Aarav stood in front of a table, bundles of cash that lay scattered on it. He breathed a heavy sigh.
"Let's move quickly."
A gunshot rang out in the abandoned building. Aarav's back was covered with blood. While struggling he turned back and glared at the man who called himself his friend. He tried to speak, but the pain made him unable to. With the support of the table, he balanced himself from falling. He mustered the strength and spoke.
"Why… Why did you do this?"
The man looked at bundles of cash then at Aarav. His face had a complex expression.
"You shouldn't believe in anyone."
"I am sorry. Boss wants you dead."
The man pointed the gun at Aarav's head. His finger trembled as he tried to pull the trigger.
Aarav sank to his knees, vision blurring. 'Why would he do this?' Aarav was the strongest in the gang. His mind was confused as to why they would do this. The gunshot rang. Blood spattered across the floor. Aarav collapsed on the cold floor, everything plunged into darkness.
Then a voice, "You died." calm. Not human, not a living being or any entity.
Aarav opened his eyes. His body intact, not even a single scratch. But his body was feeling hot as if burning. He looked around— flames devouring everything and shrill screams pierced his ears. He covered his ears in agony, blood flowing from them. His whole life flashed before him— living as an orphan, killing innocent people for money, dying by betrayal.
"What? What is this?"
Then screams stopped, the surroundings grew quiet. A man appeared out of nowhere. He wore valuable jewellery and ancient–style clothes, his presence both majestic and deadly. The air became heavy. Aarav felt as if his soul was being torn apart by the pressure.
"Who… who is he?"
His whole body was covered in sweat, body trembling.
"Is it hell?"
When King Yama spoke, "So, you came in the end."
King Yama's words made Aarav confused. Waiting for a moment he asked with hesitation in his voice. "Am I not supposed to be here?"
King Yama stared at him, "What do you think? What does your action represent?"
Aarav knew what he had done but he couldn't speak. The person standing in front of him held the power over every action's judgment. 'He already knew everything. Does it matter if I hide?'
"So what's my punishment? being boiled in oil or being eaten by shadows, or something else."
The air grew heavy. King Yama spoke in a thunderous voice. "Do you think punishment is enough?..."
Aarav spatted out blood. His body felt as if thousands were gnawing at him. He scratched all over himself. The blood flowing from the scratches. He gasped for air, body trembled.
"Please stop this."
King Yama looked at his pathetic state as if nothing new. "What, broke down even in this."
Time passed by with the screams and shouts of Aarav there. 'Please stop… stop.' His entire body was drenched in blood, blackened by time. No one knew how much time passed or there was even the concept of time. Aarav's screams grew quieter. Every bone was broken.
King Yama observed him. His eyes were scrutinizing and probing with a hint of confusion. 'Why him?'
King Yama swept his hand. The hellish place disappeared. Aarav's body returned to normal as if nothing ever happened here. But Aarav still had those memories of the moment, that hellish torture. 'I… I was…' he wanted to speak, but his throat was dry, body trembled.
Then king Yama's majestic voice echoed in his ears. "Listen human..."
Aarav looked up at Yama. His eyes now held fear.
Then king Yama said, "Your existence is… irregular."
"You can't go inside hell. Enter, and you will be trapped for eternity. So, you need to do work for me to be free."
Aarav's gaze was confused, eyes furrowed. 'What work does he want me to do? That he needs a human to do.' no matter what work king yama wanted him to do, he needed to do it. Because he had no other option.
But still there was a hint of hesitation on his face.
"I… I will. But will I be free then?"
King Yama said to him, "You will." He touched the forehead of Aarav with a finger. A bright light covered the eyes of Aarav.
The light disappeared. He slowly opened his eyes. He was in the building, the table was empty now, and the ground was covered in blood. He quickly looked at his old watch 2:00 am, same as around the time he died.
"Was it a dream or…"
"No it can't be a dream."
He closed his eyes. The tears slowly flowed from them as he started laughing.
Huh. huhh… haaahaaaa…
"I am alive.." "I am alive…"