The Rathore's Family

Jaan Jaaye Chai na jaaye

A young girl stood trembling in the center of a raging fire, sweat dripping from her forehead. Every inch of her body screamed in terror, her mind echoing a single sentence over and over, like poison pouring into her ears: "This was your place. You were meant to die that day. You took your parents’ lives. You ruined your brother’s life. You took your parents’ souls. You are the reason they are dead. You were meant to die." Tears streamed down her face, but the words kept pounding inside her head, relentless, merciless, like venom she had no escape from.

Drishti gasped, her heart pounding as if she had just been pulled from the flames. She sat up abruptly, eyes darting around the room, desperate to find the fire she had seen in her dream. Her hand throbbed, as if it had been burned, and her skin was damp with sweat despite the air conditioning. Her eyes burned from the heat she felt deep inside.

Her gaze landed on Advait, sleeping peacefully in bed , unaware of the storm raging in her heart. She carefully pulled the blanket off and slipped out of the sofa, her legs weak and unsteady as she made her way to the bathroom. Her whole body was shaking.

Standing in front of the mirror, she looked at herself, but what stared back was not the woman she had grown to be—it was the terrified face of the 13-year-old she once was, trapped in the fire. She had cried for help and then prayed for someone to rescue her. But in her prayers, she never wished for her parents to lose their lives in the process. They had become her saviors, but they had also become her greatest loss.

Turning on the faucet, she splashed cold water on her face, desperately trying to soothe the burning that had overtaken her body—the fire that wasn’t real but felt like it was consuming her from the inside.

"Why? Why?" Her voice trembled as it echoed in the empty bathroom. The cold water did nothing to extinguish the flames inside her. They only grew stronger, fueled by the memories that haunted her, pulling her back into that fateful day and making her relive it over and over.

She stumbled toward the shower, turning it on full force, letting the water cascade over her. She slid down to the floor, knees tucked to her chest, her body trembling as the weight of her past bore down on her. She pressed a hand to her face, trying to stifle the sobs that rose within her.

What if I lose someone again? Her thoughts raced uncontrollably. Every time someone has loved me, something terrible has happened to them. What if it happens again?

Her breath came in short, heavy bursts as her eyes, red and raw, filled with more tears. The fire she felt inside wasn’t just from the nightmare—it was the fire that had taken everything from her. Her parents, her peace, her sense of self. Even now, despite everything, despite knowing Advait didn’t hate her, she feared losing him. He was someone who cared for her, someone who might prioritize her, but that only deepened her terror. She couldn't bear the thought of losing him too.

Bhai was right... Her thoughts spiraled out of control, slipping deeper into the abyss. I ruin everyone’s life. He did the right thing by leaving me. If he had stayed, I would have destroyed his life too.

The water pounded against her skin, but she was too lost in her pain to feel it. Her body was drenched, but it felt like nothing could wash away the guilt, the shame, or the unbearable weight of the past.

She had been sitting under the shower for half an hour, trying to lose herself in the sensation, trying to escape the fire that lived within her. But no matter how much time passed, no matter how much water cascaded over her, the fire remained. She wanted to drown it, forget it, and erase it, but she couldn’t escape it. That nightmare, that terrible reality, was forever burned into her soul.

As the steady sound of the shower drummed in the background, Advait’s sleep was disturbed. He slowly opened his eyes, his body still heavy with sleep. Although the lights were off, he noticed the sofa was empty. His mind, still foggy, registered the oddness of it as he sat up on the bed and turned on the room lights. His eyes glanced at the clock.