Outside Dr. Bhargav's House
The rickshaw ride had been a blur of anxious thoughts and confusing turns. Ruhan's mind raced faster than the vehicle, trying to piece together why Nivan would be sneaking off to a part of town known for its quiet, professional offices. Finally, Nivan's rickshaw came to a smooth halt outside a modest, well-kept bungalow with a polished brass plaque that read: Dr. S. Bhargav - Consultant Psychiatrist. A cold dread trickled down Ruhan's spine.
He watched, hidden behind the thick trunk of an old neem tree, as Nivan paid the driver and walked up the short pathway with the resigned air of someone making a familiar, weary pilgrimage. He didn't ring the bell; he simply opened the door and went inside, as if he belonged there.
Ruhan's heart hammered against his ribs. A psychiatrist? Why is Nivan seeing a psychiatrist? What's haunting him so badly that he needs professional help? His curiosity now a burning fire, Ruhan crept closer, finding a slightly ajar window with its curtains drawn just enough to offer a sliver of a view into a dimly lit, book-lined room.
Inside, Nivan was already seated in a comfortable armchair across from a calm, middle-aged man with spectacles—Dr. Bhargav. The doctor gestured to a leather chaise lounge.
"Come,Nivan. Lie down here," Dr. Bhargav said, his voice a low, soothing murmur.
Ruhan was stunned. Lie down? What was happening? His confusion multiplied when he saw the doctor take out a small, shimmering crystal pendulum from his desk drawer. It swung gently, catching the lamplight.
What is that for? Ruhan thought, his mind reeling.
Dr. Bhargav held the pendulum before Nivan's eyes, its rhythmic swing becoming a mesmerizing dance. "Nivan, look at this pendulum... relax your mind, and let go... now, tell the secret of your dreams..."
The pieces clicked into place with terrifying clarity. Hypnosis! The doctor is hypnotizing him! Ruhan's breath hitched. The secret of the dreams? My dreams? What is going on here?
Dr. Bhargav's voice was hypnotic in itself. "Tell me, Nivan, tell me what happened next with Rudra and Pratham?"
The names hit Ruhan like a physical blow. He staggered back a step, pressing a hand to his mouth to stifle a gasp. Rudra? Pratham? How does he know these names? They are from my dreams! They live only in my head! The world seemed to tilt on its axis. This wasn't a coincidence; it was a collision of two separate realities that were never supposed to meet.
Nivan's voice, now flat and distant under hypnosis, began to speak. "Rudra and Pratham had both set out for the Gurukul with their parents' permission..."
Panic seized Ruhan. He couldn't face this alone. His hands trembling, he fumbled for his phone, his eyes never leaving the window. He dialed Neerav.
"Bro,come here quickly! It's very important!" he whispered urgently into the phone.
"Okay bro,I'm coming right now. What's the matter? You sound terrified," Neerav's concerned voice came through.
"Just come!I'm outside Dr. Bhargav's house. You won't believe what I'm hearing!"
He pressed his ear back to the window, catching Nivan's continued monologue.
"...Both had arrived at the Gurukul...they had a fight on the very first day... they hated each other... one was a prince and the other was a merchant's son from the same kingdom... but in the Gurukul, no title mattered, so both were ordinary disciples..." The words painted a picture so vivid in Ruhan's mind, it was like watching a forgotten movie.
Within minutes, a taxi screeched to a halt and Neerav jumped out, his face a mask of worry. Ruhan ran to him, grabbing his arms, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and revelation.
"Bro!Nivan is inside and... and he's talking! Under hypnosis! He knows about Rudra and Pratham! The same ones who come in my dreams! He's describing them!"
Neerav steadied his friend, his own mind struggling to process the information. "Bro, calm down first. Take a breath. This is huge. We'll figure it out. But let Nivan finish his session and come out for now. We can't burst in there."
---
The Shared Past
Inside Dr. Bhargav's Clinic
Inside the tranquil room, the session was reaching a critical point. Dr. Bhargav, sensing they were on the verge of a major breakthrough, gently prodded further.
"And...tell me more, Nivan. Why did they fight? What was the root of such hatred between Rudra and Pratham? Tell me, Nivan."
At this, Nivan's body reacted violently. His peaceful, trance-like state shattered. His hands clenched the sides of the chaise lounge, his knuckles turning white. A low groan escaped his lips, and his entire form started trembling, as if fighting against an invisible force. "That... that..." he stammered, his face contorting in pain, the memory too traumatic to access even in this vulnerable state.
Seeing his patient's distress, Dr. Bhargav immediately moved the pendulum in a specific pattern, his voice firm yet calming. "Nivan, I am going to bring you back now. You are safe. Calm down. On the count of three, you will be fully awake. One... two... three."
Nivan's eyes fluttered open. He took a deep, shuddering breath, disoriented and emotionally drained. It was at that moment that the clinic door pushed open, and Ruhan and Neerav stepped in, their expressions a complex mix of apology and desperate urgency.
Nivan sat up abruptly, his surprise cutting through his fatigue. "Ruhan? You... what are you two doing here?"
Dr. Bhargav stood up, his professional composure ruffled. "What is the meaning of this intrusion? This is a private session."
Ruhan stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Nivan. "I'm sorry, Doctor. I truly am. But I need to talk to Nivan. Right now. It can't wait."
Nivan looked from Ruhan's frantic face to Neerav's solemn one. "What happened, Ruhan? You're scaring me."
Neerav placed a restraining hand on Ruhan's arm. "Calm down, Ruhan. We'll talk peacefully. Let's not make a scene."
Dr. Bhargav studied the three young men, his initial annoyance giving way to clinical curiosity. "All of you, sit down," he commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Now, tell me, what happened? What business do you have with Nivan that is so urgent it cannot wait?"
Nivan quickly interjected, "Doctor, these are my friends from the hostel. Ruhan and Neerav. I know them."
Dr. Bhargav nodded slowly. "Oh, I see." He sat back in his chair, observing them like specimens under a microscope.
But Ruhan wasn't finished. He turned to the doctor, his voice trembling with emotion. "No, Doctor, I need to talk to you too."
"With me? About what?" Dr. Bhargav asked, raising an eyebrow.
Neerav took over, trying to be the voice of reason. "Look, Doctor, it's going to sound a bit strange, but please, just hear us out."
Nivan was growing increasingly anxious. "Will someone please tell me what's going on?"
Ruhan took a deep breath, his eyes locking with Nivan's. "Your dreams..." he began, the words feeling both terrifying and liberating to say aloud.
Nivan froze. The color drained from his face. "What? My dreams?" he whispered, a fortress of secrecy suddenly under siege.
Ruhan nodded, his own fear mirrored in his friend's eyes. "Yes... your dreams... Nivan, I have them too."
The silence in the room was absolute. Nivan was stunned into speechlessness, his mouth slightly agape. He looked like a man who had been living on a deserted island, only to discover another soul had been there all along.
Dr. Bhargav remained silent for a long while, stroking his chin as he processed this bombshell. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and measured. "I see... so your dreams are linked? The narrative is the same?"
Nivan found his voice, a thin, reedy sound. "But how is that possible, Doctor? How can two people have the same dreams?"
Dr. Bhargav leaned forward, his eyes alight with intellectual fascination. "It is possible, Nivan. In fact, it is a documented, though rare, phenomenon. It often happens when two souls are deeply connected from a past life, their karmic threads intertwined so tightly that they carry the echoes of that shared history into their present one. They can even live together, as you do, yet for many days or years, they don't realize the profound connection they share from a lifetime long gone."
The revelation hung in the air, thick and heavy. Ruhan and Nivan were shocked into a profound silence, staring at each other not just as friends, but as strangers who had known each other for centuries. The foundation of their reality had just been cracked open.
Ruhan was the first to break the silence, his voice barely a whisper. "So what do we do now, Doctor? You have to tell us. What does this mean?"
Dr. Bhargav observed their pale, shaken faces and knew they had reached their limit for one day. "You both are very disturbed today. This is a lot to process. We will not proceed further. We will talk about this in detail later, when your minds are more settled, okay?"
Neerav, seeing the wisdom in this, nodded and stood up, placing a hand on each of his friends' shoulders. "Okay, Doctor. That's probably for the best. I'll take these two back to the hostel. They look like they've seen a ghost."
Dr. Bhargav gave a curt, professional nod. "Yes. Rest is what you both need now." He watched as the three boys filed out of his office, the door closing on a mystery that had only just begun to unfold.