Chapter 2: The Recognition
Kiran’s eyes fluttered open slowly. At first, everything was a blur, a hazy mix of shadows and light. Then, gradually, Arjuna’s worried face came into focus.
"Kiran! Are you awake?" Arjuna’s voice was thick with relief.
Kiran slowly sat up. His head was spinning slightly, but that terrible, crushing pain from earlier had vanished completely.
"What happened? I... I feel fine now," he said, his voice tinged with surprise.
Arjuna studied his friend’s face closely. "You passed out. I... I gave you some water. I crushed some leaves into it."
"Leaves?" Kiran looked confused. "What leaves?"
"I don't know," Arjuna’s voice dropped to a whisper. "I don't know how I knew. But... I just felt like I had to do it."
Kiran let out a breath, his practical mind already trying to rationalize the event. "Must have been dehydration. You did some quick thinking, Arjun." He tried to stand up. "Let's go home now. Thanks a lot, buddy."
Arjuna remained silent. Kiran was satisfied with his logical explanation. But Arjuna knew better. It wasn't just dehydration. It was something else. Something extraordinary. Something that had pulled him to that plant. That golden aura.
He looked at his hands. They looked ordinary. But hidden within them was a power he couldn't comprehend.
They walked slowly towards home. Kiran had fully recovered, chatting away as usual. But Arjuna’s mind was stuck on the incident.
That soundless call. That pulsating, multi-colored light. What was it all about? Would it happen again?
---
The next morning, when the school bell rang, Arjuna took his usual seat. It was by the window—the perfect spot to gaze at the trees and plants behind the school. His sketchbook lay on the desk as always.
But today, his mind was elsewhere. Yesterday’s event refused to leave him.
"Arjun, are you listening?" Kiran’s voice broke his train of thought.
"Huh? What did you say?"
"There is a presentation by the seniors today. I heard Vikram Anna is going to talk about medicinal plants," Kiran said.
"Vikram?" Arjun asked.
"Yes, that senior from the 10th grade. The quiet one, always buried in books. He’s obsessed with plants," Kiran nodded. "But he doesn't have many friends. Always keeps to himself."
Arjuna looked out the window. In the distance, in a corner of the schoolyard, a thin boy was sitting under the shade of a tree, reading intently. Behind his thick glasses, his eyes were glued to the book. Beside him, several papers were scattered—they looked like sketches of plants.
And then, he saw it.
From the plants surrounding the boy... a dim aura. A subtle glow of green, blue, and violet. It was faint—too faint for others to see. But to Arjuna, it was unmistakable.
"I heard he has an inhaler problem," Kiran continued. "He always carries that inhaler with him."
Arjuna looked closer. Vikram looked up from his book and examined a nearby plant closely. His fingers touched a leaf, studying its shape. Then he wrote something in his notebook.
A blue inhaler peeked out of Vikram’s pocket. It was his symbol of safety. A confidence he carried everywhere.
"Arjun, what are you thinking?" Kiran asked.
"Nothing," Arjun replied quickly. But his eyes remained on Vikram. The aura around those plants continued to shimmer.
---
During the last period, the classroom was packed. Vikram stood near the teacher's desk, arranging his notes and plant specimens. His blue inhaler sat securely on the corner of the table.
"Students, settle down," Mallappa Sir announced. "Today, Vikram will talk about the medicinal plants of our Malnad region. This is vital knowledge from our heritage."
Vikram adjusted his glasses and stepped forward. His hands were trembling slightly—public speaking wasn't his forte. But when it came to plants, he transformed.
"Namaste," Vikram began, his voice soft but clear. "Today, let's talk about the treasure that surrounds us. Our medicinal plants."
Arjuna sat in the back row, listening intently.
"Our ancestors knew the power of these plants," Vikram continued, gaining confidence. "Neem, Tulasi, Honne... every plant is a clinic in itself. But we are forgetting this wisdom..."
"This Tulasi leaf," he held up a leaf. "It’s not just for worship. It is an excellent cure for lung problems and coughs. Our ancestors..."
That's when Arjuna saw it. A faint green aura radiated from the Tulasi leaf in Vikram’s hand. But no one else saw it.
"...and this Adusoge leaf," Vikram picked up another specimen, "is miraculous for respiratory issues. For those with asthma..." He paused.
His breathing was getting a bit faster. In his excitement to speak, he was running out of breath.
"Vikram, are you okay?" Sir asked.
"Yes, Sir," Vikram adjusted his glasses. "I... I am fine."
But Arjuna could tell. Vikram’s breathing was becoming labored. His hand instinctively went to his pocket—checking for the inhaler.
The Empty Inhaler
Vikram stopped suddenly. He grabbed the inhaler, brought it to his mouth, and pressed.
Hiss...
Just air. No medicine.
Vikram’s eyes widened in terror.
"I... I..." he whispered. He pressed it again. Empty.
His breathing became ragged. His chest heaved. Hands clutched at his throat.
"I... can't... breathe..."
Vikram tried to grab the table but lost his balance. He collapsed behind the desk, gasping for air.
"Vikram!" Sir rushed to him.
The class erupted in panic.
"Someone run to the medical room!" Sir shouted. "Fast!"
"Sir, that room is 500 meters away!" a student yelled.
"And it's usually locked!" another added.
Vikram was struggling on the floor. His face was turning pale, lips turning blue. Every breath was a war.
Arjuna watched from his seat, his heart pounding.
And then, it started again.
The Call.
---
Part 4: The Cure
The soundless call echoed in Arjuna’s ears. It was more intense than yesterday. More urgent.
He looked out the window. The bushes behind the school were shimmering with multi-colored light.
But one specific bush... it was blazing with an intense green-blue light. Brighter than anything else.
"Sir!" Arjuna stood up suddenly. "I... I will get water!"
Before anyone could stop him, he ran out. The Call was guiding him.
He ran behind the school building. He stood before that specific bush.
His hands moved automatically. He plucked three specific leaves. He crushed them between his palms, turning them into a green paste. He mixed it into his water bottle. The water turned pale green, glowing softly from within.
He ran back to the class. Vikram was on the verge of passing out.
"Sir! I brought water!"
Arjuna knelt beside Vikram. "Please, drink this," he whispered.
He poured the glowing green water into Vikram’s mouth.
Vikram swallowed involuntarily.
A few seconds passed...
Then... Vikram’s chest heaved a massive sigh of relief. A deep, full breath.
His eyes opened. The color returned to his face.
"What happened?" Vikram mumbled, sitting up.
"It's a miracle," the nurse, who had just arrived, said after checking him. "His breathing is perfectly normal. No wheezing at all."
---
Part 5: The Suspicion
As the class dispersed, Vikram sat alone, gathering his notes.
"Arjun," Vikram’s voice stopped him as he tried to leave.
"You saved my life. I know it. Thank you."
"It... it was nothing," Arjuna said shyly.
Vikram stepped closer. "That water... there was something special in it, wasn't there?" he asked quietly. "I tasted it. Herbs."
Arjuna stepped back. "I... I have to go."
Vikram watched him leave. He touched his chest. Breathing perfectly normal.
"Interesting," Vikram murmured.
He looked at the plants outside. A mystery. And Vikram loved mysteries.
