Odds & Us ✔️

Chapter 47: Chasing Time

#450

Mumbai, the city of dreams never sleeps. Each day, every day we're chasing time as time catches up with us. In those fleeting moments, we forget to appreciate the little joys that life has to offer. 

Hence, comes into the picture - Our Very Own Timecapsule.  

All the seven of us, Aman, Ayan, Kyle, Kyra, Rose, Zeehan, and I, have had this tradition of storing away one thing that was extremely special to us that year which meant something to us in some way into a glittered box, obviously designed by Rose, every year. I was quite small when they started this but I tagged along. But ever since Aman went away we've stopped doing it somehow. We don't know why, or no one ever voices the need to do it. It's as if we've unanimously accepted that for us time has paused at that exact moment when we last stored away our memories three years back. It's been three years and it already feels like forever. 

I miss it but it wouldn't mean anything without Aman. He was the first one to initiate it. The glittering box lies safely with Rose. We had vowed to open it together after all of us had turned 30. I wonder does Rose open it on bad days to reminisce about good times. I doubt that. She could never do that. Not when it meant so much to her. Besides opening that pandora of lovely artifacts would only bring pain. Pain that needs to be shared and can't be born alone. 

I guess cruel time has caught up with us, too soon. 

~ Aavya, on the day which was designated for the Timecapsule ritual. Their friendship day goals. :)

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It happened all so fast that everything was blurry for a long long time.  

Just as Miher had patched up Dr. Jeffs and the family, Ayan's cell rang. As soon as Ayan saw the caller Id he moved some distance from the area where all had gathered. He had grown up to be a placid person but his heart was palpitating as he picked up the call. He sensed something was not right.

" Rose! Are you alright?" He asked. And what he heard from the other end was sheer panic. 

" Ayan, Ayan... Are you there? She sounded worried.

" Yes, tell me. " 

" Can you hear me?" Ayan assumed there was a lot of network error. 

" Yes! I can." He had to shout which turned the heads in his direction. 

" It's Aman..." Ayan felt his heart drop to the ground. 

" He's...He's not well. Th-there's b-blood. And, god, I don't know Ayan. I'm so scared. We're stuck up in the cabin. " She was panting and at the same time sobbing. She was even regretting coming to that place now. Ayan knew he had to stay calm or it could make matters worst. 

" Hey! Calm down. Listen, just send me your location and I'll send help. Okay? Can you do that Rose?" He asked as gently as he could. Now, he understood that with the network being spotty how in the world was she gonna do that but he knew Rose would figure something out. 

As soon he hung up he sprinted to his study. He switched Google Maps on his laptop while he waited for some kind of support from Rose. At the same time, he used his work phone to make a call.

" Yes, sir..." His call was picked in just one ring. 

" Keep the chopper on standby. I'll send the location in a few seconds. " He ordered. 

" Yes! Sir." Was a terse reply. 

After about 100 seconds Ayan's cell beeped. It was a live location sent on WhatsApp along with its name and details of Shyam. Ayan was smart to figure all that out.