The Curse of the Shifting Soul

The first time it happened, I thought I was dreaming. The second time, I knew it was real. Every night, as I fell asleep, I woke up in a different body.

Tonight was the same. I woke up, breathing hard, in thick, warm air that smelled like wet dirt and something strange.

My hands felt rough and not like mine. I was wearing a dirty kurta, and I could feel the uneven ground beneath me, covered with broken leaves and sticks.

I sat up and looked around. 

A thick forest went on for miles, with the moonlight having a hard time getting through the gnarled branches. The air was completely still. There were no crickets chirping and no leaves rustling—just a strange silence that felt heavy in my ears. My heart was racing as I started to understand what was happening.

I had never been to this place before.

Then I heard a quiet whisper, like someone breathing near my ear. I felt scared and tensed up. I turned around, but there was nothing there—just shadows and trees, with bark twisted like strange faces.

A name popped into my head: Rajan. Was that who I was tonight. I had memories that felt unfamiliar, floating just out of reach. This body had been in this same forest before, and it felt scared.

I began to walk, my steps quiet because of the wet ground in the forest. I needed to find a way out. I really didn't want to be stuck in this scary place when morning came.

I saw a big temple in front of me. Its stone walls were cracked and covered in moss. It was in the middle of the forest, looking like an old guardian that time forgot. I had a feeling I had been here before. Rajan had been here too, and he never wanted to come back.

A strong wind rushed through the trees, softly calling my name. No, not my name, but Rajan's.

I quickly turned around, my heart racing. There was a shadow at the edge of the open area, just past the steps of the temple. I could see its shape—a figure wearing torn cloth, with its face hidden in the dark.

"Who's" I asked, my voice rough.

The figure didn't move; it just stood there, watching.

I took a step back, feeling scared and wanting to run, but my body, like Rajan's, wouldn't move. The figure raised a long, bony hand and waved me over slowly.

I had no choice. My legs moved me up the temple steps and through the broken doorway. Inside, the air was heavy with the smell of incense and something rotten.

A massive stone idol sat in the center, its features worn away by time. Something about it unnerved me. Its hollow sockets seemed to bore into me, seeing more than they should.

Then the whisper came again, but this time it was closer. "You shouldn’t have come back. "

I felt a shiver run down my back. The voice was in my mind, coming from the memories of this body that isn't mine.

The statue's mouth moved.

And I took a step back, struggling to breathe. Its stone lips opened, with dust and dirt pouring out. Then, the soft sound turned into a loud cry.

The walls of the temple shook.  The air felt alive with a strange energy.  The figure at the entrance moved closer, making me feel heavy and uncomfortable.

Memories rushed into my mind, overwhelming me like waves. Rajan had been in this situation before. He had made a mistake by taking something that wasn't his. Now that thing wanted to come back to him.

The figure jumped at me

I screamed as everything went dark. My body felt on fire and all messed up. Then I woke up.

The ceiling above me was different. I was breathing quickly, sitting up with shaking hands. They felt smooth and smaller, not like Rajan's hands.

A mirror was in the corner of the dark room. I made myself stand up, my legs were shaky, and I walked over to it.

The face looking back at me was a young girl's.

I heard a soft whisper behind me.

“You shouldn't have returned.”