At the foothills of the Himalayas, a baby boy was born. Enclosed in a bubble, Vikram saw the world through a transparent protective film, encapsulating his entire being. A proud,
egotistical and dishonest child, grew into a delusional adult. His flabby physique looked muscular in the mirror, and his condescension seemed charming. The bubble was spinning its magic. With every delusion, a puff of dark cloud would enter the bubble, diminishing the clarity of the outside world.
Warsha, a childhood friend, grew fonder of his 'bubble-self' and expressed her love. Keeping the facade, he replied, “I love you too.” In the hope of a future together, they bought a house, moved in and started a life. One morning, Vikram woke up to find Warsha staring into the mirror, fixed. He stood behind her to see what was wrong, but all he saw was a large mass of dark clouds, no sign of him. Tears rolled in and anxiety hit the roof. Just when he realised he had lost himself, a tiny part of the cloud brightened up. Yes. Acceptance was the only way out; the key to freeing himself.
Reflecting on everything false and the deceptions he caused, the cloud emerged brighter. Months passed, and he could see nothing beyond the shades of grey. He knew he had to try harder. After all, his life had been constructed out of a lie. He moved cities, discovered places and, even so slowly, himself. One night, after the longest year of his life, he heard a crackling.
When he woke up, the bubble was gone. His joy had no bounds as he rushed to see Warsha. Through the window of their home, he found her fixed in front of the mirror, in shock and terror, like he once was. And for the first time, he could see her bubble. Holding her hand, he looked into her eyes and said,” I love you”. This time, he meant it.