A Web of Lies

Chapter 1

Blood covered his hands. He ran, seeing flashes of everything, sprinting as if his life depended on it. Exhaustion overwhelmed him, but he pushed forward, constantly looking over his shoulder. Suddenly, the city plunged into darkness, and he tripped, crashing to the ground. Losing consciousness, he could hear thunder crack in the distance.

 

A loud police siren jolted him awake. The bright sun spilled through his bedroom window, and he threw the sheets off his body. His mother’s voice echoed from downstairs.

 

"Every single day! You’re going to be late again!" she yelled.

 

Yawning, he stretched and smiled, catching the aroma of sizzling butter.

 

"Coming!" he called back, getting ready for college.

 

"You worry too much," his father’s voice chimed in. "He’s going to be just fine. He was up all night working on an assignment, right?" His father winked.

 

Sahil smiled, stuffing the last toast in his mouth before hastily tying his tie and hopping into his dad’s jeep. His mind wandered as the vehicle bounced along the familiar route to college. He could barely focus, his parents’ images blurring—his mom with her hair wrapped in a bun, dressed in ethnic wear; his dad in a brown half-sleeved shirt with a thick mustache.

 

As tiny drops of rain began to form on the windshield, thunder cracked again. A drop crashed onto his forehead, and suddenly it was pouring.

 

A dog licking his hand startled him awake. Pain shot through his body as he struggled to sit up. His mind raced, trying to piece together how he got into this mess again. A zooming car whizzed past, scaring him into a corner. He remembered something and took off running once more.

 

"You really should stop sneaking out to party with your friends, son," his father’s voice echoed in his mind. "I won’t be able to cover for you one of these days."

 

Sahil chuckled, feeling the familiar pat on his shoulder from his dad.

 

"Don’t worry, Dad. I have it all planned, just like you," Sahil replied with a grin.

 

The car’s brakes screeched, jerking Sahil back into reality.

 

"Thanks, Dad. I love you." He stepped out of the car, only to be stopped dead in his tracks by an unbelievable sight. At the college gate stood a face so familiar yet so mysterious. A girl—her shy locks of hair flying across her scared face as she hid behind her father. Mesmerized, Sahil walked in a trance, his mind racing.

 

"Where have I seen her?" he thought, constantly stealing glances while trying to avoid her gaze.

 

Suddenly, it clicked.

 

"You’re my dream," he blurted out, realizing too late that he had spoken aloud. Embarrassed, he quickly walked away, whistling as if nothing had happened. The girl, now staring at him, thought to herself, What a pervert.

 

Chapter 2

Sahil's legs began to give out as he turned into narrow roads and alleys, finally arriving at a small house in the suburbs. His hands trembled as he frantically searched for the key, only to realize the door was already unlocked. Relieved, he stumbled inside, closing the door behind him before collapsing onto the floor.

 

The house's only resident, a young woman, rushed to his side.

 

"Oh my god! What have you done to yourself?" Varsha gasped, noticing the blood covering his shirt. She dragged him to the couch and began tending to his wounds. Sahil lay there, barely alive, his vision blurry. He caressed her hair as she tried to stop the bleeding.

 

After a few moments, his vision cleared a little, and he stared at her face. Panic gripped him, and he quickly pulled his hand away.

 

"You’re not her," he muttered.

 

Varsha, concerned but confused, sat back.

 

"Where is she? Where is Vartika?" Sahil asked, his voice filled with desperation.

 

Varsha held his shoulders, trying to calm him down.

 

"I thought you two were together. The day you both disappeared, I assumed you were with her," she said, her tone laced with concern. "But you need to tell me what happened to you first. Should I call the police? Or someone from your family?" she continued, her voice starting to tremble as the weight of the situation set in.

 

Suddenly, a loud crack of thunder echoed through the room, followed by relentless knocking on the door. Varsha stood up, her heartbeat racing. She quietly approached the door, her voice barely a whisper as she called out, "Coming."

 

Her hands trembled as she opened the door to find the security guard standing there.

 

"Ma’am, the door on the south side of your house is open. I saw your lights on and thought I should let you know," he said, before turning to leave.

 

Varsha sighed in relief and closed the door, only to be startled by the sight of a bloodied Sahil standing right behind her, a metal rod shaking in his hand. His legs gave way as he collapsed to the floor once more.

 

Chapter 3

"What are you doing?" Varsha scolded him, dragging him back to the couch. "You’re not getting up again without asking me first. Do you understand?"

 

Sahil groaned in response as she fussed over him.

 

"Now tell me everything. I need to know what happened to you, where Vartika is, and who you’re running from," she demanded, her voice cracking under the pressure.

 

Sahil leaned back, trying to piece his thoughts together.

 

"I... I can’t remember everything," he stammered. "I get flashes, but it’s all foggy. I don’t know why, but I have this terrible feeling something happened to her. I remember being with her... we were happy... but somewhere along the way, I lost her," his voice broke, tears streaming down his face. "I think it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have loved her, ever."

 

Varsha interrupted quickly. "No, no, it’s not your fault. Don’t blame yourself."

 

An awkward silence filled the room as Sahil wiped his eyes, trying to regain control.

 

"Who did this to you?" Varsha asked cautiously.

 

"These four guys... they keep chasing me, everywhere I go," Sahil explained, shifting uncomfortably. "Whenever I get close to finding her, they show up and try to kill me. The fact I’ve survived this long is a miracle." He winced in pain, struggling to sit up. "The one with the mustache... he’s terrifying. It feels personal, like he’s taking revenge. They always find me before the police can do anything."

 

"Did you try telling the police?" Varsha asked.

 

"What do you think I did when I was first attacked?" he snapped, his frustration evident. "But they always get to me first."

 

Chapter 4

Varsha sat down next to Sahil, her eyes filled with concern. "What are you going to do now? I mean... do you even have a clue where to start looking for her?"

 

Sahil looked out the window, lost in thought. "I think I do," he replied, his voice soft yet determined. "I don’t know where exactly, but I have to find her. No matter what it takes, or who tries to stop me, I’m going to find her."

 

He smiled faintly as an image of Vartika’s perfectly beautiful smile ran through his mind, but the pain quickly returned, both physical and emotional. He groaned as he shifted slightly.

 

"Well," Varsha said, standing up, "you’ll need to rest first. You’re not going to find her if you’re this badly hurt. I’ll see if I can contact some people I know, maybe they can help us figure out what’s going on."

 

She walked toward the door, her voice softening. "You should get some rest now. I’ll be in the next room if you need anything, just call me." She closed the door gently behind her, leaving Sahil alone in the room.

 

As soon as Varsha left, Sahil dragged himself to his feet with considerable effort. Despite the painkillers, his body protested every movement. Ignoring the agony, he stumbled into the bathroom, turning on the shower. The sound of rushing water echoed through the pipes, filling the room with white noise as Sahil leaned against the wall, trying to clear his mind.

 

Varsha paused just outside the door, listening to the sound of the shower. As she walked to her room, memories of Sahil flooded her mind. She couldn’t help but think of the days they used to hang out together. She sat down on her bed, opening her phone and scrolling through old photos.

 

The images brought back a rush of emotions. Her hands trembled slightly as she flipped through the pictures. With each swipe, the photos became more cropped, more edited—someone had clearly been removed from them. She stopped at one photo, her hands shaking uncontrollably now, tears welling up in her eyes. She wiped them away hastily, staring at the phone for a long moment.

 

A single tear slipped down her cheek as she let out a heavy sigh. Her fingers hovered over the screen, and after a long pause, she hit delete.

 

"You were never supposed to be mine, were you?" Varsha whispered to herself, her voice barely audible.

 

Her hands moved quickly as her expression shifted into a slight grin. She dialed a number, holding the phone to her ear. It rang once before a deep voice on the other end picked up.

 

"Yes?" the voice asked, its tone cold and direct.

 

"He’s here," Varsha said, trying to steady her breathing.

 

"Does he know?" the voice demanded.

 

"No," she whispered. "He doesn’t know anything. I’m holding him here. He trusts me. I think he’s in the shower right now."

 

"Good," the voice responded sharply. "Keep him there. We’ll handle the rest."

 

Varsha disconnected the call and let the phone slide out of her hand, burying her face in the bed. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but she stifled her sobs, pressing her face into the sheets.

 

Chapter 5

The bathroom door flew open with a loud bang as it was kicked off its hinges. The shower was still running, water pooling on the floor, but Sahil was nowhere to be found.

 

Varsha’s heart raced as she rushed to the bathroom, her friend following close behind. The empty bathroom greeted them both, the running water the only sound in the room.

 

"Where is he?" Varsha’s friend asked, panic rising in her voice.

 

Varsha stood frozen for a moment, her mind racing. She was certain Sahil had been there just moments ago. She walked forward, scanning the room in disbelief. Her heart pounded in her chest as a wave of dread washed over her.

 

Just then, the door behind her creaked open, and there he was—Sahil, standing in the doorway, drenched in water, but his eyes were sharp, piercing through Varsha’s guilt.

 

His gaze met hers, and for a moment, the room was silent. Then, without a word, he stepped forward, his presence more menacing than before.

 

"I will call you," Sahil said coldly, his voice devoid of the warmth that once existed between them. His eyes never left hers, as if he were warning her—you’re on thin ice now. Then, without another word, he turned and walked out, leaving Varsha standing there, her heart pounding, her mind spinning.

to be continued.....