The Phone

By Nidhi W. Pednekar

Sunlight brightens the area as it filters in through the trees. A gentle breeze makes the flowers from a nearby Gulmohar tree fall to the ground, and one such flower floats into Zaras hands. She smiles as she looks out the car window. Her family and she are going on their annual visit to a temple in her ancestral village. They had set off rather late than they usually would, but, since it’s a weekday, there wouldn’t be that much of a crowd. The weather is just perfect, making the trip even more enjoyable. She is so lost in her thoughts that she doesn’t even realise that she has been asked to do something until her sister, Nikita, shakes her. “Huh?” she asks, confused. “ I said, here’s your hat, wear it , it’s too sunny outside. We’ll be there in five minutes,” her mum says. She nods and wears the hat immediately, extracting giggles from Nikita. 

Finally, they arrive at the temple. After praying, they decide to walk around the temple. The wind causes the trees to create a beautiful symphony which is joined by the crickets who are happily chirping. Zara breathes in the air, which rushes happy feelings in her. As she is walking, her vision lands on something in the grass. She gasps and exclaims, “Oh My God! There’s a phone in the grass!” However, no one is around to join in her wonder and soon it’s lunch time. They decide to eat at a small canteen within the temple grounds itself. The place is known for the best simple food. Zara is so eager to finish her food to investigate about the phone that she ends up stuffing too much food at once in her mouth, ending up looking like a chipmunk. Nikita bursts out laughing. Eventually, when her laughter subsides, she gives her sister an endearing smile and says, “ No one’s stealing your food, slow down!” 

After she is done eating, Zara rushes out to the spot where she saw the phone, but this time she drags her mom and Nikita there too. “Look! There’s a phone here,” she says, pointing. They peer at the grass incredulously and finally, look at each other, shocked, “It is indeed a phone,” says Nikita. Zara rushes to get her father there as well. He doesn’t believe her and picks up the ‘phone’ from the grass. Only, it isn’t a phone, but a black, rectangular tile! Zaras cheeks turn a bright shade of red and she starts fidgeting with the hem of her mother’s dupatta. Avoiding eye contact, Zara mutters something about needing to use the restroom and clutches her sister’s hand, dragging her to the washroom with her. 

As they make their way out of the restroom, Nikita can’t stop chuckling. Their parents too seem to be laughing. They decide to return back home. However, Zara can’t sit still. She makes up an excuse and runs back to where she found the ‘phone.’ She cautiously sticks her hand in the grass and picks up the phone. But something strange occurs. The phone lights up with a strange bluish-white light and opens up to a lockscreen. She hears a peculiar beeping noise in the background which her mind pushes aside. The noise keeps getting louder, engulfing everything around her and everything gets covered with the same bluish-white light.

Zara wakes up in her bedroom, sweating from head-to-toe. She glances around and sighs, “It was a dream!” she exclaims. She glances at her side-table, but instead of her normal phone, the phone from the temple lies at the table. She grabs the phone and rushes downstairs, “Mom! Dad! Nikita!” she says but stops in her tracks. She can see her family at the dining table , they seem to be busy in conversation, but they aren’t humans….

By Nidhi W. Pednekar