Chapter-18

Tapish heard his melancholic tone loud and clear. He felt sorry for Shashi, he purred softly but he gazed at him with bright admiring intent toward Shashi. Tapish sensed that he may have intended to abrupt Hrida's plan as his gaze wavered between them with a knowing gaze. But Tapish doesn't plan to interrupt Hrida's plan and decides to stay ignorant for the best of all.

Lakshman read the message aloud, Shashi heard it clearly and his gaze shifted from Lakshman sir to Tapish as he kept staring at me with an innocent gaze and he mumbled under her breath," She also separated you from her but for your safety. Why does she react like this? God, please save her."

Lakshman asks Shashi with a gentle and firm tone," Keep Tapish with you and take good care of him, you know him better than me. Don't let him alone, he needs you. I need to go, now. I need to be somewhere urgent."

Lakshman landed at the mentioned place and walked up 103 stairs to reach the temple, he searched every corner of the temple with the help of a large torchlight in his hand and he found no one. The temple is silent yet peaceful. He bowed on the ground in front of the goddess idol and prayed," Maa ( Mother ), Please keep Hrida safe until I find her. She might be near here. I know she is the same girl who sent me this message."

He stepped outside and stood still while his eyes darted around searching for clues, he stepped down one step at a time, then he noticed the forest entrance which was mentioned in her note as well. She might be there and those girls as well who seem to committed abusive crimes.

He was already informed at the police station on his way to this temple about the anonymous note he got while he was outside. Dhansi ji and Kritak came to know about the news and decided to go along with a few police officers who are currently on the road to arrive here.

On the other hand, Lakshman crossed the boundary, jumped into the entrance of the forest, and wasted no time, he stepped deeper into the forest. The forest is silent but he feels uncomfortable crawling behind his back; he cautiously glances around from time to time to ensure he is prepared for an unexpected attack.

Nevertheless, he bumped against something and his leg slipped into a pit and collided with something soft, he flashed his light onto the pit and his face turned grim. His mouth twisted like he ate something distasteful then he decided to give them a proper funeral but before he could do that, a blazing light caught in his eyes causing him irritation.

His attention gets diverted but then he re-focuses again and figures out," This form of light is similar to disco multi-colored projector ball reflecting in the form of arrays. And it's annoying for sure but I don't know of pleasant though even if it is to some. Who are these people having a midnight party at such a dark hour in this dark forest?"

Suddenly his ears caught the sounds of footsteps rising behind him, he was alarmed and scanned his surroundings. He hid in the shadow of the huge trees, then switched off the torchlight and waited. A familiar voice seized his ears and recognized the voice as Kritak's voice. He exposed himself and switched back the torchlight on. He paved his way to them and met in the middle of the forest where Dhansi ji and Kritak upon seeing him safe were relieved. And the next second, their facial expressions faded into upset looks with a small frown on their lips and they shook their heads in a tiny way.

Lakshman noticed their expression, chuckled lightly, and held his one ear representing his apology to them. He advised them to keep their voices to hush because the culprits were near they might get alerted by our presence which isn't a beneficial situation to turn out to be. All of them advanced alongside him with silent footsteps with tightly-lipped mouths.

They came to find the same pit, which Lakshman explains by shedding light on the pit," As you can see these animals laying dead due to brutal attacks by a trio group of girls named Ambar, Dish, and Drishya, and, we need to arrest them red-handed that's why we need to sneak up on them.

I saw a light source coming from a little further ahead, so, be careful. Cause I assume that they are dangerous as the proof laying before is the live and deadly evidence we could confirm about their potential." They silently nodded their heads agreeing with his logic, they followed the light source while Lakshman and Kritak were on the lead, Dhansi ji was just behind them and the rest of the police officers scattered behind Dhansi ji to cover them from all sides.

Lakshman and the rest of the team encountered a campfire-like setting where few tents were established and a group of girls and boys of nearly 18-20 years appeared out of their tents with each having an animal ( small or large) within their arms in a deathly grip.

One girl among them gathered the mass of boys and girls while positioning herself at the center standing before them. She clicks her fingers and all of them shut their mouth and look attentively at her as she speaks with twisted cheerfulness," My dear team members, your leader has always a corner in your heart for our special pup-pets. So, here is mine." Kritak whispers in a low tone," That is a weird way of calling your pet. She sounds so…so... I don't know…awful for some reason. Hmmmm."

The leader girl raised her arms holding a helpless squirrel whose tail was partially shaved in a neat manner, which the police officers couldn't pinpoint what exactly they were doing. She declares with a venomous tone," Today, your leader, Ambar got captured by a wild human girl with its tabby black cat." This statement caught his attention and his suspicions confirmed that Hrida is the connecting dot to the source map of all those criminals but these criminals are sick-minded which also indicates that someday or other she might put herself in danger with no way to escape and this makes him more anxious to find her soon. But right now, they need to take care of this first.

Kritak nudges Lakshman sir lightly on his shoulder, which makes him snap back to reality, he hears a gasp, looks around, and sees Dhansi ji staring in front with a wide-opened mouth. He shares his view and what they were witnessing beyond their eyes is beyond their human conscience. The same squirrel's tail being shaved with the use of a shaving razor by that Ambar girl, a small hamster being thrashed upon a wooden branch, a beautiful sparrow being squished, and lastly, a turtle is being used as a passing ball between high school aged girls.

Their bodies became stiff as they gawked with horror, some of them puked and a few rubbed their eyes hard to chase away the vision before them. But the horror seemed to know no bounds, they saw one of the girls pinned squirrel by the ground, and the rest of the gang started cheering and chanting the name ' Disha ', which sparked his memory that this name was also mentioned by Hrida in her note.

He recognized those two girls by their names. They noticed that Disha girl raising her feet high to stamp over the squirrel, before he could react, Kritak tackled Disha and the rest of the police officers trapped them in their inescapable grasp, each police officer held two members.

The gang was a total of 9 people, 5 being girls and 4 being boys. Lakshman, Dhansi ji questioned their immoral behavior," You are young adults and appear as educated yet you are behaving like mindless beings. Didn't you feel at least a bit of mercy while doing such a brutal crime? Have you forgotten you have a heart behind your vicious thoughts? "

  Meanwhile, Kritak contacted a veteran doctor and sent the photos of the bruised animals to which the doctor asked him to send those animals to her through someone. Dhansi ji announces,  " Lakshman sir, Kritak, and the rest police officers, since you have to take care of these criminals, I will drive to the clinic and make sure these animals are treated well. Okay, then I will get going."

Lakshman nodded his head agreeing to his suggestion and Kritak called for another jeep, after 10-15 minutes, the jeep finally arrived at the place, they put the gang in the back seat, and two police officers and Lakshman sat on the passenger seat and lastly, Kritak and another police officer sat at the driving seat.

During the ride back to the police station, Kritak sends a message to Lakshman sir's phone, his phone chimes with a notification sound, he unlocks the screen and notices the message is from Kritak. He looks toward Kritak with a confused gaze, and then he reads the message;

" You shouldn't have risked coming here; it could have worsened your injury. We are glad that you caught these criminals but you made us quite worried, especially Dhansi ji, he is annoyed at your stubbornness. You know, he cares about you. Please, next time if you need help, then let me know because I know you won't stop until you find that girl. So, I'm in but secretly. Do you accept, sir? " Lakshman responded and sent him a message " Yes, I accept and thank you…really."

The atmosphere in the jeep was silent until they heard a loud pitchy female tone from the backseat, "All because of that wild girl, we had such a bad day. I don't know her name but sure her name should be trouble because that's what she looks like. That stupid girl tied me with thorny vine roots, and my arms till now itch badly. UGHH.

She looked scary and immensely courageous, which impressed me and  I wanted her as my human pup-pet. Despite everything, I am satisfied that we left her with a lot of bruises and scrapes on her legs and hands although she was already bruised like a dirty ripped pretty doll.

Poor her, I sensed a fear of loneliness, broken heartedness, and lost soul yet she looked foolishly hopeful and courageous and pretty too. I wish that I looked pretty as her although I don't wish to have her life ( A sad life), I could trace it in her eyes."

  Lakshman is impressed by Hrida's courage still concerned hearing about her injuries and mental state. Once the police station came into view, he was blocked at the gate by Kritak with a pleading look directed at him, which he didn't object to this time remembering his message. 

He reached home when the clock struck midnight time, his parents waiting by the hall room glared at him as soon as he stepped in. Lakshman's mom declares in an annoyed tone," You, young man are to be grounded till the next day's afternoon time, and this time, we are serious."

He changed his clothes into night comfy clothes, laid down on the bed, and whispered with a surprised tone, " I can't believe I am being punished like a high school kid. I had no other choice but to obey otherwise I would have been scolded till morning rise. Pffttt..Hahahaa..Wow, I feel nostalgic. Here, I am lying on a soft comfy bed whereas Hrida might be still wandering in cold streets and I can't do anything about it for now. But soon I will find her. Till then, God, please keep her safe and protected from dangerous people. Oh, I forgot."

He unlocks his phone screen and contacts Shashi to enquire about the cat but he doesn't receive his call, so he assumes he might be asleep at this hour after all he is a school student. Suddenly he rewinds to recent incident memories particularly that moment when he stumbled over a pit, he felt that same heavy weight upon his shoulder similar to that incident that occurred in that jail chamber.

Lakshman is determined to figure out this hidden shadow master who has invisibility powers and dark essence. His brain is being loaded with different scenarios, ideas, and hatching plans at the same time to solve these ongoing problems, his brain eventually gets trance into a state of sleep to give his body rest and healing time.