Ek Villian

Chapter 14 (The Light We Built)

Manish, terrified, had hidden under the bed with tears streaming down his eyes. When he heard the sound of the door opening, he became even more scared. He tried to hide further when suddenly a hand appeared under the bed — as if calling him out of the darkness.

Manish was afraid, but when he saw the face of the man behind the hand, he felt a sense of relief. It was Guru. Without hesitation, Manish grabbed Guru's hand and came out from under the bed. Guru lifted him into his arms and carried him away from that place.

Within a few weeks, Guru's wounds had healed, and he had returned to his job. Every morning, he woke up and got Manish ready for school, prepared breakfast, dropped him off, and then left for work. By evening, without delay, he would go to the hospital and sit beside Ayush late into the night.

Time kept moving, and three years passed. Guru had come out of the darkness, though the light in his life was still dim. Yet he never lost hope. By now, Manish had become like family to him. And finally, the day came when Ayush woke up from his coma.

As soon as Guru heard the news, he didn't waste a second. He picked Manish up from school and rushed straight to the hospital. When he reached Ayush's room, he heard a familiar laugh — the same one he had heard five years ago. That laugh pulled him back into the light.

Friends had gathered around Ayush's bed. Guru gently moved them aside to see Ayush — sitting upright, smiling. Guru's eyes welled up with tears. When Ayush saw Guru, he rushed toward him, still weak and sweating, and broke down in tears. Guru hugged him tightly, holding his love as if afraid to let go again.

Soft light filters through the window blinds. Manish is asleep on the couch. Guru and Ayush sit beside each other — both silent for a long moment, broken only by the faint beeping of hospital machines.]

Ayush (softly):
"I missed your voice... I used to imagine it, even when I was lost somewhere between sleep and silence."

Guru (his voice trembling):
"And I missed you, Ayush. Every day. I'd talk to you like you were listening... maybe just to keep myself from falling apart."

Ayush (smiling faintly):
"I was listening... I think. Sometimes I'd hear echoes. Like dreams made of whispers."

Guru:
"I whispered everything. The good days, the terrible ones. I told you when Manish had a fever... when I got a job again... when I nearly gave up. You were my only listener."

Ayush (eyes glassy):
"You didn't give up... That's what matters."

Guru (quietly, looking away):
"I did... for a moment. The night you fell into the coma... I screamed your name so loud I lost my voice. I thought — maybe if I screamed loud enough, you'd come back."

Ayush:
"I wanted to. God knows I wanted to. But I was stuck, Guru... like drowning in air. I couldn't reach you."

Guru:
"And I couldn't reach me either. Not after what happened. I walked around breathing but I wasn't alive. You were my compass... and suddenly, I was lost."

Ayush (gently):
"We both were. But Guru... you found light again. You found Manish."

Guru (smiling through tears):
"Manish found me. He looked at me like I was still someone worth trusting. And somehow... that saved me."

Ayush (emotion tightening):
"You always were someone worth trusting. Even when you were broken."

Guru:
"But I let Rakesh into our lives. I should've seen it, Ayush. The signs. The darkness. I failed you."