Chapter-20
Soma's body slowly turned towards Hrida, his resistant feelings evaporated and they started talking and sharing conversation discussing their similarities and dissimilarities as well, this invoked a smile on Soma's mom's face.
Soma feels glad that they transferred here because he found a new friend although he is curious about someone named Shashi whom she talked about so fondly. Soma's father returns to their seat and announces to his wife and son," Lakshman, he is here, currently waiting outside. So, let's go. Carry your bags and speed up." Soma's dad carried a few luggage and the rest, Soma's mom carried with her but Soma didn't flinch from his seat even after hearing his dad's order.
His mom noticed this, she tapped his shoulder and gently reminded him," Son, we have to go. Carry your backpack, say goodbye to her and then we will go." He gazes at her face with a strange look which she understands instantly and informs him in a gentle tone," Soma, we will be waiting for you outside, so….. Just come quick after bidding her goodnight. Okay !"
Soma nods immediately, and rejoicing fills his heart, he asks her with a gulp of courage," In which school, are you studying? Would you like to someday wish to visit a library together? Ohhh, from this, one last important question arises, will we meet again? And if we do, then can I become your friend? "
Hrida nods 'yes' and answers with a friendly tone," If possible, then we all four will surely visit the library together someday. And I hope we meet again. I already consider you a friend since we talked so much and share a common ground and not only mine but also you can be a friend of Shashi as well. I am sure he would be delighted to be your friend and vice versa. Now, your family is waiting, so go quickly. And… yes.. Goodnight, Soma."
A small smile curves on his lips, he bids her goodnight and exits the station before giving a glance to Hrida who is facing opposite to him. But after a few minutes, he re-appears by her side surprising her, she stares at him with a curious gaze and extends her arm in the air gesturing to him 'What happened?' look. He babbles with a hint of pride in his tone," You said your best friend Shashi's name means ' Moon' right? What a coincidence, my name Soma also means 'Moon' as well.
Now you have two moons in your life. I hope I can see you again, Hrida. Goodnight. " He leaves as soon as he completes his sentence. Hrida chuckles, a new sense of joy spreads in her heart because she found herself another future friend, and lastly, a hopeful smile spreads on her lips.
Hrida then remembers something, her heart swells with happiness when she is reminded of the moment of how she met Shashi in the school. She ponders," For me, Shashi always be my only best friend." Then another memory knocks into her brain, which is of how she got reunited with Shashi after the Nimit incident and how she foolishly kissed his cheek and his face stained pink like the shade of strawberry although she too felt her cheeks burn at that moment while her eyes blinked like flapping wings. A content wide smile takes place on her lips.
At Lakshman's home
Lakshman's parents welcomed their elder son's family with warm heartfelt gestures. Lakshman's parents rejoice in their presence and Lakshman's dad cheerfully welcomed Soma who felt a bit overwhelmed by his strong embrace.
Lakshman brought Soma's luggage into his room and already adjusted another bed next to his bed for his little cousin. He and Soma are really close, Soma admires Lakshman a lot despite not being a big fan of crime-thriller-related things, rather he is interested in his sappy-old school love story books/movies especially mythological ones.
Soma asks him in a neutral tone," Can I ask about your current case? I am just asking because we are friends and friends share their problems. And I want to help you reduce your burden at least a little, 0so that you feel less burdened."
Lakshman told him everything with complete transparency because Soma was a good secret keeper. Soma's expression changed like a chameleon's colors from horror to sad to shock, he felt sympathy for those criminals' families and their victims. Soma's ears heightened when Lakshman mentioned 'Hrida', the same girl whom he met at the railway station today, as he explained the case involving Hrida.
He was beyond shocked and felt worried about her but at the same time, he felt guilty and sorry that he couldn't tell his cousin that Hrida was currently at the railway station. Because he assumes based on his logical calculation that she doesn't want to be discovered, that's why she is hiding Lakshman bhaiya ( elder brother). Her action or decision is the result of her own parents' doings that gave her irreversible damage to her overall memories till then.
Soma thinks with crunched eyebrows," I want to help her…But I don't know how I can. Till I figure out about that friend of hers, I will stay silent about this matter. I hope I find her friend who might reveal some relevant information about her. I hope she is not feeling cold sleeping on the cold-tempered benches.
Wait a minute! Hrida doesn't know that Tapish is with his friend and not some stranger. I think Lakshman bhaiya would not give the responsibility of a delicate cat to anyone and Hrida also trusts her friend, so I might give him benefit of doubt as well.
Hmmm. I…She might be missing Tapish a lot. Hmmphhh... I wish I could do something….for her... Goodnight Hrida."
At railway station
All of a sudden, Hrida wakes up from her slumber, her eyes open to the dull white platform roof, and she sighs tiredly but then she shakes her head and puts a hopeful smile on her lips. She scans her surroundings, the whole platform is empty but the other platforms are crowded with people. Hrida switched on her phone as she kept it on charge for 2 hours in the waiting room after Soma's family departure.
She noticed the time, her mouth formed an 'o' shape and gasped in an exclaimed tone," How can… How is this possible? How is it 11 o'clock right now in the morning when the background is still nighttime? Oh..Oh did Kali take over the whole world when I was sleeping? Oh no, it's bad, it's really bad.
Woahhh.. In one night so many things happened but I didn't imagine it would completely change by 360 degrees. That means I failed to protect Tapish and….Shashi, no..no I am sure they might have found themselves a safe hidden spot. Ya, I am sure they have and I need to cower away before the darkness catches me."
Her rambles were abrupt when she observed a shadow slowly expanding taller and bigger over tracks, the shadow became denser and denser to the point that it became like a wide wall between the platform she was at and other platforms.
The shadow didn't look solid rather it was fluidly textured, the swirling patterns over his rising figure, small whirlpools decorating his shadow, and had the same pull as that of a black hole, she felt being pulled towards the figure but she repelled the force and anchored herself to the bench.
The shadow figure continued growing thinner and larger than the Eiffel Tower, with a blink of an eye, he stood before her in close distance while hovering his face near her, his camouflaged void black eyes staring back at her eyes with creepiness lingering on his victorious hollow smile. The creepiness didn't stop here as she traced his shadow figure, she found hollow space in the center of his figure which had a deadly vibe to it.
Kali snickers when he grasps fear and tempting courageous glare in her eyes, he enhances the degree of fear by exposing a few magnificent future events of his rising glorious power. He announces with a powerful tone," I have planned everything for my glorious ruling over this world with my flexible arms hugging the whole world with my darkness.
First I plan to increase my army of shadows, which will be named as shawmys. I am pleased by the name. A few of them will be my pup-pet, some of them will rule under me, and another few will torture, beat, and engulf pleasures because of their anger, greed, hate, and revenge elements hidden deep inside them. Oh, there are millions of people still left to be affected.
Oh, how deviously handsome plans I have for them as well. Would you like to hear, my bearer? After all, you will be the face of my rule.
You have what it takes to be my bearer, a pretty face, anger, courage, charm, and beautiful darkness within you, I am pleased by it the most, dear Hrida.
Ohhh, yes! You will served with many benefits and special powers like you can keep that black cat of yours and that idiot-looking friend of yours as your slaves but not just any slaves, they would be treated with luxury and higher position because they are your special guests.
Oh and not that the police officer whom you attacked would be brutally slandered to compensate for your entertainment after all he did create more problems for you. And… I have many things to do, I am going to be pleasingly busy that's why I need you, dear. Join with me, voluntarily or I will have to do the forceful way of convincing you to be on my side, so you have no choice but to accept my offer regardless of your heart's wish."
Hrida feels shame that he somehow can affect her even though she doesn't want to, anger, sorrow, resentment, and hot tears are bubbling inside her because of his manipulative sentences and cruel plans especially his ill-mannered talk about her loved ones. Her body temperature is rising, the burning magma is ready to explode out from her calm composure and burn this shadow alive. Her nerves are tempted to squish this shadow out of the earth and erase his unwanted existence forever.
Hrida resisted his manipulative and deadly charm but she lost when she discovered Tapish and Shashi being caged under the hands of those three venomous girls, who started poking Tapish's body with sharp razor-like nails, pulling his whiskers, and that Disha constantly touching Tapish's nose without his will.
Ambar hovering close to Shashi's face, which invoked a burning feeling in her chest, but her heart clenched in agony when Ambar pulled Shashi's hair with a harsh grip making him groan while Drishya grazed the blade over his arms making a straight line cut and scribbling on his arm, her eyes turns blind with wrath, revenge and hate, her skin transitioned into ink- black color.
She growls in pain, lunges at those girls, and threatens in a cold tone, " Let them go otherwise I can be the worst pup-pet you would have ever seen." Those girls were scared but they remained adamant and ignorant to her warning.
Ambar vomits a disgusting statement out of her mouth which shocked even Disha and Drishya," Looks like You are possessive about your own human pup-pet, what's his name again..Ah yes...Shashi.. Charming I must admit. Why don't we share this pup-pet of yours, I am willing to give the V.I.P privileges of our own gang, so you have to accept this deal otherwise I have him all by myself, which is fun but not as fun as it will be when his friend controls him by hook or crook. Hmmm- Ahhhhhhhhhh"
She got interrupted by a painful stab in her stomach by stealing their knives and plunged deep into the stomach area, she looked at Hrida in disbelief, her face contorted in disgust, pain, and hate because of her. Disha and Drishya attacked her but she impaled their necks and they fell fatally.
Hrida's eyes were black like coal and dark orange like lava, she fumes in a hissed tone," I warned you pup-pets that step aside and let them go but you always like to play the game of cruel entertainment, then maybe I gave a taste of your own medicine although I am stained with your disgusting blood, tchhhhh. And Ambar, Shashi is not anyone's pup-pet, he is a human being, a dear one to me, so you don't dare do anything to Tapish and Shashi.
I…warned.. you..don't.. involve..my..loved ones...And you…dared..to..take my..best friend's name.. with..your..filthy..mouth and.. talk..ill.. about..HIM. Next time…Ooops...I don't think there would be any next time for you."
She drove the knife into her stomach ruthlessly every time she paused between her sentences, her whole body was splashed with blood, and Ambar fell hard against the floor with lifeless eyes opened wide in horror. Hrida is panting hard and her whole figure was painted in red, orange, and black, she appeared like the worst nightmare.
The blood-dripping knife slipped from her grip and clanked hard on the floor, creating the most disturbing earth-shattering sharp noise to her ears, her eyes fell upon the lifeless bodies laid carelessly on the floor, the wrath, anger and dark orange elements silenced and dull blue elements paved in her body.
She traced the fatal damage she imposed upon them, those blood pools haunted her, she fell in disbelief, she knelt on the ground and her eyes darted around and her heart broke when she discovered Tapish staring at her with fearful eyes and a defensive stance.
Hrida weeps uncontrollably, her body violently shaking as teardrops pour heavily on her clothes, fixing the blood stain on her clothes engraved deep within cloth layers, she mumbles with a heartbroken tone, " I- I-... You do not need to fear me... I would never…hurt..you. I KNOW... I know I didn't have any right to behave like a brutal..being...But I didn't do it intentionally, it was not my fault...It was Kali's fault, Tapish.
Trust me, Tapish. Pleaseee.. I know what I did was immoral and worse but I swear I didn't want to, I resisted and resisted and resisted then suddenly I lost. But I tried... I- Tapish, hear me out...Tapishh… I am sorry. I'm really sorry. I broke your trust."
She crawls closer to Tapish with constant apologies but Tapish growls at her and runs away far from her, she calls Tapish to come back but he doesn't. Hrida blamed herself for her vicious action; she turned back and found Kali again, who stepped aside revealing Shashi with Lakshman whose bruised wound reopened that she caused unintentionally, and his blood spread over the floor.
Shashi looked at her like she was some kind of criminal, her heart broke once again, and she felt the ground slip beneath her feet.
She crept closer, and they stepped back but still, she kept pacing towards them, out of a sudden Shashi pushed her back and declared with a bitter tone," You are a selfish, worthless murderer, Hrida. You work under the assistance of that Shadow master, Kali. You….intentionally made your parents arrested to see them suffer because you love to spend anger on others and hurt others. You were never my best friend, Hrida... Shiiiii…"
Hrida pleads to him with a vulnerable stance," You too don't leave me alone. Please. Shashi, why does eventually everyone leave me alone? Am I that..bad or..unworthy to be with? Shashi, you should leave me alone otherwise I will cause damage to you as well. Go.. Go away.. everyone…just go away. Go! gooooo.."
She starts sobbing again, her tears don't stop, and her throat runs dry causing her violent coughs but her tears don't stop, she voluntarily sleeps on the floor, and the background fades leaving only emptiness behind her, vacant surroundings making her feel lonely. Hrida shouts out loud, her voice echoing in a hollow background, making her ears bleed.
Hrida saw a shadow towering over her, steadily seeping through her feet and progressing upwards, her legs felt cold, her bones shivered in pain, and her body experienced the feeling of being pulled in by a black hole, swallowing her in. Even then, she obstinately fights, her eyes still sparkling in a golden red hue, a green aura radiating out from the center of her torso yet it wasn't enough to reverse the grip of the shadow.