Know Thy Self

"Mom! Where are you? Dad, Anna!"
Aaron started getting worried. Running from room to room - searched the kitchen, the bathroom, garden, garage and the attic. He found none of his family members. It was a Sunday morning, and everyone was having a holiday. They were supposed to be in the house. What could the problem be?

"I should ask my neighbours. They might know something!"
He went the next door to ask about his family, but to his surprise, the whole Street was empty. The local playground was deserted. No one in the neighbourhood opened the door. There was literally No Person he could see. None of his friends, classmates or teachers were there. It was all deserted. He switched on the Television, but there were no signals. And he finally realised,

"I Am The Only Person Alive!"

It took him a while to absorb the sudden burst of emotions. He was sad to know that no one's near him, afraid about what happened or will happen. People he relied on, were not there. He was feeling hopeless. There was no one to take care of him, he thought.
As he sat down thinking about all this, he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. Not knowing what it was, he shouted out of fear. What if it is some kind of monster? Or aliens maybe? Or is it just my overthinking and anxiety?
Mustering up all his courage, as he turned back, there was an enormous person standing behind him. Aaron stood up and watched the person continuously. The person's face glowed brighter than the stars, his body shined as if he was himself made up of light. He was beautiful and lovely and it did not look as if the person had intentions to harm.
All of Aaron's anxiety vanished, he had a strong belief that this person, whom he called the lovely man, will help him for sure. Regardless of the fact that Aaron didn't know the man, and he was an introvert, he started conversation with the lovely man without a second thought.

"What happened to you my little boy?" The lovely man said.

Aaron, who was mesmerized with the voice, replied- "I do not know what is happening from the time I woke up this morning. I could literally find no one. I had lost all my hopes. But now that I have met you, I believe that there is still some sparks of hope. Still I am fearful, I never knew something like this can happen. What is going on?"

The lovely man stood there listening to the young boy. After he finished, the lovely man said, "Why to fear young boy, let us move together and investigate the seen."
The two went together throughout the city, shops were open with no men, streets desolated and only silence and silence spread all over.

Looking through the shops, they found stuff lying here and there. When he saw the abandoned fruit shops, he said immediately, "What would happen to these shops? There owners aren't here. These things will rot and the smell will spread all over."
They both soon went to the city square. No hustle - bustle, no cars no traffic. It was quiet. But Aaron had become habitual of the noises. He was missing the chaotic world. "My Dad works here. He has a large group who work together and enjoy too.", He said pointing towards a commercial building. They were unaware, where will the world go and what will happen.

Both of them then went to a park and sat near the trees. Aaron was remembering his days when world was normal. "The world looks awful with no people. I really wish this all ends soon!"

"Weren't you sad in the world that existed?"asked the lovely man.

Aaron went down into his deep thoughts.
"Indeed I was sad. I was depressed. I was having a hard time making friends. Everyone bullied me for the awkward way of talking I have. I was never welcomed. I cried for days and nights."

"Then why do you feel that it is awful with no people when everything that hurted you were people?" The lovely man asked again.
This was another moment of deep thinking for Aaron. He could not answer. "But still I don't like when people aren't around. I need people all the time. How can someone live with no friends?"
"Why do you need them?"

"Because I..I c..can ....I don't know!"

"Because of your own weaknesses. You want someone who is strong in the areas you are weak. It makes you FEEL you are strong. But that doesn't make you strong! Your fears are a result of these weaknesses. Introspect and find the areas you need improvement in!"

The boy was still hating the silence, but the lovely man loved it.
"Oh lovely man, How can you like this deathly silence? Where are people? How come you not feel afraid of all this? I want everyone back" said Aaron anxiously.

At last the man replied, "You know dear, in the world full of chaos we are in the search for people who can give us warmth. But all these people are themselves stuck in this chaotic place. Everyone is entangled in their own webs of lies, hatred and hustle bustle. They can't give us warmth. In such a cold place, why search for a person who can give warmth when there is a big power helping you all the time. It is in your own subconscious. A person can do anything, need is to recognise ones powers and nourish them. Every power that a supersoul has is within any normal human being. The only thing that makes the difference is the introspecting and nurturing the hidden potential.Look through my eyes, hear through my ears and realize with me, how beautiful is silence that no person can give but your own inner self can feel."

He realized the silence with the lovely man. At first when he searched for people, the silence looked deathly and made him feel lonely. But when he stopped his search, he found how warm and serene it is. He recalled the days at his school when he was cornered and demeaned due to hatred by few classmates. He struggled to find friends and cried for hours. But now he knew that he never needed them. He knew the emptiness but never knew that friends aren't the ones who can fill it.
The lovely man made him realize this. As a token of gratitude, He gave the lovely man a tight hug. Now that they knew, that they were the only people living, they sat together and spent some quality time. They didn't care of what will happen.
Aaron found the ultimate warmth with the lovely man and went into a deep slumber in his arms. All depression and anxiety got away. He was feeling fresh and energized.
"Wake up Aaron, it is already 7 am. You're getting late for school" said Aaron's mother.
As he opened his eyes, he saw the lovely man disappeared. His perception changed. He no longer relied on people. It was a wonderful dream...