Midnight Mist

The Silent Secret

As Sachin opens the message, his eyes scan it quickly, his breath catching as the words sink in:

"I know what really happened, Sachin Sharma."

As soon as he reads the message, his eyes widen in shock; however, he pretends not to react and ignores the message for the time being. He decides to go to work, but his brain keeps processing the same thing. He isn’t able to concentrate on his tasks. He somehow completes the day at his office and returns home.

His breath catches. The calm of the night around him feels suddenly menacing, shadows seeming to stretch longer and darker. He reads the message again, his mind racing. Who would send something like this?

As Sachin settles down at the dinner table with his mother and brother, he tries to mask his tension, but Shilpa notices immediately. Her motherly intuition kicks in, and she gently places a hand on his arm.

“Sachin,” she says softly, “you seem really stressed. I know today was intense, but there’s nothing to worry about. We’ve told the truth, and that’s all that matters.”

Sachin forces a smile, nodding slightly, but Sunny catches the flicker of worry in his brother’s eyes.

“Hey, Sachin,” Sunny chimes in with a grin, trying to lighten the mood, “you look more scared than when we’re caught sneaking out. Did someone send you a message or something… you know, threatening you?”

Sachin’s eyes widen ever so slightly before he quickly looks down at his plate, trying to regain his composure. He shrugs, attempting a laugh. “Nah, Sunny, it’s just… nerves. Long day, I guess.”

But his mother isn’t convinced. She narrows her eyes, noticing the subtle shake in his hands. “Sachin, if something’s wrong, you can tell us. We’re here for you.”

Sachin hesitates, the words almost on the tip of his tongue, when his phone vibrates on the table, making everyone jump slightly. Slowly, he picks it up, glancing down at the screen.

A new message from that unknown number flashes before his eyes:

“Dinner with the family? Cherish these moments, Sachin. They may not last as long as you think.”

He stares, frozen, and the color drains from his face.

As Sachin sits there, visibly tense, Sunny gives him a knowing look and raises an eyebrow. “You look even more stressed now, Sachin. Was it something in that message you just got?”

Sachin quickly shakes his head, trying to brush it off. “Nothing like that,” he replies, but his tone is unconvincing.

Sunny suddenly bursts out laughing. “Alright, fine! I admit it. I’m the one sending those messages!” He grins, clearly amused by his prank.

Sachin’s eyes widen as he processes Sunny’s confession. “Wait… what? You’ve been sending those messages?”

Sunny nods, unable to hold back his laughter. “I thought it’d be funny to mess with you a little after all the police station drama. Guess it worked better than I expected!”

Sachin lets out a sigh of relief, half-annoyed, half-amused. “You little… You had me thinking it was something serious!”

Shilpa, who had been watching the exchange, shakes her head with a slight smile. “Sunny, that was quite a scare for your brother. Maybe ease up on the pranks?”

Sunny shrugs, grinning. “Hey, just trying to keep things interesting!”

Sachin chuckles, finally able to relax. “Well, you definitely did that.” The tension broken, they all settle into dinner with lighter hearts, the scare turning into laughter as they enjoy the evening together.

The next morning, Sunny wakes up early, feeling the weight of the previous day’s events slowly lift as the sun begins to rise. He heads downstairs for breakfast, still half-dazed from the late-night movie marathon with Tushar. As he enters the kitchen, he hears his mother, Shilpa, speaking on the phone with his father.

“It’s all fine here, Ashutosh,” she says, her voice calm but with an undertone of concern. “Sachin is fine, Sunny is his usual self... Yes, no need to worry. I’ll keep you updated, but we’re managing here.”

Sunny takes a seat at the kitchen table, hearing his mother’s words. She sounds more at ease now, the tension from the previous night fading. He pours himself a cup of tea and starts on his breakfast, glancing at his phone to see if there are any new messages or updates, but the screen remains clear.

Just then, Sachin comes down the stairs, looking a little more relaxed than he did yesterday. He gives a nod to his mother, who’s still on the phone, and then sits down at the table next to Sunny.

“Morning,” Sachin says, stretching as he takes a seat.

“Morning,” Sunny responds, still chewing on a bite of toast. “How’s the great detective this morning?”

Sachin rolls his eyes but smiles. “I’m doing fine now that I know I wasn’t being haunted by some creepy stalker.”

Shilpa hangs up the phone and turns to them both, a soft smile on her face. “Everything’s alright. Your father is still tied up with work, but he’ll be home soon. It seems like things are settling down here.”

Sunny nods, taking another bite of his breakfast. “Good to know.”

As Shilpa places the plates of food in front of Sachin, she notices that Sachin is not wearing the silver ring he always wears on his right hand. The ring, a gift from their father on his last birthday, was something he never took off.

"Hey, Sachin," she says casually, "Where’s your ring?"

"Oh, it’s a bit small for my finger. I gave it to the jeweler to make it slightly bigger. Should be ready in a couple of days," Sachin answers.

Just as they’re about to dive into the rest of their meal, Shilpa’s phone buzzes. She picks it up quickly, her expression turning serious as she glances at the screen. Sunny and Sachin exchange a quick look, their curiosity piqued.

“Who is it?” Sunny asks, his voice casual, though the hint of concern lingers.

Shilpa doesn’t answer right away. She scrolls through the message, her face changing from calm to slightly puzzled. “It’s from the police,” she says finally, her voice tight. “They want us to come in again for some follow-up questions.”

Sachin's face pales, and Sunny feels a knot form in his stomach. “Why? Didn’t we just go there yesterday?”

Shilpa shakes her head. “He said they have got evidence...."

The mood in the room shifts, the easy conversation turning tense once again. The morning’s calm is broken, and neither Sunny nor Sachin can shake the feeling that something isn’t quite right.