Raipur's winding alleys had just been illuminated by the early morning sun. A distinctive symphony of noises started to fill the city as the streets gradually awoke: vegetable merchants calling out their prices, school bus sirens blaring, and the distant thunder of bikes breaking the stillness. In the middle of all of this, Aarav Singh's life proceeded slowly but tangledly. Aarav was a straightforward 25-year-old salesperson for Cleanit Purifier, a modest business. He would visit several locations throughout the city and offer water purifiers for sale. His life was modest, but he sent his mother, who lived alone in their village of Datrenga, the remaining amount after paying his own bills.
His mother, Saraswati Devi, was a modest rural woman who was proud that her son worked and lived in the city. When Aarav was only ten years old, his father died of cancer. Since then, his mother had been his whole world. But there was someone else in Aarav's life: Sakshi. Sakshi Srivastava, his lover, attended a private college in the city. At first, Aarav thought she was sweet and charming. Her laughing, voice, and expressions—everything about her had a power that made Aarav fall silently in love. But with time, things began to alter.
"Do you even love me, Aarav?"
"Yes, Sakshi." "I love you so much..."
"Then why aren't you giving me time? I attended the party alone yesterday. "You do not even understand my feelings..." Such exchanges became routine. Sakshi was constantly agitated, and Aarav continued to bear the brunt of her expanding demands—sometimes it was a new phone, sometimes money for shopping, and occasionally she asked for his car to meet her friends at cafés. Aarav couldn't say no, possibly because he was lonely. Perhaps having someone to call 'his own' felt necessary.
But there were tiny moments that brought him a smile—like when his mother would call and ask: "Did you eat, son? You must be tired, get some rest. Come home for a few days, I'll make your favorite besan cheela." Aarav would simply laugh. "Can't get leave right now, Ma. I'll come as soon as I can." But did he know that the "as soon as I can" might never come?
But there were tiny moments that brought him a smile—like when his mother would call and ask:
"Did you eat, son? You must be tired, get some rest. Come home for a few days, I'll make your favorite besan cheela."
Aarav would simply laugh.
"Can't get leave right now, Ma. I'll come as soon as I can."
But did he know that the "as soon as I can" might never come?
January to March 2020
Life kept dragging on. Aarav's company gave him a new target:
"You must sell 20 purifiers every month, or your salary will be cut."
He wandered from morning till evening, burned under the sun, soaked in sweat and dust—but he kept working hard.
Sakshi's attitude grew worse.
"Look Aarav, I can't take this anymore. My friends say you don't love me. No time, no romance. Are you just around to give me money?"
"No, Sakshi… please don't say that…"
"Whatever. You've changed."
Aarav couldn't understand whose fault it was. Had he really changed? Or was he simply avoiding the truth?
May 2020 - The Beginning of Destruction
COVID-19 news began to appear on television and in newspapers. Aarav expected it to pass like any other ailment. However, by the end of March, a lockdown had been imposed, and by April, the corporation had placed all staff on "temporary leave"—without pay.
Aarav's little funds served as his sole source of sustenance. He started to worry about his mother, who was alone in the village. However, the situation in the village remained pretty peaceful, so he tried not to panic.
Morning of 25th May 2020
The phone rang.
"Aarav beta…"
The voice trembled—it was his uncle.
"Yes chacha, what happened?"
"…Beta… Saraswati is gone…"
All the sounds around him fell silent. The earth felt like it shook beneath him. The air turned still.
Aarav's mother—his entire world—was no more.
Corona had taken her away.
After that, nothing remained.
Sakshi broke up with him.
"You are no longer a part of my life, Aarav. And honestly? I had already left you long ago. I was just killing time with you. I'm with Karan now, and his life isn't as boring as yours."
Aarav's world was reduced to ashes. Everything he had—was gone.
No mother.
No job.
No love.
All that was left was a room, four walls, and a broken man sitting between them.
One Night — The Turning Point of Fate
Aarav lay silently in his room, flipping through an old photo album. One picture—him with his mother, in their village home. She was smiling, and Aarav was 18 at the time.
"If only I could go back in time… save Ma… save myself…"
His eyes grew heavy. Sleep pulled him in.
And then…
Darkness.
Morning Light
Aarav's eyes opened.
The room was different.
There was no ceiling fan—just cracked plaster, old calendars on the wall, a wooden table in front, and a mirror.
He got up, confused.
"This… this is my village room?"
Just then, the door opened.
His mother entered—with tea.
"Wake up beta, have your tea. You have college today."
The moment Aarav saw her, he broke down in tears.
She got worried.
"What happened? Did you have a bad dream?"
"Yes Ma… a very bad dream…"
But this wasn't a dream—
This was a second chance.
(To be continued…)