LOVE, LIVE, DIE | A TREASURE HUNT STORY

the insects were chirping the whole time huh?

"Then?"

“There were protests day and night. In the end a lot of us, we all scattered. I ended up with your mother Vikram. She is a very sweet women.” Vedas smiled and bowed his head low. “Do you want to eat? You look very hungry?”

Vikram didn’t say anything but continued to look at him. His mother held his right hand and said, “Eat Vikram. You look weak.” Vikram nodded and smiled at his mother.

Vedas smiled along with his mother as they saw Vikram eating all his way to at least for half an hour. He ate fast but slowed down and shared the tray with his mother as Vedas said, “I will take the first guard. That will leave you two time to talk.” He went past the tree Vikram was behind and then after doing a circle all around the camp they were in, sat at a distance not too near to hear the conversation nor too for to come back and warn at any sign of trouble.

After keeping the tray aside and drinking the water, he laid down at the ground and rested his head on his mother’s lap. She knew he was going to ask for it and didn’t seemed at all surprised when asked to rub his head.

He told her all he could. All he knew. Except what he felt for Laura or Meera. He himself didn’t knew.

She gasped, shouted, smiled and showed her discomfort all at the correct times. Her smile by far his favourite highlight of his day.

“So much for a day.” He concluded, hoping she wouldn’t get up and go full on at him for leaving her and everything. He promised her he wouldn’t leave her now.

“So much.” Her hands rubbing his cheek.

“Mamma..” he tried to sat up but her mother pushed her back down in her lap.

“No mamma. You have said and done enough.” She said, like an order. Like a silence line before the big speech.

“I am sorry.” He admitted, looking straight towards the fire burning at the middle.

She said nothing but started setting his hair straight.

“Are you angry with me?” He asked, stealing a glance on his mother’s concerned face.

“I am not.” She said, her lips moving  little and so the weight of the words low and unsure. Mothers are never angry at their children.

“You should be.” He said, looking away to hold back tears.

“You won’t tell me what to do and what to not! You have no right!”

After some time:
“I... met someone. I met a girl. Laura, and Meera.”

“Yes?

“I love her.” He said and she heard. He didn’t said whom, she didn’t ask. He didn’t broke the eye contact which she so carefully made. Silence followed.

Nothing but the fire cracking and footsteps of Vedas were heard.

“You trust Vedas, mamma?” He asked, looking where the footsteps were coming from.

“Yes. He is a very good child. Like you.” she said, looking towards Vedas.

“I have never met him.”

“Nor did I before we left Sangla. Boy is in pain. Suffering too. He is the son of Ram.”

“What!” He tried getting up but was pushed down again. “and yet you trust him?”

“He fed the whole lot of us when we were tied up. He helped us knowing who his father is and what he will do.”

“then also... he looks a little more sweet than normal. I have had experience, Mamma. Maybe he's acting up.”