I looked at the frame after unwrapping the paper. There I found nothing but a mirror; a mirror that had my reflection. I gave it a look for a while, but since I could not find anything in it, I asked myself,

Am I being made a fool?

I looked up at her and hoped that she would begin the conversation, but since she wasn’t speaking, I said,

“Okay, please don’t get me started.”

She wasn’t speaking at all, except that she was expecting me to guess. So, I said anyway,

“Okay, so what’s your point? Look I have seen Kung Fu Panda, alright? So, please don’t tell me that you playing the same scene.”

“Actually, I am,” she finally

spoke up.

I was a little surprised as she broke her silence and so, I asked her,

“So, what’s your point? That, I am that obsessed person you were talking about.” “Yes.”

“Okay, what am I obsessed with?”

“You tell me,” she said

very smartly.

David McIntyre. This was what popped in my mind the moment she asked me. But, I didn’t want to speak it out in front of her and so, I simply asked her trying to avoid any wastage of time.

“Please Victoria, just tell me where is this heading to?”

“Where do you think it is?”

“Okay,” I replied getting quite angry, “I think you are just wasting my time, and your own as well. I'm assuming that you are about to tell me, that I am the person who is actually obsessed with someone. And I deserve to be interviewed.”

“Okay, the last part is not true. I don’t want you to be a part of any interview. I just want you to acknowledge the fact, that you are obsessed and you need to work on it. The dangerous people who were nothing more than actors in your show were your own reflection. You are in reality just like them.”

Oh, God! She was right. But, did I want to accept this in front

of her?

“I want you to rethink,” she continued speaking, “Think again before answering, are you or are you not just like the bear hunter guy of your program?”

“…Yes, I am,” I answered without any argument.

“Good. Now, tell me what do you think you should do next?”

Instantly, I stood up. I don’t know what occurred in my mind that I just stood up and said to her,

“It was nice meeting you. I’ll see you soon.”

I stood up and without even shaking hands, I walked towards the exit of the room.

Before I could finally step outside, she said to me,

“Maybe, this is our last meeting. But before going, I want you to answer my question.”

“Look ma’am,” I said turning around towards her, “You are a kind person. But I’m sorry, you have simply wasted my time in all this.”

“Oh, really?”

“You have no idea. I was very motivated. I was thinking, that I finally have the chance to re-establish my career, but you were just giving me a false hope.”

“Oh, you mean I lied to you?”

“No, that is not what I’m saying. I agree with you. I know it is true. Yes, I am obsessed, obsessed with David. But, you could have told me that earlier.”

“Okay, but you should also know that I am the only one who has a cure to your problems.”

“Oh, no sorry! I wouldn’t count on that.”

“Okay, but before leaving I want you to tell me something.”

“Sure,” I said courteously.

“What is your name?”

“Sorry?”

“I’m asking, what is your name?”

“What is my name?”“Yes.”

“You’re asking me, my name?” words spilled out of my mouth, out of nowhere.“Yes.”

“My name.”

I kept on thinking about what she had asked. I was actually looking for the answer.

“Tell me, what your name is,” she asked again.

“I think, I don’t understand your question,” I replied with a confused state of mind.

“Alright,” she said, “Let me ask this another way. Who are you?”

“I am a movie director,”

I answered spontaneously.

“Not your occupation. I’m asking for your identity.”

“My identity?”

She chuckled a bit and then, waved goodbye as if she was asking me to leave.

I left the place with a strange confusion in my head.

*************

Several hours later, inside my apartment, I was lying on my living room’s couch. I was looking ahead and was constantly wondering what Victoria had just asked me. That moment, I realised that I had distracted away from my real obsession.

My real obsession, David McIntyre did not matter to me for that moment. I asked myself,

What is going on in my head?

I shut my eyes tightly and then, opened them again.

I commented regarding my day,

I have discovered one thing for sure and that is, if there is any one person in this state who is actually obsessed then, it is none other than myself. Maybe, I started this series in the first place, because I was the person who was attracted to obsessions.

I changed my sitting position by putting my left leg on the other one and thought,

Now, I have lost everything. I have lost my career for sure. I have lost the peace of my mind which I never really had. I have even lost my objective of killing David, the betrayer.

I wondered in my thoughts,

Why am I going in this direction? Why have I lost the track of my objective? What just happened?

“What is your name?” Victoria’s question echoed in my head.

Her exact face expressions also appeared before my eyes. The way she smiled today, it was really annoying.

“What is it that’s bothering you?” A voice came from somewhere inside my apartment.

I looked around for a while but then, I felt that it was just a voice hallucination. I heard another sentence with the same voice,

“Why are you so disturbed? Haven’t you recognised me yet?”

I suspected that it was David, who had entered inside my house somehow. I asked out loud as I stood up,

“Who is it?”

I walked ahead and rephrased,

“This better not be you David.”

For a moment there, I realised that what if it was David. What if this was my chance? What if I could end this obsession once and for all?

So, I stayed focused and followed the voice that was calling me. I wasn’t hearing any voice of a human, except a sound of speakers and frequency changing.

As I finally reached the sound, I deduced that it was nothing more than a recording. I saw a new sound system in one of the rooms and the voice had been coming from it. I simply stood up and commented, “That coward is not bold enough to face me. He was so afraid to come here and stand before me face to face.”

I then, heard the sound of shattering glass. I turned around and moved back a bit. There I saw David, walking inside the room. The first words he said in front of me, after his long disappearance were,

“Are you calling me a coward?”

“Oh, God!” I uttered.

“Do you even know who you are challenging?”

I don’t know, what really happened to me. I was so terrified that I couldn’t even speak a single word before him.

“You think, you would steal something from me and I would just get over it and move on. You were wrong.

I always fight back.”

“What?” I got seriously confused and curious. “What are you talking about? What have I stolen from you?”

“Maybe, you’re underestimating me. I’m a lot more than someone who can enter your house and hack your YouTube account.”

“David, I’m being more than honest here, I don’t know what you are referring to. I have not stolen anything from you. There is a huge misunderstanding

I’m sure.”

“A misunderstanding is not my problem. I only care about, what I know and I know that you have stolen something from me.”

“Look, I’ve been saying this over and over again that I have no clue about what you are referring to. If you know that I’m a criminal then, why don’t you prove my crime.”

“I want you to confess it.”

I felt a bit annoyed but then,

I realised what I should have realised a lot sooner. He ruined my career. My life’s objective was to have my revenge. Now, that you have the chance what are you waiting for?

I picked up the speaker of the new sound system with both my hands and almost threw it before him, but I couldn’t. I kept it on the carpet on my

right side.

David laughed on me and mocked me by saying,

“Too heavy for a weak person like you.”

“You do not deserve to live.

I know, you are just wasting my time by making a useless conversation.”

“What if this useless conversation gives you a chance to win your objective?”

“My objective? You do know that my objective is to destroy you, once and for all.”

“Oh, no,” David said trying to be smart, “Your objective is your social media career. Which has nearly ended, yeah? But, you do realise that the only person who can bring stability to your career is the one who ruined it in the first place.”

I gave his words a deep thought and considered for a moment that what if I could negotiate with him and create a win-win situation. But I then, realised that it would be a huge mistake and so, I simply said,

“No, I can’t. I’m sorry!”

“You what?”

“I can’t trust you again. You are not trust worthy, not for me.”

“So, what are you going to do? Kill me!” he chuckled with sarcasm.

“What do you think? I can’t?”

“Well, to be honest, I think if you were that courageous then, you would have already done what you wanted.”

I got fed up with him and I just looked around for a scissor or a knife that I would simply pick up and throw it towards him. He asked me before I could find anything,

“Do you want to know, why I came here?”

I did not answer him and kept on looking for an object of some sort.

He then, said to me that caught my attention,

“You stole my identity.”

“I what?” I asked him.

“You stole my identity. My name, that’s what you have stolen from me.”

I was really confused and

so, I said,

“Don’t waste my and your own time with this rubbish. You know very well that I’ve no such motive.”

“Oh, really! Check out the drawer on that side table.”

He said pointing his finger towards an old side table of mine. I turned and looked at the furniture. I walked towards it and opened the drawer. As I did, I found my identity card inside the drawer. I picked it up and read my name.

It was mentioned, David McIntyre.

I then, looked back at David and to my amazement, he wasn’t even standing there.

I assumed that he had stepped out of the room but then, I remembered what he said moments ago,

My name, that’s what you have stolen from me.

Oh, dear Lord! What’s happening with me?

I couldn’t sleep the entire night, the moment I saw the first ray of light in the morning,

I got up from my bed and went to get a shower. My plan ahead was nothing, but to meet Victoria once again.

I took the bus as usual and then, finally reached her place.

As I rang the bell, she came to answer the door and said,

“I knew, you’d come. Anyways, we are not going to conduct a session inside. We are going for a walk outside.”

“Outside?”

“Yes, today I’m finally going to disclose the truth before you, about who you are and what is your case about the stolen identity.”

I was really surprised, as to how she knew that I was going to ask her that same thing.

to be continued...