Twice Upon A Time

Part 3- Josh

Josh's POV:

"Help me, save me, Aarush, please!! SAVE ME!! AARUSHH" she shrieked.

"Leave her alone, leave HER ALONE!! NOOOOO!!!"

Beeep! Beeep!! Beeeeppp!!! Beeeeeepppppp!!

Shit! That god-awful nightmare again. The clock says 6 am. I set the alarm at 6. I had to buy clothes and stuff. My freshman year of college starts from 9.

Phew!! My vest was drenched in sweat from the dream.

My head was sore and paining like shit. Get out of my head, you fucking creepy dream.

[Author: Pic at the top depicts Josh right after he woke up from his nightmare]

Alright. Time to beat the day. Prepare my breakfast and leave.

I got in the shower. Time to wipe out all that sweat. Took off my vest. Got a chance to stare at the mirror. A really handsome hunk stared back at me. With an impossibly strange loneliness in his eyes. I noticed the cut from a wound I have no freaking idea about, still hasn't disappeared from those finely shaped six-pack abs. It was then that I noticed it. I was crying. I don't know why. But it was involuntary. And I couldn't stop the steady flow of a stream of tears tickling down my almost-square jaws.

I splashed water all around my face and went into the shower.

Then I got dressed. I picked up a dark Louis Vuitton suit, a cross-striped shirt, and dark-colored trousers. That's because although I'm a teen, I have nothing to wear other than suits and shirts. Yeah, that's precisely why I needed to shop. Putting on my Ray Ban shades and my favorite Omega watch (I don't know why it was my favorite), I took one last look at the mirror, put on a fake smile and left. I have to practise smiling at the mirror for it doesn't come naturally to me. Of course, I don't know why.

I climbed down a flight of stairs, locked the door, double-checked the alarm system and switched on the palm-recognition and voice-recognition security arrangements. "Close" I said very clearly.

"Security automated" came the reply.

I got in my dark Volkswagen Jetta and drove off the driveway, past my neatly-maintained and well-trimmed lawns and bushes, until I got to the main gate.

I was the only one who lived in the mansion. I had no maids or butlers. I maintained my mansion myself. As also the lawns. I had nobody. So naturally, I got truckloads of free time to do all my work myself. It's only apt that I named the mansion, "The Moon" for it was as beautiful and as lonely as the enchanting natural satellite.

"Have a nice day, Master Ghosh." said one of the two security personnel I hired. They were the only people in my vicinity.

I drove outside as the majestic mansion looked even more splendid and fascinating on a dazzling summer's day.

The mansion was quite some distance from the main city and the college I enrolled myself in. I figured Ghosh was my family name, as the FBI had mentioned. They had no clues regarding my first name.

I enrolled myself in college with Mr. Jacob Stohanzel, a close friend and FBI agent, enlisting himself as my guardian, for I have no parents or known relatives. It was then that I decided to change my name to Josh, as I figured Ghosh might be too tough for Americans to pronounce. Besides, I didn't know my first name and Ghosh and Josh rhymed well. I didn't place a last name.

Anyway, this happened a week back. After almost an hours' ride, I stopped at the local shopping store. I parked my car and rushed out hurriedly to be addressed by a man who asked, "In a rush? Tell me, Sir, what are you looking for so that I might help you. Going by your mere attire and attitude, I will not hesitate to say that money's not a problem for you."