Prologue

As I open my eyes, I find myself in front of a huge building with a red plus sign on it. In my years of travel, I came to know that this was the place people with diseases and injuries visit to get treated. The foreign thoughts in my head had always guided me to help the really needy ones. But for some reason, I was not able to infer any of their thoughts right now. As I gaze at the building from the top to bottom--

I felt something beating inside me. Although it was only for a brief moment, this sensation was something that had never ever occurred to me. A totally novel feeling. Unknowingly something seemed to have stirred inside me. I place one foot forward and march towards the doors of this noble building. The doors glided towards the side in a welcoming gesture as I moved inside.

My eyes, roamed in all directions, in search of a guide. In this huge place where was, I supposed to find it? Then it hit me, the sensation occurred when I gazed at the building from the top. I locate the steps the people use to climb such buildings and find the entrance to those steps. For me, they seemed like a step toward heaven.

I slowly and calmly travel, step by step afraid of missing even a minute difference within me.

Time passed by as I kept traveling up and above. The number appeared after every flight of stairs.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.

Just when my foot touch the stairs with the number seven--

The sensation returned and this time it stayed for a longer time. I open the doors that lay in front of me and a small alley greets me with many doors. It felt like a royal treasury, but I knew that behind those doors lived humans.

I move my feet towards the right side but nothing happens, then I move them towards the left and feel a strong tug inside me.

It was a different sensation than the one I felt prior.

It felt more like something was pulling me towards it. Following this tug, I reached a door. The door had something written on it, which I couldn't understand. As I stood in front of it, it slid to the left.

I felt surprised but then--

I could feel the same sensation again. Something seemed to be the reason behind my reaction.

I step inside and then I realize it was not 'something' but 'someone'.

Laying on the bed was an old woman. Her hair was coated in silver and her face was filled with wrinkles. She lay peacefully on the bed with her eyes closed.

Although I did not know who she was, I knew she was the reason behind this strange feeling. My feet moved slowly towards her. For some reason, I felt as if I was back whole again. As if I was reborn. I reached the end of the bed and my hands moved instinctively toward her. I held her bony hands which lay quietly beside her.

The thoughts in my head used to convey to me that a person's touch was warm and would make me happy. I tried it many times by holding the hands of strangers, who for some reason did not seem to notice it but I did not sense any warmth.

But this time it felt different. There was a tinge of warmth in her hands. I could sense it.

The strange sensation returned again. It came from my heart. I placed my hand on my chest and I could sense my heart beating. Just like that, I stood there beside the bed.

One hand holding the hand of the woman and the other on my chest. I silently closed my eyes and for the first time, I could feel life inside me.

But then just like a dream, the warmth in my hand seemed to be depleting rapidly. I squeezed my hand, but I could not catch it. Then the warmth was replaced by a surge of coldness which crawled by my hands and entered my body.

A gut-wrenching pain tore my body. The other hand on my chest suddenly felt heavy. The pain increased as time passed by and by the time I could notice I was on my knees.

Then the doors suddenly opened and a man wearing black clothes entered. He seemed to be mumbling something which I could not understand. The pain seemed to be increasing with each passing moment.

Karma: Leave this place.

The strange thought once again emerged from my mind. It told me to leave, I released my other hand and crawled on the floor towards the door. I placed the other hand on the other and it opened.

Just when I was about to disappear I heard the man shouting a name, which for some reason was the only thing I could hear.

"Lily."

After that, I closed my eyes as my body lost touch with the ground.