Ansh walked carefully through the debris left behind in the wake of the massacre. Like in any riot anywhere it's always the poor who suffer the most. Where street-side vendors stood forty-eight hours ago, were now charred remains of their thellas and no one knew whether the people who manned these thellas were dead or alive. Strewn across the ground were several shards of glass, a packet of salt, a half-full bottle of ketchup, and a broken-down shed, which was someone's means of livelihood a few days ago.
Nobody was on the street but that didn't deter Ansh from walking, he had to find Zareen and he had to do it fast. This area was a red zone. Anytime a Neanderthal of one of the religious groups could come and make him question his existence. Or better yet, kill him.
Suddenly he heard crunching of leaves from behind him. Even though his mind was saying him to check whether his life was in danger or not, he didn't turn. He only wanted to mind his own business and that's what he was going to do.
"Hey!" an unknown male voice called out.
Ansh kept his pace all the time chanting la la la la in his head.
"Hey, you! The guy with the blue shirt!" again the unknown voice called out as it followed him.
However, Ansh didn't stop and so didn't the stranger.
"Stop or I'll shoot you!" The voice sounded furious now.
He is bluffing. If he wanted to shoot me, he would have done that already. Ansh reasoned in his head.
"I am serious." This time a gunshot went off behind him. Ansh stopped walking and turned, his eyes narrowing in the process as they landed on a guy about his age, say twenty five-ish, wearing a green dirty t-shirt, walking towards him. His hands formed into a fist as they landed on the guy's leisurely pace.
"What do you want from me?" Ansh asked simply, his eyes dead serious.
"Man, chill. I just saw you and thought that you might appreciate some company," he said and shrugged.
What the hell?! Is this guy for real?
"I would rather not have any company right now."
The guy raised an eyebrow.
"Are you trying to get us caught? You fired a loud gun!"
"I told you to stop." The guy shrugged again, which was getting into Ansh's nerves.
"Are you serious right now? You thought it was okay to compromise our location just so you could have some company?!" Ansh almost yelled in frustration, but held in his inner turmoil from this stranger.
"Nice to meet you too, bro. I am Parth by the way. And I came 'cause I thought you could use some company. I mean, if those guys attack you, what have you got against them huh?"
Ansh's dark eyes became darker with anger brewing in them but Parth held them as they entered a staring contest. Finally, Ansh broke the contact realizing it neither was the time nor the place. His main priority was to find Zareen and get over with this.
Nonchalantly, Ansh started walking again.
"And you are--" Parth kept Ansh's pace. "Oh let me guess. Mahesh?"
His comment was followed by silence.
"Oh, so I have to keep guessing. How 'bout Suresh?"
Ansh turned to face his companion. "Look Parth, I seriously don't need this right now. And I don't care what your deal is. All I know is that this thing is serious. We can get killed if you don't stop talking nonsense or if somebody finds us. Plus, I have to find my fiancée, who I don't know is in what state. I need you to keep quiet and if you can't, just get lost." Ansh took a deep breathe in. "And you can call me Ansh," he added as an afterthought.
