KHAAMOSHI

Prologue

It was a little over midnight when a car entered the parking area of a huge mansion. As soon as it stopped the driver came out of the car and opened the door of the back seat. As he opened the door he looked at his young passenger who was glued to a book oblivious to the fact that they have reached their destination. It was not an unusual sight for the driver, shyam kaka to find his 13 year old chote sahab lost in a story.

Shyam kaka "chote sahab" he called out gently but the young boy was too lost in the world which the new story has introduced him to.

Shyam kaka sighed getting no reaction. He placed a gentle hand on the young boy's shoulder and shook him gently "chote sahab, hum ghar pohuch gaye hai."

The boy was startled for a second but soon understood what the elderly man was saying. He smiled at him apologetically and held his ears while giving a charming smile to shayam kaka to apologize for his lack of attention towards shyam kaka.

Shyam kaka smiled back at him "koi baat nahi, lagta hai ye kahani kuch jyada hi dilchasp hai."

The young boy smiled and nodded his head happily.

Shayam kaka "aap aur aapka kahaniyon ka shouk. Chaliye andar jaaiye, aadhi raat to ho hi gayi hai, aisa na ho aapki subah bhi yahin gaadi me baithe baithe ho jaaye."

The young boy came out of the car and hung his backpack on his left shoulder while carrying his book in his right hand. He was still smiling sweetly and made his way towards the entrance. On his way he again opened the novel in his hand and started to read again. He was too familiar with the house to bother to look where he was going. He entered the house, crossed the living area and was about to reach the staircase when he heard a concerned voice.

"Tu aa gaya vishu." A concerned voice pierced through the pin drop silence of the living room.

As soon as vishal heard the voice his footsteps halted involuntarily. The hand with which he was holding the book up, came down as if it no longer had the energy to lift the book up. The innocent smile that he had on his lips till then faded in a second and a look of sheer terror took its place. Veer's breath grew a little heavier when he heard foresteps coming towards him. He quickly scanned the periphery of his vision in order to find a familiar face but there was nobody to be seen.

By then the other person also came near him and stood in front of vishal "aaj bohut der ho gayi ghar aane me beta."

Vishal's heart started to pound against his chest. He started chewing on his lower lip while fixing his gaze of the floor. He slowly lifted his hands and held his ears while trying to breathe.

The man standing in front of him who had a concern written all over his face till then was now looking like a picture of guilt and pain. He sighed looking at the nervous and scared teenager standing in front of him, trying to control the fear that was growing inside him with each passing second. "Sari duniya mujhse darti hai vishu aur main sirf tere darr se darta hu." He thought and closed his eyes to stop the tears that formed in his eyes from trickling down.

When he opened his eyes after a few seconds he spoke again "main gussa nahi kar raha bachcha, bas itni der ho gayi thi to teri fikr ho rahi thi. Agli baar der tak bahar rahe to ek message kar dena. Theek hai?" He asked in a gentle and soothing voice.

Vishal slightly nodded his head while still chewing on his lower lip and holding his ears. The man tried to reach his hands to get the kid to leave his ears but before he could do so vishal took two steps back and the book fell from his hands as he pulled both his hands in front of his face as in stopping the man from hitting him.