The Wanted Genius (Vanasagheray Trilogy Part I)

Chapter Five: I need help. Your help

Vanasagheray was twelve years old, a curious and bright boy whose mind always seemed to wander into places far beyond what others could grasp. Meera, his mother, climbed the stairs of their home, feeling a mix of pride and concern. She knew her son was special—too special sometimes. He spent hours in his room, absorbed in books, sketches, and ideas that she couldn't understand. Tonight, though, she felt the need to check on him, to make sure everything was alright.

As Meera reached the top of the stairs and approached Vanasagheray's room, she noticed the door was slightly ajar. Inside, Vanasagheray was standing in the middle of the room, his eyes wide with excitement. His hand moved in the air, as if he were tracing something invisible. There was an unusual focus in his gaze, as though he were watching something intensely.

Meera stepped into the room, puzzled by his strange movements. "Ray?" she called softly.

Before she could ask what he was doing, Vanasagheray turned to her with a bright, almost ecstatic look on his face. "Mom! Can you see this?" he exclaimed, his voice filled with wonder. "The radio signal waves are moving so fast! Wow! I can see the waves vibrating through the room. It's incredible! I think it's from our television signal."

Meera froze, her heart pounding. He was seeing what? Radio waves? Television signals? How could that be possible? She stared at him, unable to speak for a moment. Vanasagheray continued to move his hand, tracing something in the air that only he could see, completely immersed in whatever invisible phenomena were surrounding him.

Her chest tightened with fear. Something wasn't right. The doctors had told her long ago that Vanasagheray's brain was different, but this... this was beyond anything she could comprehend. Tears welled up in her eyes as she watched her son marvel at something she couldn't even begin to understand.

Without saying a word, Meera turned and hurried down the stairs, her heart heavy with dread. She couldn't bear it—seeing him like that, so detached from what was normal, so far beyond what any child should experience. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, tears streamed down her face, and she sobbed quietly, terrified of what the future held for her brilliant, but increasingly unearthly, son.

Later that evening, Meera sat on the couch, her face buried in Arun's chest, her body trembling as sobs wracked through her. She had been trying to hold it together, but the fear, the uncertainty of what was happening with Vanasagheray, overwhelmed her. "I-I don't know what to do, Arun," she choked out between sobs. "He's not like other children... I can't understand what's happening to him. It scares me."

Arun gently stroked her hair, his voice calm though his own mind raced. "Meera, listen to me," he said softly. "He's our son. He's special, yes, but that doesn't mean we should be afraid of him. He's still the same boy we love, no matter what extraordinary things he can do. We just have to give him time, help him understand it all, and not panic."

Meera sobbed harder, her tears wetting his shirt as she clung to him. "But Arun... he sees things, things no one should be able to see. He's just a child."

"I know," Arun murmured, trying to soothe her. "I know it's hard, but we'll get through this together. We've always known Ray was different. We just need to make sure he knows we're here for him. We can't let him feel isolated."

Suddenly, a soft voice cut through the air, startling them both. "Why are you crying, momma?"

They looked up, and there was Vanasagheray standing in the kitchen doorway, his dark eyes filled with concern. Meera quickly wiped her cheeks and forced a smile, trying to appear as if nothing was wrong. "Oh, it's nothing, Ray. I'm fine."

But Vanasagheray wasn't convinced. His gaze moved from his mother to his father, sensing something unspoken between them.

Arun rose to his feet and walked over to him, placing a hand on Vanasagheray's shoulder. "Come with me, Ray," he said gently, guiding him to another room where they could talk privately. They sat on the sofa, and Arun took a deep breath before speaking. "Ray, I know things must be confusing for you right now. You're seeing... unusual things around you, things that others can't see or hear. Like—"