Echoes Of Destiny | Multicouple ✓

34. WHISPERS OF UNSEEN THREADS

Hridhaan (8)
(TW: Violence)
(Twenty years ago)

Darkness.

That's all I could see, or rather, not see. It was black, everything.

The blindfold over my eyes was obstructing my view. It was cold, so cold.

I was slowly gaining consciousness, but my limbs were still numb. I couldn't move my hands or legs.

I tried to think, but a sharp headache pierced through my skull.

We were going home when the car suddenly stopped. The driver went missing as we got out of the car, and then-

Mom.

Throwing every thought aside, a cold shiver ran down my body.

Mom, where are you?

Are... you okay?

I wanted to speak, to scream, but my mouth was muffled with a cloth.

Mom!

A loud bang rang through the silence of the room or some warehouse, making me flinch.

"Are you ready, Mythila?" a voice said, making me snap my attention to it.

It was the voice of someone not much older, maybe the same age as my dad. That's all I could infer.

What's happening? Why am I here?

"No!" Mom's voice said. Hearing it, all I felt was relief. She's here. I tried to speak, but my mouth couldn't move.

It was numb; everything was.

"You leave my son out of it, you bastard!" she said, her voice sounding hoarse, as if it came after crying or screaming a lot.

Mom never cursed, but today she did. It must really be the end of the world.

All I heard was the chuckle of that cruel man as he walked somewhere. His footsteps were audible in the deadly silence.

"You did a mistake marrying him. He's weak and cowardly," he spat, his words filled with so much hatred.

Was he talking about my dad?

"No, he wasn't a mistake. He never will be," Mom said, her voice suddenly sounding defensive but scared.

I felt a presence near me, his voice closer now. "He couldn't even protect his own wife and children. Pathetic." His words gave me goosebumps, or maybe it was the sudden hand clutching my hair, pulling me out of the daze.

Fear gripped me for what he was about to do. His grip was painful on my head, yanking my hair.

I wanted to scream, but the tight cloth around my mouth muffled all sounds, only small whimpers escaping. I tried to suppress them.

I needed to be strong for my mother.

"Don't touch my son!" Mom pleaded desperately. "Hridhay, I'm here, baccha," she said, trying to reassure me, but his grip was agonizing.

The man just laughed hysterically. "You reap what you sow, Mythila. These are the consequences of your own actions," he said.

He pushed me downward, and instead of meeting air, I met water-cold water.

For a second, I didn't realize what it was. Then fear set in as I couldn't breathe. It was so sudden, I felt like I was drowning, though it was just my face.