Back to the grind
The gala event was a success, and as expected, the funding was approved. New expansions could be flagged off now. This meant more projects and more paperwork for Mehr. This was going to be an exciting year full of growth, she could expand her horizon and maybe even reconsider her long lost dream of building a career in academics. The healthcare space was blooming with opportunities and the growth trends were more than reassuring. She was excited, and had almost forgotten her last interaction with Kshitij.
Her workspace as depressing as it was with many critically ill patients and those in palliative care with not much hope left, there was also a floor full of hope and joy; The labor wards, where new lives were entering the world everyday and anxious parents came in, only to leave with big smiles on their faces.
Mehr was working around the report compilation for the phase 4 trials of a combination therapy for cancer treatment when she ran into Dr. Sana again. She had a few new theories around holistic treatment, for which she had found credible experimental validation in research on epigenetics. Mehr wanted to read more and took the prints from Dr. Sana's office and read them on her way around the floor. Walking through the cancer ward, she did not realize when she accidently came all the way to the corridor where room 913 was. The air is chilly just like last time, as if somehow the thermostat had broken and it was cooling beyond accepted levels. The room seemed to be busy with noises of tools and hardware clanking coming from it, and she decided to check it out. Given all the new work and regular repairs, chances were that someone was finally working on the wiring issue she had complained about months ago.
The lights are still flickering and there is no one inside. She peeks into the room while holding the doorframe for support. The incessant sound of a murmur seems to be ever evading, every time she turns it feels like it is coming in from the opposite side. There is a tarp on one side covering half of the room and despite the clanking noises she had heard only a fraction of seconds ago, there is no one.
Strange she thinks to her self. Maybe I'm exhausted or there is work being done at the far end, behind the tarp. As much as she wanted to investigate, she did not want to spoil her new shoes with scratches; Stepping into an under repair space would have done that. Just as she was contemplating setting foot into the doorway, she was startled by a familiar voice.
"How many times will I have to tell you to keep your nose to your business only", Kshitij barked from across the hall as he stomped his way towards Mehr hurriedly.
All of a sudden the memory of their last interaction flooded her mind. She was a stubborn girl for sure, and definitely did not like being told what to do, even in times where needed. Mehr stood still, too occupied with her thoughts, to utter a word. "I, .. . . .uhm" She swallowed hard.
"Why are you such a silly goose?" He shook his head. "Come, let's leave." Almost reaching out to grab her. Mehr squirmed back and decided to walk away on her own. Personal space intrusion was her worst nightmare. She hurried her way back to her cubicle without a word.
Rain clouds were forming in the sky and by now the sky was a pitch black. It was not evening and everyone assumed the sky would clear by the time it was time to go home. Mehr sat at her desk, diligently sorting the patient report files and analyzing the drug performance parameters. It was a tedious task needing attention, and she needed to focus. Texts from her new love interest did provide some solace, but she needed to clear her mind if she was going to get her work done properly. She decides to pay Dr. Sana a visit, her office did have a peaceful vibe, something much needed.
Kshitij strolled by in the distance, talking somewhat secretively to Nirvan. This piqued Richa's interest and she decided to get her hands on some grapevine herself. A lot of commotion was going on and Nirvan and Richa realize they were on the same page as far as their understanding of Kshitij and his peculiarity towards Mehr was concerned.
Back in Dr. Sana's office, Mehr sat in a corner staring at her screen and alternating between the record files and her excel sheets. Dr. Sana asked if Mehr was Okay
"Yeah all good, just work" Mehr replied curtly.
"Your aura is a bit different today" Dr. Sana was a rather observant when it came to damaged auras if not people. "Something bothering you? Or rather someone" She lowered her voice as she ended her question.
Mehr slowed down her typing and looked up from her screen. You can read or you follow gossip?
"I can read energy, and I know your strong energy attracts a lot of weak ones which may not always be of good intent"
"Yeah, and I'm tired. Things are finally looking up in my personal life and again some moron decides to take obsession. I cannot let this happen again" Mehr buried her face in her palms, not sad, but exhausted.
"You need help, get some" Dr. Sana looked at her matter-of-factly.
"You think I haven't? No body is gonna help, and even if a man is obsessing over you or making your life hell, it is women getting blamed or schooled or shut down" There was some hurt that Dr. Sana could not decipher.
"Here, put this on" she said as she handed over an Obsidian bracelet to her. "I ordered it for my niece, but I feel you need it more"
"And what am I supposed to do with it?" Mehr looked at her, unsure of why she would give it to her. It was another budhha bracelet so she was obviously delighted but she was talking about her uneasiness with Kshitij, his passive aggressive behavior which had started to border line maniacal possessiveness.
"How does this prevent someone from poking their nose into my business, stalking my moves and acting super weird?" Mehr realised she had given away too much information.
Dr. Sana looked at her with empathetic eyes and a secretive smile, as if she wanted to raise a toast saying - Been there, done that. Mehr simply sighed, she needed this conversation more than the beers she had planned with her new guy.
"The world is a tricky place full of energy vampires, moths are drawn to flames and people wear masks all the time. Protect your peace little one, and take care" Dr. Sana said. I might have to do a little ritual for this one later she thought in her head. That night she did a little prayer to her goddess for protection of this young lady.
Mehr went on her way. Nirvan decided to check 913 on his own, to ensure there was no more faulty lights or anything peculiar as Kshitij had explained to him while discussing his last sighting of Mehr around the room. The connections were cut, and there was no electricity supply to this particular room of the building as per the electrician. The connections had been removed long ago. This confirmed Nirvan's fears around the urban legends of Room 913 and he grew cautious. Many people had witnessed light and temperature fluctuations in this area and while only two had gone inside, neither of them knew the full story. Checking with the maintenance department Nirvan was sure, no repair or maintenance work was being carried out at 913 whatsoever.
Passing by in the corridor, Nirvan spotted Dr. Sana. "Hello ma'am, good to see you" he greeted her in his usual jolly manner, while doing his best to hide is confusion around the 913 situation.
"Well hello Mr. N, why do you look pale as a ghost though? You sure YOU doing okay?" Dr. Sana asked concernedly as she could sense the unrest in Nirvan.
"There are some things I am failing to understand and do not know how to understand. Maybe you can help me figure out" Nirvan looked at Dr. Sana, contemplating his dilemma, as he realized his mind was in favor of telling her the truth and seeking some help to whatever in explicable situation this was unrolling in front of him. He was definitely not crazy, and he knew the newbies could not be messing around with him telling lies. He just could not accept the reality, even though he did believe the urban legend.
Inside the office cabinet of Nirvan, Dr, Sana sat, looking at the paintings in the background as Nirvan entailed the urban legend and the many peculiar incidents he had heard from his staff around it to the latest one about Mehr. Dr. Sana nodded intently as her eyes trailed off over Nirvan's head to the artwork of a Taandav Ganesha (Lord Ganesha in dancing form) behind him. Nirvan looked eerily at her as he slowed down his pace of words, wondering if she was even comprehending what he had uttered.
"Mr. Nirvan, I hear you and I do understand everything you say." She had read his thoughts it seemed.
"Hmmm, so this is the situation, and madam I am a man of logic and faith intermixed. I do not know what to make of this situation to be honest." He stood up rubbing his temples, he had logically reasoned long ago to let the room be as he put his faith in the urban legends.
"Mr. Nirvan, I respect your logic and reasoning ability. There are things we do not understand, this world is not black and white. There are too many things, that go beyond comprehension. Let me try putting it in simpler words. What you regard as a curse or a ghost given the urban legend you grew up with, might just be a remnant of energy left by a suffering soul. In science we call it metaphysics, in spirituality we call it spirit, in lay men terms we may refer to it as ghosts. It is all about understanding. Some people are able to experience energies more than others, like the nursing staff you mentioned, or Mehr for example. I do not know the other ladies, but Mehr I have seen personally, she has a strong aura, and chances of drawing attention of energies are higher for such people. Similar to how mostly depressed people are drawn to low vibration places and gloom, and statistically nurses in palliative care are highly prone to depression." Dr. Sana tried explaining by qouting examples from Dr. Saivini’s research that was being careied out at the behest of her own intrigue and the passion of one of her internship candidates. She suggested sharing some resources too, as she saw puzzlement of her listener's face.
Adding on to her explanation she talked about the Hindu concept of lord Ganesha and the many forms in which his idols are made and painted and how different body postures are linked to different types of energy flows. This was an area of knowledge Nirvan had developed interest in, and only now did the lady’s word start making sense to him. Nirvan eased into his decision of letting the lady help, in whatever way she was suggesting. Science or no science, he could not risk the wrath of another PR scandal by giving into his fears or letting some outsiders meddle with the situation. Nirvan gathered his thoughts resolutely, for he did not want to understand the situation, rather he only wanted to figure out a solution.
"I would need to inspect the place before I can make any concrete remarks. If what you are saying is happening at room 913, we might need to close off the area" Dr. Sana suggested
"Not on my watch, that would only make things worse, and ruin our firm's reputation. We are healthcare people, backed by science. No way are we letting an urban legend markup our name" Nirvan was getting frantic.
"Then let's go check this place out, maybe Friday evening when I am done with work." Dr. Sana suggested.
"You sure you want to start your weekend with extra work? Not to forget that day we have a conference planned out too for holistic medicine in Oncology- your area of interest, and many delegates from the public sector will be coming too." Nirvan butted in, hesitant to conduct such an investigation on a risky day when guests aplenty would be on campus.
"All the more reason to explore" Dr. Sana had had her curiosity piqued by now. "Lesser people on the 9th floor to meddle with my investigation, I know how the workforce is thrown into events, to sparkle every avenue and arena. That would be a good day to carry out research on such curious cases."
Unknown to these two, Mehr herself was drafting an entry level presentation for the Friday conference. She had been reading up on the reference material provided by Dr. Sana and collating it with the findings of the MD psyche intern who had been working on "The assessment of mental stress in palliative care providers in pvt. healthcare setting". The data was promising and her abstract had been accepted, just now. Halloween was going to be a good day for her and her ever curious mind, she thought as she smiled to herself.
Energies are everywhere, and there is no good or bad. Some places hold positive energies, while others may hold negative energies. Either way, it is always a good idea to assess yourself and make sure you do not attract any unwanted energies.
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