Santosh and Kriya sat giggling at the tea stall. It was one of their usual meetings in the evenings. 'Ye toh gaya", santosh exclaimed surprising Kriya. "Kaun?" Kriya asked looking around to understand whom he is speaking about. "That Reyaansh was standing by the door when begaar boy came..he called him in when he asked for money" santosh said. "It's good, right?" Kriya said imagining the whole thing of Reyaansh giving money to a poor beggar, though it wasn't easy to think him as good as it sounds. "Do you think he called that beggar in for something good? I don't think so. He doesn't look like a nice person nor does he ever so anything good" santosh said much to her amusement. "O.k.a.y.. Look, we really don't know Reyaansh so its hypocrisy to judge him wrong everytime" kria concluded. "Madam,you don't know Reyaansh until now and waise bhi, I hate beggars. Aisa lagta ki..koi aur usse paison ke liye bej rahe hain..so I don't feel like giving any thing" santosh said going deep into the entire conversation. Kriya wanted to object it, he might be correct but what if the beggar was really in need of money or food? Before she could put it in words, she saw a boy walking out from the house. "Catch you later. Have to go. Bye" she voiced walking off hurriedly to that boy. Maybe this would help her in solving the mystery that is Reyaansh.
~*~"Oyyy", she said from a distance to stop him and it worked. He turned around and looked at her.
She was happy and light hearted in a company of someone for the first time after she came here. The kid was sheet delight and kriya loved talking to him, knowing about him and trying to know more of reyaansh through him. She was surprised with the fact shared by the kid. Nevertheless, she behaved like he said a normal thing. She took him to her home, she would let him stay happily with her. Sh needed a company and he needed a home for surviving.
She took the food to the terrace and they were laughing and eating. He was hungry to death and she felt joy within her. She could be the reason for bringing the light in someone's life. His name was faizan and he was an orphan who didn't know about the whereabouts of his parents. She was lost in him as he ate not bothered about what's around her.
"Reyaansh bhaiyaaa", faizan exclaimed cheerfully, ran and hug him. That's when Kriya actually saw reyaansh when she turned around, standing near the stairs. He was in a comfortable position leaning to the wall like he has been here since some time. Reyaansh wasn't bad. She knew. She felt a tinge of happiness in her heart when the kid said how good was reyaansh to him, how he offered money and spent some time. His face or behaviour wasn't that rude too facially, she observed. He was calm as he reciprocated the hug but was quick enough to apart. He caressed the kid's hair with a little smile and went down. She went to the front end from where she can see the stairs and ground. She saw him unlock the gate and leave out. Disappointed but an idea clicked her mind. This was the time for her to explore more about what she heard from faizan. His exact words passed through her mind, he wasn't too clear but he said reyaansh was strict about him entering into a room. Secret room. She wanted to know more about it.
"Faizan..come on now. We will go down and you will sleep", she said and he obeyed without second words.
~*~She silently went down after she made faizan sleep. She was sure reyaansh wasn't back home and also knew he didn't bother to lock up while going. "This is the right time Kriya...", she said to herself remembering the rooms she noticed when he pulled her in last time. She was careful while opening and closing the main properly. " Last time when I came, there were two rooms. One was kitchen and the other is...obviously that one!" She tried the door handle but it wasn't easy, it was creaky but it did open though it made noise. She knew it was bad manners but her curiosity was above everything.
The glance as soon as she pushed the door behind her startled her. The smell was suffocating, the room was a mess! Nothing was sane in that. The walls were horrendous with scribbles. Alcohol and cigarettes fragrance was all around as if they are usually there. The curiosity was replaced with shivers down her spine, she turned back to get out of this living hell but the sound of the door opening shocked her to death. She can't possibly escape at this time, because this door she has to open makes sound that was easy for any to say someone is in. She decided to hide herself into a closet or anywhere and she would flee for her life after he passes out. The room was spacious enough but scary too. She sat in his closet with a baited breath, door partially open for air.
The creaky sound of the door of the room she is in alarmed her. She closed her mouth with both the hands, not wanting to scream her guts out freaked.
A similar figure walked in closing the door, he was sober and drunk. He swayed as he walked seemingly like he would collapse in seconds, he was unbuttoning his shirt as he reached the bed. He removed his shirt and threw it away. What followed was unbelievable for Kriya. She wanted to run away. She never felt this helpless at any moment of her life. She saw his upper body, he had a good psychique but...but with scars. Deep scars as if it was burnt, beaten and tortured. She looked down, her eyes unable to take everything she is being seeing. She felt bad and sorry for him. She didn't know the story behind him but whatever happened with him wasn't erasable.
He slept off peacefully, glancing at him almost made her feel like the room wasn't that unbearable. She forgot about the smell, horrendous scribbling, all what was on her mind was him. The story she doesn't know about what made him.
She knew what she saw and witnessed would be disturbing her whenever she thinks about it. She sat there for a considerable time and decided to go off. She came out of the closet and was walking slowly to the door, the creaky opening scared her but she wanted to be out at any cost. She managed to escape that giant room and was going towards main door when she heard him in pain. She stopped in her trance, her heart pounding within her.
It felt like he was crying, deep sounds made in pain. She didn't want to go in, it would disturb her to no limits but the what if thought made her stand and think. What if he is hurt? What if he is in desperate need for someone at the moment? What if he continues to be in the pain and no one would turn upto? Taking a deep breath, she took her steps back cautiously.
The bawl of him was unnerving but she was determined to help him. She went into his room and managed to glance at him. He was still lying on his bed but he wasn't just in control. He was weeping and was in distress. She walked up to him and she didn't plan to do anything she was doing.
"Reyaansh stoppp", she mumbled as she wiped the tears of his face. "Pleasee stop", she pleaded ignoring the scars and marks on his body. She held his hand tightly until he was coming in control. She was kneeling there till she felt he went to good sleep.
She stood up after a while and walked off trying to push off the thoughts on her mind.
"He is also a kid without care but with a terrible past", she told herself mentally as she coerced herself to sleep.
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