The Darkest Night!

Aryan settled into his new routine at BugWares, immersing himself in his work and forming connections with his colleagues. The days flew by, filled with coding, meetings, and brainstorming sessions. He soon became a valuable member of the team, admired for his technical expertise and dedication.

Outside of work, Aryan explored the vibrant city of Pune with Ruzal as his guide. They visited famous landmarks like Dagadusheth Halwai Ganpati Temple, Sinhagad Fort, FC Road, and Saras Baug, indulged in delicious local cuisine, and experienced the city's bustling nightlife. Ruzal, with her cheerful and friendly nature, made Aryan feel at home in this new place.

But amidst the excitement and newfound happiness, Aryan couldn't shake off the haunting nightmares that plagued his sleep. Each night, he would awaken in a cold sweat, feeling the oppressive presence of the dark shadow that had haunted his dreams for years. It was as if the nightmares were becoming more vivid, more real.

He started expressing everything about the shadows to Ruzal. How and when it all started, his experiences with these nightmares, fear, and anxiety, he expressed everything to Ruzal, hoping that telling someone would ease the burden. Diving through the past, Aaryan's eyes were moist and throat dry. His voice was choked with agony.

 

"So, how did it start? What was the event, do you remember anything, Aaryan?" asked Ruzal emphatically, curious to know more.

Aaryan took a deep breath, lost in deep thought. The long silence in the room weighed on Ruzal. To break the silence, she gently said, "Aaryan, are you okay?" He was brought back to the present moment. "Espresso?" he asked, "Iced," was her brief reply.

Sipping the dark, black taste of espresso, Aaryan started unveiling the shadows of the past.

 

"It was a nice sunny day; we were all on vacation," Aaryan began. "I was 7 years old, with my sister Saumya, Dad, Mom, and first uncle. We decided to explore Rajasthan, our own state, during Diwali vacation." A smile appeared on his face. He opened his phone's gallery to show the images of his sister, parents, and uncle, all looking happy. Aaryan's sister, Saumya, was about 9 years old at that time, he explained.

"We were enjoying ourselves, chasing every possible place, making a lot of memories. It was Sunday when we arrived in the historical city of Jodhpur. We stayed at a nice hotel on the outskirts of the city." Aaryan looked distressed, his eyes wide open, an expression of fear and regret on his face. Ruzal offered him some water. "Ruzal, it was a big mistake, a wrong place chosen by my uncle," he added with a sobbing voice. He couldn't even wipe the tears from his eyes. He yelled out to God. Ruzal, too, was worried and sad, sitting by his side. "Aaryan, let it all out, maybe it will ease your pain. Talk to me, I'm not judging you. You can cry, you can yell, do whatever you need to," she tried to empathize with him.

 

"We were all tired, and it was almost 7:00 PM. Mom asked us not to go anywhere. They wanted to rest, and it was lonely and dark outside." Aaryan couldn't hide the pain in his eyes. He continued, "Out of curiosity, we started exploring the different floors of the hotel. We heard a kitten's meow on the second floor. Its leg was stuck in a broken wooden box, so without thinking, we went into the room to save it. We didn't realize we had locked ourselves inside. The room had no ventilation, no windows, no light at all. By the time we realized, it was too late!" Fear was evident in his eyes.

 

Ruzal suggested taking a break and having more coffee. Ignoring her, Aaryan continued. "We screamed for help. Mom and Dad were on the fifth floor. The second floor was under maintenance, so there were no lights, no watchman, no security. No one was expected to be on that floor at night. We were suffocating, scared, and exhausted from crying. I passed out while Saumya was still trying to find help." Aaryan couldn't control his tears, crying like a child. In a sobbing voice, he finished, "When I woke up in the morning, I saw Mom, Dad, and Uncle crying! They were trying to wake me up in the corridor, and beside me was the lifeless body of my sister! The darkness of that night engulfed Saumya's life!"

 

Aaryan broke into infinite silence, starring the sky, with still wet eyes, pain, and agony on his face. Ruzal too was short of breath and words! 

<To be continued...>