The Old Man of the Desert – The Story of Sema and the Mystery of Rajasan

In the infinite silence of the Rajasan Desert, beneath an inky sky studded with stars, stood a modest mud house, half-buried by the dunes. It was a dwelling forgotten by the world, battered by wind and dust, where lived a seventy-year-old man. He had no family, no neighbors, no company other than the sighs of the wind.

That night, like every other, he slept soundly, wrapped in an old, frayed sheet. The moon, high and pale, bathed the earth in a cold glow. Everything seemed still, when suddenly…

Knock, knock.

A sharp sound rang out at the door. The old man jumped, his eyes snapping open. He sat up, straining to hear.

“Who could be coming at this hour?” “He murmured.

No one ever came here. This place was too isolated, too far from any road.

But the noise returned, louder, more insistent. Knock, knock, knock!

The man rose slowly, his legs trembling, took his oil lamp, and approached the door. When he opened it, he froze.

Before him stood a young woman. A strange, almost unreal beauty emanated from her. Her black hair shone in the moonlight, her eyes, dark and deep, seemed to hold ancient secrets.

“Who are you?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

The young woman replied softly:

“My name is Sema. I was on my way to Ajmer, but I got lost in the desert. I walked for hours, without water or directions. Please, let me spend the night here.” “I’ll leave at dawn.”

The old man remained silent for a moment. His gaze never left Sema’s face. A strange, long-forgotten warmth stirred within him. Finally, he nodded.

“Come in. You’ll find a corner over there. Rest.”

Sema bowed slightly and entered. The room was sparse, but clean. She laid down her veil, stretched out in a corner, and, exhausted, fell asleep almost immediately.

Yet, in the middle of the night, a sensation made her shudder. Someone was standing very close. She opened her eyes and saw the old man, standing there, staring at her. His eyes shone in the darkness.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, frightened.

“Nothing, my child. I just wanted to cover you with a blanket. The nights are cold here.” “

Sema took the blanket, turned away, and fell back asleep. The old man remained there for a moment, unable to tear his gaze away, then returned to his bed. But sleep had left him.

The next day, at sunrise, Sema thanked the old man.

“You saved me. I must leave now.”

But he replied hesitantly,

“The desert is vast… and dangerous. At least wait until I find you a caravan to accompany you. Stay one more night.”

Sema hesitated. There was something strange in the old man’s eyes, a mixture of gentleness and unease.

“All right, just for this night,” she said finally.

That second night was long. The man found no rest. He watched Sema, her calm breathing, her peaceful face. Every few moments, he got up, walked slowly toward her, stopped, then started again. Finally, he sat down beside her and gently stroked her hair.

Sema woke with a start.

“Why are you doing this?” she cried.

“You were sleeping without a pillow… I didn’t want your neck to hurt.”

His voice trembled. Sema turned away, furious. The man returned to his seat, but his thoughts were churning. Tomorrow she will leave… No, I can’t let her go.

In the morning, Sema asked:

“So, the caravan?”

“Not yet,” he replied slowly. “It will come tomorrow.”

She sighed.

“Very well. One last night, and I’m leaving.”

But that night, something had changed. In the old man’s eyes, there was no longer just desire: there was an ancient, almost supernatural hunger. He stood up, moved closer, and touched Sema’s face with his fingertips. She jumped, sat bolt upright, and cried out.

He covered her mouth with his hand, then, overcome with fear, hurried back to his bed. Sema trembled, unable to sleep. This man isn’t normal. I have to flee tomorrow, no matter what.

The next morning, she packed her belongings.

“The caravan still isn’t here?”

“Not yet,” he said, his voice weary.

“You’re lying!” she cried. “You’ve trapped me here for some reason I don’t know!”

The man remained silent. His gaze, however, wasn’t that of a predator. It seemed… sad.

“It’s not what you think,” he murmured. “If you stay another night, you’ll understand everything.” “

Sema frowned.

“Another night? You’re crazy.”

“Please. It’s for your own good. Tomorrow, you’ll have all the answers.”

She remained silent for a moment. What if he was telling the truth? she thought. But how could she

Does he know what I’m looking for?

Then she asked,

“How do you know I’m going to Ajmer?” The old man lowered his eyes.

“Because I know what you’re looking for there… your husband.”

Sema gasped in astonishment.

“What? How do you know that?”

“I know many things, Sema. But I can’t tell you anything tonight. Stay one more night.”

She agreed, her heart filled with mistrust. The moon rose slowly. The old man sat in the shadows, staring at Sema. His hands trembled. This night will end everything, he thought. Whether it be my deliverance or my damnation.

In the dead of night, he approached her one last time. He took her hand and placed it on his chest.

“Don’t be afraid of me,” he murmured. Sema abruptly withdrew her hand, tears welling in her eyes.

“Leave me alone!”

He stepped back without a word and returned to his straw mattress. Silence fell once more.

At dawn, Sema got up. Golden light streamed across the earthen floor. She was about to leave when she noticed a young man sitting in a corner of the room.

He was handsome, neatly dressed, with a gentle, luminous face. He looked exhausted, but his gaze held a familiar tenderness.

“Who are you?” she asked, surprised.

The young man slowly turned his head toward her.

Sema felt her heart stop.

“Neon!” she cried. “My husband! Is it really you?”

She rushed to him and burst into tears. He embraced her. “This isn’t a dream,” he murmured. “I’ve come back.”

Sema, distraught, looked at him in disbelief.

“But… how did you get here? And that old man? Where did he go?”

Neon sighed.

“Go and see for yourself.”

She searched everywhere. The house was empty. The old man had vanished.

“He’s disappeared,” she said, returning, trembling.

Neon nodded.

“Where he’s gone, you’ll soon understand. But first, listen to me. You need to know the truth.”

He took a deep breath.

“One day, a long time ago, I met a strange woman. She was walking with an old man in the market. Just for fun, I said to them, ‘Why is such a beautiful woman with an old man? She should be with a young man.’” “

He paused, his gaze lost in thought.

“She looked at me, murmured a few words in an unknown language, and breathed on me. In an instant, I felt my body transform. When I saw my reflection, I had become that old man. She told me, ‘Your arrogance blinded you. You will remain a prisoner of this appearance until a woman loves you without recognizing your true face.’”

Sema brought his hands to his mouth.

“So… it was you? That old man, that was you?”

Neon nodded.

“Yes. I was him. And you, without knowing it, came to set me free. You endured my weaknesses, my mistakes, my silences. You stayed despite the fear. And it was your love, your loyalty, that broke the curse.”

Tears streamed down Sema’s cheeks. “Forgive me,” she sobbed. “I was afraid of you… I didn’t recognize you.”

Neon gently stroked her hair.

“It’s not your fault. You saw a monster, and yet your heart remained pure. That’s why the magic was broken.”

The sun streamed through the open door, flooding the room with warm light. Outside, the desert stretched peacefully to the horizon.

Sema leaned against her shoulder.

“So all of this… this fear, this loneliness, this waiting… was it a test?”

“Yes. A test for both of us. True love isn’t measured by the face you see, but by the heart you feel.”

They stood there in silence as the morning breeze gently stirred the dust. In the Rajasan Desert, where the echo of their sorrows still resonated, a new life was beginning.

The old man was no more. He was but a memory—a symbol of the price of pride and redemption through love.

Sema and Neon left the small mud house. Together, they walked toward the horizon, hand in hand, leaving the past and the shadows behind.

And the wind whispered through the dunes:

“If love is true, it transcends time, fear, and appearances. It always returns to the light.”