19:00
PN
Everyone was feeling relieved now that Bani would be soon back home. They just
have to wait one more night.
Dhruv and Thapki were having their dinner. Bauji, Vasu and Suman were also
there. However, no one was talking. Occasionally, someone will say or ask
something but no one would continue the conversation as if they were strangers
trapped in a room.
Everyone was thinking about the same thing. The question that was raised by Vasu was troubling them. The silence was broken by the ring of the telephone. Suman went to pick up the phone and returned after some minutes.
Suman: Badi saasuma, aapne thik kaha tha. Sanjay dadima ko lekar 2-3 din mein aayega. Lagta hai sab phir se sab pehle ke taraha hoga. (Mother-in-law, you were right. Sanjay will return with dadi in 2-3 days. Seems like everything will now be as before.)
Suman (realising what she said): Matlab jo bhi ghar se door hain vapas aa rahe hain. (I mean that everyone who was away are coming back.)
Bauji (changing the topic): Bache kahan hain? (Where are the kids?)
Vasu: Apne kamre mein hongey. Ye sawaal kyun? (They must be in their room. Why are you asking this?)
Bauji: Unlogon ko kuch dena tha. (I had to give them someone.)
Saying
so Bauji went from there.
By then both Dhruv and Thapki had already eaten. So, everyone headed towards
their room.
On the way to her room, Thapki heard the children's voice.
Veer: Anu, tumhare paas itne chocolates kahan se aaya? Mere paas to sirf 2 hai. ( Anu, where did you get all these chocolates? I have only 2.)
Ananya: Secret hai. Tujhe nahi bataaongi. (It's a secret. I won't tell you.)
Tina: Mere paas to teen hai. Ek toh dadu ne abhi diya. Tumhare paas to panch panch hai. Upar se ye saare toffees. Bata na, tumhe kahan se ye sab mila. (I have three. Grandfather just gave me one. And you have five of them in addition to all these toffees. Tell us from where you got all these.)
Veer: Haan bata na. (Yes tell us.)
Ananya: Theek hai. Batati hoon. Dadu ne diya hai. (Okay. I'll tell you. Grandfather gave me these.)
Veer: Par hume kyun nahi mila? (Why didn't we get these?)
Ananya: Nahi bataaongi. (I won't tell you.)
Thapki
cleared her throat and entered the room.
On seeing her, the three children lined infront of the bed where all chocolates
and toffees were kept, in an attempt to hide these.
Thapki: Ye sab chocolates aur toffees ka kya karoge tum log? (What will you do with all these chocolates?)
Tina, Veer and Ananya looked at each other and remained mum.
Thapki: Nahi batana chahete ho. Theek hai. Main saare chocolates apne paas rakhoogi. (You don't want to tell me. Okay. I will keep these with me.)
Veer: Nahi nahi chachi. Ye sab hum kal Bani ko denge. Aap inhe lekar mat jaaye. (No. We will give these to Bani tomorroe. Don't take them.)
Thapki: Bani akele ye sab nahi kaa payegi. (Bani will not be able to eat all these alone.)
Ananya: Pata hai. Humare saath share karegi. (We know. She will share them with us.)
Suman who was passing by heard them talking and entered the room.
Suman: Kya hua? (What happen?)
Thapki: Ye bachon Bani ko apne saare chocolates aur toffees de rahe hai taaki baad mein Bani unke saath share kare. (These kids are going to give their chocolates and toffees to Bani so that Bani will share these with them.)
Suman
looked at Ananya and smiled.
Suman: Zaroor ye Anu ka plan hai. Bauji se aur chocolates paane ke liye. (This
must be Anu's plan to get more chocolates from Bauji.)
Saying so, she pinched Ananya's nose lightly.
Suman: Thapki, mujhe tumse kuch baat karni hai. (Thapki, I need to talk to you.)
Thapki: Mere kamre mein chalte hai. (Let's go in my room.)
19:15
Small village in forest
Ramesh
was sitting outside. Jaidev joined him
Jaidev: Tum yahan akele mein kya kar rahe ho? (What are you doing here alone?)
Ramesh: Soch raha tha ki Munna kaun hai. (I was thinking who Munna is.)
Jaidev: Dadi ne bola na. Bihaan se galti ho gaya. Aur Bihaan ne bhi maafi maagi. (Dadi said he made a mistake. And even Bihaan has said sorry.)
Ramesh: Haan par koi hai jo mere jaisa dikhta hai. Shayad koi superstar ho Munna. (Yes but there is someone who looks like me. Perhaps, Munna is a superstar.)
Jaidev chuckled at this.
Jaidev: Arey nahi. Bihaan bahut ajeeb hai. Yaad hai jab pehli baar humne usey dekha tha ajeeb ajeeb baatein kar raha tha. (No. Bihaan is very strange. Remember the first time we saw him, )
Ramesh: Usey goli lagi thi. Behosh hone wala tha vo. (He had been shot and was losing consciousness.)
Jaidev: Yaad hai. Tum jaise usey hila raha tha shayad isiliye chuk chuk gadi bol raha tha. Usey laga ki vo ek train mein hai. (I remember. You were shaking so much. That's why he kept saying chuk chuk gadi. He must have thought he was in a train.)
Ramesh: Usko aise halat mein dekh kar mujhe maa ki yaad aayi. Ek police vaala ne uspe goli chalayi thi. Tab usey nahi bacha paaya. Par Bihaan ko dekhkar sirf ek hi baat dimaag mein aaya: Mujhe usey bachaana hai. (When I saw him in that state, I remembered my mother. One policeman had shot her. Then I wasn't able to save her. When I saw Bihaan, I just had to save him.)
Jaidev: Aur vo tumne kar diya. (And you did it.)
Ramesh: Tumhare wajah se. Na tum apne ghaas poos lena vahan jaata, na main tumhare saath jaata aur na hum usey girtey huey dekhte. (It's because of you. If you did not go there to collect your herbs, I would not have come with you and we wouldn't see him fall.)
Jaidev: Nahi Vimal ne usey bachaya. Vaise tu sach mein Munna ke bare mein soch raha tha ya apni maa ko yaad kar raha tha? (No, it's Vimal who save him. By the way, where you really thinking about Munna or you were missing your mother?)
Ramesh(giving Jaidev a faint smile): Aapko to sab pata hai. (You know everything.)
Jaidev: Dost hoon tera. Sab pata hain mujhe. Sabse zaroori baat hai ki banda zinda hai aur ab to vo kuch kuch chal bhi pa raha hai. (I'm your friend. I know everything about you. Well, the most important thing is that the guy is alive and is even able to more or less walk.)
Ramesh: Kahin kal bhaag ke chala na jaaye. (Tomorrow he will run away.)
Both men laughed at this comment.
Thahaah's room
Suman: Jab Sanjay ne phone kiya tha, usne bataya ki ab tak Dadima ko Bihaan devarji ke baare mein nahi pata. Aur doctor ne kaha hai ki usey batana theek nahi hoga. (When Sanjay had phoned, he told me that dadi doesn't know anything about Bihaan. And the doctor had advised not to tell her this.)
Thapki: Ye baat aap niche bhi khe sakti thi. Kya baat hai bhabhi? (You could have said this downstairs. What is the matter?)
Suman: Tum police station gayi thi na. Kya Bihaan devarji ke baare mein kuch pata chala? (You went to the police station. Did they found anything about Bihaan?)
This was the first time Suman had asked this. Thapki had always thought no one except the kids believed Bihaan was alive. This was definitely the best day for her after Bihaan and Bani were gone.
Thapki: Aap bhi sochte hai ki Bihaan laut aayega. (You also think that Bihaan will be back.)
Suman: Tumhare jaane ke baad maine dadima ki haalat dekhi hai. Agar usey pata chale ki Bihaan devarji phir kabhi nahi aayege, to pata nahi kya hoga. (After you went away, I saw Dadi's condition. If she comes to know about Bihaan, I don't know what will happen.)
Thapki: Jaise Bani vaapas aa rahi hai, vaise hi Bihaan vaapas aayega. (Like Bani is coming back, Bihaan will also return.)
Suman:Hum sab chahete hai ki Bihaan devarji vapas aaye. Par Thapki tum bhi jaanti ho ki ye shayad kabhi nahi hoga. Abhi main chalti hoon. Maaji aur Bauji ko bolna hai ki Bihaan ke baare mein Dadima ko kuch nahi batana hai. (We all want that Bihaan returns home. But Thapki, even you know that this might not happen. I'm going. I have to tell Maaji and Bauji not to say anything about Bihaan to Dadi.)
Thapki started to think about dadi. The last time she met her, she was acting to be someone else. Dadi never knew that Thapki was back.
She then saw the laptop and realised that she had not shut down the laptop. She opened it. The screen was still showing on the location of Bohipur. She was checking how the village was using google map when she thought of Bihaan. She searched for the cliff area. The forest was vast. No wonder the police stopped their search. Even if Bihaan was in there, he would have been already found. Her only hope was that Bihaan had already climbed the cliff and was getting treated somewhere.
A
message popped up. Battery is getting
low...
While switching on the charger, by mistake she touched the touchpad. The
map had zoomed in and moved slightly away from where it was. It appeared to be
a clearing. She zoomed in some more. She could see the roof of some houses. No,
it looked more like huts. There was a small village there.
19:20
Thahaan's room
Thapki was thinking about that village. Bihaan might be there. But even if there is a village there, the police must have already searched there. Afterall the police inspector did say before that his team has searched the areas of the forest where they thought Bihaan might be. This village should definitely be one of these. There was no need to raise her hopes unnecessarily.
Somebody's room
Vimal (the doctor who treated Bihaan): I'll return in two days.
His wife: Is it necessary to go?
Vimal: I have to. Remember there is someone there who has been shot and need me.
Wife: Vimal, he might be a criminal. It is dangerous to go there. What if he attacks you?
Vimal: What if he is a good person? Moreover, he might still be unconscious or even dead. So, there is nothing to worry about.
Wife: Okay okay. But call me when you reach there.
Vimal: If there is network coverage on my
phone, I will.
I going to sleep. I have to leave early tomorrow.
Thahaan's
room
Thapki(thinking): I'll call at the police station and ask about this village.
There is no harm in asking them if they searched the village.
She called at the police station but the lines were busy. She tried another
number but this one also was engaged. She took a picture of the desktop,
checked the time, took the car keys and went to the police station.
Small village in forest
Bihaan was unable to sleep. He feared having the same dream as before. More than a dream, it seemed like a memory. He remembered the days where he had lost his memory. Even then he used to have dreams of what had happened before. At that time he thought that these were mere dreams but when he got his memory back, he realised he had been dreaming about the time spent with Thapki and even before that. This time he was sure that his dream was not just a dream.
20:00
Police station
Police inspector (on seeing Thapki): You here? Is there anything wrong? I
thought you have already talked to the sub inspector.
Thapki: Yeah, I did. I just needed to ask you something but the lines were busy.
Police inspector: What's the matter?
Thapki: Did you know that there is a village in the forest? Bihaan might be there.
Police inspector: How do you know this?
Thapki: I found this on the Internet. Wait a second. I have a photo of it.
Thapki showed him the photo.
Police inspector: Let me ask the sub inspector about this.
He then called the sub inspector who was previously incharge of the team searching for Bihaan.
Police inspector: Did you know about this village? Did the team search for Bihaan Pandey there?
The sub inspector remained mum.
Police inspector: Should I assume that the team did not check if he is there?
Sub inspector: No sir. No one lives there. And it is impossible for a wounded man to reach there. It's quite far from where he fell.
Police inspector: Are you sure about this?
The sub inspector nodded but both the police inspector and Thapki could clearly see that he was uncertain of what he was saying.
Police inspector wanted to talk in private to him.
Police inspector: Thapki ji, you heard him. It's better if you go home right now. Don't forget you have to take Bani tomorrow. And bring a proof of identity. Remember tomorrow at 7:00 am.
Thapki: 7:00 am? But we were told that she will be brought at 10:00 am.
Police inspector: No. The officers left earlier than we thought. By 7:00 am she will be here.
Thapki: Okay. I'll be there.
Thapki went outside. She wanted to argue with the police inspector. Bihaan could really be there. The sub inspector was also not confident about what he said but no one would go to search for him in a forest at night. So, it was pointless to make them take any action right now. She will try to talk to the police inspector tomorrow.
She had reached her car when she realised the key was missing. She must have left it inside when she was showing the photo to the police inspector.
Police inspector: What are you hiding?
Sub inspector: Nothing.
Police inspector: Don't lie. I know there is something that you are not telling me. Tell me. It might save someone's life or make Mrs Pandey realise that her husband is dead. Since I have been transfered here, I have seen her coming here or calling us everyday.
Just then Thapki entered the police station again but the two men did not notice her.
Sub inspector: Sir. You said that now we will not search for Bihaan without any proof of him being alive.
Police inspector: I know what I said but he could be there.
Sub inspector: If he has been there, he must be dead by now.
Police inspector: What! But why?
Sub inspector: Because there are cannibals there and if they found Bihaan, they musy have eaten him
Police inspector: What! Do you know what you are saying? Cannibals, seriously! Is this a joke?
Sub inspector: I'm serious. About 10 years back a team of police officers including me went deep in the forest where I have seen a woman biting a boy's leg. One of my collegues shot her but the boy fled from there. I have never seen him again. I had heard rumours about this village but did not believe in them, not until what I saw.
Police inspector: And you believe that there are still cannibals there. Come one. Be realistic.
Sub inspector: If there isn't, Bihaan will not reach there. There is no point of searching for him. It's impossible for a man who has been shot to survive long without any doctor.
Police inspector: You are right. I don't believe Bihaan Pandey is still alive. We need to tell Thapki ji that. Afterall, ...
Thapki could not bear it anymore. She started
to feel suffocated. Her car key was not on the table nor on the floor. She must
have dropped it outside. She rushed outside. She badly needed some fresh air.
She found her key just outside the entrance.
She thought that it probably fell when she bumped into someone before. How come
she did not notice it when she went inside again? Had it not fallen she would
not have heard the policemen's conversation. The sub inspector must be wrong.
She had never heard about such stories before. She needs to go there. There is
something that makes her believe that he is there. Perhaps, it was just her
eagerness to meet Bihaan.
Small hut in small village in forest
Raju sneaked into the hut. Bihaan was lying on the cot with his eyes closed. Raju thinking that he was sleeping poked his arm.
Bihaan: Ouch!
Raju: You are still awake. I thought that you were sleeping.
Bihaan(confused) : What are you doing here?
Raju: I wanted to hear a story but dadi or Jaidev bhaiya do not want to narrate one. So, I thought that you could tell me one. Tell me your story.
Bihaan: My story?
Raju: Yeah. What has happened in your life and all. Are you a policeman? That's why the villain shot you. Tell me.
Bihaan: No, I'm not a policeman. I'll tell you a story but it's not mine. Okay?
Raju: Okay.
20:15
Grandma came in the hut where Bihaan was staying.
Grandma: Raju, what are you doing here?
Raju: Bihaan chacha is telling me a story.
Grandma: Don't trouble him. He needs rest.
Bihaan: It's okay. I'm not feeling sleepy.
Grandma: Not only you but Raju also needa to sleep now.
21:00
Thahaan's room
Thapki, after taking a bath, packed the first
aid kid, a torch and other important things in her bag. She then looked for her
trainers.
However, she was scared. Going alone might not be a good idea. Already going
there is definitely not a good idea. Perhaps, she could ask someone to come
with her. Dhruv was going to fetch Ashwin and Preeti tomorrow. If she did ask
his help, he will tell this to Vasu who will not let them go there. Suddenly,
she remembered Paan's words.
"Yes Paan bhaiya will help me and if I ask him, he will not tell anyone
about this. I will leave a note so that no one will worry."
She phoned Paan.
Paan: How come you are calling at this time? Is everything alright?
Thapki narrated to him whatever had happened today.
Thapki: Will you come with me?
Paan: Are you sure that Bihaan will be there?
Thapki: No but I feel that he is there.
Paan: Okay, I will go there but alone. I don't want anything to happen to you.
Thapki: I know that you are worried about my safety but I have to come with you.
Paan: Bhabhi if something happens to you what will I tell the others.
Thapki: Nothing bad will happen now. Tomorrow, I'll meet you at the cliff at 9:00 am. Okay?
Paan: Fine. But you will stay with me and listen to me.
Thapki: Okay. Goodnight.
Next
day
2:00am
Thahaan's room
Thapki woke up. She was having another
nightmare. This time she dreamt of an injured Bihaan who was saying that she
left him alone to die.
These nightmares were troubling her. She had forgotten to take a sleeping pill
as she did the last few days. She could not take one now because she had to
wake up early.
Tina who was beside her was shivering. Thapki
covered her with the blanket and kissed her forehead.
She felt guilty. Already Bihaan was not here. Wasn't it selfish of her to leave Tina and Bani alone? What if she should not go after all?
PN
06:00
Thapki was going to the
police station when Dhruv saw her and stopped her.
Dhruv: Iss vaqt kahan jaa rahi ho? (Where are you going at this time?)
Thapki: Police station, Bani ko lene jaa rahi hoon. (To the police station. I'm going to take Bani)
Dhruv: Vo baad mein aa rahi hai na. (She is coming later right.)
Thapki: Nahi vo 7 baje aa rahi hai. (No, she is coming at 7 o'clock.)
Dhruv: Acha. Tumne mujhe pehle kyun nahi bataaya? Chalo, main tumhare saath chalta hoon. (Really. Why did you tell this before? I'll come with you.)
Thapki: Main bhool gayi thi. (I have forgotten to tell you.)
They left for the police station.
Small hut in small village in forest
Bihaan woke up. He saw a large basket in the
corner of the hut. He was not sure if it had been there on the previous day.
Perhaps someone kept it here at night. This hut was definitely used as a
storeroom. He got up and looked what was inside it. There were mostly
useless things in there. Bihaan saw a mirror. He took it and looked at his
reflection. His face has changed a bit. There were several scratches on it.
"Even Aryan must be looking more like me than myself," Bihaan thought.
6:30
Police station
Bani was sleeping on a bench when Thapki and
Dhruv arrived there. Thapki rushed to her and hugged her.
Bani( sleepy): Mumma.
Police inspector: Thapki ji, inn papers par sign kardijiye. (Thapki, sign on these papers.)
Thapki leaned Bani against the wall and went to sign the papers.
Police inspector: Your identity card?
Thapki showed her her ID card.
Police inspector: Okay, app usey ghar leja sakte hai. (Okay, you can take her home.)
Dhruv picked up Bani and placed her inside the car while Thapki was completing the formalities.
Thapki: Sir, kal maine aapse uss gaon ke baare mein bataayi thi. Kya aap log vaahan dhoodne jaaoge? (Sir, yesterday I told you about that village. Are you going to search there?)
Police inspector: Nahi. Abhi nahi. Mujhe uss gaon ke baare mein aur pata karna hai. Aur mujhe permission maagna hoga taaki main ek team bhej sakoon. Kam se kam 2 dino ka aapko intezaar karna parega. (No. Not now. I need to find more information about that village and ask for permission to send a team there. You will have to wait for at least two days.)
Thapki: Okay. Thank you.
07:15
PN
Everyone, except the children was gathered in the living room. Bani was sleeping in her room. The other children were there, waiting for Bani to wake up. The adults were talking.
Thapki excused herself and went to see Bani. The kids left the room when she entered. Thapki sat beside her and patted her head. She wanted to stay there but she had to go. She remembered how Bani had left the house. She had to find Bihaan first and then talk to Bani.
She kissed her on her cheek and went to her room to take her bag.
8:00
Mountain cliff area
Although Thapki arrived there one hour before, she found that Paan was already there and was about to descend the cliff.
Thapki: Paan bhaiya!
Paan: Bhabhi, abhi to sirf 8 baje hai. (It's still 8 o'clock.)
Thapki: Pata hai. Par aap akele hi jaa rahe the na? (I know. You were going to leave without me, right?)
Paan looked down. He felt guilty about going to the forest without her but he did not want anything to happen to Thapki. He was used to move around such places but she was not.
Thapki: Agar aap akele chale jaatey, toh apko gaon dhoodne mein kathinai hoti. (If you had gone without me, then you would have some difficulties to search for the village.
Thapki showed him the printouts of the area and insisted that she will go with him. Finally, Paan gave in and allowed her to come with her.
Thapki(pointing at a car): Vaise ye gaadi kiska hai? (Whose car is this?)
Paan: Pata nahi. Pehle se hi yeh yahan pe thi. (I don't know. It was already there.)
They then descended the cliff. Luckily it was not that steep.
PN
Vasu: Thapki, kahan hai? (Where is Thapki?)
Suman: Pata nahi. Vo Bani ko dekhne gayi thi. Apne kamre mein hogi. (I don't know. She went to see Bani. Perhaps she is in her room.)
Just then Veer came there running.
Veer: Bani uth gayi. (Bani woke up.)
Vasu and Suman went to see her.
Bani/Tina's room
Tina was talking to Bani when they entered the room. Ananya went to inform Thapki that Bani was awake.
Vasu: Kaisi ho meri bachi?(How are you my child?)
Bani: Theek hoon. (I'm fine.)
Bani was searching for Thapki. She feared that she would be here. She did not want to see her.
Ananya: Chachi ghar pe nahi hai. (Chachi is not at home.)
She handed a letter to Vasu.
"Main kisi kaam se bahar jaa rahi hoon. Raat tak aa jaaongi.
(I'm going out for some work. I'll be back by night.)
Vasu: Abhi to Bani laut ke aayi hai aur vo chali gayi. (Bani has just come and she went away.)
Bani: Acha hua ki vo yaahan pe nahi hai. (It's good that she is not here.)
9:00
Small village in forest
Laajo: Dadi, Vimal bhaiya aa gaye. (Vimal has come.)
Vimal came to see Dadima and took her blessings.
Vimal: Mareez kahan hai? (Where is the patient?)
Dadima(pointing at the small hut): Bihaan vaahan hai.
Vimal: Bihaan? Usey hosh aa gaya kya? (He has gained conscious?)
Dadima: Haan. (Yes)
Vimal smiled. He was happy for Bihaan. He had thought that he will not survive but he did.
He went to see Bihaan and examined him. While he was doing so, he casually asked him a question.
Vimal: Kya aapko pata hai ki goli lagne ke baad kya hua? (Do you know what happened after you were shot?)
Bihaan: Haan. (Yes.)
Vimal: Jo bhi aapko yaad nahi aap mujhe bataaye.(Tell me whatever you remember.)
Bihaan told him whatever he remembered. (What happened after the 15 year leap.) This was not what Vimal was expecting. He was talking about when Jaidev and Ramesh had brought him here, not what he was saying. Clearly, what he was saying made no sense.
Originally posted by: pooja2109
Nice update upasna😊
Hope in next update thahaan face offCongratulations on becoming dazzler😃
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