Leap of Faith

The Trails

We sat in the middle of the closet silent. My heart racing, my brain flashing Vikram's face in front of my eyes, laughing evil. The red cross mark covered my sight. Vikram, Mr Akash Kar, Aayan, The pictures of them. The slideshow of the photographs running before me. Vikram in his teens accepted by his uncle after his father's death. He looked grim with a blank expression on his face. Slowly the pictures turned into the older version of him. First behind the shadow of his uncle, then shoulder to shoulder and then moving in front. It was as if he was replacing him. His contour was swelling and shadowed his uncle. Aayan was nowhere in those pictures when his father was alive. Perhaps Vikram sidelined him.

Who are you Vikram? What did you do?

The rhythmic sobs from my left side stopped my thought process.

"Riya. Don't," I consoled her putting my hand around her shoulders. She let go and started crying on my shoulders. I could not imagine the pain she must be feeling right now.

"I don't know how it happened, Trisha. How he could have harmed my dad." She quavered pushing her hair from her face. "I mean he was very loyal and humble with dad. He was the obedient one. He always had great respect for my dad. How could he do it?"

"Riya, first and foremost, don't jump to any conclusion," I reacted in a firm tone. "And secondly, we have to find out the truth, and if that is true then what is he planning next."

"I don't know what to believe anymore. If what we think is true, then that is the most horrendous thing I have ever witnessed. I would knock the daylight out of Vikram. I swear I will kill that bastard!" She burst with flaring her nostrils. I could imagine what Aayan would do if he knew about Vikram. I know He would go and kill him.

"Calm down for a minute," I said slowly gauging the rage in her soft brown eyes. "Riya you have to promise me one thing, okay?"

She just looked at me impassively.

"Don't tell any of this to Aayan. You do know how he would react."

"You are kidding right," she mocked in a very ruthless way, reminding of her brother. "That bastard... that rat deserves to die."

"I know... I know," I surrendered raising my palms in defence. "But please think straight. If he is responsible for your dad's death, then we have to prove that too." I paused to pick up the torn piece of the photo, "this red cross is not enough to prove him guilty."

"I don't care, Trish. Don't you understand it was my Papa," she jumped up. "You don't know how it felt when we woke up one day to see him vanish before our eyes."

I stared at her as tears conjured in my eyes. I knew perfectly well, how it felt. The dread of losing the rock of your life shatters your soul to the core. I remembered my father blank dead face before he evanesced in the eternity. One car crash had made our life upside down. It felt like something died within me, the hope for happiness, life.

"I am so sorry, Trisha. I forgot," she stuttered slowly rocking back and forth or possibly, that was my blurry vision.

"It is alright," I breathed. "But please don't tell this to Aayan now."

"Okay."

After a few minutes, we were out of the closet, erasing the evidence of us being there. We had kept the box where we found it, before taking snaps of the torn photo. We locked the door and put the key behind the portrait frame. I swept my glance around the room once more. On the side of the window was a small study table. On the opposite wall was a green board.

I walked towards the table, stopped to study the board. There was nothing there. I removed the sheet from the table. I grazed my fingers across the mahogany tabletop, looking for something unusual. I checked the drawers but found nothing of any importance. Three empty vials were lying in the bottom drawer. It must have been for medicines. I left it there and turned towards Riya.