Hari's feet dragged on the pristine streets of Dubai—or whatever this place was. The weight of his thoughts was heavier than the sweltering heat. No mangoes. It was the only thing that mattered now, the one truth that had taken over his mind.
He wandered aimlessly, passing by people who seemed to have their lives together. Businessmen rushed past him, people sipped on iced drinks, and tourists snapped photos of the towering buildings. Meanwhile, Hari felt like a hollow shell, his stomach aching not just from hunger, but from the emptiness that had settled in his chest.
How could there be a world with no mangoes? How could this be real?
He'd thought he'd come to Dubai for a fresh start, to escape the crushing weight of the plantation and responsibilities that had suffocated him for years. But now he was here, in a world where there wasn't even one mango to soothe his soul. He felt lost, cut off from everything that made him feel human.
He reached into his pockets, only to pull out empty lint. Of course, he thought bitterly. I don't even have any money. How am I supposed to live here?
The realization hit him like a punch to the gut. Not only had he been transported to a world without mangoes, but he had nothing to his name. His family's wealth, his plantation, the years of hard work—none of it mattered here. This wasn't just Dubai. This was a completely different world.
He tried to recall his bank account details, his credit cards, but they were all useless now. No one here knew him, no one recognized his name, and his money from the other world didn't exist here. He was broke. He was alone. He had no mangoes.
The bustling crowds around him grew quieter, his own thoughts deafening in his mind. How did I get here? What do I even do now?
As he walked down the sidewalk, his vision began to blur. The sun above him felt like it was pressing down on his shoulders, as if the weight of the entire world had landed squarely on his back. He could barely keep his eyes open. The exhaustion was too much. The hopelessness too overwhelming.
Just as he was about to collapse onto the sidewalk, feeling like he was about to crash out in the middle of this strange, mango-less world, a voice broke through the storm in his mind.
"Hari…"
He stopped dead in his tracks, his head snapping up. What was that?
The voice was soft, almost like a whisper carried on the wind. It felt oddly familiar, like someone was calling out to him from far away. He looked around frantically, but no one was paying him any attention.
"Hari…" the voice repeated, a little clearer this time.
"Hello?" Hari whispered, glancing over his shoulder. "Who's there?"
He waited, but there was nothing—just the faint hum of the city around him. He felt like he was going insane. Had he finally lost his mind?
"You are not lost. You are not alone," the voice said again, clearer now, resonating in his very mind.
His heart raced. That wasn't just his imagination. Someone—or something—was speaking directly into his head.
"Who are you?" Hari asked, his voice barely above a breath. "What's happening to me?"
"It's the Mango System," the voice said, sounding almost amused. "You've been chosen. But first, you must understand the world you're in."
A cold chill ran down his spine. Chosen? Mango System? He had no idea what was going on, but he couldn't ignore it.
"This is a new world," the voice continued, "and in this world, your connection to mangoes is not just a dream. It's a power. A potential you've yet to unlock."
Hari could barely process the words, his mind reeling. Power? Mangoes? He clenched his fists, his head spinning.
Before he could ask more, the voice faded, leaving him standing there in the middle of a busy street, his pulse racing.
Hari looked around once again, trying to make sense of it all. It was like a cruel joke. First, the mangoes were taken away, and now… this?
But one thing was certain. There was something more at play here—something beyond just the lack of mangoes. He was still connected to something greater. And maybe, just maybe, it was his ticket out of this mess.
He exhaled sharply, feeling the weight of the situation crashing down on him again. There was no money, no mangoes, and no idea what was going on—but for the first time since arriving in this strange world, a spark of hope flickered inside him.
Maybe this Mango System could be the answer. Maybe it could give him what he needed.
But that was for later. Right now, Hari just needed to survive. And survive, he would.