Better Together | ✓

73 | kidnapped

Chapter 73 : Kidnapped

"I can't find her," the words blared alarm in Aadarsh's ears, as he heard Ruhaani's voice laced with worry.

"Arey, she must be around, Bhabhs!" Abhi spoke.

"I checked, Abhi, I checked all over." Ruhaani snapped.

Abhi turned to his brother who had seemingly frozen hearing that.

"I will check," Aadarsh spoke, dashing past Abhi before his words could be completely heard.

Please let her be around, he sent up a silent prayer.

"Pari," he called, "Shona where are you? Pari? Pari?" With every iteration, a deeper panic laced his voice.

Abhi and Ruhaani followed the suit, even the twins followed them, calling for Pari. Alas, there was no response from the little girl.

Aadarsh's panic escalated, his eyes darting between racks as he jogged through the wide store, desperately calling out his daughter's name. He couldn't find her. He had covered every corner of the store, walked through every row flanked by racks.

In a fleeting moment of dread, he stood at the corner of the store where the teddy bear section was, quite close to the entry and exit gates of the store. The gears in his mind started spinning.

I gave you ample of time to correct your mistakes and admit to your sins, Sehgal. Now, it's time for action. No more animal sacrifices, now it will be human. Be ready!

That was what the last note had read.

He contemplated the chilling possibility that the threats he had received might be unfolding before his eyes. It couldn't be a coincidence, could it?

Aadarsh frantically made his way back to the counter. The others all returned there. By now even the staff of the store was looking for the little girl in pink shorts and white t-shirt. She had disappeared.

Abhi, sensing the urgency, suggested checking the adjacent store. While the store manager offered to retrieve the CCTV footage of the store.

"Perhaps she just spotted something she liked and wandered off," Abhi reasoned, offering a glimmer of hope to Ruhaani.

Ruhaani's eyes were blank. Her heart was mercilessly held captive in the clutches of a gnawing worry. Pari was a playful kid but she wasn't bold or adventurous enough to wander off on her own. That only left her with the other possibility, someone took her little girl away.

Aadarsh instructed the man behind the counter to get them the CCTV footage as soon as he could. The man nodded understandingly, the clicks on the mouse of the computer becoming frequent. Aadarsh then jogged out of the store without wasting another second, to look for his daughter.

Abhi turned to Ruhaani, "Bhabhs you stay right here. Pari might come back if she's around."

Ruhaani blinked in response, hardly nodding her head. The air around her was thick with worry. Pari's face never left the forefront of her mind. Fear had frozen her mind. She didn't want to experience loss again. Tears blurred her vision.

"I will come too, to help!" Nirvaan spoke, noticing how worried Ruhaani looked.

"No. You both stay with Bhabhs okay? Don't go anywhere." Abhi said and then looked up at his sister-in-law, she nodded understanding. Her hand instinctively pulling Mukti close to herself while Nirvaan slowly held her hand and stood beside her. The boy's gaze kept moving around looking for Pari.