Iaa settled into her chosen spot, carefully following each step of the ritual she had read about. The air around her felt thick with anticipation, yet after completing the intricate series of movements and incantations, she found herself in a peculiar state of stillness. Initially, she felt nothing at all, a void that made her question if she had done everything correctly. Nevertheless, she decided to keep her eyes closed, hoping that something would unfold in the silence.
Time seemed to stretch as she waited, counting the seconds in her mind. After what felt like an eternity, approximately ten seconds passed, and suddenly, a sharp yet bearable pain pierced through her head, as if a door had creaked open in her mind. In that moment, the world around her faded into an inky blackness, enveloping her senses.
Instinctively, she twirled around, her heart racing as she sought any sign of life in the darkness. To her surprise, she spotted the same child she had seen before, clutching a teddy bear that seemed almost too large for him. The sight was both comforting and unsettling. With a mix of curiosity and urgency, Iaa called out to him, "Hey kid, come here!" But to her dismay, he ignored her, his gaze fixed somewhere beyond her reach.
A flicker of determination ignited within her. She contemplated approaching him, driven by an inexplicable urge to connect. However, as she took a step forward, her attention was drawn to a small figure standing nearby—a little girl, her presence both enchanting and mysterious. The girl seemed to radiate a soft glow, contrasting sharply with the surrounding darkness.
"Hey Agatha," the boy called out, his voice reverberating through the emptiness that surrounded them. She was a girl, but her features and demeanor suggested she was not of Indian descent.
"Hey Hari," the girl replied, her words flowing with a distinct British accent. "Oh, so she is British," Iaa thought to herself, intrigued by the unexpected twist in the conversation.
"How are you today, Agatha?" the boy inquired, his tone filled with genuine curiosity.
"I am good, Hari, and how about you?" the little girl responded, her eyes sparkling with innocence and warmth.
"You know, Amma is still with your father's friend. I hope she is alright. And I've been feeling a bit under the weather lately—" His sentence was abruptly interrupted by a sudden voice that cut through the air like a knife.
"AGATHA! I told you to stay away from this boy! He has Malaria; you must keep your distance from him!" a stern voice shouted, filled with urgency and concern. The authoritative tone sent a shiver down Iaa's spine as she observed the interaction.
"But Uncle—" Hari attempted to protest, his voice trembling slightly, but he cut him off again, his frustration palpable.
"What? Huh? We took your mother away because of your illness!" he shouted at the boy, his words laced with a mixture of anger and fear. The weight of the situation hung heavily in the air, creating a palpable tension that made Iaa feel as if she were witnessing a scene from a play, where the stakes were high and the emotions raw.
As the boy stood there, a mixture of confusion and hurt flickering across his face, Iaa felt a surge of empathy for both children. She could sense the unspoken bond between them, a connection that was now threatened by the harsh realities of illness and fear. The atmosphere was thick with unexpressed feelings, and Iaa found herself wishing she could bridge the gap, to offer comfort and understanding in a world that seemed so chaotic and unforgiving.
The big guy grabbed Agatha and walked out the room and locked the door so Hari would not be able to go out. Hari banged the door, tried to open it but failed. He sat their thinking what has he done to deserve this. And while thinking he fell asleep after some time, he woke up hungry. But he couldn't go outside becuase the door was locked, He was talking to his teddy like"I hope I have Dal and Chawal right now with some fresh water." "I hope i sleep in my room" "I hope I would be free one day" with that he fainted and never woke up.
Iaa slowly opened her eyes, a wave of shock washing over her as her heart ached for the young boy. She glanced around the room, her gaze falling on Aravali, whose brow was furrowed in concern, Shiva, with a look of quiet determination, and Sita, who wore a soft expression of empathy. Each of them seemed to share in her troubled thoughts, the air thick with unspoken understanding.
"Are you alright?" Sita inquired with a furrowed brow, concern evident in her voice.
"Yes," Iaa replied, though her voice barely masked the tremor of uncertainty beneath.
"What did you see?" Aravali pressed, her eyes gleaming with curiosity as she leaned closer, eager for the details.
Iaa shared every detail she had witnessed, recounting both what she had seen and heard with an urgency that left no room for hesitation. Her voice was laced with concern as she turned to Aravali, asking her to quickly fetch Dal and Chawal, along with some fresh water for that child.
Then, with a sense of determination, Iaa addressed Shiva, urging her to search for the body of the child without delay. The gravity of the situation was palpable, and the weight of their task hung in the air. They all knew that every moment counted, and they couldn't afford to lose any more time in finding the truth.
After some hours, Aravali brought the dish Iaa ordered from home and Shiva was still searching for the child's body. So, they thought to help her and after many minutes of finding they still didn't found the child's body, I mean skeleton. So, they thought to rest for a while .
They were discussing that where can be the skeleton but our clumsy Aravali leaned on a nearby bookshelf and dropped it. Everyone's eye was on her glaring at her. Just as Iaa stood up to scold her, she saw a door behind Aravali. It was THAT ROOM. They found it.
"That freaking rascal hid the room" Shiva said angrily.
"Shiva control, guys, let's go inside" Iaa ordered
Everyone nodded.
TO BE CONTINUED...