2

As I immersed in the darkness, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. For the first time since I arrived in this strange world, I felt a sense of calm and serenity. The darkness was not frightening, but rather comforting in its familiarity.

As I floated in the void, I began to sense a presence around me. It was not a physical presence, but rather a feeling, a sense of something beyond myself.

I focused on this feeling, trying to understand what it meant. As I did, I felt a surge of energy course through me. It was as if I was connected to a vast, powerful force that was beyond my understanding.

I surrendered to the feeling, letting it guide me through the darkness. As I did, I began to sense shapes and colors around me. They were not clear, but rather vague and indistinct, like shadows in the night.

But as I continued to focus on them, they began to take shape. I saw colors, shapes, and patterns that I had never seen before. They were beautiful and strange, like a dream come to life.

As I marveled at the beauty around me, I realized that I was no longer alone. There were other beings with me, beings that I could not see, but could sense.

I felt a sense of wonder and curiosity, as I tried to understand these beings. Who were they? What were they? What did they want?

As I pondered these questions, I began to feel a sense of communication. It was not words or thoughts, but rather a sense of understanding that flowed between us.

I felt a sense of joy and wonder as I realized that I was no longer alone. I was part of something bigger, something grand.

As the days and weeks passed, I continued to explore this new world, learning and growing with each passing moment. I discovered new shapes, colors, and patterns, each one more beautiful and wondrous than the last.

And as I explored, I began to realize that I was no longer trapped in my own mind. I was part of a reality with other people in it.

And with that realization came a sense of peace and serenity. I was no longer lost or alone, but rather part of something greater than myself. And that was enough.

As I came into this world, my vision was obscured, but my senses were sharp, perhaps a testament to the uniqueness of my soul. Above all else, I felt an immense sense of relief, having escaped what felt like a hellish existence.

In my early days, I spent most of my time sleeping, finding solace in my new human form. But as time passed and I grew stronger, my eyesight began to improve. And then, at the age of six months, I could finally see clearly. Faces began to take shape, and I could recognize some of the people around me - likely my parents, who had brought me into this world.

By the time I turned two years old, I had figured out that there were four people in my family - my mother, Matangi Saraswatula; my father, Anand Saraswatula; my elder sister, Nandini Saraswatula; and our beloved cat, Sarvati. While I still struggled to grasp the precise meaning of the words they spoke, I understood their intent well enough, the language they spoke resembling Sanskrit.

At the age of three, I started crawling and walking unsteadily. Although I felt like I could have walked much earlier, I chose to crawl and walk to avoid worrying my parents. Mostly, my mother took care of me, while my sister attended school and my father worked.

The world I lived in was quite similar to my old world, but with more advanced technology. I often saw my family members using holographic watches and other high-tech gadgets. My sister was cute and caring, and she often slept with me before I turned three. Now, we all sleep together as a family. My father was a hardworking person, but I was not sure about his job. My mother was the epitome of motherhood, and she took care of me really well. Our cat seemed to really like me and often snuggled up to me.

For the next three years, I played lazily with my family. I stopped breastfeeding when I turned five, and my taste buds gradually developed. There was no talk of schooling yet, and I assumed children started schooling late in this world. My father taught my sister and me some languages when he had free time, including languages resembling Sanskrit, Latin, Celtic, and Greek. I learned all these languages in just one year, which pleasantly surprised my parents. My sister was envious of my success, which amused my parents and myself.

Finally, when I was six and a half years old, there was talk of my schooling. I lived in a city called Knossos, which was similar to a country. The city was divided into sectors, and our house was in sector 11. I would be attending the same school as my sister, who was in the last year of middle school. The education system was better in this world, with only one school for elementary to high school level education in every sector. For further studies, one had to go to the capital sector, which was sector 1.

It was decided that I would be starting school next year, at the age of seven. I was a little excited, a little displeased at going to school again, and very nervous. As my sister and I discussed my upcoming schooling, she shared her own experience, assuring me that it would be fun and exciting. She even promised to help me with my studies and introduce me to her friends. I felt a little better knowing that I would have her support, and I looked forward to starting school.

Day 4 of 1st month.

As we drove to school, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of excitement and nervousness. My mind wandered to the amusements that awaited me in this new chapter of my life. What new friends would I make? What new things would I learn?

My sister, who was already familiar with the school, tried to ease my nerves by telling me about her own experiences. "Don't worry, Nirmay. It's a great school with amazing teachers. You're going to love it here," she said, giving me a reassuring smile.

My father, sensing my anxiety, tried to lighten the mood by cracking a few jokes. My mother, on the other hand, kept her hand on my shoulder, silently offering her support.

As we pulled up to the school gates, I saw a sea of students in uniforms bustling about. It was all so new and exciting. My heart raced as I stepped out of the car and made my way to the entrance with my family.

After saying our goodbyes, I nervously walked into the school building. The sights, sounds, and smells of the school were overwhelming, but I felt a sense of determination and excitement brewing within me.

As I walked towards my classroom, I couldn't help but feel gratified for the adventure that lay ahead of me. I was determined to make the most of my time in this new world, to learn and grow and experience what it had to offer.