THE PILL – CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 3- TRAPPED IN A BOX.

Adam sat up all of a sudden. His countenance blank . Eyes, fixated on the wall right in front of him.

His mum was relieved to see him awake. Her voice quavered while she spoke , “I thought ..” she paused and closed her eyes. A big drop of tear rolled down her cheek. Composing herself, she asked, “How are you feeling son ?” Adam jumped down from his bed . He turned to her and flung his hands wide apart and said, “I have never felt better , never.”

His mum gazed at him in amazement. ‘What is going on with Adam ?’, she wondered .

And then, followed a day full of surprises …

Adam had his breakfast , went out with Henry and came back home in time. He was brimming with joy all day through. For the first time in several years, he and his mum had dinner together. Whatever be the reason for this change, his mum could not hold back her tears. They were tears of joy. She thanked God several times. Although, the overnight transformation of Adam intrigued her, but, this was all she wanted. Adam  now looked so full of life and most importantly ‘happy’ .

Henry too, was surprised to see Adam in a new spirit that day. Adam kept on talking  and talking and he just listened. He never knew that Adam had so much to say. In all these years it has always been the other way round with one big difference – Adam always seemed zoned out into his own world of thoughts. Henry scratched his head trying to figure out how such a big transformation was even possible, overnight.

Was it magic ? Or something was really happening to Adam, which was beyond his or anybody else’s control   ?

Adam sat down in his room and opened the drawer of his desk. A translucent yellow bottle with his name labeled on it lay there. He picked it up, looked at it intensely and whispered, “The pill.”

As he said that, there was a sparkle in his eyes.

He slept well that night, too . A lot of things started changing for him. Most striking of all was the change in his personality. He seemed like a completely different person. And only he knew the secret .

The next morning, he went to the university. He walked through the gates confidently. Everyone who usually smirked at even a glimpse of him , turned their heads twice to check if it was really him. Everything changed about him – his attitude , his way of talking and dressing. But, as usual no one spoke to him except for Henry. And this time, the reason was curiosity.

Adam stepped in his class. He looked around – hope in his eyes, smile on his lips. He suddenly seemed very restless. Again he scanned through the room intensely. No, no, this can’t be true. He ran up and down through the room  and then, ran out of it . His eyes red, he was sweating as he looked all across the lawn up to the university gate.

He dropped to his knees on the ground. Placed his hands on his forehead and started weeping. Henry was following him closely. He patted Adam on his back and sat down beside him with concern in his eyes. “What happened buddy?’ he asked.

“I thought this dream will also come true, like all my other dreams. Why, why do I always get betrayed ?” Adam held Henry’s hands tightly and wept. Henry looked at him puzzled. What was he talking about ? He did see Adam go through depression and a lot of stress in the past . His sudden change was not only surprising but also delightful to all those who were very close to him. But, he suddenly seemed like going back to the same state of mind again. Henry crossed his fingers and wished, ‘God, please no more going back for Adam. Let him move on.’

He held Adam by his shoulders and asked him, ” Did you speak to someone of late? Is there something you want to share with me ?”

Adam looked at him . Henry was scared by the look on his face. Adam looked worse, much worse than before. Henry hugged him tightly and said, “Let’s go home. We will talk about this later. ”

Adam slept that night again.

Next morning, his mum walked in his room and moved the curtains. A dollop of sunlight splashed on his face. He sat up wide awake. His mom looked at him for a while. “Did you sleep well ?” she asked.  Adam spread his arms and said, “Mum, can you hug me?”

Henry spoke to his dad about Adam. His dad agreed to do some counseling sessions with him. His mum when informed, readily agreed to bring him in for the sessions. ‘Anything, anything that would  keep him away from locking himself up, into his own lone world back again,’ his mum thought.

Adam stopped going to the university for a few days. He wondered when all his dreams came true, why only one of his dream is not coming true. He closed his eyes and tried to see the white dress and the blonde hair and the lovely dimple, but, instead could feel a coarse dress material brush against his hand. He touched his hand quickly and opened his eyes. The man who was dressed as a wizard stood right before him. Yes, the same man whom he met in the pharmacy. The man had a coarse voice as well and a sinister look on his face. Adam gazed at him while the man spoke,

“All you wish, will be in your dreams. And all you dream, will be a reality. One pill a day and your life will change. But, what’s gone forever will never get back life, whatsoever. ”

And… he disappeared.