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A Dark Hour

A black road stretched flat and straight to indefinite lengths. He stood in the middle of that road

as though stuck there. Immovable, he observed that the road was as straight as a line to the total

distance he could make out.

No vehicle or living being passed by, until then. At the point where his view of the road ended,

was a strange foggy light. He had been gazing at that point for a long time expecting for someone to

come to save him out of this predicament.

After a long wait, he saw a figure materializing out of that mist. Now he could estimate it was

300 feet away from the point he stood. The measurement was precise. He was sure of it-

300 feet.

He took a deep breath of relief. Now he could see the figure forming a silhouette. Black like a

shadow this person drew a clear black image on that misty canvas. He felt that the person was notmoving. It seemed he was standing there and had no intention to move. Or, was it the distance and

blurring view that was not revealing his motion? After a few minutes, but he concluded that this person

was indeed moving. Though his pace was slow, he was advancing towards him.

The only thing he could make out of his own present situation was that, he couldnt move.

Helplessly, his legs were forced to that road as though a magnet was pulling him.

200 feet away.

At this point, by studying that persons motion he felt a strange pattern. Each time he inhaled,

the black image took a step ahead. Somehow that didnt make sense. How can he sense my breathrate?! He stopped inhaling. With a fear tinged with amazement, he found that the person stopped too!

He stared at that figure with wide eyes.

A slow intake of air without even an external trace of inhalation.

A slow advancement of the figure followed, which he could bet was just one foot.

This is unbelievable. This thing is sensing my pulse!

The temperature started to drop. He started experiencing a shiver. The personality that can

sense breath rate couldnt be an ordinary one. But why should he opt to walk in that fashion. Whats

that he has to do with my breath?

Breath-The most vital activity every living thing performs in order to stay alive on this material

platform. What more does I know about breath?

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A human being inhales about 15 times a minute normally. That means in less than 10 minutes

that figure would be here, in front of me. What else is the relevance of breath? If you stop breathing you

will die. Thats all? Is thatall I know about breath? No... One more thing.

In a scripture its mentioned that a human being is not allotted with years or time as his life

span. It is breaths. When that allotted count of breaths is over, his death occurs.

A bell rang inside his brain. The figure that stood ahead of him a few feet away was death

personified. My Death.

His heart started beating faster. His breath rate doubled. Then he saw with horror, the figure

had started to accelerate. He became bewildered but then he realized his flaw and stopped breathing.

But that didnt help. The more he struggled, the more he wanted life air. Frantically, he inhaled more.

His heart pounding, with fear and anxiety he breathed like never.

His whole life stood like a long road he had covered. His family, his friends, all so lovely. Theres

no going back to them. All in minutes will be gone. Gone? But where will he go? What is post death?!

Now, he could see that figure as a person. Still dark and unclear, he was walking really fast- All

on account of his breathing. Hopelessly, he tried controlling his breath. But his mind was filling with

other things. My loving parents. They wont be able to live without me. My friends. I wont be able see

them anymore. Oh, if I could run from here. Away from my death.

50 breaths away..

His colour was that ofa rats- Death personified. Without a trace of hair on his skin, his arrival

brought with it a shivery chill. His eyes were pale blue. On his dark lips there was a silent smile that

drained energy from his victim.

A painful silence filled the whole environment. He cried like a child, watching his death face to

face and, so near him. In less than 40 steps, his end would be there in front of him, leaving no more

breaths left in his lifes account. As a pain and fear never ever known flooded in him, he tried to set his

thought on something else. But he was helpless. Fear defined him.

Shivering, he closed his eyes.

20 steps!

A bright spot started materializing 300 feet away from him in that same fog. It startedaccelerating like anything towards him. His eye closed and heart raising, he breathed faster helplessly.

So death started its pace. It was like a moon had erupted out of the fog and was racing from well far

behind. Thanks to uncontrollable fear and a faster breathing, death sped towards him.

2 breaths!!

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He opened his eyes. In front he saw a scene so frightening, he screamed. A demon stood in front

of him with arms stretched to devour his soul. Just behind death, was a powerful light. Suddenly that

light overcame death and a strong hold gripped his shoulder and pulled him.

Once again he opened his eyes! He saw daylight, a sky and a face of his friends. There was much

concern on his face.

Hei Praveen, What happened to you? We searched you everywhere. Oh my God. Thank God!

How come you reach here? I was praying that nothing had happened to you. This day would have been

the worst day of my life if something had happened to you. Our picnic would have become a tragedy.

How did you get in here, in this forest? We were all getting back to the bus, I found you were not there.

All are looking for you. Oh my! You were lying asleep, here on this grass when I found you. You started

screaming. Really, I shook you well to wake you up.

He heard everything like thunder struck. After a while he uttered, Midhu, You believe in God?

Hei, you know very well that I do.

Da you have an excellent timing. He somehow managed to say.

Why? What happened?

Just now, you saved me from death!

Midhu didnt laugh. He listened attentively as he helped Praveen to sit straight. He knew his

friend wasnt faking. Though it was difficult for him to believe everything his friend narrated, he listened

what his friend had to tell. What was remarkable was the clarity of the dream. Midhun had trust in his

love for his friend and belief in faith for the Almighty. He fancied that it might be his prayer that came in

as a white angel in his friends dream to protect him from death. But still, it all had a limitation to be

believed fully as it was only an unusual dream. All that timing stuff and all again made that dream

believable.

Had he been really killed if I hadnt pulled him on time?! Naa Midhun felt like smiling on this

thought as he escorted his friend back to their gang.

Yards behind, from where the two youngsters where chatting moments ago, a black cobra

slithered away. Just a few minutes ago, a boy in his early twenties had fell asleep on the green carpet of

natural comfort, just close to a dwelling place of this reptile. At the final moment it was about to strike

at the boy when a commotion sprang up and it got completely distracted.

On that very crucial moment, a caring young man had changed the destiny of his friend!!