.... Twhack! And something hit me on the back of my head.

My torso did a little salsa spin and how ever much I tried, I couldn’t defy the rotary mechanics. So I spiraled to the floor and lay semi conscious. My eyes were open however. I could see lights, translucent. It might have been stars though. And I thought...

“Who hit me there? Some one or a thing managed to knock me down. Me! A super hero. That one or the thing should have paranormal powers as well.”

I could hear a sound ever so faint.

“twhhhagawaaha .. atttwhhagawaaha.” 

More than one now. In fact this one was in response to the murmurings of the previous one. 

“acktinbogawaaha .. twacktinbogawaaha.” 

And I tried to see if I could make any sense at all. 

“argonapascritheta .. satargonapascritheta” 

hmm! “...theta! sounded mathematical. These must be intelligent creatures from space. And there were more than one for sure. And I thought back in time. I had mounted my craft. Identified, I seated myself in the cockpit and that’s when my STD ching changed. Oh! yes. The H4 – Tropic of Cancer. I revved the engines. Ignitions switched on and the drone was heard as clear as the waterfalls of the roaring Blue Nile. The count down began. And as the numero uno was coming to a coordinated sync, another sound – inexplicably alien to the environment, was heard.  

“Thwaack”. Hit. Again on the back of my head. Hell! Why couldn’t these things come face to face. Ah! These creatures were trying to communicate to me. 

“argonapascritheta .. satargonapascritheta” said the first one, repeating. 

“adweegaspatriska .. sastadweegaspatriska” said the second one. 

I could make out the hideous outline of the two forms now in front of me. The low watt bulb helped a bit. 

“What do you want from me?” I managed, though incoherently.

“adweegaspatriska .. sastadweegaspatriska” said the second one, more slowly now and pronouncing each syllable carefully. 

Of course it didn’t help. I didn’t know the damn language. And so I repeated as best as I could. 

“advigsptsiskra .. sstadvigsptsiskra. And what do you want you hideous tentacled space lizards?” I bellowed. 

“Thwaack” .. on the back of my head again. 

Stunned silence followed that made me a little nervous. My limbs were numb. I couldn’t move it even a bit. I must be getting weaker. Oh! The prayer. I had to chant the prayer. My powers must have weaned. With a dizzy head, I tried to close my eyes and chant. Closing eyes were easier. I couldn’t see much anyway. But I could scarcely move my lips now. I had to retain the sacred posture. I tried to. I couldn’t. All my energy was sapped. Writhing inside, I fought fatigue with all my might. Unrelenting, I pushed myself to a seating position. Bringing my hands together, palms facing each other, I opened my mouth to utter the initial syllable of the chant when ..  

“Splash” .. cold water on my face.  

It had to do with thermodynamics, I later studied. Every human body acts as a system within a universe. At the heat of the moment, when you are splashed in your face with ice cold water, the sudden drop in temperature surprises every nerve cell of your body into wakefulness and activity. And all of a sudden, I could see clearly as I could the sunlight in day. I could listen well too. I could hear un-muffled laughter all around me. 

Opening my eyelids and looking up, I bore the full brunt of my father’s irate eyes. A sheepish and a rather wide grin eagle spread across my face... 

                                                                                    - tbc