Where Shadows Learn To Dream

The Past Reaches Out

Kanishk

The casino was a cacophony of flashing lights and excited chatter. I had been trying my best to blend into the background, to focus on the cards in front of me and ignore the raucous atmosphere. But the longer I stayed, the more I felt like a stranger in a world that had no place for me.

I glanced around the room, my attention snagging on the crowd surrounding one particular figure. Monica. She was being hailed with the kind of fervor usually reserved for rock stars or movie idols. The way the men and women clamored around her, the way their eyes followed her every movement—it all seemed surreal.

A pang of familiarity struck me again. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I knew her from somewhere, that her presence here was more than just coincidence.

My colleagues, still buzzing with excitement and whiskey, nudged me. “Hey, Kanishk, you should join them. Monica’s the best. Everyone wants a piece of her.”

“Yeah,” said another, a guy named Ravi. “Come on, you can't keep your eyes off of her. Go have fun.”

I hesitated, but the curiosity gnawing at me was too strong. I decided to approach her, even though I could sense my colleagues' surprise. It was like they couldn’t believe I’d choose to engage with someone so far removed from our usual crowd.

Monica was surrounded by admirers, her poise and confidence almost magnetic. As I drew closer, the crowd parted slightly, giving me a clearer view of her face. My heart stopped.

It was Aanya.

The girl who disappeared.

I felt a wave of disbelief. This couldn’t be happening. I had seen her so many years ago, before everything had changed. I remembered her from the time we spent together back in school, her disappearance, her vulnerability, her strength—everything.

I pushed through the throng of people, my heart racing with each step. The noise of the casino seemed to fade into the background as I called out to her, my voice cracking with urgency. “Aanya? Aanya! Is that really you?”

She turned slowly, and for a split second, her eyes met mine. There was a flicker of something—recognition, surprise, maybe even fear—but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. “You have the wrong person,” she said, her voice cold and devoid of warmth. She turned away from me, her demeanor as impenetrable as a fortress.

"No, it's me, Kanishk!" She turned to look at my direction for a split second with a subtle hint of surprise, but she eventually moved away.

The crowd around her began to close in, murmuring in annoyance. “Move along, mate,” one of them said. “She’s not interested.”

Another man grumbled, “Just let her be. She’s busy.”

I felt a sinking sensation in my chest, the questions burning in my mind. Why had she disappeared? How had she ended up in a place like this? The thoughts swirled around me, each one more painful than the last. I had to know the truth.

As my colleagues grew increasingly restless, they began to leave, their enthusiasm for the casino waning. I watched as they departed, my heart aching with a mixture of frustration and determination. I couldn’t let it end like this. Not after everything.

The next morning, I found myself standing outside the casino well before dawn. The city was just beginning to wake, the first light of day casting long shadows on the empty streets. I believed she would be here in the morning. I waited, my anxiety palpable as I scanned the horizon for any sign of her.

When she finally appeared, walking with a deliberate pace, my heart skipped a beat. She was alone, her head down as she made her way toward the entrance. I didn’t hesitate. I strode forward and, before she could slip inside, I reached out and grabbed her arm.

“Monica,” I said, using the name I had heard people call her, “we need to talk.”

She looked up at me, her eyes weary but resigned. “What do you want?” she asked, her tone flat.

I pulled her away from the entrance, into a quiet alleyway where we wouldn’t be overheard. “I know who you are,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “You’re Aanya, aren’t you? I need to understand—why are you here? What happened to you?”

Her eyes were a mix of defiance and sorrow. “I told you last night, you have the wrong person,” she said, her voice trembling slightly despite her attempt at firmness.

I shook my head, desperation creeping into my voice. “No, Aanya. I know it’s you. Why are you doing this? Why are you here, in this place, living this life?”

For a long moment, she remained silent, her gaze fixed on the ground. I could see the weight of her decisions and the pain they carried. Finally, she looked up, her eyes meeting mine with a mixture of resignation and defeat.

“Alright,” she said quietly, her voice barely audible. “Yes, I’m Aanya.”

The truth hung heavy in the air between us. The shock of the revelation was almost too much to bear. As I stood there, struggling to comprehend the gravity of her situation, I couldn’t help but feel a deep, gnawing ache for the girl who had once been a bright light in my life. Now, she was lost in a world I could barely understand.