Lunch break had begun. The classroom scene was the same as it was every day—somewhere a kid's water bottle was falling, elsewhere someone was snatching their friend's lunch. Desks were messy, and a few boys were running aimlessly through the corridors. The girls were laughing at each other's jokes, lost in their own world.
I and Anurag were just about to open our tiffin for the first bite when the classroom door swung open with a thunderous sound— [Dhadam!]
The entire noise vanished into silence in an instant. Two well-built, tall guys were standing at the door. Their faces looked like those of seasoned goons. In their heavy, intimidating voices, they asked, "Where are Aaryan and Anurag?"
The whole class held their breath. We both looked at each other and slowly raised our hands, "Yes, it's us." One of them pointed towards us and said, "Our leader is calling you."
I asked in confusion, "Why is the leader calling us?"
Then Anurag whispered in my ear, "Abe, did you forget what happened yesterday?"
Hearing his words, the memory of yesterday's bloody fight hit me like a bolt of lightning. Honestly, I was so lost in that dream of 'Palaces' and 'Queens' that it felt like a week had passed, even though in reality, it had only been a single day. I pulled myself together and told Anurag, "Abe no, how could I forget about yesterday? I just thought maybe everything had calmed down."
Scene shift. We were both walking silently behind those two goon-like guys. Amidst the cold wind of Himachal, they brought us in front of an old ancestral house. From the outside, it looked like a haunted ruin—the walls were peeling, and wild grass grew everywhere.
As the large door of that house opened and we stepped inside, the desolate sight of the outside was left behind. The atmosphere inside was completely different from what I had expected. The floor was spotless, and they had repaired the broken old sofas with stitches and fixed the wood to make them sit-worthy. The old flags of that gang were decorated on the walls, hiding the cracks.
The vibe inside was like a cold grave. A total of 17 people were present there. Sitting in the middle was our 1st Commander, who looked quite mature and serious. The moment he saw us, he spoke sternly, "Why did it take you so long to get here?"
The boys who brought us gave an explanation, "Sir, their class section had changed, so it took some time to find them." The Commander nodded and then turned towards me, "Aaryan, you remember last night, right?"
I lowered my head in shame and clenched my fists. Yesterday was a dark stain on our faces. I said in a low voice, "Yes... he didn't do right by betraying us. But we won't spare him. We will wipe out the very existence of the gang he joined after betraying us!"
As I raised my face while saying this, there was nothing but the fire of revenge in my eyes. The 1st Commander stood up, came to me, and placed his hand on my shoulder, "I expected nothing less from you. I am glad you are with us. Since all this happened, I have lost faith in everyone; only a few people like you are left whom I can trust. Although that Gaddar (traitor) was one of us... his behavior had been different for a long time."
He looked at everyone else and said, "As you all know, we lost quite badly yesterday. If it weren't for our Secondary Leader, we wouldn't have even survived. Those cowards attacked when our leader had gone to his 'Nani's' house for some work. But now, we have to become even stronger!"
Suddenly, three strangers entered. Seeing them, the blood of everyone present began to boil. One of the guys who entered said mockingly, "You weaklings are thinking of standing against us? Seriously, you guys are hopeless!"
I looked back and was stunned. That same Gaddar was standing there smiling! My anger reached the seventh heaven. I was just about to pounce on him when Anurag gripped my hand firmly. "Abe Aaryan, wait! You don't need to do anything right now. Our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Commanders are here. Attack only when they say so. Act with your head, not your anger."
That Gaddar had a villainous smile on his face. He looked into everyone's eyes and said, "So... by now you must have realized how generous our leader is! He has sent such a 'loving' letter for you." He took a Letter from the boy standing behind him and moved it forward, "Here, 1st Commander, a message for you. Your leader is at his Nani's and the Secondary Leader is in the hospital, so there's no one else to take this but you."
The 2nd Commander tried to attack him, but the 1st Commander stopped him with a shout, "Wait! He is just a Messenger, and our rules forbid attacking a messenger!"
The Commander took the letter and started reading it aloud so everyone could hear:
[ THE LETTER OF DEATH ]
"My dear and helpless fools,
First of all, thank this old companion of yours who has come to show you the mirror. And yes... don't make the mistake of calling him a Gaddar. Poor guy, how long could he suffocate alone in your 'gang of fools'? He just jumped off a sinking ship and found his right place where he can show his true Loyalty. What did you think—that he was always yours? No... he was our man all along, just pretending to live among you. It's so easy to make fools out of people like you, isn't it?
I know you won't even scratch this [Messenger]... after all, what else do 'idealists' like you have besides your hollow principles and fake decency? But still, if anything happens to him... remember that the game of nature is very strange. Who knows, some 'unfortunate accident' might happen at the hospital?
To be honest, I feel very pity seeing the condition of your 'Secondary Leader'. He is lying helpless in Room No. 7, Bed No. 14, with only 7 ordinary people protecting him? Look, I'm not giving a threat, but I'm afraid that the old window of the ward might stay open by mistake at night and some 'stranger' might come in and trade for his remaining breaths?
Or maybe, the poor nurse's sleep is light and she accidentally gives him a 'Poison' injection instead of medicine? It could also happen that a short circuit causes a sudden fire in the hospital and he doesn't get a chance to get out? Or... the electricity might go out in the middle of the night and his machines might give up on him?
If even a scratch comes to my innocent [Messenger] here, then understand that 'God's miracle' (Karma) has begun. I won't do anything, but what trust is there in fate? No one will be able to save him.
As for your 'Main Leader'... heard he is hiding in his Nani's lap? How innocent and cowardly he is! Maybe he found out that his gang is going to scatter like a deck of cards, so he ran away with his tail between his legs. Real men fight on the field, they don't go on holidays to their Nani's house. You people are following such a coward who cares more about his life than his gang.
And Aaryan... son, heard you're placing a bet of 1 Lakh in school? Quit these children's games. You might think this is all just a joke? So gather as much strength as you want, become as 'Powerful' as you can... but remember, when we stand in front of you, even God won't be able to save you from us. This is not my joke, it is your end.
Swallow this insult silently, because you don't have the status to spit it out.
Take care, lest a gust of wind blows out the lamp of the hospital."
A heavy silence filled the building. Only the villainous laughter of that Gaddar was echoing. Aaryan's face was red with anger, but his hands were tied.
The Gaddar looked at us and said, "So... now you must have realized how great our leader is! He is warning you in advance that your end is near. And yes, whoever wants to run away can leave now... that was my only motive."
He was about to leave with his two companions when my patience snapped. I screamed, "Yash! You have played with our feelings, and we will take revenge for this with 'Sut samet' (with interest)! You got a place here, you got 'Bhai' like us... did you forget everything? The 1st Commander treated you like a brother! Shared meals from the same plate... do those memories have no value?"
Yash stopped but didn't turn. His voice was icy, "Did I ask for your affection? You fell into the pit yourself... as for friendship, I never considered you a friend. You are just an insect in my trap, and it's fun to kill you slowly."
I moved forward but Anurag stopped me, "Let it be, Aaryan... this is not the person we knew."
1st Commander roared, "Get lost from here now, Yash!"
Yash left. Silence. 1st Commander placed a hand on my shoulder, "Yash was never ours, Aaryan. Forget him." Then he turned to the gang, "Attention! Buckle up. We must give our all!"
Shouts of Josh (burning energy) echoed. Then Anurag whispered to the Commander. The Commander cleared his throat and looked at me, "The meeting is over. Go home now."
"So soon? I won't go!" I insisted.
"It's an order!" Commander barked.
Anurag whispered, "Abe, forgot your plan today? I thought your 10 years of hard work shouldn't go to waste, but if you don't care, why should I?"
Suddenly, something hit my mind with a [Dhadak!]. I remembered class... that girl... "Aaryan, I want to tell you something..." and my shyness... "What?" Then her smile— "________________"
"Abe yes!" I thought. "I forgot my whole world! I can't let this slip!" But then I thought— No, I can't go. My need is greater here. I told Anurag, "I'll call and tell her I can't come."
1st Commander signaled the 2nd. He picked me up like a sack and threw me out. "Get out, or we'll mess up your face!"
Thud. Gate shut. I shouted from the dust, "I won't budge!"
Inside: "Tell him we'll kick him out of the gang!"
I was scared but stayed: "No! I want to stay!"
Then a voice from behind the gate. 1st Commander leaned against it. His voice was peaceful and mature. "Do you not trust us, Aaryan? We won't let such a mess happen again. If you trust us... leave. If not, come in."
I was silent. I stood up and walked away with a heavy heart.
Inside, the Commander smiled— "I knew it... you still trust us."
Vocabulary & Context:WordDefinition
Abe:- Informal address to a friend (adds Indian street flavor).
Bhai:- Brother" – the ultimate title of loyalty.GaddarTraitor – carries heavy emotional weight.
Josh:- Intense passion and burning energy. Used here as the gang's collective war
Karma:- Spiritual law of cause and effect; a threat of divine payback.
Sut Samet Context:- "With Interest." A promise that revenge will be multiple times more painful.
Nani's house Definition:- Maternal Grandmother. Context: In Indian culture, a 'Nani's house' (Nani ka ghar) is seen as a place of ultimate comfort, pampering, and safety. By mentioning this, the villain is mocking the Leader, implying he is a "spoiled child" or a "coward" who ran away to hide in his grandmother's lap instead of facing the war.
Gaddar:- A traitor. This word carries much more weight than "traitor"—it implies a deep, unforgivable betrayal of blood and trust.