Sidharth dreamed, dreamed and dreamed like forever. Although it was more like watching a long reel of very weird and troubling scenes, entwined into one another. Hardly any of the scenes were making any sense to him. Twice he saw rajveer who was trying to kill him. Once he was sitting on his chest with a very sharp object in his hand which -in the next moment- he use to attack him with. Then after a couple more disturbing images rajveer had his foot on his windpipe and was choking him. But why rajveer wanted to kill him he could not understand. Rajveer was his best friend after all why would he try to kill him. Then there was ghost, a very ugly looking boy. He too seemed to be desperate to kill him. Then there was vast periods when he was just running aimlessly in very dark and long tunnels, rajveer and Aditya on his tail. Now however he had a axe in his hand and was trying to cut through a wall which seemed to be made of very thick wood, he was hardly making any progress at all but he was determined, he wanted to cross it. He had a deja vu kind of feeling that he had been through this once already. Then he heard rajveer's voice calling his name and he stopped. He turned and found him standing few feets from him, then suddenly rajveer leaped forward and grabbed his shoulders and started to shake him still calling his name. Sidharth frowned bewildered by the weird behavior of his friend then suddenly the darkness of the tunnel got replaced by a blinding light, shining behind rajveer's head casting his face in shadows. His eyes settled according to the light and he realized that he was sitting in an armchair in a living room of somebodies house and rajveer was crouching over him. Rajveer straightened when sidharth opened his eyes and beamed at him. Sidharth noticed that there were two more people in the room standing on either side of the armchair and were beaming too. One was his friend Aditya and other was a man, long and lean wearing a white kurta pjama. Sidharth instantly guessed him to be Aditya's brother, the saint.
'welcome back' said rajveer still beaming.
Sidharth just gaped at them unsure what to make of it, he tried hard and he remembered the last solid thing he had witnessed before those weird dreams had started. But when he did his heart beat leaped into a full sprint, he shivered remembering the cold he had felt when that man had emerged from the river.
'there is something in the river' sidharth almost yelled, looking terrified now 'I.. I' then his expression suddenly become puzzled 'I was sleeping at house but when I wake up I was at the river side. I thought it's happening again but.. Then I saw him believe me I saw it. It risen from the river, floating, everything... went cold, he he. I ran but... couldn't. I kept ending in front of him then, then, then he caught me.' sidharth paused a rather dreamy look on his face 'It.. It was terrible feeling, I felt my head filling, filling with black, cold liquid' he was now throwing every word with disgust as if he was about to throw up any minute 'it filled my whole body and then, then those weird dreams started' he finished confused and breathing heavily, he hadn't noticed but he was on his feet and grabbing rajveer from his shoulders.
Rajveer looked startled, a kind of awkward silence fell for a minute before Suresh came forward and placed a hand on sidharth's shoulder
'cool down, you are safe now here sit have some tea' he picked a cup from the table and handed it to sidharth and steered him to the sofa again. Sidharth sat still unsure but suresh voice was so fatherly and reassuring
he could not help but to obey.
Then suresh started to explained to him about the situation while sidharth drained his tea cup. It felt relaxing every sip was easing his insides. Suresh explained about Mantrik, Aditya's past his father and what they think mantrik wanted from them and why they could not let him get it. Aditya and rajveer kept filling up the details suresh forgot to mention. It took almost an hour to explain everything to him. For sidharth It was still a little hard to believe as he hadn't actually witnessed those weird stuff happening in the tunnels neither he was aware of Aditya and mantriks story before now but he thought if rajveer and Aditya was believing it, he could too. However After they were finished, sidharth was looking rather disappointed. He was under the impression that he had something special in it, that nature wants him to find the temple. 'What a fool' he thought he had never imagined that some undead sorcerer could be behind all that.
The amount of information he had just received was too much, parts of it were still trying to sink in. He was thinking when something clicked to it's place and his spirits sank even lower. All three of them were at the river that day when all of it had actually begin but Mantrik or whatever they were calling it possessed only him, why? Did he found him the weakest, the easiest prey. Perhaps yes he thought. Rajveer was able to control himself, he stopped himself from killing him then why couldn't he. Why he couldn't be able to come to his senses, rajveer even remembers everything whereas all he could remember was some flashes of what had happened nothing else. He was deep in these thoughts when a hand rested on his right shoulder
'hey, come on bud cheer up a bit' rajveer said soothingly 'he can't possess any of us now. we taied a thread on your arm as well, also we have the key now' he pulled a small metal object from his pocket and started fiddling it in his hand, it was the key they had planned to steal from the museum 'only people who can get the amulet are us. so, it's a win for today. nothing to worry about, not now at least.'
Sidharth looked at him and nodded but didn't tell him what was actually bothering him. However looking at him sidharth couldn't imagine him as a person who had got out of a dusty old tunnel just a few hour ago, after narrowly escaping his death. His long untiedy hairs were as silcky as ever his face was clean his clothes were clean though wasn't his type. navy blue lower,a grey t shirt both of which were too baggy for him and no means sporty.
Aditya came and sat on the other side of him. He wearing a rather long kurta pjama of his brother.
'go, take a bath, and don't be jealous you'll too get one of these' he said showing him his clothes, trying to make a straight face.
Sidharth smiled relaxingly and went to the attached bathroom.
'I think he's upset because we had the adventure and he didn't. I mean can't remember it' rajveer said matter of factly but Aditya just raised his eyebrows and gave him the expression saying 'really!'
'what? I probably would be if I were him' rajveer replied imprudently
Aditya ignored him. Suresh however merely smiled looking amused
By the time sidharth returned they were sitting on the bed and food was being served by a young woman in dressing gown.
'thank you bhabhi' Aditya was saying 'and so sorry to bother you at this time'
'its fine' she replied in a voice hardly more than a wishper. Though sidharth was able to catch a note of suppressed frustration in her voice. Which he considered very normal. When she was done she turned and caught sidharth's eye, sidharth bowed a little and smiled. She returned the gesture and went out of the room closing the door behind her. Aditya gestured him to come fast and join them. He joined and helped himself with a bowl of mix vegetables soup and some 'chapaties'
'so brother what do we suppose to do now that we got the key?' aditya asked sipping his soup.
'I would suggest you guys to keep your head down for some days' suresh replied 'it would not be very wise to rush back to the tomb so soon as you guys may have guessed already- police could be petroling the area- but most importantly we have to be very careful about Mantrik from now on. I am sure he will use any means to get what he need, he wouldn't hesitate even if he has to harm or kill someone. And now when he is free from his prison, he is far far more powerful than before, powerful than any evil spirit'
'even powerful than the one we fight in the tunnels?' asked rajveer
'At least ten folds' replied suresh patiencely and continued 'he can disguise himself as anyone or anything. Unlike any other ghost he is not bound to any place either he can freely go wherever he want so no place is safe and no one is trustworthy as you may never know who's Mantrik in disguise and not the person you believe he or she is, understand?' they nodded shaking their goosebumps off. Sidharth almost choked on his first bite of food.
'but, he can't possess us now could he? Asked Aditya hopefully
'I suppose not, not until you have those threads on and no matter what but you will not untie them okay?' suresh asked threateningly, looking at rajveer now. Again they nodded but until now nobody was looking very interesting in their food.
'and am going to give you some more threads today, you will tie them to your whole family and anyone you guys think likely mantrik could try to possess or hurt to persuade you to do his work'
Rajveer gulped 'well its not good, I mean it was fine till the danger was upon ourselves but our families, they don't even know anything about it'
Suresh sighed
'I know but it doesn't work like that rajveer' he said in his same calm fatherly voice 'what one person do in a family affects all, in a family we share everything don't we? that's the whole point of having a family, we share food, we share happiness, we share dreams, we share hopes, so, we share sorrows and dangers as well' he stopped for a second and looked at their disapproving faces and changed his track 'But don't worry.. as far these threads are tied to their arms they couldn't be harmed by any means I assure you.' he smiled but when he saw their plates still full, he got up from the bed now smiling almost apologericly
'and now I think I should leave you boys with your food, this discussion doesn't seem appropriate over food, though I should have Considered this earlier' he gave a short laugh and peered over their heads where a clock hung
'it's still few hours left till morning have some sleep, blankets are over there and call us if you need anything okay'
Then he left the room to three of them and was out. They finished their food in silence after that, nobody seemed enjoying the food though but all three of them were so hungry they tuck in till all the 'chapaties' were finished. Only when all three were stretched out on the bed rajveer spoke. 'aah.. my head is throbbing'
'wait till morning we'll see a doctor along the way' aditya replied sounding exhausted and sleepy
'no I think a painkiller would be enough, wound has closed on its own, I don't think it need stitches or even bandages' said rajveer sounding sleepy as well. now with their stomachs full and being rapped in comfortable and cozy blankets they were asleep before they know.
They left suresh house, first thing in the morning or you could say later that morning considering that it was already morning when they had slept. Aditya insisted on not bothering his brother and his wife anymore, he told suresh that they need to leave immediately so, they don't bother to prepare breakfast or anything them. However when Rajveer got to know about it he had tried his best to hint Aditya without actually saying it that giving up a decent breakfast isn't actually a sensible choice.
'I mean It wouldn't harm if we got a bit more late' rajveer had put in nervously but Aditya had silenced him with his glare.
On the way home they stopped at a megamart first and bought some new clothes for themselves using Aditya's debit card. This early there were only staff members in the mart and as even they were eyeing their clothes with amusement it was a relief that there were no other people or they might have turned into water with shame. Ignoring them quickly they picked some clothes and hurried off to the counter, Aditya a jean and sweatshirt, rajveer a black lower and upper, sidharth too a lower but more homelike, not sporty and a huddie. Then Aditya stopped his car on a empty road and they changed. Meanwhile discussing what they're going to tell their mums when asked about their old clothes. Finally they decided to tell them that they fell from someones motorcycle while they were helping in the wedding and their clothes get ripped from places it would also explains the reason behind many bruises and cuts on their bodies. They could all tell the same tail to their families because there was hardly any chance that their mums will try to confirm from one another as there wasn't anything major.
'man..' rajveer said through gritted teeths when they were about to reach their village
'what happened' Aditya asked casually
'she blocked me from everywhere'
Aditya snorted
'what else you think she'll do, first you didn't listen to her and on top of it you put your phone on airplane mode'
'yeah but what..' rajveer said frowning hard. But then he sighed helplessly.
'is Elena behaving the same, I mean is she angry with you?'
'not more than usual'
Rajveer laughed
'so if you ask her to meet will she?'
'I suppose so why'
'let's do a little get together then tell her to bring pakhi but without telling her that we are coming'
'okay...' Aditya laughed looking a little uncertain.
'what?' rajveer asked
'what?
'this look, you don't want it?'
'no, no' Aditya waved his hand 'I was just thinking that whether or not I should tell her whats happening'
'of course you should tell her' rajveer said a little loudly now 'it's her right to know. What if something happened to us or even worse to her. At least she'll know what is she facing'
'I know rajveer but telling her would also be like dragging her into all this'
'you heard suresh didn't you she'll be dragged into this anyway so it's better if she knows'
Aditya heaved a long sigh 'right, in the evening then I'll inform you' and he applied breaks and car stopped outside rajveer's house
'see ya' he said as he climbed out
'see you' said Sidharth and Aditya together.
YOU ARE READING
Jade Amulet And The Leer Of Evil
AdventureA simple 18-Years-old boy Sidharth, who have experienced nothing magical in his whole life, not even in his deams ever, wakes up in the middle of a cold night to finds himself in a 20 feet deep well, starteled him tries to find a way out but instead...
