Room# 15
Author- Kleio B/ Kleio B'wti

When I started out as a novice, I was only that- a clear eyed novice.

My left hemisphere was a blank page that desired for imprints of knowledge and insight. My right hemisphere was a young sponge. It was ready to absorb every progression of nature, to fortify my skills! My eyes were alert irrespective, in a state of meditation. With my body posture in a continual alert; I was ready to leap towards my goal. To some, I was a hopeless nerd! Yet, to my teacher, I was the biggest asset. Mr. Astra Chandra was one of the biggest clairvoyant in the 1970s. He fanned my desire to investigate the unknown into an obsession.

There was a time when I was a skeptic medic. A skeptic who was in love! I was an apprentice at the Nirmala Hospital. A beautiful nurse was giving my heart, ulcers. Her smile lit up my cortex with bulbs of romance. Her touch made my sympathetic nerves jump with delight! My vision was a perfect post of bromide. She was the photograph, my acme of delight! Yes! She made me feel poetic! She made my forlorn glide in romance, a dangerous terrain. Her stance never communicated a refusal. Her words never confirmed her acquiesce. I never gave up. Technically, she never gave in. One day she invited me along with our other friends to Master Astra's lecture. Master Astra was her uncle-in-law.

Master Astra was a charismatic speaker! His communication with the other world was spellbinding. For a medical student like me, the unknown world of spirits is a clinical blasphemy. My desire to impress her was stronger than my wish to use reason and leave. I sat through the program, unconvinced. I witnessed a magic show of the spiritual kind! She took us backstage to meet him after the event. Master Astra was nice to all.

He called me aside with a smile, saying, "Doctor Ji, your grandmother says that she is proud of you. She said that she had always prayed to have a doctor in the family."

My grandmother had lost my mother due to excessive bleeding after my birth. I seldom visited my maternal grandparents. My father kept a tight work schedule. My grandmother had passed away, twenty years ago.

Each letter she had written to me had ended with the same statement, "Child, you are my Doctor Babu".

I had almost forgotten about my grandmother, and her longing completely! Master Astra had opened a gate of bitter sweet memories.

Meeting Master Astra made my mind somersault with supernatural possibilities. For a student of science only reason prevails. My reasonable mind was wandering into ghostly pastures that whispered a story. It was the story of the soul in medical incognito. When I could not take the suspense any longer, I sleeked Master Astra's consult.

Master Astra's chamber was fragrant of sage incense. He smiled calmly at me. I took a seat on the floor opposite him. He said some strange mantras, blew in his hands a number of times. Lighting the candles next, he asked me for the gold chain that I was wearing. I gave it to him. He took the jewellery in his hands, blew air into his hands many more times. I could hear leaves rustling somewhere although he lived in a concrete jungle. A bright light came from nowhere. More leaves crackled. The bright light started dimming. Master Astra elevated about six inches from the floor! I was not a bespectacled doctor. Yet, my hands gestured to take off the invisible ones and give them a clean!

It was at that silly moment that Master Astra decided to open his eyes. His childlike giggle at my folly wobbled his suspension. He almost fell like Newton's apple did from the tree- almost. He cleared his throat, to regain his buoyancy in the air. In all seriousness told me that my beloved grandmother wanted to meet me. I implored the master to let me meet my mother instead.

Master Astra gave me an ugly stare with the most cliched statement, "Doctor Ji, respect the dead!"

Suddenly, Master Astra sounded very old and haggard. His calm voice transformed into a hiss! Initially, he rasped in some unfathomably strange language. Once I picked up the strange accent, I figured out her words.

She repeated over and over, "My blessings, Doctor Babu!".

I was a skeptic- or was I? Master Astra had me almost convinced. Grandmother's voice started fading.

As her soul left Master Astra's body, my grandmother gave me a last diagnosis, "The patient in Room no. 15 doesn't have pneumonia. She has lung cancer. She will die at 11:15 PM."

I had night duty that day so I had an off the previous day. I was not aware if any such patient till day before! Piqued, I decided to reach the hospital sooner. Before I left, I inquired about my consultation fee.

Master Astra said,"Doctor Ji, you are going to visit me sooner than you think. Why don't you leave behind your jewellery with me?"

Such a strange situation, was a first in my life! My mind was already wandering away to the hospital. A discussion with Master Astra about my gold necklace could wait. My itch to find proof of this supernatural spoof was pulling me to the hospital. I left my jewellery with the levitating master and took a hasty retreat. Master Astra decided to return to the floor right then and waved at me from his balcony.

On reaching the hospital, the first person I saw was my lovely nurse. We caught up over a late night cuppa in the canteen. A critical patient reached the hospital at 10:55 PM. By the time she was wheeled into Room no. 15 it was about 11:10 PM. The senior doctor made it only a few minutes before she breathed her last. The time of earth was 11:15 PM.

Arm in arm we walked into an army of doctors and nurses in front of Room no. 15. My hands shook in shock. At that very juncture I promised myself two things.

Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I asked my darling to walk back into the canteen with me. I could not take the brunt of upsetting my ancestors nor her uncle-in-law's wrath. He could hoist himself on my head as a punishment, anytime. I broke up with her unceremoniously when we reached there.

My beloved laughed uncontrollably and said, "You are an idiot. What made you think I was dating you, you fool", and walked away.

The second thing I did was tell myself that I would become a Medium like Master Astra. I would make medical science and existential science work in tandem for the betterment of mankind.

The very next day I applied for a month long leave. My next stop was to meet Master Astra. It seemed he already knew why I was there. He smiled calmly at me and began my training. For the first few days, Master Astra made me meditate. My mediation sessions lasted for hours! Master Astra was a benevolent teacher. He was constantly at my side. Five days of deep meditation began to open up my consciousness. I could hear leaves rustle, roots of invisible trees pull me firmly towards the earth. Sometimes I felt whispers. As days passed by, I felt the unknown touch me, pull my hands. My fingers tingled every time I felt the unknown near me. During this entire paranormal journey I felt the master holding me, guiding me, protecting me and teaching me.

On day 29th, Master Astra made me stop. It took me a few minutes to embrace my own world. The same cosmos that had been a part of me until recently. My environment looked diminished! It almost seemed that I was looking around from a mountain top. I was sure I was levitating! Gazing down my enthusiasm thumped thud with disappointment. I was not flying in the air! The elevated state was over! I found myself looking gaunt. The few days of spiritual adventure had given me some new greys!

I inspected myself in the full size mirror in the prayer room. Master Astra came in with some tea and asked me to sit down. He wanted me to ask him my doubts. My question made him laugh!

He said between humorous tears, "It takes years, Doctor Ji. Give it time!"

Disappointed, yet elated I went back to work. I could hear angels when I operated upon patients. There was always a guardian angel who helped the sick recover. The patients who were close to death always appeared to me with a grey halo. After the death the halo would vanish. Everyday I spent as many hours as I could to meditate, learn, to contact the other world. To help me enhance my skills I purchased a house opposite Master Astra's. What I learnt from my psychic teacher I would try to to incorporate in my profession.

After years of practicing the art of clairvoyance, Master Astra allowed me to contact the spirit world myself. Although I felt the spirits, heard them, touched them, the spirits would not enter my body. Those who came to me for help had to deal with my technical shortcomings. However, as a doctor, I became one of the famous neurosurgeons of our country.

Master Astra stooped with old age. My hair was more of a white garden with flicks of black. While my master kept levitating higher, my body refused to rise! My frustration knew no bounds. Upset with the world and myself, I tried to call upon my mother to help me hoist myself high. I worked myself up concentrating, yet my mother did not come. I had reached a limbo in meditation. Even if i tried, I couldn't get out of it. After years of practicing meditation I had never thought I would be in such a predicament. With great urgency I called for Master Astra. To my SOS call, Master Astra shouted angrily, "No selfish man! At the right time!  It's not your time to call for help!" After that day, I never met Master Astra. He never forgave me, and I did not have the courage to ask his forgiveness.

My obsessions of the medical and the existential kinds had left me friendless except for my master. The years had slipped through my fingers. I met people socially. Every time I met someone, I heard voices that told me their future. The distinction between reality and supernatural was fading fast. Master Stra had disowned me. My social life was spiraling. I started withdrawing from the world to avoid seeing their pain, their sufferings and failures. One day when my courage had plummeted to the south of all emotions something warm and wet touched my hand. Strangely, I couldn't not see a future from this contact. Feeling hopeful I surveyed the distraction. He wagged his tail delightedly. I was happy after a lifetime! I had a street dog for a friend -Bholu.

Every afternoon Bholu would climb up the stairs, scratch my door. I waited for him everyday. We had supper together. Bholu was selfless. He never complained. He happily wagged his tail and ate anything I offered. With Bholu in my life I was able to sleep again. Bholu never gave me visions. I could touch him, play with him, feed him, do whatever, without a worry. With renewed vigor I started contacting the dead again. The sage incense kept away any evil spirits. One day I almost felt I was elevated! Yes! I was a few inches from the floor Levitating. Would Master Astra be proud? Bholu who was hiding under the bed did not appreciate me flying in the air. He jumped me with a bark and thud I fell on the floor.

I held Bholu to calm him down. It was 3 PM in the afternoon. I felt I heard a voice whisper through Bholu, "The wait is almost over". Fear held me paralyzed. Bholu went totally berserk, scratching the main door. Understanding his need to flee, I let him out. I knew he would be back by evening like always. I saw Bholu run wake his street dog friend who bared his teeth in anger. Bholu ran and hid under a car.

The clouds suddenly grumbled. Lightening scared the animals to scuttle. Bholu remained under the car, I guess. I did not see him run. I knew he would be back soon. All I needed was a hot black coffee to celebrate my success....

It was getting late enough to be worried. I once again stepped into the balcony and looked down. Except for a drenched street dog that was lying down miserably near the gate, there was not a soul to be seen anywhere. Rain water had puddled under the lamp post. A breeze ruffled the mango tree in the courtyard and a few twigs fell down and broke. Thunder rumbled in the distance. Did I hear a soft knock at the door? I turned back....

Author: Kleio B'wti