Ghosts of the Past

Tears streaked down his cheeks as his eyes smarted from the smoke. He watched his father seated in front of the ceremonial fire casting into it a mixture of wood, herbs and spices with his raised hands. Stern faced men with dirty matted hair and ash all over their bodies chanted verses in throaty growls. He had been scared of them once, of their frenzied actions as the rituals progressed, of their eyes that turned blood red and a gaze that unsettled him deep inside. But he had gotten used to them now…they came to the estate once a year around the same week.

His father had called them the ‘drashtas’ – “the ones who could see”. They were here to placate the souls that were on their journey to their final abode. These rituals were conducted to help them. They had apparently helped his great-grandfather reach the beyond nearly three years ago.

He remembered asking if great-grandfather kept coming back. Afterall, if he had been sent away once, why did they have to do the ritual again.

His father had laughed “Your great-grandfather was not the only one to pass on Aryan. Several others make that journey every day”

“Then why do we do it for them? Shouldn’t it be the job of their families?” he had asked.

“Because times are changing. People have forgotten…or have stopped caring. Otherwise, they were coerced or forbidden from caring” his father replied, the laughter in his voice now replaced by an unfathomable sorrow.

“Aryan” he heard a whisper behind him.

“Aariv” he nodded as he identified his neighbor and childhood friend. “What happened?”

“Nothing. Just thought you could use some joy in your life” he said.

“I’m plenty happy Aariv, until you get me involved in something which will upset my parents”

“Hey, you aren’t still upset with the pond event, are you? You got to learn swimming because of it.” he said.

“Forced to learn, Aariv. I’m sure swimming does not involve being pushed into the deep end”

“I threw you the float didn’t I”

“Threw on me more like. Nearly drowned me on that one”

Aariv chuckled, clearly learning no lessons. “So, want to do something fun?”

“I’m busy as you can see” Aryan said under his breath.

“Really? How? Crying? Is that a job?”

Aryan felt the urge to slap his friend. “No, to help out”

“Really, the way I see it your father is not going to be up for another two hours. Your mother is running mad here and there to keep the guests fed. You are more likely to get in her way than being of any help. So, it’s just going to turn out like last year”

Aryan sighed. Aariv was always mischievous, always energetic and ready to get into trouble. But he was almost always right. Aariv was among of the few, if not only, persons who knew him and his family well.

“Alright, fine” Aryan said and almost imperceptibly moved towards the door. It was always difficult to make oneself inconspicuous when dressed in bright yellow, but Aariv had taught him this as well. As he reached the door without alerting too many guests he looked back and found one of the drashtas staring right at him.

The verses were still being sung, and Aryan felt a chill down his spine. Would he alert his father?

But the man returned to the ritual unperturbed.

With a last look back, Aryan left the house.

“I think he saw me”

“I always found them creepy” Aariv replied.

The two walked silently for a moment worried about these mysterious folk. “So where do we go today?” Aariv asked. “It’s your turn”

Aryan wondered for a bit and a memory flashed into his mind. “Chess?”

Aariv frowned. “You do this almost every time. Why chess? It’s boring. We should be running around. Or are you saying you want to be a teacher’s pet even when they aren’t around”

“I’m not a teacher’s pet” Aryan muttered.

“I am not interested” Aariv shrugged.

“Even if I make it worth your while?”

His friend raised an eyebrow. “What do you have in mind?”

“If you win, I’ll never say ‘chess’ ever again” Aryan said.

“That’s interesting. But not good enough”

“How about this. If you win, I will always do whatever you suggest. I’ll let you have my chance too”

“Just once?” Aariv asked.

Aryan smiled. “No, forever”

“You are on!” Aariv broke into a smile and ran ahead. Aryan saw him bolt and rushed behind him. He was never as athletic as his friend, especially after the swimming incident. But he tried his hardest.

It took him ten minutes to reach their table on beside the pond. The sun cast a shadow right under his feet and Aryan was drenched in sweat under his heavy silk clothes. He watched the brightly smiling Aariv seated on the chair on one-side of the table swinging his legs.

“Too long, Shorty!” he yelled.

Aryan grimaced.

He sat on the other end of the table and wiped his brow. “My clothes are heavy”

“Excuses, excuses” Aariv chortled. “I hope you will actually follow through on your promise when you lose now”

“When I lose?” Aryan raised a brow.

The two boys began.

Pawns advanced, standard play. Aariv pushed up a knight and Aryan mirrored him. Four moves in and the attack came.

“Knight up!” Aariv yelled.

Aryan knew this trap. He had fallen for it for a while.

“Two can play this”, he said and the bishop advanced.

“You continue to fail this test Aryan!”

“Knight takes pawn”

“Bishop takes pawn”

“King takes bishop”

“Knight check”

He closed his king on the knight. Aryan slid his queen into the attack.

“Good choice! Bye to the rook!” Aariv smiled as he whisked the rook off the table.

“Queen check” Aryan said calmly.

“King takes pawn”

“Checkmate” Aryan muttered as the queen held the knight in the center.

“How?” Aariv muttered. “I lost”

“Yeah” Aryan replied. “You weren’t really much of a player”

Aariv frowned. “One win and you get cocky”

“Does that mean you won’t give me my reward?”

Aariv looked deep in thought. “Wait a minute…you did not mention a reward for yourself”

“True. But are you so shallow that you did not expect me to ask for one?”

He gritted his teeth. “Fine, what do you want?”

“An answer to a question” Aryan smiled.

“That’s all?” Aariv asked, flummoxed.

“That’s all” Aryan nodded.

Relief washed over him as Aariv felt let off. “Sure, lay it on me”

Aryan asked. “Who are you?”

Aariv frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Who are you?” he repeated.

“I’m Aariv, what a stupid question to waste your reward on?”

Aryan shook his head.

“You are not Aariv” Aryan repeated firmly. “You couldn’t be”

“What kind of joke is this?”

“You couldn’t be Aariv, because you drowned right here two years ago”

Aariv shook.

“No”

“I came home. After I lost this game” Aryan muttered. “I was upset. I did not even bother to check what happened to you after I lost.”

He looked at him. “There was a storm that day. They told me you fell”

Aariv looked shaken.

“We found you floating a day later. It seems everyone had been asking around. You had many friends. None of them knew…”

Aryan felt a pain in his chest.

“I knew it. I was the one who knew where you had been lost…but you see, no one told me you were missing. They didn’t know I was a friend of yours”

A tear fell from his eye. “I came to know they were looking for you a whole day later”

He shrugged. “It was too late”

Aariv sank back into his chair, the shock overwhelming him.

“I am dead?” the figure called Aariv asked.

“I thought so, until I saw you walking in front of your place” Aryan muttered. “I so badly wished that it was a joke. It would have been right up your alley. That way I could have just punched you and moved on”

Realization emerged on his friend’s face. “That’s why….my friends. They couldn’t see me”

He seemed to tear up. “My parents…what happened to them?”

“This place held too many memories” Aryan replied.

Aariv wept and Aryan placed a hand on his shoulder even though he knew it was resting on air. Aariv looked up at him. “Of all those who could have been the ones to see my, why was it you?”

Aryan shrugged. “I wonder why…perhaps it is because of how much you meant to me. I seldom make friends, Aariv. I have always found it difficult. To truly trust someone, it is a responsibility. But you were there for me. That meant a lot. So, when I saw you at the gate, struggling to get in, it was tearing at me. I did not like seeing you there, scared, forgotten...alone. I know what that feels like though I am alive. So, I invited you home. The same way you did for me when I was all alone.”

Aariv’s tears turned to a chuckle. “You intend to bear me like this for the rest of your life? Make me an invisible guest?”

“As much as I do miss your voice, I know it would be wrong for me to keep you tethered”

He turned to the ashen man who had walked beside him – one of the drashtas. “I asked for his help” Aryan explained. “He told me it was the fault of our people. We forgot our ways and that we couldn’t guide you to the beyond”

Aariv stared at the man as well. “Would you do me a favor before you send me off?”

“What can I do for you?” Aryan asked.

“Can you tell my parents I am sorry. That I should have listened and come home? That I love them…”

Aryan felt a lump in his throat. “That doesn’t sound like you”

Aariv burst into a laugh. “Right? Don’t know why I sound like a crybaby. Tell them, I’m doing fine and that I shall wait for them here. There’s no rush. They can take their time. I’m just going to play to my heart’s content there."

Aryan smiled, that was more like the boy he knew.

"I will" Aryan muttered.

Aryan turned to the man beside him and nodded.

The man walked to the boy, who was once called Aariv.

The drashta muttered a verse and Aryan watched as Aariv dissipated, the last vision that of a smile.

The bright sun seemed glum for just that moment.