Have you ever read your own history? The culture we come from. The bloodline we were descended from? Even before caste and religion were part of an ancient India there were only two kinds of people. Shaivas and Vaishnavas.
But even before them were...
The taxi stopped before the huge vintage villa and she handed a few notes to the driver before getting down shutting the doot behind her. She walked to the gates making the security alert and looked at her "How may I help you miss?"
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"By letting me in" She replied.
"Do you have an appointment? Even if you have one the madam of the house is indisposed currently" The security explained.
Shivali nodded "I know! That's why I'm here".
"Are you a physician?" The security questioned losing his patience.
"Call Mr. Munson" She ordered.
The security sighed and called the butler of the villa "Mr. Munson there's a woman who wants to get inside" after hearing from the other side he looked at her "May I know your name Miss?"
"Shivali" She replied.
The security guard immediately put the phone down and opened the gates for her apologising "Apologies for not recognising you my lady please come in".
Shivali walked inside for five minutes on a well maintained dirt path before stopping at the front door steps to see a woman in her late twenties waiting for her "Forgive me my lady! He was appointed just yesterday and had been ordered not to allow anyone into the villa until madam Suryavanshi recovered".
"What happened?" Shivali followed her inside changing into guest footwear at the foyer before following her into the huge living room.
"Someone broke in and attacked madam Suryavanshi" The woman replied.
"Are you Sara?" Shivali questioned.
Sara nodded "Yes my lady".
"Bring me an orange juice and for the kid some cookies" Ordering she went to the second floor of the villa and took a right turn to the end of the corridor and stopped before a door knocking on it "Open the door Ammu".
The door creaked open and a six year old little girl looked through the space before opening the door wide open and hugged Shivali's legs "Shiva! I was so scared".
"Did you tell your brother?" Shivali asked taking a step back.
Amrutha nodded "Yes! He said he'll visit granny first".
They saw the maid Sara walking to them and handed them their snacks and drinks. Shivali took her juice and handed the cookies plate to Ammu "Where was she attacked?"
"In the study my lady" Sara replied.
Drinking her orange juice she walked in the direction of the study which is on the ground floor followed by the maid and Ammu. She opened the door to study feeling nostalgic. Everything in this villa reminds her of her childhood which was amazing till her mom was alive and then everything flipped including her dad and hence the little girl and her brother were the result.
The study seemed disoriented and the things here and there as if they were thrown in search of something making her frown "Did the thieves take anything?"
Sara shook her head "No my lady! The only room they visited was study and attacked the madam".
"So whatever they were here for was not found. They'll come again" Shivali concluded.
They heard footsteps making them alert and Shiva held the glass tightly pulling Ammu to her side as they saw the shadow of the person before a boy in his teens walked inside "What are you all doing in the study?"
"Sammy!" Ammu ran to her biological brother hugging him.
He lifted her up in his arms "Hey! Granny is fine okay. You don't have to worry your little brain".
"Well! If she's fine did she tell you what her attackers wanted?" Shiva drank the last of her juice then placed the empty glass on the desk.
"She hasn't woken yet" Sammy replied.
"What did the police say?"
"The cameras were off! No suspicious activity around before the attack. If it wasn't for granny's emergency alarm, no one would've even known she was attacked".
Shiva frowned "What did they want that they had done everything picture clean?" and looked around.
"Whatever it was.....must be too important" Sammy too looked around as Sara excused herself with the empty glass and plate.
They heard the glass breaking sound and then the shrill scream of Sara making the trio look at each other. Sammy put down Ammu "Stay here! I'll check" before walking to the door.
Shiva walked to Ammu and held her close as Sammy walked out without any noise but suddenly they heard hurried footsteps before Sammy rushed in shutting the door "We are under attack".
Shiva rushed to the window and lifted it up to look out for an escape while the door knob was twisting from outside making Sammy push the vanity chest towards it keeping the door from being opened while Ammu rushed to the emergency button and pressed it to alert the authorities.
Sammy moved away from the door when an axe head went through the door as Shivali pulled away from the window shutting and locking it "We're surrounded" while a few masked men with red masks tried to break the window glass.
They heard the axe breaking the door "There's no way out for us".
Shivali's memories surfaced from her childhood, the time she spent with her father 'Think Shiva! What's the next step? Sometimes the answer is right before you'.
"There's always a way" Shivali's words made her siblings look at her as she walked to the fire place and turned the candle stands on the wall twice in anti clock direction making the fire place place move back.
"How did you know about this?" Sammy lifted Ammu in his arms as the door was completely broken.
"It was always thinking ahead with dad" Shivali followed her brother into the secret passage as the masked men in hoods broke in making her turn the candle stand inside as one of the masked men threw an axe towards them.
Shivali hugged her brother and sister shielding them as the fire place shut but not before the axe surpassed through and was melted away before them. The siblings raised their heads to see the melted iron on the floor leaving them confused and shocked.
