"Years have passed".

"Yeah, and we finally met".

"Times were difficult you know".

"They will be difficult ahead and it's not just with you". 

" We all are travelling through this life... to do what?"

"Maybe to accomplish our aim".

"To fulfil our destiny".

"I have no destiny, Saige".

"We don't choose our own destiny Shiva...Its the destiny that chooses each one of us".

"So you chose me then", said Shiva.

"Maybe", Saige gave a smile and headed towards her home.

Shiva continued forward and reached his apartment.

Times were harsh, when he and many other students, returned to there hometown. A severe plague had struck the world. People were dying. The pandemic was at its peak, and common people were driven by just one emotion- fear.

"Hey mom, you there?". He knocked on the door, but to no answer. The door remained still, with a silence, which became worse as time passed. He stood there for seconds, which felt like hours. No footsteps, no midnight street rush; only tick tock tick tock...

"Flat no. 302", he read suddenly. He looked at his watch. Five minutes had passed since his arrival.

"You ok bro?" asked his neighbor.

"Oh, yes fine, I was just wondering where mom is, no ones at the door either."

"Oh! She didn't inform you, for gods sake she got infected due to the plague and the government people took her to the quarantine ward, sorry to say, mate, I understand how it feels", said the man in a sad tone.

"Okay...I wasn't aware of it actually", shocked indeed was Shiva.

"She said she would inform you and by the way here's your key, she gave it to me", saying this the man handed over the key to Shiva.

Shiva took the key, turned it to the lock and slowly entered his home, keeping his head low.

The door closed gently and the man outside added, "Strange boy".

Shiva kept his bag on the sofa and looked at a frame hung straight to him at the wall. It was his late father's last memory which left him when he was a two-year-old kid.

He stared at it. He was standing still and the wall clock was ticking. His eyes glared. The room was filled with an utter silent atmosphere.

Suddenly, he took a deep breath and saw the wall clock. Fifteen minutes had passed, since he was standing there, amidst all loneliness.

He freshened up and went to bed. He was tired and wanted to sleep.

His mom had called him twice the day before, but he didn't care to pick it up. Now he was all alone.

...