FRIENDSHIP BEYOND DEATH

To Aditya, my comrade in crime.

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I woke up abruptly in the dead of night, my heart pounding in my chest.

No, it can’t be, no, I told myself.

Beads of cold sweat dotted my forehead as I gasped for air, trying to shake off the remnants of a haunting nightmare. The image of my best friend’s body flashed before my eyes, and I couldn’t shake off the feeling of dread that clung to me like a shadow.

No. It’s all a dream, all a dream. No way he is dea…

Frantically, I reached for my phone, trembling fingers fumbling to unlock the screen.

One beep. Two beeps. Three beeps.

The calls connected but were unanswered. My heart raced faster. “Please pick up,” I muttered, my voice shaky.

“Aap jis vyakti ko call kar rahe hai, wo uttar nahi de raha hai. Kripya kuch samay pashchat prayas kare.”

Dread filled every cell of my being as I dialed his number over and over again, desperate for some reassurance that it was all just a horrible dream.

But my friend remained unreachable as if he had vanished into thin air. Fear gnawed at me, threatening to consume my rational thoughts.

I repeated to myself that it was only a dream, that my overactive imagination had made up this cruel scenario. Yet, deep down, a voice whispered that there might be something more to it.

Maybe there is? — my brain whispered.

“Stop it.”

Dreams have come true for many people before, you know —  my brain responded.

“SHUT UP!”

Unable to contain my anxiety, I decided to call his mom. The phone rang. Seconds felt like eternities. Finally, she picked up, her voice trembling with an emotion I couldn’t quite decipher.

“Is everything alright?” I managed to ask, my voice cracking with fear.

Her sobbing response shattered my fragile hope. Something was terribly wrong. A chill ran down my spine. I dropped the phone as if it had burned me.

Without a second thought, I sprinted out of the house, propelled by a mix of adrenaline and sheer terror. I had to see it for myself, had to confirm that my nightmare was just a figment of my imagination.

Or not.

As I ran through the darkened streets, my mind raced with a jumble of thoughts and emotions. Every step felt heavy. Tiring. Tedious.

The world around me seemed distorted, the streetlights flickering menacingly, casting eerie shadows that danced along the pavement.

More than a decade of friendship, bro. No, you cannot leave me like that, no way.

Tears swept slowly across my face, and I didn’t bother to control them.

My heart pounded in my chest, echoing in my ears like a thunderous drumbeat. Each breath I took burned my lungs. But I refused to slow down. I had to reach his house, had to find him safe and sound. The silence of the night was deafening, only broken by the sound of my frantic footsteps pounding against the pavement.

Finally, I reached his house. My breath was ragged and my body was drenched in sweat. Fear mingled with suspense as I approached the door. My trembling hand reached out to grasp the cold doorknob. With a shaky push, I stepped inside, my eyes darting around the dimly lit room, searching for any sign of life.

Then I saw it.

Or I thought I did.

I desperately clutched the sheets, my fingers trembling with lingering fear. My pulse was racing. The images that had haunted me just moments ago began to blur, their vividness fading like a distant memory.

That’s all. It was just a nightmare.

A faint whisper of doubt still crept into my consciousness, daring to challenge the horrifying scenes I had seen moments ago. Could there be a chain of illusions set up in my mind?

But no, the dream and its haunting spirit that chased me began to fade. The room was filled with the soft glow of moonlight, casting familiar shadows on the walls.

I sat up in bed, my heart still pounding with the residual fear from the dream. Sweat clung to my forehead, and I wiped it away with trembling hands. It took a moment for my racing thoughts to settle, to separate the nightmare from reality.

The realization that my best friend was safe and sound brought an overwhelming sense of gratitude. I took a deep breath, and relief swept over me. I sat there on the bed, thinking.

It was just a dream. But its grip had been so powerful, so convincing, that for a brief moment, I had believed it to be real.

However, there was more to it. I was distraught when I knew I had lost my best friend. More distraught than I ever felt. We often assume that there would always be another chance, another moment to express gratitude and love. But now, when faced with the stark reality of losing a dear friend, we begin to appreciate their existence more.

The nightmare had served as a reminder of the importance of friendships, of the need to cherish every second we have together. Never, ever, wait for the finality of death to remind us of the worth of a person. Embrace the moral that we should care for and cherish people when they are alive, not after they have passed away.

Closing my eyes, I let the remains of the dream fade away, replaced by a sense of calm. I knew that tomorrow, I would wake up and see my best friend, alive and well. And at that moment, the thrill and suspense of the nightmare turned into profound gratitude for the existence of loved ones.

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Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of my imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or persons is entirely coincidental. || Contents of this story should not be reproduced in any manner without permission.