https://www.reddit.com/r/kolkata/comments/1j7wkms/access_denied_arekti_short_story/
created by ByomkeshB on 10/03/2025 at 11:37 UTC*
35 upvotes, 6 top-level comments (showing 6)
I woke up and immediately knew something was wrong. My body was intact, my organs functional, my heart beating. Tragic.
Brushed my teeth, looked in the mirror. A face stared back. I didn’t recognize him.
Metro was late. I stood at the edge of the platform. A voice in my head whispered, *Jump.* Another voice whispered, *Let’s just take a cab, boss.* The cab was ₹428. I wanted to jump again.
I reached office, and the security guard, Debu Da, gave me the same look I give my laptop - dead inside, but we both pretend to function. I swiped my ID card, and for a second, I fantasized about the system rejecting me. "ACCESS DENIED," it would say. And I would take the hint and just… leave.
But no. The scanner beeped in approval. Traitor.
Work.
The blinking cursor mocks me.
The emails pile up.
The walls of the office close in.
I cannot breathe.
I take a deep breath.
My boss appears behind me.
I stop breathing.
A Baba at Gariahat footpath looked at my palm and said, *“Shob thik thak cholbe.”*
So either he’s a fraud, or I’m not supposed to be alive.
1. My laptop froze at 11:11 AM.
2. A crow sat on my office window, staring.
3. The chaiwala outside said, *“Babu, ajke ektu alada lagche tomay.”*
Either I’m finally ascending, or I’m about to explode into a thousand tiny pieces.
Saw a pigeon outside. Stupid little creature. Pecking at a *shingara* *thonga*, no ambition, no job, no existential dread. Just vibes.
I envied it.
Then it flew away.
I could not.
The body is deteriorating.
Spine hurts from sitting.
Eyes hurt from staring.
Heart hurts from existing.
Kaushik called me into a meeting. I nodded for 40 minutes straight. I don’t know what I agreed to. Probably my own organ donation.
Felt dizzy at work. Told HR.
They gave me a *Happy Workplace* sticker and told me to take deep breaths.
I took deep breaths.
I am still at work.
I am still breathing.
The sticker is on my laptop.
It mocks me.
An email said, *“URGENT: NEED IMMEDIATE ACTION.”*
I stared at it for three hours.
National holiday, my ass.
Still alive.
Disappointing.
Power cut in office. The world went dark.
For a moment, I felt peace.
For a moment, I thought this was it.
Then the lights came back.
I am still here.
Why?
I woke up and felt… weightless. Light. As if a great burden had been lifted.
Brushed my teeth. Looked in the mirror.
The face stared back. But this time, I didn’t recognize him at all.
Metro was late again. I stood at the edge of the platform. The voice in my head whispered nothing. Silence.
Reached office. Security guard nodded at me. I swiped my ID.
I tried again.
People walked past me. No one looked at me. No one spoke to me.
I turned to Debu Da. *“System kharap hoye gelo naki?”*
He didn’t reply.
I waved my hand in front of his face. Nothing.
I looked at my reflection in the office glass door.
There was none.
Ah.
That explains it.
Comment by hillybillykilly at 10/03/2025 at 13:22 UTC
7 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Jibon,cholche na ar soja pothe!
Comment by Proud-State-6311 at 10/03/2025 at 12:16 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Happy Ending 🎉🎉🎉
Comment by paantaabhaat at 10/03/2025 at 14:08 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
man!! this story fits perfect for a short film
Comment by Loku355 at 10/03/2025 at 14:45 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Dada chaliye jan. Khub valo hoyeche
Comment by anishaxd at 10/03/2025 at 19:55 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
So they did take the organs after all.
Comment by Awkward_Implement324 at 10/03/2025 at 20:08 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Nice story, man