Marked By Darkness

Chapter 54- The Search for Answers

Anshi's POV...

The hospital hallway felt unnaturally cold, the stark fluorescent lights casting long, eerie shadows. Every step I took echoed loudly in the stillness, my mind swirling with questions I wasn’t sure I wanted answered. Ruhan’s words lingered, unsettling and cryptic: He knows about Hina.

How could that be? Hina was a part of Ruhi's past that only her family and a select few knew about. Ruhan, an outsider—no, a stranger—seemed to know more than he should. The realization gnawed at me. Who was he, really? And what was he hiding?

I glanced at him from across the room. He sat slouched in a chair, his hands pressed tightly against his forehead, his eyes fixed on the floor. The tension radiating off him was palpable, like a storm ready to break.

Frustrated, I tried calling Ruhi’s mother again. For the third time, there was no answer. A sharp wave of irritation and dread washed over me.

"She’s still not picking up," I muttered, lowering my phone.

Ruhan didn’t react, lost in his thoughts. It was maddening.

I walked closer, folding my arms. "Ruhan, what exactly do you know about Hina? About what’s happening to Ruhi?"

He finally looked up, his face taut with exhaustion and something deeper—a shadow of guilt.

"I can’t tell you everything," he said flatly, his voice devoid of emotion. "Not yet. Right now, the most important thing is getting Ruhi to wake up."

His words cut through the air, deliberate and final. But they weren’t enough for me.

"Fine," I replied tersely, narrowing my eyes. "But this isn’t over. I’m not going to let this slide, Ruhan. Something strange is happening, and I feel like you’re keeping me in the dark."

His gaze flicked to Ruhi’s room, where the soft hum of machines was the only indication of her fragile state. He said nothing, and that silence was louder than words.

---

I left him there, needing space to think, to breathe. Esha was awake now, and I headed toward her room, hoping she could shed some light on the accident.

Esha was sitting up in bed, her skin pale and her expression dazed. She looked at me as I entered, managing a faint smile.

"Anshi... I’m fine. You don’t need to worry," she said weakly, though her trembling hands betrayed her words.

I hesitated by the door, something in her tone making me pause.

"Esha," I said gently, "was there... anything strange before the accident?"

She flinched, her eyes darting to her lap. For a long moment, she didn’t respond, her breathing shallow. Then she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Maybe. Something weird did happen," she admitted.

My pulse quickened. "Weird how?"

Esha looked up at me, her eyes glistening with fear.

"I was at home, cooking," she began hesitantly. "It was quiet, and then... I heard something. A noise from upstairs. But Anshi, I live alone. My parents are out of town you know."

I froze, feeling a chill crawl up my spine.

"I went to check," she continued, "but no one was there. Then I felt it—a presence. Heavy, suffocating. And I heard my name being called... from behind me."

Her voice cracked, her hands gripping the bedsheet tightly.

"I don’t remember anything after that."

The room felt stifling, her words sending a wave of unease through me.

"Esha," I asked carefully, "was it a man’s voice? Or a woman’s?"

Her face twisted in confusion.

"I... I don’t know. It wasn’t human, Anshi. It was... wrong."

---

I left Esha’s room shaken, my thoughts racing as I made my way back to the waiting area. Ruhan was still there, unmoving. As I sat beside him, the doctor emerged from Ruhi’s room, his expression grim.

"There’s no change," he said simply, the weight of those words crushing the little hope I had left.

Ruhan sagged in his chair, his shoulders slumping with defeat.

"We can still save her," I said, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me.

Ruhan turned to me, his eyes searching mine. "How?"

I leaned closer, my resolve hardening.

"You know things about Hina," I said firmly. "And I know Ruhi’s past. Between the two of us, we can figure out how to stop this."

For a moment, he said nothing, the conflict in his eyes plain. Then he nodded, a faint glimmer of hope breaking through his despair.

"But I need to know everything," I pressed. "No more secrets, Ruhan. If we’re going to save Ruhi, I need the truth. And I’ll tell you what I know about her past."

He hesitated, but finally agreed.

---

I stepped away to call Neil, my hands trembling as I dialed. The line connected after a few rings, his familiar voice bringing a brief sense of comfort.

"Anshi?" he answered, his tone immediately concerned.

"Neil," I began, struggling to keep my voice steady. "Ruhi and Esha are in the hospital. There was an accident."

"What? Are you okay?" His voice was tight with worry.

"I’m fine, but Ruhi hasn’t woken up yet. She’s... she’s in critical condition."

"I’ll be there right away," he said without hesitation. "I’ll bring Arav too."

---

Two hours later, Neil and Arav arrived, their faces pale with concern. Neil immediately rushed to me, his hands gripping my shoulders as he looked me over.

"Are you sure you’re okay?" he asked, his eyes scanning my face.

I nodded quickly. "I’m fine. But Ruhi... she’s still unconscious."

Neil’s jaw tightened, his worry shifting to resolve.

"What’s going on, Anshi? You’re not telling me everything."

I glanced at Ruhan, who stood silently nearby, his expression unreadable.

"There’s something I need to do with Ruhan," I said carefully. "It’s for Ruhi. And we don’t have much time."

Neil’s gaze shifted to Ruhan, suspicion flashing in his eyes. But he trusted me.

"Just... be careful, okay?" he said, his voice low.

"I will. Thank you, Neil. I'll explain everything when I get back." I promised.

With one last glance at Neil, I turned to Ruhan and whispered, "Let’s go. We need to find the answers. Now."

---

As we left the hospital, I could feel the weight of what was ahead of us. We were diving into something far more sinister than we realized. And if we didn't act fast, Ruhi might never wake up.