ArHi FF! Dante's Labyrinth: Thread 1 [Completed] - Page 55

nrb am facinated by arnav'smindn i think i should of urs to for allowing synapses to do a job that is definin perfection in every sense thaniu for the overwhelmingly beautiful update am little awed right now

Chilling update...Arnav's story revealed...Gosh it must have been horrible to see your own mom like that...That is what pushed him to drugs...But the last part of the update is confusing...Arnav was wondering how the fan was strong enough to bear the weight...its creepy...and he referred to his mom as person...its really chilling...was Arnav manipulative at that age too and did he manipulate his mom??? Ahh...horrid thought...

RB i have decided to never read ur updates alone in my room at night... it's too scary...but very tempting to know...keep going...

loved the update...shyam being so patient to know khushi's story..but malvika is the impatient one...but khushi got the upper hand on her...wat secrets is she hiding now..wat did she do that khushi knows and no one else...

You know I have no hopes of guessing what will happen in the stories that u pen but I did have a feeling that todays upda te will be about arnav... 😊
Actually the last part of the update I hope I don't sound like an idiot. ..but will a 6 year old underst.and that his
Mom has died when he sees her hanging from a ceiling fan? Is it veryunusual that he wonder ed about
The fan withstand ing herweight...
Arnav describing various voices in his head...who is the six year old girl. ...again cant wait for the next update

Wow so that's what triggered Arnav to be so screwed up
N he hears lot of voices in his head ...wow
Can't wait to read more plz continue soon
N thanks for pm

I wish I could have an entry into Arnav's mind...

Chapter 10: Dangerous minds

"Akash is in solitary again?" Khushi asked Arnav checking the cards in her hand. They were playing poker with imaginary stakes at an imaginary Vegas casino. It was more fun to live in that fantasy land than simply adapting to the dire conditions in which they lived. She hadn't seen Akash since morning and had idly wondered.

"He went batshit crazy last night at dinner," Payal answered instead. She had invited herself to their table for the first time and Arnav hadn't thrown a tantrum like the usual way he did. For an untrained eye it looked like Arnav had become more open to accepting people around him but Dr. Jha would chuckle and say otherwise: He was playing them.

"I sometimes feel sorry for the guy. It feels as if he is escaping all of us by sitting there alone with his thoughts." Khushi played her card. Payal exchanged two cards for her from the deck as Arnav grinned at her.

"That's pretty bizarre Khushi. If he wishes to stay alone, then he could just sit in a corner and not bother anyone. No one else dares to bother him anyway." Arnav replied. "And why would anyone want to be in that small hole of a room with only a small window in it?"

"It could be 'cause you can drown out the noise of this facility. The only downside of the arrangement is the mandatory counseling sessions with Dr. Jha. That blows," Payal grumbled. Khushi's hands stilled and looked at Arnav. Arnav sported the same expression on his face.

"Are you sure it's not Dr. Malvika?" Arnav asked bristling at the new information.

"I am very sure Arnav. I was in solitary, remember?" Payal shuddered. Being confined into a room without any social contact had driven her crazy. She didn't mind hanging out with the crazies as some human touch was better than none at all.

"Isn't that interesting? Dr. Jha arrives at this facility and Akash's anger worsens to start physically harming inmates on continual basis which gives him solitary on a regular basis allowing him to hang out with his old pal." Arnav said maintaining his voice barely above whisper. Payal was distracted by the cards in her hands and missed what Arnav had said.

"How many solitary rooms are there?" Khushi asked chewing her lower lip.

"Three." Arnav replied looking at her bemused.

"How many are occupied now?" She continued.

"Two," he said, smile blossoming on his face as he understood where she was going with this questioning. "You are curious about the two, aren't you?" He asked placing the cards on table.

"You aren't?" Khushi raised an eyebrow. Arnav shrugged noncommittally. "Come on," she persisted.

"Payal, I think Neha is calling you," Arnav pointed in general direction effectively dismissing Payal.

"Why is it important?" Arnav asked his face serious.

"Idle curiosity I suppose," she replied lightly.

"Cut out the bullshit Khushi." Arnav said blithely. "You can't pull this off alone and you will need me and my resources if you don't want to get caught."

Khushi thought for several moments and then sighed. "Honestly, it is idle curiosity Arnav…but…there is something more about Akash's family's murders than meet the eye. I have seen the case file."

"And? What do you suspect?" He asked his own curiosity piqued.

"There is a high possibility that Akash killed his own family or they were the earliest victims of the Punisher." Khushi replied.

"How did you arrive at that conclusion – that Punisher killed Akash's wife and child?" Arnav said slowly.

"I have been collecting every scrap of information I can get my hands on about the Punisher, Arnav. All his cases were pinned on to him after seven months of his first presumed kill. I have met the man who has been pursuing the case since its inception – ACP Shukla who put together all probable murders committed by the Punisher. He believed that Akash's family could have been Punisher's earliest victims but it didn't add up to the profile they had come up with so the double murders weren't part of the Punisher's list of victims."

"You agree with the ACP?" Arnav asked packing the cards.

"I believe I do. But there are lingering questions Arnav which only Akash can answer. But he hasn't been subjected to the interrogation after ACP started to put together a profile because he was already here."

"And you believe that Akash is confiding in Dr. Jha about his past." Arnav raised an eyebrow at that.

"Maybe…it's a possibility I cannot ignore." Khushi said leaning back on chair.

Arnav looked thoughtful and his eyes took the intensity that she had never witnessed before. "You know what Khushi?" He said standing up. The abruptness of his actions startled her and she looked at him confused. "Technology is a great thing. It's a shame people here in our country have only eyes for fancy smart phones and tablets." He winked at her and sauntered off.

Only a week later she understood his cryptic and cynical psychobabble.

It had become a routine now. Akash bashed a man for cutting the lunch line and he was taken away for another three day mandatory solitary confinement. Arnav slipped her a small packet which she pocketed away when the commotion disrupted the orderliness.

Arnav and Khushi were playing cards again an after lunch. It was a normal afternoon and the orderlies watching them over were cooling their heels for a bit. It was when it happened.

Khushi pushed her chair back which screeched loudly on the floor grabbing everyone's attention. In blink of an eye she was next to Arnav hissing at him in anger. Arnav was smiling smugly at her which riled her even more. She fisted a bunch of his hair on the back of his head and banged his face on the table. After third time, she was grabbed by orderlies and was dragged towards solitary rooms. Arnav sat back in his chair and smiled as blood trickled from his nose, lips and mouth.

Bwahaha