THE STORY OF LIFE | A 21ST CENTURY RAMAYANA

A STAR MORE IN THE SKY

The name seemed to strike Siya hard. Again..Why? Why had his name appeared again in her peaceful household? Each and everyone in her family had pushed Raghavan Dharmesh's name out of their minds just for Siya's sake, but here she could sense the name coming into everyones fearing minds again.

"What will Dharvesh have to do with all of this?" asked Siya.

"He can have a lot to do, Siya," replied Ram,"He was silent for long, and he has attacked us now. I very knew well he won't keep quiet, but I never told you that. It was to happen Siya, but one thing I must say, I never Indraneil was involved in all this!"

"Exactly," added Urmila. "I still think its weird to see Indraneil as being involved in a crime. Isn't it weird, I mean, what happened here and at Manali, you think Indraneil would have done something?"

There was a moment of silence in the room. Everyone thought about what to say, how they had been dejected. Hurt most by this entire incident was Lakshman, who thought it was because of him that all of them had fallen into Dharvesh's trap again.

Somebody knocked on the door. As Ram went to open it, Siya looked outside. It was dark, and night had befallen. She looked at the clock; it was around 8:30 pm. Who could have come so late?

She heard the voice of Ram followed by another man as they entered. As they neared, Siya sighed in relief. She knew who the other man was.

"Jaydev Kaka, come in this room. We are here!" She said loudly from Lakshman and Urmila's room.

Jaydev entered with Ram and handed over some soup he had brought for them to Siya. He looked over at Lakshman and smiled.

"Young man, so when will you be joining me for the morning walk?"

Lakshman smiled. "In a week's time Kaka, I promise Ill be back on my feet again."

"You dont have a marathon after a week, Lakshman," said Ram in a father-like tone,"You will be on bedrest atleast for 2 weeks. And you will not go outside before that."

All of them had a little laugh at Lakshmans sad face that followed. Jaydev looked around and sensing something asked,

"Hasn't Indraneil come back?"

"Why, no. He hasn't. And, we've come to know something.." 

"What?" Jaydev looked at him with squinted eyes, sensing something was not right in the environment.

"We have come to know who's involved, rather might be involved in all this."

"Who?"

"Raghavan Dharvesh, that goon you told us about."

Jaydev took a deep breath instantly and put his face in his hands. The others looked at him confused, knowing there was more oil to be added in the fire.

"What happened jaydev kaka?" asked Siya, the packet in her hand already shaking.

"Do you have today's paper?" Jaydev asked looking back at her.

"Newspaper?"

"Ofcourse dear.. Please get it fast."

Siya remembered taking the newspaper from the doorstep in the morning, for that is when she sensed Lakshman's absence.

She hurried to the living room and brought the paper, handing it to Jaydev.

Jaydev shuffled through the pages and came to a stop on the 3rd last page. He placed the paper on a table and pointed at an article on the top left hand corner; small but significant.