Shadows Of The Stumps

Chapter - 34

DAY 5 - THE IND VS NZ TEST

Early Morning, Anushka's House

The night had been endless. Arya, Arjun, and Ayan arrived late, slipping in while the children slept soundly. But sleep had evaded the others-Anushka, Ritika, and Athiya lay awake, weighed down by dread. Fear had settled into every corner of the house, thick and suffocating.

Now, as dawn crept in, a subtle shift rippled through the neighborhood-a quiet but ominous buzz, as if the world knew something dark was stirring.

Arjun stood by the entrance, tense. His hand rested on the gun tucked into his waistband. "We've waited long enough," Ayan said sharply, breaking the silence. "We need to act. Today, no matter what, the boys need to know. No more hiding it-Meera's missing."

Ritika clenched her jaw. Anushka folded her arms but didn't argue. Athiya, pale and exhausted, exhaled a shaky breath. "Yes. Today. They need to know."

Ayan glanced at the others and nodded grimly. "We'll search the area where her signal was last picked up. It's risky, but we don't have a choice."

Arya grabbed her jacket. "I'm coming with you. We'll cover more ground."

"I'll stay," Arjun said, adjusting his pistol. "Someone needs to be here in case Raza tries to contact us-or worse."

---

Locker Room, After the Match

Rahul sat alone in the locker room, numb. His thoughts drifted back to his short innings, but the sting of his poor performance didn't matter. There was something else-an unease gnawing at him. It tightened his chest, making it hard to breathe.

His phone buzzed. Athiya's name flashed on the screen.

"Hello? Athiya?" Rahul answered, his voice sharp with anxiety.

"Rahul..." Her voice was low, urgent. "We need to talk. Get Virat bhai and Rohit bhai. This can't wait-it's about Meera."

Rahul's heart sank. "What do you mean? What's happened to Meera?"

"Please, just come outside. Now."

The call ended, leaving Rahul frozen. His hands shook as he lowered the phone. Something was terribly wrong.

Virat caught his expression and frowned. "Rahul, what's going on?"

"It's Athiya." Rahul's voice cracked. "She said it's about Meera. We need to go. Now."

Without wasting a moment, Rahul, Virat, and Rohit grabbed their bags and hurried out, the stadium noise fading into irrelevance as they pushed through the corridors.

---

Outside the Stadium

Athiya stood waiting by the parking lot, her face pale with exhaustion. Anushka, Ritika, and Arya were close behind her, their expressions tight with worry. There was no mistaking the weight of what they were about to say.

Rahul stopped dead in his tracks when he saw them. "Athiya..." His voice was hoarse. "What's going on? Where's Meera?"

Athiya exchanged a glance with Anushka, then took a deep breath. "Rahul... Meera is missing."

The words hit him like a punch to the gut. "What?" His voice faltered, disbelief and fear flashing across his face.

Rohit's brow furrowed. "What do you mean missing?" he demanded, stepping forward.

Athiya swallowed hard. "She's been kidnapped."

The air felt thick, suffocating. Rahul's knees buckled, and Virat had to steady him. "Kidnapped... how?" he whispered. "By who?"

Athiya's voice trembled, but she forced herself to answer. "By Vikram. Your uncle. He goes by Raza now."

Rahul staggered back, stunned. "Vikram?" His mind reeled. "What does he have to do with Meera?"

Anushka's gaze softened, but there was no sugar-coating the truth. "Meera ran away from him. He... he tried to hurt her. Abuse her."

Rahul felt like the ground had disappeared beneath him. His fists clenched, his whole body shaking with rage and helplessness.

"And there's more," Ritika added quietly. "Your parents... they've been in contact with him. We think they might know something."

"No..." Rahul shook his head violently, as if denying the words could make them untrue. "That's not possible. My parents-"

"We don't know how much they know," Anushka said gently, "but we can't rule out their involvement."

Before Rahul could respond, Arjun strode over, phone pressed to his ear. "Ayan's on the line. Rahul-do you know of any place your uncle might've taken her? Somewhere out of sight?"

Rahul's mind raced, memories flashing before him. Then it hit him. "The old house," he whispered. "We used to live there before we moved to the city. It's abandoned now."

Arjun's expression sharpened. "That could be it. Ayan, you got that? The old house."

He hung up, turning to the group. "Listen carefully. You all need to head back to the hotel. Stay inside, stay together. Raza is dangerous, and we can't risk him coming after anyone else."

Anushka's jaw tightened. Ritika folded her arms, her gaze fierce. Athiya shook her head stubbornly.

"We're not staying behind," Rohit said, his voice firm. "Meera's family. We're all in this together."

"Yeah," Virat added, his expression dark. "If you think we'll sit back and do nothing, you're wrong."

Arjun rubbed a hand over his face, frustrated. "This isn't about bravery. It's about staying alive. Raza isn't playing around-and he's working with Amir now. I need to know you're all safe."

Rahul grabbed his jacket, his expression hard. "I'm coming with you."

"Rahul-" Arjun began.

"I said I'm coming," Rahul cut him off, his voice steely. "This is my sister. I'm not staying behind."

Arjun exhaled, knowing there was no arguing with him. "Fine. But you stick with me. No heroics."

"I'm coming too," Rohit said, stepping forward.

"And me," Virat added without hesitation.

"No," Arjun said firmly. "Rahul and I will move faster on our own. The rest of you stay with the wives at the hotel. We can't expose everyone."

Ritika placed a hand on Rohit's arm, her gaze firm yet pleading. "He's right. We need to be smart about this."

Anushka gave Virat's hand a gentle squeeze. Her silent plea was clear: just this once, stay behind.

Reluctantly, Rohit stepped back. "You better bring her back, Rahul," he muttered.

Rahul gave him a tight nod, determination blazing in his eyes.

Arjun grabbed his keys, his voice sharp. "Let's go."

As Rahul followed him to the car, Athiya called after him, her voice breaking. "Please... come back safe."

Rahul paused, turning slightly, and gave her a small nod before disappearing into the night.