ArHi SS! Escape Velocity [Completed] - Page 23

I absolutely loved it RB, it's so interesting, cannot wait to read the next update. Thanks for the pm and yes I think PG will be appropriate!.

Hey first of all THANKS for the help...m really g8full

now update was amazing...m thrilled n exited abt the story n completely hooked to it

looking forward for next update...update SOON 😛 😛

i am totally intrigued by this story..
the plot and storyline is so attracting!!!
i just loved the chapters i read and the way you are presenting..
so khushi having the visions of those victims during the attack of epilepsy or the attack is happening while the crime is taking place.. what is the connection? or she is connected with the man in question some how...
ohhh i am so caught up with this story...and so excited to be a part of it... :)

a 30 or so year old female writer who is suffering from epilepsy and get visions which are actually real. THIS TALE IS GETTING TWISTED WITH EACH PASSING UPDATE GOSH!!!!
khushi connection with tht murderer reminds me of harry potter and voldemort :)

i feel like stop reading this story and wait till it gets finished and thn read it, so intense is the feeling after reading it tht the wait for updates is looking like a torture to me.

I loved this update...
thank you dear...

Chapter 04: Carnelian shadow

"Have you considered hypnotherapy?" The neurologist asked Khushi looking at her file intently. Her file had been faxed from her neurologist back home to the one in Bangalore. The balding man was great friends with her regular doctor so could trust him implicitly – or so she was told.

"I don't understand Dr Sharma," Khushi furrowed her eyebrows. "I have a medical condition, epilepsy, so why are you recommending a variant of psychotherapy?"

"It's not very common to occur in your age group unless you were diagnosed as a child. From your case history I can see that you were adopted when you were twelve and there was a full medical disclosure then?"

"My parents served in army so there was enough documentation available. Also they got their psych and complete medical evaluation done yearly so any earlier prognosis if existed would have come to light. When I was being adopted their medical history was disclosed to my adoptive parents."

The doctor nodded. "We are seeing something we call as 'reflex' epilepsy. Seizure would be triggered due to external environment – like listening to music, reading, bright lights etc."

"Can it be triggered by writing?" Payal asked immediately.

The doctor shrugged. "It's possible."

Payal and Khushi exchanged discreet glances.

"I know you are a writer Ms Khushi. If you see, more seizures are triggered during the months when you are writing so it is possible in your case that writing is a trigger." The doctor looked at her intently. "I am more worried about the hallucination is associated with the seizures."

"I have always hallucinated about…whatever I was working on. Last evening's hallucination was an idea that came to my mind several weeks ago but I hadn't worked on it yet. The story plays out when I am having an attack and it can be scary sometimes," Khushi said rubbing her temple.

"What do you mean?" Dr Sharma asked peering at her.

"Everything was so vivid…I could practically smell the faint perfume she was wearing." Khushi glanced sidelong at Payal and saw her friend grip the armrest of the chair tightly. "That's not normal, is it?" She asked the doctor slowly. She couldn't read the expression on the doctor's face and a memory trigged. Her eyes glazed over as she hoped to get more but in her mind's eye she could see much younger version of Dr Sharma smiling at her as a he removed a Band-Aid from his pocket and hand it to her. The Band-Aid had a picture of Goofy waving at her and she could feel the warmth of his fingertips on her skin.

"…so I believe it's necessary for you-"

"Have we met before Dr Sharma?" Khushi asked interjecting his hypothesis.

A shadow crossed across the old man's face and before Khushi could dissect the genesis of that, it was gone. His face turned pleasant and he shook his head.

"I don't think we have met before," he said holding that expression.

"Are you sure?" She asked her disbelief evident in her voice. He nodded with a softened expression. She shrugged giving him a false notification that she had let go.

"May I think about this hypnotherapy for few days?" She asked standing up. The doctor was mildly surprised to see her urgency but let it slide since he understood how she would be freaking out inside.

"Of course Ms Khushi," Dr Sharma stood up almost immediately and shook her outstretched hand. "You have my private number." He turned and looked at Payal. "Call me whenever you feel my counsel is required." Khushi willed her expression to remain passive and watched Payal shook hands with the doctor and ushered her out.

"Wasn't that weird?" Khushi asked walking out of the clinic and walking towards a small ice-cream parlour which was few yards away from the clinic.

"Which part – you zoning out or the part where you freaked me out about your hallucination?" Payal asked sarcastically. Khushi who was walking in front of her till now stopped till Payal could catch up. Payal raised an eyebrow when Khushi stood there frowning and staring at the sidewalk.

"He asked you to call him if you needed his counsel. He didn't say – 'if she got sick' or 'emergency' or 'psychotic symptoms'; he said 'counsel' which technically means – give advice." Khushi looked up and bit her lower lip. Payal was looking at her blankly.

"Do all you writers have such mini episodes of words induced panic ridden breakdown? It's just a word he chose to use at that moment Khushi." Payal said exasperated. Khushi didn't reply for several moments.

"He knows me and he is lying about that fact." She said with conviction and walked towards ice-cream parlour. Payal sighed and dragged her feet following her friend.

It was going to be a long ride home.

*****

"This was supposed to be your holiday," Bharadwaj grumbled loudly pouring Arnav a glass of fresh fruit juice. "Do you have to work all the time?" He whined. Arnav rolled his eyes.

"I am suspended my friend and that doesn't equate to being on holiday. Besides I thought looking at the case without any interruption would give me a fresh perspective." Arnav said placing a photo of victim number four on the makeshift board. The large white board was hung outside the therapy room and he had charmed one of the girls to get him one. Since everyone knew by now who Arnav was, she didn't question him the need for a board.

When Bharadwaj didn't respond Arnav turned around to see him holding a photograph of one of the victims with a heart wrenching expression on his face.

"Are they all connected?" Bharadwaj asked him handing him the glass.

"Honestly, I have no idea." Arnav said and took a sip of fresh orange juice. "There are enough murders happening in the city. But in most cases the motives are always personal – envy, jealousy, greed, love, despair, vengeance and sometimes rage. Some cases are gang related and connected to underworld. You can sift through cases and categorize them under these banners with few interviews and if you have a nice eye for the crime scene. Amongst those, these five cases stood out unnaturally." Arnav said.

"What was special about them?" Bharadwaj asked his curiosity piqued.

"There was nothing special. That is the problem. They all come from an upper middleclass background and lead a successful life. There was no sign of vandalism, burglary or sexual assault. The crime scenes displayed extreme level of violence – as if someone had succumbed to a fit of rage but there were no prints or fibre or any sort of forensic evidence." Arnav explained.

"So the connection between these five cases is that they happened in your city and lack forensic evidence even in a gory crime scene, right?" Bharadwaj asked.

Arnav nodded. "None of these women knew each other or patronized same establishments. There is absolutely nothing common between them. Victim two had moved into the city only four months before her death."

"Looks like someone is really trying very hard to keep their hands clean," Bharadwaj said dolefully at the pictures posted on the board.

Arnav nodded mutely and sipped his drink.

"Oh Arnav, I have invited couple of my friends for dinner tonight. Why don't you join us?" Bharadwaj asked remembering the reason he had come to Arnav's suite. Arnav looked lost. "Look, they are good friends and one of them is a writer. It will be fun," Bharadwaj said clapping his hands and pulsed enthusiasm.

"They are your friends, why should I come?" He asked petulantly. Bharadwaj shifted on his feet. "Oh come on. You are trying to set me up." Arnav had his hands on his hip, eyes blazing.

Bharadwaj nodded happily. "Come to my bungalow at seven and dress nicely, okay?" He grinned. Arnav looked annoyed at his friend's interference but he knew that Bharadwaj meant well.

It was simple dinner affair with a writer who was probably half nerd. What could possibly go wrong?

Res

Why is doctor lying about not knowing Khushi? So Khushi is a nerd because she write? This blind date is going to be interesting! Khushi parents were in army. Lots of mystery! Thanks for the pm

hmmm... what would possibly go wrong?... lets see...
nice chapter... there is indeed some mystery to dr sharma...
and if arnav n khushi r gonna talk during d dinner probbly she will find out tht her halluscinations r actualy really happning elsewere...hmmm
interesting...update soon

gr8 update🤗
thank you for the PM.

The Dr. is mysterious. Next chapter we have a meeting and maybe the beginning to the solution of mysteries.