"THE FORGOTTEN ONES"

The Silent Intruder

Memories are like a book that tells the story of your life—some pages are filled with joy, while others tell tales of hardship and sorrow. These memories can either push you forward or pull you down into despair. While we cherish many memories, some are so painful that we bury them deep within, hoping no one will ever uncover them. But even when we try to escape, the echoes of these memories chase us, never letting us be truly free.

There seems to be no escape from this darkness. The further you try to run, the more you realize that your existence feels like a cruel joke. Hidden forces, lurking in the shadows, are constantly toying with you, manipulating your life without your awareness.

Vivaan and Abhinav, who had always felt a sense of security, now sensed something was terribly wrong. Vivaan called out for Shravya, but for the first time in his life, she didn't respond. A sinister presence filled the air, as if it could shatter the walls and everything around him.

"Stay here, don't move until I come back," Vivaan instructed, his voice trembling with urgency. He rushed out of the room, only to find the corridor eerily empty—a stark contrast to the usual hustle and bustle of the CBI's intelligence unit. Something was definitely wrong. Vivaan shouted, "SHRAVYA?"

But there was only silence. Then, he noticed someone standing a little distance away, their face hidden in the shadows. Irritated, Vivaan called out, "What, are you dead or something?" But still, no response. Frustrated, he finally approached the figure, who was leaning against the wall, hiding their face.

What Vivaan saw next shook him to his core. His body reacted differently than usual—his hands began to tremble with an unusual vibration, and his heart raced uncontrollably.

The man standing before him was someone from his past, someone he had shared a brief, painful moment with. This man had once fled from him, not wanting to confront Vivaan. Now, seeing him again, Vivaan felt the same unsettling vibration in his hands as he did back then.

"What the hell did I just see? This can't be happening," Vivaan muttered to himself, confusion and fear clouding his mind. He followed the man, who seemed to be leading him somewhere familiar. Suddenly, the environment around him shifted—it felt as though he had been transported to another location, a place he had been to before.

In this new, yet familiar setting, Vivaan saw himself sitting next to the man, discussing something serious—something related to a case involving someone important.

The man's voice cut through the tense atmosphere. "Why don't you just let go of your dead wife and son? They're gone, Vivaan. Stop being so foolish."

Hearing these words, the other Vivaan—his past self—snapped. He began to beat the man mercilessly, his fists landing heavy blows that left the man's face bloodied. All the while, Vivaan's face remained expressionless, cold, as if detached from the violence he was inflicting.

The real Vivaan, the one witnessing this scene, felt paralyzed. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. His hands vibrated again, the sensation almost unbearable.

"Isn't this the day you beat the crap out of me, Vivaan? You always hated me, didn't you?" The man's voice was filled with bitterness and pain.

Vivaan, struggling to understand the surreal situation unfolding before him, tried to push it all away, to deny what he was seeing.

"Say something, Vivaan. Wasn't I your best friend?"

Finally, Vivaan broke his silence. "I never hated you, Akshat."

"THEN WHY DID YOU NEVER LISTEN TO ME?" Akshat's voice grew louder, angrier. His appearance began to change, as if he were being drenched in blood, his body falling apart, limbs barely holding on.