Happy Independence Day. and this one is a bit fast paced chapter.
*Chapter 3*
"What are you playing at ?"
I squinted my eyes to look at her better, her pupils were dilated.Drunk, she is definitely drunk.
"Not everything has to be a game"
Her voice was a bit slurred but the look that she had in her eyes was sincere ,compelling me to rearrange my thoughts.Emotions swirled into her twilight eyes like a drop of paint that twists and turns in water.I could see different emotions fleeting in her eyes but the dominating ones leave me stunned.Anger and sincerity.It was probably the first time I realised that I am infact in no position to question her or doubt her.I am as deep in the water as her.If not more.
"Being cryptic isn't your forte"
I tried to play it cool which was completely an idiotic thing to do considering the other person is drunk.Big mistake,her expressions turned from anger to grief ,angst in a fraction.The longing look on her eyes was hard to miss.Out of us all if anyone who was cryptic that would be Sam,he was a complete genius in mind games.I swear that guy used to finish Sherlock's case faster than Sherlock himself.Yet his dream of becoming a painter not that he wasn't already was far more realistic and modest compared to mine being a revolutionary lawyer that would bring justice to every single home in America or Suman's becoming a soccer prodigy surpassing Messi.If Sam was here then he would have solved this thing in minutes but then again if was here this mail wouldn't have come.Everything would have been so different,so simple.
"What is that stench ?"
That wasn't Suman ,it was me scrunching up my nose is distaste as her hair blew past my nose due to fast faced breeze.I'm pretty sure that awfully citrus smell was coming from her hair.
"Someone poured their diet juice on me ,last night and I swear I did washed my hair after that"
She grunted in response.Woah!! Who could have that courageous or extremely stupid person.There are hardly a few people who have the courage to even talk back to her much less to pour drink on her.
"And what happened to that someone?"
My question was legit ,if there is one thing that everyone knows is Suman was never the one to shy away from confrontations or not retaliate.She turned her face towards me before a gleeful shine crossed her eyes.
"Lets just say Cola is not everyone's color"
She shrugged as if it was nothing.I almost choked on empty air hearing her reply ,I don't know what was I expecting or more importantly why wasn't I expecting this.She still is as impulsive and reckless as before and I didn't hate this fact beacuse the old Suman was truly a gem of a person despite everything.
Humming in response I let my thoughts to wander off on that curveball that has been thrown up in my way in the form of that blasted email tossing me on the topsy turvy path of past.There was a brief mention of time ,hinting at something, something that I haven't found.Time ,time time.Clock .How can I just neglect the fact the time and clock always run parallel to each other.Sh*t!! Standing upto my full height ,I muttered a short bye in her direction ,leaving her to float on her thoughts before running off back to the house lanes.
Reaching upto one of the houses I pressed the doorbell,odd jitters crept upto my neck as I waited for the person to open door.Faint shuffling could be clearly heard from behind the door.I wasn't long before I saw the identical pair of eyes that I've seen in park today ,blinking at me.The only difference was ,these eyes were way too cold and calm and belonged to Mrs. Tiwari not my childhood friend.
"Shravan ?"
She spoke in a bold and confident tone dressed in her lawyer's coat ready to leave.
"Did she created a scene again ?"
She muttered to herself cynically eying me as if I am about to rat on her daughter.
I certainly didn't appreciated the edge and irritation in her voice.She was yet again trying to find a fault in her daughter without knowing anything like always.Faint wrinkles deepen on her forehead as she scrunched up her eyebrows in distaste.She and Suman are the almost exact replica of eachother ,the same stormy gray rimmed inky orbs ,sharp features and confidence.While the older on out of the is adorned by light brown hair ,Suman sports a raven black thick jungle.
"Who is it ,Honey ?"
Mr. Tiwari came into the line of my vision dressed in sweatpants and tee.I could see his eyes lighten up in surprise as he spotted me.Nodding towards me and muttering a somewhat warm hello ,patting affectionately on my shoulder,Mrs. Tiwari strutted out of the house ,leaving for courthouse since Supreme Court isn't in this town.I just couldn't understand the cold war between the mother- daughter duo.
"Shravan"
He blinked before letting a smile slip on his face, gray hair making subtle appearance among his raven mop.
"How are you doing? Come on in,Son"
"I am all fine ,Shekhar.But look at you ,slacking off,huh.Never thought I would see this day"
I teased him ,pointing towards his comfortable attire not his usual Suit tie office look.Being a big businessman like him the chances of taking a day off are very unlikely to even exist yet he used to make the time for little activities like attending his daughter's soccer match or Sam's art exhibitions but I don't think I have ever seen him this casual ever .
"What ? Am I not allowed to spend sometime with my only daughter whom I haven't seen for almost a year ,I might add.Besides I've worked enough for the rest of my life "
His voice turned a bit softer as he spoke , wrinkle lines were quite evident on his forehead and the corners of his mouth showing his true age.
"Sit here or anywhere while I present my wonderful cooking to you"
He cheerily added before taking a tour back towards the kitchen.Wow! Things change.Taking the perfect moment to snoop around ,I made my way towards the wall where the big grandpa clock was hung.Removing it from wall, I tried to find something on its backside or between the batteries only to comeup with cold dusty air .What was I expecting ,a killer to jump from behind the clock?.Placing it back on its place ,I went back to the living area in duller mood before Shekhar can come and questions my bad manners.
"Why are you still standing"
He spoke leaning on the kitchen door with an apron that says Daddy is Chef.I almost laughed at him before settling for just a chuckle.
"You know its good to see you"
His words held such deep sentiments that almost suffocated me with their presence,I haven't stepped in this house ever since Sam's demise So it must have surprised him a lot to see me here.I nodded in response unable to get the words out of my throat.This place was my second home, a shelter ,I used to.spend my days and nights here more than at my own house.
"Uh Is Sam's room still .."
I cringed at how awkward it was.I would have never asked about him if it wasn't for that email.It just didn't felt right.
"His room is still like before,if that is what you are trying to ask but It is locked and the key is not with me"
His voice was hard at first but his gaze turned softer thinking I might want spend sometime in my best friend's room.He couldn't be more wrong,I wouldn't ever dare to step into his room and torture myself.Thinking about him is a different thing while steeping into the room that held a part of his soul was another.Why was I even thinking about going there?.I haven't even visted him ,just thinking about it makes my blood blue and cold, no matter how much I try, I just cannot see him there.It makes everything more realistic.
"Okay.I'll go now.Uh- huh I have a pending assignment to do"
Yeah ,Assignment of solving my best friend's murder case.I muttered before lumbered towards main door to mark my exit.
Abandoning all the thoughts of my dead best friend and his twin ,I tried concentrating on the words spewed straight out of email.10 ,birds ,time, devil.These words stayed in focus while the rest became a blurry mess in my head.10 seems to represent a time on clock.But birds and devil doesn't make sense. 10, 10 ,10 ,time.What happens at 10.
"Sh*t"
I swore audibly at my selectively dumb brain.Library, town's old Library closes dot on 10 not to mention that the clock over there is the old fashioned one from which a bird peeks out at every hour.
******
The library was still closed and not having the enough patience to wait for a few hours more here I stand at the back window of the library.If I remember correctly this windows lock should be broken ,curtsy to one of the twins prank.Off course no one knew about the lock as we made it seem like it wasn't broken,not that many people linger around this particular section of library.Taking a coin out of my pocket I slipped it inbetween the two parts of the window ,where the broken lock was supposed to be place.The coin easily flicked the loose and broken lock upside down as came with force.Lock opened.
Swiftly pushing myself inside the library ,I landed on my feet and walked over to the wall where the clock was.I repeated the same procedure with the clock with no luck this time again.Taking my chances I peeked inside where the bird was sitting.Nothing, just cold blank darkness.What I am supposed to do now ?.That was honestly the closest possible place that matched the clues.What now ?.
Despite being dejected and depressed ,I willed myself to take a look around library and the racks.Starting from the top rack beside the clock ,I let my eyes scan the books.Percy Jackson, Lady in white, The Alchemist, Kite Runner, Name of the devil, Harry potter.I did the double take on the book."You might even get the name of the devil" the phrase from the mail , how I ignored this blatantly glaring phase.Snatching the book from rack I hurriedly went through it , hung it upside down , nothing came out of it.It has to be only this book which has something to help me.A heavier feeling settled into me as the reality crashed onto me, making me want to pull my hair out of frustration and dejection.I went through all the pages again,this time a little slowly.Coming to a halt on the second last page ,I noticed that the last page was partially sticked into the cover of the book like most of the published books but what caught my attention was the small white strip peeking from the faded yellow page ,stuck in between the cover and last page.
Turns out that it wasn't just a small strip but a page that looked like it used to be a part of a diary.
June 26,2014
Are monsters born or made? .A classic question ,isn't it.What kind of a monster killer is ,what kind of a monster I am or What kind of a monster Sam was.
Before I forgot let me congratulate you on finding the first clue though you took your own sweet time and that isn't at all impressive for a person who is supposed to be a lawyer in a next few years.
Now lets start the story ,the bridge connecting past and present, it all started seven years ago ,I am sure you still have a memory of that.The art camp where Sam went in that summer after fighting off with his twin.The thing matters here is what did his eyes witnessed that made him lose his life.Sam witnessed a murder ,a murder that no one was supposed to know about.
His little curious eyes witnessed the murder of his friend's elder sister and as he tried to dig deeper in the matter just like what you are doing now ,he found himself a spot in graveyard.
Lets get back to question I posed earlier.What kind of a monster you are or will be.Born or made.Us everyone a monster .Think about it and Unlock the door to more mysteries.
This is getting real exciting.
With Love
Silent For Years.
-Anshika
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