Chasing the Evanescent

Chasing around her

The treks were abuzz with young and occasional aged trekkers, after the incident she didn't want to go into lonely treks or anywhere she could not find the comfort of the warmth of people she usually felt in this small yet lovely town.

The morning air was crisp and touched her body coldly telling her about the thin sheet of sweat after the nearly hour-long walk... she usually ran in the mornings but today she didn't want to be tired if some intruder trespassed in her private space like last evening.

For the first few minutes, she kept looking into the eyes of people passing by her trying to recognize the same heavily built body that had tried to suffocate her last night.

The man didn't want to kill her, whoever it was, they just wanted to scare her and give some kind of message to the Army guy.

"VANSH"

"it's Captain Vansh, Maam... please calm down."

It was odd but she felt calm for some unknown reason when she had to start panicking seeing the condition that was thrown onto her all of a sudden.

Flashback, to last evening.

" do you live here alone with your mother?" Vansh knew a lot of things about her but without knowing the situation he had to play safe and as an officer he knew anyone could be a part of the ploy.

No matter how innocent and helpless Ridhhima seemed at this moment he could not trust her.

"Yes, we live alone," she replied looking straight into his eyes as if challenging him.

"did you get into some kind of fight..." he corrected himself. "I mean is there someone who can harm you?"

"Not that I know but how come you are here and where did you get the address of my house... are you spying on me." she stood up and with the looks it seemed she was trying to look around herself for something she needed.

"Came for trekking and was...

"Didi, Ma wants to..." they were interrupted by the same lean teenager Vansh had met a few minutes ago.

"Do you know him, Didi? Who is he? He was here this evening... I told you we were full, Sir." the guy's face flashed he was in defensive mode and Vansh realized he had touched Ridhima's arm for quite some time. he left it and straightened it.

"Young man! don't worry, it's all good. We know each other." he said and heard an inaudible WTH along with a pair of eyes starting to glare at him.

"Madam wants to talk with her sister, if you could come out...we are waiting for you." the boy's voice sounded uncertain as to if he didn't believe his words but then he heard her.

"Neil, please brew some coffee... Cap... Vansh is no stranger." after the words, she waited for Neil to leave them alone and then.

R: "what is this, I don't even know more than your name ..."

V: "and my rank, Maam."

R: please call me Ridhima..."

The whole thing was strange and making it the strongest was this guy who certainly knew more about her, was calling her Maam.

V: Ridhima...

He said the word and both looked up at each other for it was a feeling he can't describe and she can't understand, his longing to reach her and get involved in her life started making a wild run as soon as he stared into her eyes.

Controlling his vogue thoughts he cleared his throat and she looked away uncomfortably.

V: Can we meet somewhere I need to talk with you." meanwhile he grabbed a paper from the table and scribbled something.

R: what...

Vansh put his index over his lips and gestured her to be silent... and then showed her the paper.

"it's something about Kabeer ." the gasp was visible but she was quick to cover her mouth.

"We can't talk here, BUGS." He nibbled on the paper and when her face showed surprise he understood she didn't get her military talks.

"might be a camera or a microphone here, that's why..." the paper was full of large alphabets and he needed another one if they needed more talks.

"Sorry, it was an important work message, so what were you saying." Vansh pretended to save them the moments he was showing her the notes if someone was actually listening to them.

"no, wasn't saying anything, I get free by 3 every evening so you can come and then..."

"got it and in case there is an emergency here is my..."

"I have the local police on speed dial." she beat him, clearly a brave woman. He hid the smile curling on his lips. Then those marks on her arms back then.

Grabbing another paper he wrote the new number he had got in for this operation, his intuition said she would need it.

"Neil calls you ma'am when others are around and calls you Didi when no one is there... why it is so? Do you trust him?" he asked later when he sipped the coffee after having her mother believe unknowingly he was Kabeer's friend.

"i don't trust you Captain Vansh." the brief words were sharp.

Flashback END

"Noone knew anything about Kabeer other than..." she herself didn't think about it, afraid she might blurt it to someone but why this guy was interested in him, did he know him if he knew he might know the reasons behind his disappearance as well.

Or was there some other kind of thing going behind all of this?

The man last night...she shivered again, sometimes Kabeer's temperament used to terrify her, the last he spent time with them was not something she wanted to recall.

And The man last night for a moment reminded her about Kabeer's actions one night, if not for Neil's shouts she didn't know would she have been alive today.

The cold wind touched her again making her realize she was running unknowingly into a dark patch of jungle. she stopped in her tracks, "there was no one around."

She glanced down at her smartwatch, it was way past her jogging time. She had to go back home and she was going when she felt something behind her.

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Hey everyone... apologies, I disappeared again and then I am back with one of the smallest chapters but it's just a note telling me I am back and we'll see each other more often.

This patience means a lot.

Next chapter - 5/03/2022

Love all

Morusya♥