Twinkling the Past

 

Saparja's POV:

I just hate horror movies. I am not scared of the ghosts but I definitely fear the sleep paralysis demon, as it's all psychological but really gets you bad. So yup, ditched my cousins for the horror movie night and I'm here to sleep rather. Why would they do something that makes me left out? The point of being at granny's place is to have fun together, eat together, fight together, sleep together, for us. Isn't it?
Well good night, I guess.

Third person POV:

Saparja drifts off to sleep almost but then, something rings.
She reaches out for her phone, just to realise, it wasn't her phone making the sound.
It was the old vintage style telephone, which is now kept as a decorative only. But how could IT ring? Is she dreaming? 

Even before she could really think much about it, she answered the call as she got up for it.

Saparja: "Hello?"

Unknown: "Hey, sorry to disturb. I might sound weird but, it is 2030?"

Saparja: "Sorry, wrong room number, if that's what you ar-"

Unknown: "Ah no, the year. Is it...2030?"

Saparja: "...woah- okay, it's 2025? Are you high or am I just sleep drunk? Is this a prank by one of my friends at this- 2am, at this hour?"

Unknown: *chuckles* okay! 2025 it is! Wait, did you mention 2am? Oh I'm so sorry to wake you up

Saparja: "okay bye if you got your answer-"

Unknown: hold on. What's your name?

Saparja: "Why would i-"

Unknown: "Ash. I'm Ash. From 3030, June 24th"

Saparja: "I'm Saparja. From 2025, June 24 WAIT WHAT DO YOU MEAN 3030 GURL-"

Ash: "Shhh, it's 2am there you said!"

Saparja: "what on the earth- woah, what are you? What kind of a prank is it? How did you get my grandmother's telephone that doesn't even work- am I seeing things now? Please no- or- oh my god, does sleep paralysis happen like this too? Or am I still sleeping and dreaming? Or-"

Ash: "OH SAPARJA BREATHE will you? No you ain't dreaming, it's not a prank. Let me explain alright? Ahhhhh, it is so cute to talk to someone over a call? Damn, I never experienced it until today, we don't really do phone calls anymore. Yes. I'm from the future, it's 3030. The world has drastically changed from what you probably see now. And finally technology has reached the level where you can connect to not just people globally, but even of different timelines. I tried getting connected to 1000 years back, guess I went 1005 years back. I did well actually, didn't I? I'm 19 by the way. My dad got me subscription of these kinda calls for a few hours, so just was experimenting with it. I know you think it's a dream, but I swear I'm real"

Saparja: "We both need sleep. Okay? We both need sleep. This telephone can't ring. It can't connect me to anyone, so, you do make sense. But, no you don't make sense. Please get some sleep and let me get some too-"

Ash: "WAIT just a min"

Saparja: "..yes?"

Ash: "May I just ask..... well nevermind"

Saparja: "I'm a curious cat so yes this trick worked on me, ask me 'bout it already come on"

Ash: "is everyone still on earth?"

Saparja: "Nopes. Some are at cloud nine, some are at hell like me. But jokes aside, obviously, earth. Weird"

Ash: "One more, out of context, are you single?"

Saparja: "Why? Do I sound like it too? Wow, I am actually."

Ash: "How could you be? Even this random conversation made me want to stay longer on the call, you know?"

Saparja: "Well, maybe you need to travel to past for that now, haha"

Ash: *chuckles* "will remember you and this conversation as me twinkling the past."

Saparja: "Twinkling the past? As in, twinkle twinkle little star?"

Ash: "Twinkle twinkle.... little star?"

Saparja: "It's a nursery rhyme. About stars twinkling, whatever, care to explain your view on twinkling the past?"

Ash: "Yup. Stars twinkle, for a short period of time, which we get to witness. But actually, it's not present over there, it's just the light of it that which reaches us too late, after travelling many light years of distance to us. This conversation will just be it. It was cute. Thank you, I guess?"

Saparja: "Uhm..hehe. Why is this weirdly cute. Wow I really like this dream, interesting."

Ash: *giggles* "definitely you love this dream. Guess I'll take the leave. It's sad I probably won't ever get back to you, but I'll cherish this conversation. Sleep well, good night"

Saparja: "Alright, good night then."

The call ends with a beep as Saparja keeps the telephone in its place, and gets back to her bed, back to her dear sleep.
She still thinks, it was a dream.

Dream it was, for Saparja.
Twinkling past it was, for Ash.