to take off. He would be the last person she would want to speak to, atleast at the moment.
He made himself comfortable and said, “Look, let me finish what I want to say. Yesterday was my last day in that company. The place is horrifying and awful to work. They have bizarre rules. No talent is appreciated. No appropriate pay as well and the work hours are pointless. They mostly ask over to work weekends too”.
He took a deep breath and continued, “I found you excessively talented and skilled and felt you deserve much better. They make you sign a contract for one year. I have struggled for one year and I did not want you to go through that! I hope I did well.”
Keerthi felt it was high time for her to open her mouth and articulate some words. She conveyed him thanks for the concern and appreciated his helping gesture. He got ready to go and Keerthi said, “No, sit. Have a coffee. Let me atleast treat you with a coffee for all the help you did.”
He sat down and said “By the way, I am Keerthi!”
Keerthi with a peculiar face cried, “Whatt?? That’s my name too!”
He smiled and said, “I know! I know it since yesterday from the interview panel” and laughed out loud. They had further talks, coffee and left back home. Keerthi looked at her watch and exclaimed, “Wow! Now those two hours went quick!”
Three
03 May – 5.30pm
Keerthi came out from her all cement office building with a droopy face and tired mind. She was already pissed off that the company cab had taken off and the next one was after 2 hours. She booked a cab through her mobile and started waiting for it to arrive. After around fifteen minutes the cab arrived.
She looked at drivers face and was about to yell for being late and then, “Hey, Keerthi, You?” She usually used to occupy the back seat but today she opened the front door and got in. She continued, “How come? You as a driver?”
Keerthi replied, “Like I said yesterday I have quit my job. Until I get a new one, I thought to take this up rather than being idle. I love driving and I can make some bucks too!”
“You won’t feel odd? Like a driver job?” she asked.
“Sadly, No! I don’t feel odd. I feel happy!” he replied.
“How old are you?” she questioned.
“I am 30. See, 30 and jobless” he laughed and asked, “You?”
“Well, a few years younger than you!” said she with a grin!
“Like I don’t know!” said he.
There was a pause for a moment. He turned the music on and she said, “Hey, that’s my favorite song” and started humming with the tune. He smiled and said, “Sia has been my favorite too, lately! I love cheap thrills!” They both laughed.
There was a lot of traffic and if the cab was racing with a snail, the cab would have sure lost the game. After crossing several red and green lights, she was finally home.
Keerthi said “Well, now I know your home address!”
She smiled and said, “Yeah. I stay in a flat here. We four friends have taken it together”. She paid the amount, waved a bye and he left. She looked at her watch while walking in and cried, “Three hours! Longest time taken so far to reach home!”
Four
04 May – 4.30pm
“What are the odds? Three days in a row?” said Keerthi with a surprised face.
“Not three! Four! Did you forget the interview?” asked Keerthi.
“Oh! Yeah. So, why are you here? At the mall? Shopping?” she asked.
“I have been with a customer. Need to drive them back as well and they have asked me to wait. It’s these three ladies with whom I have come. They have come for shopping and it’s been two hours already. I hope to get back home today!” he said in a sarcastic tone.
“Good luck with that” she said giggling with almost all her teeth out.
“What brings you here?” he asked.
br /> “Cousins birthday! Need to buy him a shirt and a pant. Will you help?” she inquired.
“Better than being idle. Let’s go!” he said with agreement.
She described that her cousin had similar complexion and personality as him and made him try few shirts. She told him his waist size and asked him to pick matching jeans. They shopped and decided to have dinner. They ordered her favorite food and it was her treat for all the shopping help. It was Chinese food with some talks and laughs.
She asked, “Listen, its weekend tomorrow. Can you come to pick me up? At 3.00pm, to the birthday party. It takes around 3 hours to go and I need to be there by 6.00. So 3.00 would be the right time to start. Better if you carry me back too!”
He said “That’s my job now! Sure I will”
She was happy and said, “You know my address!” Looking at her watch she continued, “Can you believe we spent four hours together?”, waved him bye and took off without listening back to anything.
Keerthi had to wait till almost 10.30pm to get all the ladies back and drop them home. He was not sure if they had done with the shopping or the shops got closed and they had to come out.
But he was happy that he got company of Keerthi and his time was well put to use. He dropped the ladies home and his home called.
Five
05 May – 3.00pm
Keerthi was already waiting outside and exactly at 3.00pm Keerthi was there with his car. In 2.5 hours they reached the