Saahas didn’t believe in distractions.

While his classmates laughed in the corridors, he solved complex equations in empty classrooms. While his little sister twirled in her room, pretending to be a star on stage, he scoffed at her foolishness. And when his mother begged him to step out, breathe fresh air, and “live a little,” he drowned her out with the hum of his laptop.

Dreams were for the weak. Saahas had a goal — to become a scientist who would change the world. The rest was noise.

He was all ready for the next class waiting for the lunch to be over, his fingers on his glasses and his eyes on the chemistry book in front of him,

Then came a girl. Soft-spoken, wide-eyed, and trembling, she stood before him in the schoolyard, clutching the hem of her sweater. "I like you, Saahas," she whispered.

He didn’t flinch. “Your grades are terrible.”

She blinked. “I—”

“If you spent less time daydreaming and more time studying, you wouldn’t be wasting my time with this nonsense.”

Her face fell. She mumbled something and fled. Saahas barely watched her go. Another distraction, dismissed.

That night, he went to bed, his mind buzzing with algorithms. He knew sleep was important, the most important distraction, he called them.

The next day, he woke up, his mother called from downstairs “Saahas!!”

He got ready fast and sat on the school bus, next to him a sweet girl, he didn't budge until

“I like you, Saahas,” she whispered, again it was the same girl from yesterday.
And smiled, Her smile was twisted. Too wide. Her eyes gleamed like fractured glass

This time, the words felt different.

She lunged. Her hands twisted unnaturally, claws grasping at his throat. Saahas stumbled, gasping, his screams drowned by her guttural laughter. And everyone in the bus laughing,He didn't understood what was happening as he tried to scream…..

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-

And then —

He woke up.

His chest heaved. The hum of the fan spun lazily above him. He was back.

It was just a nightmare.

Still trembling, Saahas forced himself out of bed.

His mother called from downstairs “Saahas!!”

The morning light spilled through the curtains. The world was calm. Real. He trudged to the kitchen, the weight of the dream lingering like a shadow.

His mother stood at the stove, her back to him. The rhythmic chopping of vegetables echoed through the quiet.

"Morning," he mumbled.

She didn’t respond.

"Ma?"

She turned slowly. Her face was eerily blank, her eyes cold. In her hand gleamed a long kitchen knife.

“Why didn’t you listen to me?” she hissed. “Why couldn’t you be better?”


“Ma I-”

“No, I hate you, you know I have no one else than you!!! You should be better” and then-”

The knife flashed.

Saahas stumbled back. He screamed.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-

And then —

He woke up.


He jolted upright, his heart pounding. The room was the same. The fan. The curtains. The clock ticking away.

“Another dream,” he whispered, trying to steady his breath.

His mother called from downstairs “Saahas!!”

He got ready, caught his school bus, he was tired, and a lot of chaos had happened in his sleep.

He stepped outside. The street was eerily empty. A stray dog sat near the lamppost, staring directly at him. Its eyes glowed an unnatural white.

“Shoo,” Saahas muttered, taking a step forward.

The dog bared its teeth. But it wasn’t just a growl — it was laughter. Deep. Mocking.

And then, the streetlight above him groaned. The metal twisted unnaturally. With a screech, it plummeted.

Darkness.

And suddenly the dog was biting him and the street light falling on him, people near by watching…..

He screamed for his life


Aaaaaaaaaaaaaa-

He woke up.

Again.

His mother called from downstairs “Saahas!!”

He didn't wanted to go, he didn't move, “Ma, I am sick”

“What? Wait I will come and check”

“No don't come!!!! I will be alright, I just want some rest!!”

His mother confused but some minutes later left a porridge on his table, with some fever and acidity medicine, not sure what's happening to him.

He was lying down on his bed, his legs trembling even though he didn't wanted them to.

Then the door creaked open , a frail old man, stood by the entrance, in a white coat and stethoscope, his mother by the side


Ma, I told you I don't want the doctor

But Saahas, you need to get checked

The man stepped forward with a “Chainsaw”

Wh-What are you doing, get that away from me , he said shivering

What happened it will make you alright

Wh-what ma!! Maa see!!

Why beta, what happened it's just a chain saw?

But ma!!! I am just a human why- and the chainsaw started on his leg as he screamed-


Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-

He woke up , yet again.

His mother called from downstairs “Saahas!!”

He had enough, he picked his jacket and his glasses and ranaway from his home running in no direction, he was tired he wanted to just vanish , why does everyone wants to kill him…?? What did he do??

He then realised he was at school.


The watchman at the door, looked at him confused” Beta what happened, why are you not in uniform?”


Wait! Was he in reality, finally, everything was way too normal it has been more than a hour and nothing happened!! He screamed in happiness

The watchman’s skin sagged, his eyes sunken and hollow. “You shouldn’t be here,” he rasped, his voice like rusted metal.

Saahas turned to him and then froze. “I—”

The watchman’s mouth twisted into a grin, his teeth jagged like shards of glass. “Run.”

The ground cracked beneath him. Saahas ran.

But the principal was waiting. His suit was immaculate, but his face was a mask of rot. “Disappointment,” he sneered. “That’s all you are.”

Hands reached for Saahas. The shadows twisted and wrapped around him. He fought, his lungs burning, but the darkness dragged him under.



The air reeked of smoke. Saahas stumbled through the forest behind the school, the trees twisted and blackened. Flames licked the bark, the inferno roaring like a living beast.

Branches snapped. Footsteps followed him.

The principal's voice echoed through the fire. “You can't run from yourself.”

Saahas ran until his legs gave out. His chest heaved. The flames drew closer. The heat seared his skin. He closed his eyes.


But instead of burning, he opened his eyes to something entirely different.

A vast cave. The walls pulsed with veins of glowing colors — crimson, gold, emerald. Equations etched themselves into the stone, twisting and shifting as Saahas watched. The symbols were his own. Every formula. Every theory.

And then the memories began.

His first steps. His father’s proud laughter. The day he solved his first puzzle. The gold medal in the school science fair. His mother's warm embrace. His sister’s twirling silhouette. The girl’s trembling confession.

The echoes of his life surrounded him.


Darkness. Then a hum — low, mechanical.

Saahas’s eyes snapped open. The air was thick, humid. A dim, golden glow painted the jagged cave walls. Symbols — ancient, mathematical — pulsed along the stone like veins. Numbers twisted and bled into equations. His own equations. The ones he'd spent nights perfecting.

But it wasn’t the cave that held him captive.

It was the metal, colourful cage.

The bars around him shimmer with unnatural colors — vibrant blues, electric pinks, fiery oranges. They shift like stained glass under sunlight, a kaleidoscope of madness. The metal hums beneath his fingers, cold and unyielding. The air smells like burning circuits

Then footsteps.

From the shadows emerged a figure. Tall. Lean. His face sunken, the hollows of his cheeks stark beneath graying skin. A jagged scar ran down his temple. But it wasn’t the wound that unsettled Saahas.

It was the eyes.

Cold. Calculating. Familiar.

The man smiled. “Welcome, Saahas.”

"Who are you?" Saahas rasped, the metallic taste of fear thick on his tongue.

The man stepped closer, the shadows parting. "I’m you. Forty-two years old." His voice dripped with mockery. “Your future. The result of every decision you’ll ever make.”

The bars of the cage vibrated as Saahas gripped them. "No. This isn’t real. This is just—”

"A dream?" The older Saahas laughed, the sound dry and bitter. "You've been saying that for a while now, haven't you? After the girl. After your mother. After the school burned. But you’re here, aren’t you? And I’m here."

Saahas shook his head, his breathing ragged.

“Let me show you what’s to come.”


The cave walls pulsed. Shapes twisted, bending into vivid scenes. The past. The future. Saahas saw glimpses of himself — the boy who chased greatness.

A roaring crowd. A gleaming gold medal.

"Age sixteen," the older self said. "National Science Fair Winner. Remember how they called me a prodigy?"

The scene shifted. Saahas stood in a grand auditorium, cameras flashing. A shining plaque bore his name.

"Nineteen," the voice continued. "Youngest recipient of the Global Innovators Award. Every major university wanted you. I was unstoppable."

Another image. Laboratory lights flickered. Machines hissed. Saahas, older now, stood before a massive, gleaming device — his invention. It pulsed with life. Energy surged through its core.

“The world saw promise. But I saw more.”

Saahas watched as scientists warned him, their voices drowned by his own arrogance. “It’s unstable,” they said. “It’s not ready.”

But Saaahas didn't listen. He flipped the switch.


The explosion roared. Fire devoured the lab. Buildings trembled. Smoke choked the sky.

And beneath the rubble — the slums.

“Hundreds died,” the older self growled. “Poor. Forgotten. People who didn’t matter in your eyes.” His voice lowered. “But to the these people, they mattered, NO TRASH DOESN'T MATTER!!! DUSTCON IS WHERE IT BELONGS!!! ,The older self screamed, as Saaahas flnched.

Images flashed — protesters demanding justice. Headlines condemning him. “Scientist Saahas Gupta Responsible for Massacre.”

His trial played out before him. The judge’s gavel echoed like thunder.

Life imprisonment.

Saahas shook, his knuckles white against the bars. “I didn’t mean to—”

Betrayal

The cave twisted once more.

His mother stood before the cameras, tears staining her face. "He’s not my son anymore," she whispered. "The boy I raised is gone."

His sister, her eyes hollow. "I wish I’d never known him."

And then — her.

The girl who had once stood nervously before him, confessing her feelings. The same girl he’d dismissed with cruel words. Her face was colder now. Determined.

She stood in the courtroom. "He destroyed lives. And he has no remorse. He doesn’t deserve freedom."

Saahas's knees buckled. "She... she testified against me”!!!!!

His future self sneered. "She never loved me. But even she couldn't stand by me.I married her! Even though she was nothing but just a nursery teacher!!!!! And Sh-She went against me!!!!

“They all left me. Every single one”


The older Saahas stepped closer, his voice low and venomous.

"But you can change it."

"What?"

"This future — it doesn't have to happen." His scarred face twisted into a grin. "I built this maze to give you a choice. You’ve seen what’s coming. Now prevent it."

"How?" Saahas whispered.

"Abandon them. Your mother. Your sister. The girl. They’ll turn on you the moment things go wrong. Cut them off before they cut you down."

The shadows flickered. The girl’s face returned — trembling, vulnerable. The moment of her confession. The future Saahas sneered.

"Kill her."

Saahas recoiled. "No."

"You think she won't betray you? She will. She always does. And your parents? They’ll spit on your name. If I have to suffer for my crimes, I’ll make sure you suffer too."

The air grew heavy. The walls twisted, the hum of machinery growing louder. The maze awaited his choice.

"Do it, and I'll release you. Walk away from them. Build your machine. Rewrite your fate."

Saahas trembled. His hands clenched into fists.

Then he spoke, “I-I will!! Just release me from this nightmare please!!!!”

Darkness hums beneath his eyelids. A muffled thud echoes through his chest. Saahas opens his eyes.

The air feels… real. The walls aren’t moving. No neon colors. No shifting equations. Just the soft sunlight dripping through the windows of his room. The bed beneath him is cold and damp with sweat. He breathes, his chest heaving.

For a moment, everything is still.

He throws the blanket aside. Outside the window, the street hums with life — the distant chatter of vendors, the occasional honk of a passing scooter. His heart pounds. He’s home. No cages. No flickering shadows.

A dream. It was a dream.

But then, the voice.

“You know what must be done.”

Saahas freezes. The voice slithers through his mind — low, coaxing. His hands tremble. Slowly, he turns.

There’s no one there.

But he can feel it. The weight. The presence. The older self. He’s still here.

He moves through the house like a ghost. Every sound feels sharper. His mother hums a tune from the kitchen. The ceiling fan creaks. The ticking clock snaps at his nerves.

And then — laughter.

His little sister. She’s in the living room, spinning, her arms flailing as she dances. Carefree. Foolish. A complete waste of time. He clenches his jaw. The older self was right. He always was. She’s nothing but a distraction.

“She will ruin you,” the voice hisses. “Just like they all did to me.”

Saahas tightens his fists. His pulse thrums in his ears. Every memory of the dream slams into him — the cage, the colors, the sneering face of his older self. He can still feel the humiliation, the rage, the bitter stench of failure.

But not this time. He won't let that future become his.

His bare feet pad across the cool marble floor. His sister twirls once more, giggling, her face glowing with joy. She doesn't even notice him standing there.

“Do it.”

The voice urges. “End it. Before it begins.”


“Why are you hesitating?”

The voice twists through his mind like smoke. Suddenly, he feels it — the presence behind him. Saahas doesn’t turn. He doesn’t have to. The weight of his older self’s stare burns into his back.

“I-I can’t,” Saahas whispers, his voice cracking.

“But you will.”

The older self steps closer. “She doesn’t understand you. None of them do. But they will. Once you follow through.”

Saahas shakes his head, trembling. “I’m not like you.”

“You think I wanted this?” The voice darkens, low and guttural. “You think I enjoyed what I became? I was like you once. A bright boy. A prodigy. I held medals. Trophies. I built the future. But what did the world give me in return?”

“You killed people.” Saahas’s voice quivers. “You built that machine and—”

“I built a masterpiece!” The older self’s eyes burn with rage. “A source of endless energy. Clean. Revolutionary. But the world called it dangerous. They didn’t see its worth. They saw a threat. I warned them about the risks. But they ignored me.”

The older Saahas leans in, his voice barely above a whisper. “When the machine malfunctioned, hundreds died. And they blamed me. They called me a murderer. The genius turned monster.”

Tears well in Saahas’s eyes. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll become you.”

“Oh, you will.” The older self's lips curl. “Because you’ll face the same world I did. The same people. Your sister will mock your brilliance with her foolish dancing. Your mother will nag and pester, wanting you to waste your time. And the girl?”

He snarls. “She’ll betray you. She’ll swear she believes in you, but the moment things turn dark, she will testify against you. I know. I lived it.”

“No.” Saahas's voice wavers.

“Yes,” the older self hisses. “And when the world turns against you, it won’t matter how pure your intentions were. They will hate you. Abandon you. Call you a monster. I tried to save them. And now I’m the villain.”

Saahas’s hands shake. “But there’s still a choice.”

The older self's voice softens, dripping with bitter persuasion. “There was never a choice. There was only survival. They will never understand. But this time, you can be prepared. Don’t give them the chance to destroy you. Strike first.”

Saahas clenches his teeth. His sister’s laughter echoes in the background. The warmth of the home feels suffocating.

“Kill her.”


His fingers curl. One step. Then another. The air thickens. The older self’s voice wraps around him, a cruel, bitter embrace.

"No one will understand you. They'll only tear you down. Just like they did to me."

"They will call you a monster. Prove them right."

His hands shake. He can see it — the end. The path that the older him carved. If he listens, it will all fall into place. No one to hold him back. No one to judge him. Just the brilliance of his mind, untamed.

But then—

"Bhaiyaa?"

The voice is soft. Innocent. He stops. His sister turns, her eyes wide and bright. There's no fear. Just warmth. Trust.

And suddenly, the floodgates burst.

The images crash into him — the medals, the awards, the standing ovations. But then, the shadows. The machine. The screaming. The shattered glass. The hatred in their eyes. His mother’s tears. The girl he rejected, standing in court. His sister, trembling.

“I tried.” The older voice cracks. “I tried so hard.”

The sneer is gone. What remains is desperation. Grief.

Saahas stumbles. Tears blur his vision. He drops to his knees, sobs wracking his body. The pressure inside him shatters. Every ounce of anger, fear, and loneliness spills out. His hands clutch his face as the cries consume him.

And then—

Small arms wrap around him.

“It’s okay, bhaiyaa,” his sister whispers, her voice trembling but sure. “Don’t worry. Everything is gonna be alright.”

The world stills.

Something shifts.

For the first time, the presence falters. The older Saahas stands in the corner, his face twisted in disbelief. His hands clutch his chest. The anger that once pulsed from him like poison weakens.

And then—

Boom.

He opens his eyes, in his bed, and the room he wakes up in, every day.

He touches his face. His skin is damp. His fingers tremble.

A low voice “I-It was just a dream”

All a dream….. everything…

The memories are sharp. The maze. The endless deaths. The older version of him. The twisted hatred. But it couldn’t be.

Slowly, he gets up. His feet touch the floor, grounding him. He opens the door. His mother is in the kitchen, stirring something. His sister hums as she ties her shoelaces, her backpack slung over her shoulder.

But Saahas doesn’t just nod and walk away this time.

“Good morning, Ma,” he says softly. She turns, surprised, then smiles.

He moves past her. His sister looks up, a grin spreading across her face.

“You’re up early!” she chirps.

“Yeah,” he says, ruffling her hair. “I am.”

He takes out his phone, and saves the number of the girl from the group he didn't know the name yet, “my future wife” as he messages her “hey can we talk?”

And then, as he leaves for school, his aura was different, he was smiling, and this time not at the project he just completed or the equations he just solved but at the world.

"I am so glad it was all a dream." Saahas says in joy.

A shadow behind him, The older Saahas stands there, silent.

He isn’t sneering. He isn’t raging.

He’s smiling.

And then the shadow is gone.