The tires screeched and the car came to a sudden halt! Loose rocks rolled over the edge of the cliff!
Sacchit opened the car door and cautiously stepped out. He wobbled slightly. The driver grabbed his jacket from behind. There was barely enough space to stand!
“Careful!”
Fog crept up from the edge, curling up the mountainside. Darkness engulfed it, shrouding everything in shadows.
Sacchit steadied himself, his eyes wide, shaken.
“What made you do that?” Bhrigu asked from inside the car.
“I… I don’t know. I saw something—a flash!”
“You could’ve killed us all,” Bhrigu’s voice was calm.
The driver switched on the hazard lights. Their glow barely pierced the dense fog. The road was still wet from the evening cloudburst.
“It’s getting darker and colder,” the driver noted.
“Would you like to rest a bit? We’ve been traveling for long.” Bhrigu glanced at the slick, rain-soaked road from the back of the car.
“I’m fine. What's that light over there?”
In the distance, on the mountain facing them, faint, glimmering lights began to appear, like drowsy fireflies, ready to wake once night fully fell.
“Looks like a village to me,” Bhrigu answered.
The driver was checking the auto-drive settings. Even though the rental company claimed that this car could self-drive in these valleys, Sacchit had insisted on a driver navigating manually. These are some of the wettest parts of the region, the mountains have a mind of their own!
“Get in,” Bhrigu urged, “it’s dangerous here on the curve.”
“Wait!” Sacchit was inclining dangerously, looking down the precipice!
Bhrigu stepped out and stood beside Sacchit!
“This bend, that mountain’s silhouette… it feels like I’ve been here before,” Sacchit stedied himself.
“Here? I thought you’ve never stepped out of the UK.”
“I’ve never! What's up there?” Sacchit asked the driver.
“That's where we’re heading. We’ll spend the night in the village. The Monoliths are located somewhere over there. You can visit them in the morning, ” the driver answered.
As the last glimmers of daylight faded, a low rumble sounded. A flash of headlights lit up their faces. A truck swung around the curve, jolting them from their thoughts.
The truck swerved past. They got inside the car.
“Let's go!”
It had been an unreal few days! Sacchit did not want to leave the Alan Turing Institute, much less his private office. He had long since outgrown any excitement for social life. The whole university knew his name. He was a figure of admiration in the student community. But despite the accolades, he had remained focused.
He had been raising Bhrigu to be like him. But recently, something in him had shifted. He had begun to question if Bhrigu should care more.
Bhrigu was always glued to his tablet, immersed in endless learning. But was this really a healthy way to grow? Sacchit worried he was becoming detached from the practicalities of life. "Does Bhrigu lack common sense?" he had been wondering.
In the relentless pursuit of progress, Sacchit had forgotten to feel and understand Life.
For years, he had told himself that dealing with consequences was not his role. It was the duty of the Institute, particularly Dr. Friedman. But then, Sacchit's health had shown signs of decline. It was Dr. Friedman himself who suggested an extended leave. A vacation with Bhrigu sounded tempting! Short field trips were one thing, but a true sabbatical?
When Sacchit expressed his doubts, Dr. Friedman recommended a place—a retreat, far removed from the trappings of the civilized world. A glimpse of what Earth might have been before humanity shaped it into something else.
Sacchit’s back ached from the long car rides. He glanced around, observing the dense forest and the flickering lights of nearby houses. He had never pictured himself here, surrounded by nature’s raw beauty. Somehow, he felt the pull of secrets it seemed to guard; the hidden markers of time. He could sense that the clues of progress are planted by nature everywhere, you just need the eyes and the heart to see.
The fire crackled as someone lit a mud oven, preparing food. Sacchit watched the flames dance, feeling restless. A few more minutes to prepare the chapati and then the food will be ready.
“You look healthier already,” Bhrigu commented as they trekked down a narrow path. The morning seemed dark with the jungle thickening around them.
Sacchit looked weary. Bhrigu was as fresh as when they had started!
“I do feel good.”
“But why are we really here?”
“Here in Meghalaya? Or the Monoliths?”
They moved along the ancient stone path, passing a few locals who watched them with silent curiosity. The Monoliths should be very near!
“Specifically, the Monoliths. I never thought you cared much for history.”
Sacchit smiled. “It’s more than just history. Sometimes it's the imagination and perspective of the historian, everybody wants to be immortal.”
“Immortalising times that do not want to stay immortal.”
“So what’s your take on this? Is it selfish? Or unwise? Or wrong?” Sacchit asked.
“Not if it doesn’t harm others.”
Sacchit stumbled on a loose stone. Bhrigu offered a hand that he declined with a grin.
“You needed the trek boots. We could’ve come more equipped,” Bhrigu said.
You read too much internet, Bhrigu. We can never be perfect!” Sacchit laughed.
They continued, until suddenly, the shadows around them cleared. The atmosphere was heavy with an almost sacred tranquility. Then, just where the path bent, Sacchit saw them- the first glimpse of the Monoliths. They rose up like solemn figures frozen in stone, remnants of a forgotten age.
Bhrigu caught his expression. “That’s why you’re here,” he said, gesturing at the Monoliths. “Just like the Stonehenge, isn’t it?”
Sacchit’s eyes widened as he took a step forward, visibly trembling. He sat down on a rock.
“I’ve been here before,” he murmured, almost to himself. Bhrigu’s gaze sharpened, sensing the gravity in his companion’s tone. “Remember that flash I saw yesterday?” Sacchit’s voice was barely a whisper.
“Yes.” Bhrigu was interested.
“It felt like someone was pulling my reality apart, showing me this place on the other side…”
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Co-written with @DC