Shattered Echoes

Chapter 2: The Mask

Few Years Back

"Doctor, we will be able to save her, right?" pleads Rakesh, the desperation evident in his voice, as he clings to hope for his twelve-year-old daughter.

Dr. Kalyan, the compassionate psychiatrist meets Rakesh's gaze, understanding the weight of the situation. "I don't know for certain, but all we can do now is hope for the best." he assures.

Rakesh, overwhelmed by the gravity of the situation, sinks into a chair. He sobs  "Of all the people, why my daughter?!" he exclaims, the anguish palpable in his words.

Dr. Kalyan places a hand on Rakesh's shoulder, offering solace. "Life can be incredibly unfair, Rakesh. But together, we'll navigate this journey. Your daughter is strong, and with the right support, we can help her find her way back."

Present Day

Shashwat springs out of bed realising he is too late, hastily grabbing a banana and stuffing a sandwich into his backpack, racing to catch the bus for his academy amidst the morning rush.

"Phew.. I'm glad i made it just on time for the bus" he says, as he is relieved that the last bus to Nehru place is yet to arrive.

"Only if that dream could've lasted longer..." he sighs, as he recalls the night he had spent with Sneha yesterday.

"Hey there!" A distant voice approaches Shashwat.

He turns his head to find Sneha running towards him, squinting his eyes as the morning sunlight casting a warm glow on his face.

"Sn- Sn- Sneha... oh, shoot! I haven't even had a shower today in the rush to catch this bus. Should I just ignore her? What if she thinks I'm an insanely unhygienic mannerless stinking rodent? Oh no, God-" Shashwat, gripped by worry, frantically searches his bag for a perfume.

"Talk about wrong timing and bad luck," he mutters to himself, realizing he doesn't have any fragrance in his bag. As Sneha nears, he braces for yet another impending embarrassment.

"What happened, Shashwat? Is everything okay?" she asks, surprise evident in her voice as Shashwat attempts to hide his face.

Shashwat, with a sheepish grin, stammers, "Oh, hey Sneha! Yeah, just the usual morning chaos, you know. No big deal." He avoids eye contact, secretly hoping she doesn't notice the presence of a mashed egg stinking body.

Sneha can't help but giggle as she notices Shashwat's untidy hair and the slightly disheveled state of his attire, with his right pants tucked inside the socks. "Here, take my scent; it'll keep your charm blooming for a considerable time," she says playfully.

"Uhh... Th- Th- Thanks, Sneha, but you really didn't have to do this," Shashwat stammers shyly, his cheeks turning a deep shade of red with embarrassment.

"Oh come on, this is the least i can do for someone already going through so much" replies Sneha.

As they head towards the bus to the academy, Shashwat can't help but bring up the events from the previous night with Sneha.

Shashwat: "You know, Sneha, last night was... well, something. Thanks for being there. I never expected someone to step in like that, It's just frustrating, you know? I've dealt with them before, especially at the badminton cou-"

Sneha interrupts her "Shhh, no more regrets from past from this day, think about how you can face them next time instead of haunting yourself with bad experiences of past, and remember I am with you."

Shashwat nods in agreement.

Sneha, curious, asks, "You mentioned wanting to build a time machine. Any specific reason?"