Crystallized Truth

Chapter 31 - Suffocating Thoughts

The car skidded to halt with sudden screech.  Angry and frustrated, Amaya punched the steering wheel, hair falling over her face and covering her face. Nothing was working as she had hoped and strived for.

She so missed the time of her past when she had no care of the world. When everything was sunny and beautiful. When she was not so alone...

On occasions she would even miss Mumbai, however dreadful it was to be hounded by people who wanted her glory and her fame, at least she had fond memories there. Even a caretaker who was fond of her without any ulterior motive.

The solitary peace of Dehradun on the other hand was full of echoes of ghost long forgotten. And despite the comfort the feeling of hopelessness and nostalgia was crushing her very being.

In her quest for justice and truth, she was losing her sanity. She had thought Dehradun would bring some semblance of peace. That something of normalcy would return. Something like past. But no. Not with her. Not for her. Everything had to get more complicated than they already were.

The man that day had given her hope but he didn't seem someone to be trusted after she witnessed his brooding in forest. A friend of Piya would never have such demeanour.

Particularly not a vampire, she thought viciously, remembering how the man had healed his pitiful injury. A vampire would never be a friend of Piya after Abhay's betrayal. She was simply glad that the man had not recognized her, or killed her outrightly just for the thrill of blood. Blood lusting scum.

If only Piya had realized that. If only any of them had realized it back then.

Amaya let her head tipped over the seat. Her eyes clouded with sadness and lament. Her gaze strayed to the sketches forlornly, feeling the familiar hollowness in her soul.

"Sometimes I feel like giving up the past..." Amaya whispered, voice coloured with crushing pain. "But then I wonder... what will be left of my existence?" Her voice lower further and anguish etched on her face.

Nothing. Nothing was what seemed the answer. She was nothing without her past. There was no identity and she without the past that made her. She couldn't deny it even if every acknowledgment and memory brought unimaginable ache in her heart.

She would fight just for the sake of justice. And maybe after that she would take a long rest and forget her past, her present and even her future.

Just as Amaya sat straight with determination, she noticed something different in the sketches. It was not clear but subtle hint that they were disturbed deliberately. If not for her spying skills that she cultivated after betrayals, she might have never noticed. But it was there, the subtle shift of sketches, a little bit more closer and more on left.

Her eyes narrowed in contemplation as the gears in her mind shifted, wondering the reason and the person behind the action. She was sure she met no one and she had placed the sketches just before she left house. Even if there were bumps, the sketches were pinned down and she was sure she didn't left long enough to anyone snoop in her car without her notice.

Then who? And why?

Amaya swore loudly when her mind flashed to hour back when that irritating guy had once again troubled her morning. By coming in front of her car this time and injuring himself, hence causing her problem with his incessant blabbering and screaming for help. Obviously as her house was in remote area and there was no one around, she was forced to give him lift and first aid. She could remember he was in her car alone for a few minutes enough to find and check the sketches.

"Damn it," Amaya gritted.

This didn't bode well. She had to find his game. Something was up with man and after seeing her sketches of long dead family, she didn't know what would that man or what conclusions he would come. Beyond that she had to find what was his reasons for stalking her because that was what this man was doing.