Ek ajeeb si betaabi hai tere bin, reh bhi lete hain aur raha bhi nahi jata.
Avni pulled her car up to the office, glancing around at the dark, empty surroundings. The usual buzz of the place was missing, no watchman at the entrance, no security guards, nothing. Her grip tightened on the steering wheel, unease settling in her stomach. Driti, sitting quietly in the backseat, looked up at her with wide eyes.
She got out of the car, opened the door for Driti, and held her small hand as they walked up the stairs to Rudra's office. As they reached the door, Avni noticed something strange, the entire building was completely dark. Even the security lights were off. A chill ran down her spine.
Driti gripped Avni's shoulder tightly.
Avni crouched down to Driti's level and smiled gently. "Don't worry, darling. I'll turn on the lights. Everything's okay."
She turned on the flashlight on her phone, holding it in front of them as they walked down the dim hallways. The beam of light flickered over closed doors and empty chairs, the silence growing heavier with each step. They reached Rudra's office door, the name plate gleaming in the faint light on his door: Rudra Raishinghani - Minister.
Taking a deep breath, Avni pushed the door open. The room was empty.
Her heart pounded in her chest as she switch on the lights. The office lit up with a soft glow, but Rudra was nowhere to be found. She glanced around, everything seemed in place.
"Pappa?" Driti's said, her eyes scanning the room for any sign of her father.
"Pappa will be here soon, Driti."
With a sense of hope, she called out, "Rudra! Rudra!" But there was no response. Confused, she pushed herself up into a sitting position, glancing around the room. She took a deep breath, her heart pounding slightly.
"Rudra! Rudra!" she yelled again, her voice echoing in the stillness. Still, no answer came.
Feeling a rising sense of urgency, she got up from the chair and walked a little further into the room, calling his name once more. "Rudra!"
When there was still no response, she tried a different approach. "Rohan!" she shouted, hoping to catch his attention. But even that name was met with silence.
"Where is he?" Avni muttered under her breath, pacing the room. She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to calm her nerves.
Driti tugged on her sleeve. "Pappa?"
Avni knelt down in front of her, trying her best to keep her voice steady. "I'm not sure, sweetheart. But he'll come back soon, I promise. Maybe he's just running late or handling something important."
Driti's big eyes filled with tears, and she hugged her rabbit toy tighter. "Pappa."
Avni pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back gently. "I know, Driti. I know. He'll be here soon. Let's just wait a little while, okay? I'll figure out where he is."
Something didn't feel right. Where could he be? Why was the entire office deserted?
Suddenly, a soft creak echoed from down the hall, making both Avni and Driti freeze. Avni turned towards the door, her phone light trembling in her hand.
"Who's there?" she called out. She stepped closer to Driti, shielding her protectively.
There was no response. Just silence.
Avni was startled when she heard the sound of laughter echoing through the hallway. Her heart sank, but she quickly realized who it belonged to. Without wasting any time, she hugged Driti tightly, almost as if she could protect her. Avni whispered softly into Driti's ear, "We're going to your papa's office, okay? Let's go quickly." Driti nodded, still clutching her mother's hand.
