Shiva walked out of the house without saying another word.His face was calm.Too calm.The kind of calm that hides a storm.
He went straight to the table near the entrance and grabbed the car keys. His fingers tightened around them.Within seconds, he was inside the car.He started the engine.Just as he was about to press the accelerator—
"Go to the warehouse."
Shiva froze,slowly, he turned his head.His eyes widened slightly in shock he hadn't expected that person to be there.
"Close your mouth," the person said calmly. "Flies may enter in it. And go to the warehouse. Now, stop staring and drive. Go to the warehouse."
Shiva didn't argue.He didn't ask questions, simply started driving.The ride was silent.Heavy.
When they reached the warehouse, Shiva stepped out first. The large shutter door was already half open.Inside, the air felt cold and empty.They walked in under a single hanging light, someone was tied to a chair.Hands bound tightly,feet secured.A cloth stuffed into his mouth.
It was the cab driver.
When Shiva saw him, his breathing changed. His anger, which he had been suppressing, rose again.He turned slowly toward the person standing beside him, silently asking for confirmation.The person nodded.That was enough.
Shiva walked forward and without hesitation punched the cab driver across the face.The man groaned in pain, unable to scream because of the cloth in his mouth.Shiva punched again and again.
His fists carried all the fear, anger, and helplessness he had felt imagining what could have happened to Lucky..
"Wait, Shiva," a voice said.
The person stepped out of the shadows and into the dim light. It was Rudra. His expression was unreadable, like stone.
"What are you doing, Shiva? If you keep hitting him like that, you will break his jaw before he can talk. Don't you want to hear him scream? Because I certainly do. I want to hear every sound he makes."
Rudra reached out and grabbed the cloth. With one violent tug, he pulled it out of the driver's mouth.
The driver gasped for air, spitting out blood. "Who are you people? Why am I here? Please, let me go! I haven't done anything wrong!" He was shaking so hard the wooden chair rattled against the floor.
Shiva stepped closer, his face inches away from the driver's. "You don't remember?" Shiva yelled, his voice echoing off the high walls. "Think back to this afternoon. A girl booked your cab. She trusted you. And you misbehaved with her! You tried to hurt her! Do you remember her face now, you animal?"
The driver's eyes went wide. He turned even paler, looking like a ghost. "No, sir! You have the wrong man! I would never do that! It must have been someone else! Please, you've made a mistake!"
Rudra let out a short, cold laugh. It wasn't a happy sound. He pulled a phone out of his pocket and turned the screen toward the driver. On the screen, a video was playing. It was clear CCTV footage from the street. It showed the driver's face and his cab's license plate perfectly.
"Is this not your car?" Rudra asked softly. "Is that not your face?"
The driver went silent. There were no more lies he could tell.
Shiva looked at his older brother. "Annaya," he said, using the respectful word for big brother. "Why are we still talking to him? Look at him. He is a monster. Kill this man now!"
Rudra didn't answer right away. He walked over to a metal table where several tools were laying. He picked up a sharp knife and a portable blowtorch. He clicked the torch on, and a blue flame hissed into life. He held the blade in the fire until the metal began to glow a bright, angry red. Then, he picked up a small container. He sprinkled white salt and red chili powder onto the hot metal. The spices hissed and smoked.
Rudra walked back to the driver. He grabbed the man's hand.
"These fingers," Rudra whispered, his voice dangerously low. "These are the fingers that tried to touch her. These are the fingers that tried to harm our family."
He pressed the hot, salted blade against the man's fingers. The smell of burning flesh filled the room. The driver let out a scream so loud it seemed like it would shatter the light bulb. Tears streamed down his face as the salt and chili burned into his open wounds.
"Please! Stop! I beg you!" the driver screamed. "I will never do it again! I promise! Just let me live!"
Shiva looked down at him. His eyes were like ice. "You think you will get another chance to do this to someone else? No. That is not going to happen."
Shiva reached onto the table and grabbed two long, sharp metal spikes. With a quick, powerful motion, he threw them. They flew through the air and hit the driver's eyes. The man let out a choked, wet scream that suddenly stopped as he went into shock.
But Rudra was not finished. He picked up a long, heavy metal rod with a sharp point. He forced the driver's mouth open and pushed the rod inside. He pushed it harder and harder, forcing it down through the man's throat. The driver's body jerked violently, his feet kicking the floor, and then suddenly, everything went still. The rod had torn through his throat and come out the other side.
The driver's body went limp. The life was gone from his eyes. He was dead with blood all over the floor.
Rudra stood up and wiped his hands. He looked down at his shirt, which was covered in dark bloodstains. He looked at Shiva.
"Go and change your shirt, Shiva," Rudra said calmly, as if they had just finished a simple chore. "We need to go home."
Shiva nodded. He didn't ask how Rudra found the man or how he knew. He didn't need to ask. He knew that Rudra was always watching. Rudra was the shadow that protected their family from the monsters of the world.
Other side
Meanwhile, at home
"Lucky… calm down," maha said softly.
Maha sat on the edge of the bed, right next to her. She reached out and took Lucky's hand.
"Lucky, please," Maha said in a soft, comforting voice. "You have to try to calm down. Look at me. You are home. You are safe. No one is ever going to hurt you again. I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere. Don't be a crybaby, okay? My Lucky is stronger than this."
Lucky looked into Maha's kind eyes. For the first time since the incident, she felt a little bit of peace. She gave a very small, weak smile. It wasn't much, but it was a start. Maha felt a wave of relief seeing that smile.
Suddenly, a loud voice came from downstairs. It was Seetha, calling out from the kitchen.
"MAHA! LUCKY! THE FOOD IS READY! COME DOWN FOR DINNER!"
Maha understood lucky don't want to come downstairs. She squeezed Lucky's hand. "Don't worry. You stay here. I will go down and bring the food up. We can eat right here."
Maha walked downstairs to the kitchen. The smell of fresh curry and rice filled the air. Seetha was standing by the stove, putting food onto plates. She looked up when Maha entered.
"Did you come down alone? Where is Lucky?" Seetha asked, her face full of worry.
"She's still a bit upset, Aunty," Maha explained gently. "We decided to eat in her room tonight. We have a lot of 'girl stuff' to talk about, you know? It's better if she stays quiet for a while."
Seetha sighed and nodded. She understood that Lucky needed time. She handed Maha a large plate filled with rice, dal, and vegetables.
Maha carried the plate carefully back upstairs. She sat on the bed across from Lucky. Instead of handing Lucky the plate, Maha took a small amount of food in her fingers. She shaped it into a small ball, the way mothers do for their children. She held it out to Lucky.
"Eat," Maha said with a smile.
Lucky looked at the food, then at Maha. She felt like a little kid again. She opened her mouth, and Maha fed her. Maha feeding Lucky piece by piece. As she ate, She started to feel a little more like herself.
Once the plate was empty, Maha saw that Lucky's face was still a bit dull. She knew she needed to do something to make her friend laugh.
"You know," Maha said, leaning in like she was telling a big secret. "I actually went to the bookstore yesterday. I bought those two new fantasy books. I was going to give them to you as a surprise, but... well, since you're being so sad, maybe I'll just keep them for myself."
Lucky's eyes immediately lit up. Those were the books she had been waiting for months to read! "Do you really have them? The ones with the gold covers?"
Maha laughed and nodded. "Yes, I have them in my bag!"
Lucky let out a happy squeal. She forgot all about her fear for a second. She jumped forward and wrapped her arms around Maha, hugging her tightly. The two girls fell back onto the pillows, laughing and making jokes about the "fantasy boys" in the books.
At that exact moment, Shiva and Rudra reached the top of the stairs.They stopped at the door of the bedroom. They were frozen in surprise. Just an hour ago, the house had been filled with the sound of Lucky's sobbing. Now, they heard the bright, clear sound of her laughter.
Shiva leaned toward Rudra and whispered, "I think Maha did some magic. I don't know how she does it, but she always knows how to fix things."
The brothers pushed the door open a little more and walked into the room.
"What is going on in here?" Rudra asked. His voice was no longer cold; it was warm and curious. "What are you two laughing about?"
Maha and Lucky looked at the brothers, then looked at each other. They burst into another fit of giggles.
"It's a girls' secret!" they shouted at the same time.
Shiva put on a fake sad face and pouted. "Hey! What about me? I'm your best friend, Maha! Since when do you have secrets from me?"
Maha stuck her tongue out at him playfully. "Since now, Shiva! Besides, you are a boy. You wouldn't understand the things we're talking about anyway."
Rudra watched them. A small, rare smile touched his lips. He was happy to see Lucky smiling again. He was happy that the world felt normal again, even if it was just for a moment.
"I should go," Maha said, standing up and smoothing out her dress. "My parents will be wondering where I am."
"I'll walk you out," Shiva offered, but he was busy helping Lucky organize her new books.
Maha walked out of the room and toward the front door. The hallway was quiet and dimly lit. Just as she reached the door, she felt a hand reach out from the shadows.
A strong, firm grip clamped around her wrist.
Maha gasped and spun around, her heart jumping into her throat. She thought for a second that something bad was happening. But when she turned, she saw it was Rudra.
He didn't say anything at first. He just stood there, tall and powerful, looking deep into her eyes. He didn't let go of her wrist. His touch was warm, but his gaze was intense, like he was trying to read her soul.
Maha stared back at him, her breath coming in short gasps. The silence in the hallway felt very heavy.