The godown was always fell silent at night , the deep silents that remembers how the daylight once echoed with cries and fear.
Silent… except for the sound of heavy breathing of victims.
On the cold cement floor a small, thin boy curled inside a large iron cage, his knees hugged tightly to his chest. The metal bars were cold against his skin, the floor colder, but he didn't move an inch , he had stopped shivering long ago. After very long ten years, cold became normal. Darkness became normal. Loneliness became normal. He is living in a cage without family , without friends . The cage become his comfort zone. He know the place , many times he tried to escape but failed. He knows there were lots of people here some are in caged , some are in cells most of them were taken away. But he was here in the past 10 years , nobody came for him.
His name… was Ayan.
But sometimes even he forgot that.
Moonlight falling through a broken roof tile, creating a small square pattern of silver on the dusty floor. Ayan watched it like it was magic. It reminded him of the world outside—trees, wind, sky. Most of the tings he forgot . Things he hadn't touched since his eighth birthday. The day his parents were killed. The day he was kidnapped. The day the old rusty cage became his world.
Tonight felt different. Like guards are looked very scared. They are expecting someone.
The outside the godown was quiet, but Ayan heard something he never heard before—footsteps. Heavy. Confident. Not the quick, nervous steps of the men who usually kept him here. Suddenly he hear loud noise , the Blast .The peoples are running , shouting , crying . Ayan didn't move an inch
These sounded like they owned the ground they walked on.
Ayan pressed himself against the back of the cage, heart pounding painfully.
...Someone is coming.....coming for him...who are they.......
He didn't know whether to hope… or fear.
A loud crash echoed through the godown as the large metal door was kicked open.
Dust rose. Rats scattered. Boots stepped inside.
Ayan held his breath. Didn't make any sound.
There were six people , all are in black dress . A tall figure walked through the dusty darkness. His dark black coat fluttered behind him, the metallic gleam of a gun visible under the dim light. His face was half-shadowed, but his eyes were sharp, predatory, dangerous and blue in colour.
Rafe William john.
A name whispered in the underworld like a curse. Guards are stood like a statue , no one dare to move. They have no courage to make a move.
He scanned the godown with the eyes of someone who had seen blood many times. He wasn't here for mercy. He wasn't here for kindness. He is here for blood .
Ayan didn't know who he was. Only that he was terrifying at the same time he felt a bond with the unknown man.
Then those eyes fell on the cage.
The man froze.
Ayan swallowed, panic rising, breath shaking uncontrollably. He expected the man to look away. To ignore him like everyone else did. To walk past.
But Rafe didn't move.
He stepped closer. Slow. Controlled. Like he was approaching a wounded animal.
Ayan pressed harder against the bars, nails digging into rust.
The man crouched in front of the cage, leveling his gaze with Ayan's.
"What the hell…" his voice was low, dangerous, but not directed at Ayan—directed at the situation. "Who put a kid in here?"
Ayan flinched at the sound of his voice.
Ayan opened his mouth, but no sound came. His throat was unused to speaking. His voice felt buried under years of silence. Everyone is looking at him. They become stunned to see a child in the rusty cage.
Rafe exhaled sharply—not in anger, but in disbelief.
He wrapped his hand around one of the iron bars. Ayan jolted, expecting punishment, expecting the wooden stick on the skin .
Instead, Rafe tested the strength of the cage. "Rusty," he muttered. Then louder: "Move back."
Ayan didn't understand.
Rafe's tone softened. "I said move back."
This time Ayan obeyed, scooting away.
In one swift motion, Rafe drew his gun not to aim, but to smash the lock. Metal shattered.
The sound echoed like thunder. The door swung open.
Ayan stared, frozen.
Freedom… was right in front of him.
He didn't know how to step into it.
Rafe extended a hand.
"Come out."
Ayan stared at the hand as if it were fire , dangerous but warm. No one had offered him a hand in ten years. His fingers trembled as he slowly reached forward. When his skin brushed Rafe's, he flinched. But Rafe's grip was firm, steady, grounding. He pulled Ayan out gently, like lifting something fragile , like a cute little puppy.
Ayan stumbled, legs weak from years of confinement. Rafe caught him by the shoulder, steadying him without a word.
"You're coming with me," Rafe said quietly.
Ayan's eyes widened in fear but also something he hadn't felt in years.
Hope.
Outside, cars waited. Men stood with guns. Rafe didn't care about any of that. His attention stayed on the trembling boy beside him. He removed his coat and wrapped it around Ayan's shoulders.
"Let's go," Rafe said.
And for the first time in a decade, Ayan stepped out into the world.
continue...............!