Shadows Of The Stumps

Chapter 1 - The Lost Sister.

"We need to call him. I don't think she is going to survive this the other way around," Arya said, her voice low but firm. The quiet hum of machines filled the silence between them. Arjun, her teammate, leaned against the cold wall, his eyes glued to the ICU door as if willing it to open, willing Meera to walk out—whole. Arya's words seemed to pull him out of his thoughts, though his gaze remained distant.

"Are you sure?" Arjun asked quietly, hesitant. "It's been a decade since she last contacted them. What if it ends up being another heartbreak? She disappeared, Arya. To them, she's a ghost."

Arya crossed her arms, her voice softening, but no less determined. "Even if it is another heartbreak, it's better than not having anything at all. She needs them, Arjun. She needs him. We can't keep pretending she doesn't have a family. Especially now."

The door to the ICU remained sealed, cold and sterile, the only barrier between life and the uncertainty that awaited on the other side. Arjun shifted uncomfortably, running a hand through his hair. He knew Arya was right. They had fought alongside Meera, witnessed her strength, her sacrifices—but tonight, she was fragile. The machines could only do so much.

"And what if they don't want her back?" Arjun's voice was barely audible, but his fear was palpable. "What if her brother... Rahul... what if he can't forgive her?"

Arya glanced at him, her eyes softening. "What if he can? We owe it to her to try. And to him."

Arjun hesitated a moment longer before nodding. With a deep breath, Arya reached for her phone. Her fingers hovered over the screen, and then, with a heavy heart, she dialed the number they'd kept hidden for years.

The call connected.