Coming Events Cast their Shadows Before

She had dark rings under her eyes as she tried to wipe her tears. Apparently, she had not slept well. She was around thirty years old, short built and had a fair complexion. She was Mariam, who was working in my team and was one of the most efficient staff. Her English was impeccable except for the Malayalam accent. She was very polite and was ever smiling. She never fussed about any work given to her and she delivered to the best of her abilities. To me she was an asset!


‘What’s wrong, why are you crying’, I asked her with concern.

‘Nothing’ she replied as she tried to control herself. I was at a loss and tried to probe a little more and then she opened up.

‘Sir, I had a horrible dream last night and I could not sleep thereafter’ she said.

‘Come on, Why cry, just because of a bad dream,’ I tried to console her.

‘No Sir, It will come true ‘she replied and continued, ‘I saw that I have met an accident and died’ she broke down again. ‘Who will take care of my family?’ she said in between sobs.

‘Nothing of that sort will happen’, I tried to convince her. She left after a while after regaining her composure.

I had never seen Mariam like this before. I forgot about this incident till after a few days I found a group of people from my office huddled together. I enquired and came to know that Mariam was crying and they were not sure about the reason. I went up to her and asked her to come over and speak to me. She was hesitant but after a little cajoling agreed.

She came to my room and I offered her a chair to sit. She settled down and looked exhausted. The kohl from her eyes was washed away by the tears and she looked ill. I enquired her reason for being upset. She repeated verbatim the same story like last time except that she added that she saw a huge truck coming from rear to hit her. With some difficulty I tried to convince her again that nothing of that sort will happen. I was no expert in handling these things but after a brief exchange of few words she went back a little pacified. I summoned two more ladies who worked with her to enquire further and they informed me that Mariam had not told them much except that she had bad dreams which had been causing the trauma. After this, we continued with our routine work.

A week elapsed, and I came to office just after the weekend. It was a Monday.

I had barely settled down when my superior called me and asked, ‘Do you know that Mariam is no more’.

‘What’, I asked with utter disbelief as a train of thoughts rushed through my mind.

‘Yes she died in a road accident today morning’ he told me curtly.

I stood transfixed and speechless. Later, I came to know that while traveling on a scooter with her husband and their five year old son , a fast moving truck coming from the rear hit their vehicle and with the impact both her son and husband were thrown out and hurt, but she died on the spot.

I do not know whether this was attributed to paranormal .

I was reminded of proverb from the poem ‘Lochiel’s Warning’ by Thomas Campbell which reads as  follows:

Lochiel, Lochiel! beware of the day;
For, dark and despairing, my sight I may seal,
But man cannot cover what God will reveal.
‘Tis the sunset of life gives my mystical lore,
And coming events cast their shadows before.
I tell thee Culloden’s dread echoes shall ring
For the bloodhounds that bark for thy fugitive king.