The Archaeologist

His uncertainty

"I can see it on your face that you think I'm crazy, try a bit to hide it at least," Ved said chuckling. 

They were now sitting in the cafeteria and Reyaan was in shock after all that he had heard from his best friend. He could barely comprehend any of it, it was a lot to take on and Ved wasn't expecting anything less. If it had taken him so much time to come to terms with it, it was only natural for Reyaan to take time to process it and he was okay with that, what he wasn't okay with was him laughing his lungs off.

"You really thought I would believe that? Did you expect me to?" And the laughing continued.

"See, this! This is the problem; why I didn't let you in on it" 

It took them another hour or so worth of discussion for Reyaan to understand just how serious Ved was and it scared the shit out of him. He couldn't let his friend do this to himself. He had to do something to help.

That night, while Ved was still fighting his sleep; He had realised that if he could get the connection between two specific items, the key, he would be closer to decoding the script than anyone ever before.

"You do need to sleep, you look bad."

"Where have you been?" Ved screamed his lungs out before he even looked back to face him.

"Relax! This is not the only place I visit, I was busy, but clearly, you've been busier."

"Yes, I have been! I've lost my mind over this missing piece and you've been gone way too long"

 Abhay then took his time, helped Ved calm down and they were now discussing the project. When Ved finally revealed the point where he was stuck at, he saw Abhay's expression changing a bit, getting a little tense.

"What's wrong?" Ved asked him. Abhay didn't say anything but got up from the sofa and started roaming around the room.

"Just say it, I know you know something." Still no reply.

"Okay, I can work with a hint too, just tell me a little, give me something."

The reply was a faster pace in his steps, still no words. Ved knew he couldn't get it out of him unless Abhay wanted to say it himself, so he had nothing he could do but wait.

"I am well aware that you could get in trouble for whatever it is that taking you so much time to contemplate telling me, I'll understand if you-"

"You remember the time I visited an ancient civilisation and brought back several artefacts?"

"That's literally every trip you've ever taken Abhay"

This reply was met with a glare from the man in a Victorian man's shirt.

"You want to fool around? Right now? Cool, let's do that. Fuck the project." Irritation dripped in the traveller's voice but his face held a tight-lipped smile.

"I'm sorry, okay..." Ved let out with his hands in the air. "A little more description of the trip would help though" he added with hesitation in his voice.

After a good, long stare Abhay finally spoke again, "I didn't tell you till now, because I didn't want you to be tempted, but I've seen Mohenjo Daro."

Getting nothing in response but a prolonged look, he continued, "I mean to say that I've been to the period when the civilisation was-"

"Still living and active, yeah understood, what next?" Ved's impatience was growing with each moment.

"Yeah, so I...umm...I brought something along, something I probably shouldn't have..." it came out as a whisper so low, Ved wouldn't have heard it, had it not been Ved's apartment, the unusually quiet place with such a strong Academia aesthetic, one could confuse it for teleporting to the Victorian era itself.

"What is that supposed to mean? Did you "steal" from the people?" The scepticism in his voice was accompanied by fear and his eyes widened as it set in on him that it could be theft.

"No, NO! I would never! I didn't! It's not stealing, it's just...I don't know, but it's not stealing, I just found it and took it as a collectable, as I do normally, so-"

"I can't take it anymore! Just tell me please, I'm really losing my mind trying to figure it out. This is way too important to me. I would be closer to the decoding of the script than anyone and I mean, any-fucking-one has ever been. I need you to say something, Abhay! I'm desperate! "

A long silence followed Ved's sudden, desperation-laced interruption before Abhay broke it.

"I don't know how to say it..."

For a split second there, Ved thought he saw his friend's eyes glistening under the yellow light of the table lamp on his desk.

"But that couldn't be, could it? Abhay is too carefree for that to happen. Right?" As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he, without thinking much spoke,

"Then don't. I've realised that it's something out of line. I won't risk your time travelling permit for this. It's not that important, we'll any way figure it out at some point in the future, right? So let's leave it there."

The disappointment in Ved's low voice was obvious, despite his efforts to hide it with a small smile, that was far from reaching his eyes. When he saw it, it made Abhay want to fuck the rules and his worries and just spill it all. 

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Hey y'all!

So what do you think about this chapter?

What do you think could happen next?

And who do you like the most, by far? 

I'll be happy to know your views on the characters and the chapter. 

See you with the next update! Till then, HAPPY READING!   ;)