Enigmatic Darkness

Chapter 1 - Her Shadow

The first step in the vicinity of Dehradun whispered a promise of something new and mind-blowing stored for her. Her heart fluttered with excitement as fresh air of dawn hugged her frame in a warm welcome.

The forest spread on both sides of road, shadows hanging right over the peak of trees and leaves humming a an alluring song with the chores of wind.

Smile brightened her softened features and she stood between the empty road with a suitcase held in her hand. Pulling back her long hair from disturbing her vision, she searched for some help. Only a small vendor was settled at a little distance from her while silence reigned the whole place with pride.

A kid was making the tea while an old man was checking the flute.

"Excuse me," Piya called the kid, he turned to her with attention. "Do you know where Mount college is?"

Mount college was a great opportunity for her. A scholarship to pursue her dreams and be independent.

"Mount college? But it is in city. You're  too far from the place and it will take you hour to reach on foot." The kid told with concern.

Her eyes widened in shock, brown darkening with worry. She had to reach within twenty minutes, she couldn't even imagine the trouble otherwise. There wasn't any transport for help in that area.

If only she knew more about Dehradun.

"Isn't there any shortcut?" Piya asked, her grip tightening on suitcase. "Any way to reach city faster?"

A solemn expression came on kid's face as his eyes directed to forest on their own. He turned to the old man who was watching them now. A nod from the old man and the kid came out of the vendor to stood beside her.

Worry didn't let her ponder about the interaction but something surely shifted in air.

"Can you see that place?" The kid pointed to the worn down path leading in the forest. "If you keep on walking straight from there, you'll reach Mount college within fifteen minutes maximum. But its quite dangerous."

Relief washed over her, her eyes stopped at the path that would lead to her destination. The trees by the side hung dangerously low and swayed softly, as if calling her already.

Her feet walked with their own mind and Piya entered the forest without paying heed to the warning or the kid. Her destination felt to be lying just there.

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Deep in the forest Abhay felt her. His eyes gazed the path she was going to cross. With that face, she shouldn't have come here. Neither in this city nor in this forest. The mysteries of this place were deeper than its forests and she shouldn't have chose this path.

This was not the place he expected to meet someone like her. Someone with the face, he knew so well. But what bothered him most was their fate that just got linked by her preference to forest over road.

Everything was going to change. Not just for this new girl with face that had history, but for him too.

There was only one way to understand what she would bring in his life; to keep an eye on her.

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"Such a beauty," Piya whispered, watching the trees sway. "How can be it dangerous?"

She was a girl who see the inner beauty of everything. Her innocence was the reason that everything turned beautiful in her eyes.

But innocence in the forest harbouring secrets could be threatening.