A Sew Through Time [Bandbudh And Budbak]

6: The Dilemma in general

The vehicle serenaded the crowds with the buzz of excitement in the air. Flower petals flew over Vijaywada as he closed his palms and smiled at the people hailing him. Torn pieces of marigold and loose flyers covered the car windshield; posters and cardboard cutouts.

In the midst of all praises shot past a man. Dressed in full blue grey uniform, he climbied up the vehicle and whispered something into his ear, holding a phone in hand.

The camera zoomed in.

Vijaywada's smile turned into a sly smirk.

Ganesh stared at the T.V. His fingers curled around the remote tight.

Something fell on the floor, Turning around, he noticed Gyan on the sofa, the diary in his grip and he sank in thought.

The phone rang for the third time, it belonged to one of the goons they have captured. Mukesh took it, his other hand typing the mysterious number in his phone's Truecaller.

The ringing stopped and vanished from the screen.

Gyan looked at him.

He flipped his phone towards him, showing the red box saying, 'spam alert'.

"Spam?" chuckled Ramesh while he sat beside Gyan, "I've never seen a clingier tele guy till now"

"This number doesn't look real to me" said Mukesh, flipping his phone jerkily, "It could be spoof"

Sneaking from the broken door, Sabina caught a glimpse of a few neighbours near the staircase. They were busy complaining about the incident to a civic policeman, who had entered inside when he heard the woman scream.

His eyes darted at her.

She returned inside, feeling uneasy.

Fumes evaporated into the still ceiling. Tapping the cigarette inside the empty, now cracked coffee mug, Ramesh kept the gun on the leftover piece of the table.

"You must return that to the police when they come" Gyan grew tensed.

"That would be a waste" he picked it up again, analyzing it like a historical artifact.

"Waste?" He adjusted his glasses and turned to him, "You left your fingerprints on it, the police can get suspicious if-"

"Police?" He chuckled and put it down, "They won't come before their biryani and post lunch nap anyway"

"How did you three find out we were attacked?" asked Sabina as she looked at them, "You hardly come around"

"In the era of 5G" Ramesh patted Gyan's back, "He's still stuck on SMS"

I was busy" he raised his head, "In the bank..."

"Since he didn't pick up my calls, we decided to crash in" Mukesh said while sitting on the sofa armrest.

"And when we arrived, we saw the broken main door" continued Ganesh, "And these two assholes groping a woman" he sent a sharp stare towards the goons, making the shorter one flinch, "Haramzade"

"You guys were online in the group last night" Sabina cleaned her lenses, "After Badrinath shared that video"

"We tried to reach him" Ganesh sat on the floor, legs sticking towards the cabinets. "But his phone's out of reach, he didn't pick up. What happened to that guy?"

"Oh I dont know. Maybe Gyan could answer?"

"I can't say it. I have to stay indoors all the time and lock everything up" he put his hand on his mouth, muffling his terrified voice, "Risk factor for you all"