The Mystique

The Xbox one S was announced on 13/6/2013 at E3-2016 by Microsoft during their showcase.
The S standing for 'Slim' as the new Xbox one S is 40% smaller than the old Xbox one which was released on Nov 22 2013.
Its said that it is even a bit smaller compared to the PS4 even though the official measurements are not available yet.







So the observable changes are :
1.It supports Ultra HD and Ultra blueray i.e. 4K gaming and video compatibility !

2.Xbox one S is painted ''Robot white" instead of the traditional "Matte black".

3.The bulky power supply cord is replaced with a thin cord.

4.An Usb port has been moved to front for easy access.

5.The controller has been upgraded with better grip on the back and now it has Bluetooth connectivity making it work on Windows PC while the features remain the same.

6.The price of the new One S starts at $299 for 500GB edition, $349 for 1TB edition and $399 for the 2TB edition and it is expected to be available in early August.






The pictures of Xbox One S have been leaked yesterday on 12/06/2016 to which Microsoft replied

"¯\_(ツ)_/¯  www.xbox.com/e3."

More details will be updated after the official Release today at E3.

Here is a peek at the new Xbox One S.

               
 

                  As I woke up from a heavy slumber, I'm first aware of the coolness of the air and a loamy fragrance. A stream of gentle wind rattled the old bedroom window as the door creaked. Removing the blanket on me, I checked the digital clock which read the time as 3:18 A.M. Eventually, I got out of the bed and stumbled across to reach the numb floor in half drowsiness. The wind was nothing but a deeper moaning to the caustic winter air that swept over the ocean. I closed the clanking window to end the moaning of the wind and door simultaneously. Silence. Apart from my own breaths, I heard no sound as if the night was dead.

                 I got down the stairs to drench my thirst. Ever since my childhood, I dreamt of living in a huge mansion along a beach side. Finally, my dream came true as I bought this mansion a week ago, and ever since, it never failed to awe me.

                I reached the refrigerator and drank the entire bottle as few drops escaped to wet my skin. The feel was amazing; I've always loved that. At a distance, I could hear a drip sound, probably from the bathroom. The silence consumed the night so much; that's the only reason I could hear that sound as the bathroom was almost at the end of mansion. I secured the taps and I returned to my room.

                 A bit of fear was induced in me as I reached my room to find that the old window started to screech again which creaked the door. I was not sure if I've bolted the window as I was in half-sleep then. As I neared the window, I could hear the wind making gentle whispers, almost a hissing sound. I surely felt creepy and bolted the window as fast as possible to return the silence.

                 The silence lived only for a ten seconds; as it was broken by a melodious piano music. I was sure that the sound was from my old piano inherited from my grandfather and moreover, no people live near the mansion. It sent chills down my spine as I've closed that in the storeroom down the floor.

                  Adrenaline pumped fast in me and in fear, I've decided to know who that was. The piano stopped playing as I reached the storeroom. I trembled in fear as I've noticed the footprints of blood running along the hallway. Immediately, in no time, I exploded into motion to my room and covered my face with the thick blankets.

                  I've decided not to get out of that no matter what happens. All of a sudden, the window opened, the door, tap and piano making sounds simultaneously. It freaked my feathers out, all I could do was to close my eyes tightly. After a while, the sound stopped. The silence kicked in more fear than the sound as I never knew what was going to happen next.

                 A powerful arm caught hold of my right leg and pulled me out of the cot, started to drag me all across the floor and steps. I couldn't move, I couldn't get free. I screamed in a loud voice to meet someone's help, knowing that it would be a vain. I was thrown apart and as I opened my eyes, I landed in the nearby graveyard.

                 The fear almost killed me and my heart raced when I saw my own tombstone in front of me.

                 I woke up in heavy gasps and screams as I woke up from the nightmare. Drenched in sweat, I saw my digital clock.

It read 3:17 A.M. ( Immediately, it flashed into my that the clock showed 3:18 A.M. in my dream)

The window started to rattle and the door made a creaking noise.

This is the story of two people; one who fights life and the other fights for life.

                 War- war can be anything. For a soldier, keeping his country safe everyday is a war. For a cocoon, evolving into a butterfly is a war. For a poor person, finding food and shelter for that day is a war. For a doctor, saving the life of his patient is a war. For a middle-class father, balancing the dreams and responsibilities of his family is a war. The struggle for life is a war.

                Now, I'm in a war too; the war of life and death. I cannot afford to lose this war, for my love and my child. I need to fight, I must live.



"Farewell world ! I'm done with you. I'm going to die", Anya thought after reading a scribble she just wrote.


                 "My life was always a joke. It always laughed at me whenever I cried. When I lost my parents at an early age, it laughed. When my relatives put me in an orphanage, it laughed. Eversince, it didn't stop laughing at my wounds.

                 When I thought that I would never smile again, in the barren wastelands of my heart, he became speck and spark of hope. He became my world. "I'll be with you wherever you go, till the very end of my breath", he promised. What a joke! The very he messaged me " We're not made for each other. Things are not set between us. Leave and forget me".  And the life laughed again, more harder".

She errupted out of her room determined to die.

                "What are the best ways to die?", she thought as she began to walk roadside. Though she had firmly decided to die by jumping into the water, she has just thought of a review.

                 " Perhaps, I should jump from a building? No, a cracked skull would be a bad sight for my fellow mates at the orphanage.

                 What if I set fire on myself? That's a painful death, as the people say so. Let me embrace the death with little pain.

                  Gashing myself to death? Wow! that sounds perfectly romantic, but what if someone saves me? I can't live again.

                 While Anya thought of many ways to die, she came to a conclusion finally that jumping into the water is a perfect choice as her body would be never ever found. She started walking towards the bridge.

                  As she walked, she noticed many pubs, restaurants, markets filled with nightlife. She began to notice few men staring at her, sometimes giving her a smile. "Beware dear, everyone in the society acts as if they care you", she thought and ambled further.

While walking, she noticed a boarding which read


                 That was the most disturbing statement for her purpose. " It's going to be all over, it's going to be all over. In a few moments, you're going to be liberated from your eternal woes", she patted herself.

                  Finally, she reached her destination, the bridge. She moved to a silent, dark place and waited till there is no movement in life around. She climbed the bridge and found the big stream of water flowing beneath.

                   "Any last words, huh?, she giggled slightly. "Fuck this world. Fuck my life. Embrace me, O river", and she started to jump.


(End of part 1- story will be continued)

                  I couldn't hear the ambulance coming. I could only make out its shape through my bloodshot, puffy crying eyes. I was screaming, screaming till I felt my throat would  rip open and my chest explode. I stared as I saw my five year old child's eyes faded out to darkness. It was an accident.

                 I was pulled into the ambulance by two powerful hands as my boy was channelled onto a stretcher. The ambulance was a re-purposed van, covered with green curtains to its sides. It stenched Sulphur and peroxide a bit, but it was clean enough. The ambulance light is blinding, too abrasive for my eyes. Through my teary eyes, I could see his blood soaked innocent face and his little tiny fingers protruding out of the blood stained cloth.

                I wanted to scream, scream too loudly to but I know, it wouldn't help. The ride to the hospital was more terrifying than the accident itself, on every bump my heart beat increased. Seeing him soaked in the blood was very painful; I never dreamed it in my worst nightmares. And it was gut wrenching, that it was the beginning.

               As we reached the hospital, the stretcher was hurried into the hospital and I ran behind it with my soaked eyes. Swiftly, he was carried to the operation theater. It was a medium sized room with a slight hint of peroxide smell. The walls of it began to show cracks, perhaps because those walls witnessed many cracks of hopes and many cracks of laughter. I cried more when the doors were shut.

              After a while, I saw paramedics running from one room to other, talking to other doctors and nurses. I just felt to grab one of them and wanted to ask what the hell was going on. I couldn't see my sweet boy in agony.

              His euphonious words began to reverberate in my ears "Papa, we will play hide n seek. I'll hide and you find me". I never understood why he liked that game so much. Now, he's hiding between life and death. I'll not let you hide, I'll fight for you sweet heart, I promise.

               The sight was so terrible, so terrible that it demands every soul to pray to the Almighty, irrespective of the religion. I never believed in God. I thought He never existed. Perhaps, I was wrong. Perhaps, He exists. I couldn't find Him in the innumerable holy places I visited, I couldn't find Him in the magnificent temples with golden idols, but I see Him in the desperate eyes of the people sitting outside the operation theatres. I see Him in the prayers of those people, whom I never knew.

                My tongue automatically began to chant the holy scriptures I've forgotten ages ago. He is merciful, at least those scriptures say so. Perhaps, He will forgive me for always forgetting Him before and praying to Him only in the time of need. "I will wear my 'Yajnopavita', the sacred thread, I will perform the 'sandhya vandan' every day, I'll help the poor whenever I can. O God, please save my child from this misfortune".

                In the next hours, I spent most of the time praying. It's been five hours since my boy was carried into the operation theater, but it isn't over. My eyes were getting heavy now, I wanted to sleep. Perhaps, everything I see now is a dream, everything will end up soon. Perhaps, the Sun will rise again from this everlasting starless night.

               As my eyes were dried up, the doctor came out of the room. I ran to him in a second. His expressionless face made me more tensed. Please save my child, doctor. Please save him. I cried like a child who came out of the mother's womb.

Mr. Karan, "He's alive. Tough lad, he is".

And my smile lit the hospital.
(Now, on the verge of life and death, I Found Him)