The ceiling fan creaked above Aarav's head, slicing the thick summer air with a tired hum, its rhythm echoing the monotony of his days. He lay sprawled on a worn mattress in his small room, his eyes tracing the cracks in the plaster. Outside, the sounds of life—vendors yelling, children laughing, autos honking—filtered through the open window like the distant echo of a world moving on without him.
It had been thirteen months since he walked out of the convocation hall, degree in hand, hope in his eyes. A Bachelor of Commerce, first division. Back then, it felt like the beginning. Now, it felt like a joke.
"Aarav, come help your sister with the water tank," his father's voice cut through his thoughts. The man sounded older than he was—years of shouldering a family's dreams had weighed heavy on him.
Aarav stood up with a sigh, brushing dust off his shirt. It was always the same routine: wake up, help with chores, scroll job listings on his cracked phone, send out applications to companies that never replied, eat what little there was, and repeat.
They lived in a modest house tucked away in the crowded lanes of a lower-middle-class Jaipur colony. His mother had fallen sick six months ago—an undiagnosed illness that drained her strength and the family's savings. His sister, Aanya, was just seventeen, full of life and dreams of becoming a designer, but watching Aarav every day seemed to chip away at her spirit.
As he climbed onto the roof to adjust the water pipe, the sun blazed down on him mercilessly. Sweat dripped down his back, and the heat made the metal tank scalding to the touch. Aanya stood nearby with a plastic bucket, shielding her eyes with one hand.
"Bhai, did you hear back from the company in Gurugram?" she asked, hope threading her words.
Aarav shook his head. "No. Nothing yet."
She didn't press further. What was the point?
That night, dinner was quiet. His father barely spoke, eating quickly before preparing for his night shift at the textile warehouse. His mother coughed intermittently from her cot in the corner, and Aanya silently placed extra rice on her brother's plate, even though she hadn't taken much for herself.
Aarav felt the weight of it all—his family, their sacrifices, his own failure. He wanted to scream, to run, to do something that would make the world notice him. But all he could do was try to sleep.
And that's when it happened.
At exactly 3:03 AM, just as he turned restlessly in bed, a sudden chill swept through the room. The fan stopped spinning. The lights flickered—and then went out completely. His phone, plugged into a dying socket, sparked briefly before a strange, faint glow filled the room.
Aarav sat up, heart pounding.
Then, in the center of the room, a voice rang out. It wasn't loud, nor terrifying. It was calm. Mechanical. Certain.
"Initialization complete. The Certainty System has been successfully installed."
Aarav blinked. "W-What?"
The glow consolidated into a transparent screen floating in front of him. Words materialized on it like someone typing in real-time.
Welcome, Aarav Mehta.You have been chosen.The Certainty System ensures a 100% success rate in any task you undertake, provided your intent is genuine, and the effort is your own.This system cannot be transferred, traded, or abused for harm.Misuse will lead to immediate revocation.Do you wish to activate the Certainty System? [YES] / [NO]
He stared, frozen. Was he dreaming? Had he lost his mind?
He glanced around the room. Everything was still—his mother asleep, the air thick and silent. But the screen hovered there, waiting.
Aarav stood, the ground cool under his bare feet. He walked to the window and looked out at the sleeping colony. The world hadn't changed—but maybe his had.
His hands clenched at his sides. For once, he didn't feel helpless. He didn't feel like a burden.
He looked back at the glowing screen.
"…Yes," he whispered.
The screen pulsed once, then disappeared. In its place, a new message appeared.
System Activated.Your path to certainty has begun.First mission: Get your first paying job within 3 days.Success Rate: 100%
Aarav stared at it, something flickering inside his chest—like an old machine coming back to life after years of silence.
He didn't know how this was possible. He didn't know who had given him this "system" or why. But one thing was certain:
He would no longer live like a ghost in his own story.
Not anymore.