Silent Downfall

Chapter Fourteen

"And how do you know where this old temple is?" asked Mayank with a raised eyebrow. "How much have you been roaming around exactly?"

The boy gasped and raised the stuffed tiger in his hand. "It's Toby's fault. He keeps asking me to look around for him."

"For whom?"

"My brother."

The all-rounder folded his arms. "That worm is like two million miles away. What were you even thinking?"

"I am not talking about Waseef Bh—AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Fayzan pointed his quivering finger toward a tree standing a few feet away. "S-s-sn-snake!"

Mayank rolled his eyes. "You haven't had a single fan in your life." 

"Wh-wha-what? Don't keep standing here! Chase it away!"

"Leave it there, and it won't give a damn! And what sort of stuff are you even expecting to see here? Polar bears?"

All of a sudden, a few scenes from earlier played in his mind, not allowing Fayzan's reply to claim his attention. The purple hue on the sky, the perplexing dimness, the unusual company, and the unearthly situation teamed up to make him question the rationality of what was going on. It could not be real. It had to be one of those nightmares again. Any moment, the boy would drop dead before his eyes, and the place would turn into a graveyard while he would sit amidst the plight and watch ghastly shadows engulf him.

"Run!" Mayank cried as he caught hold of the child's wrist.

Although startled by the action, the boy did not protest as the all-rounder began to drag him along.

The sky was almost entirely bereft of light when they reached Vaibhav's place.

"Go to your room," said Mayank with his eyes on the entrance.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to have a quick chat with—wait, why should I tell you? Go away."

"Okay."

"Wait."

The boy turned around to face Mayank.

"First of all, you better not eavesdrop."

"I wasn't eavesdropping. I was—"

"I don't care. Whatever you were doing, don't do it again."

"And of course," he added, "it was very audacious of you to be there in that place, but well, you did come to some—um—a little, just a little use somehow. I am surprised that you managed to use the knife without causing any trouble, but..."

Fayzan rolled his eyes. "Do you mean 'thank you' by any chance?"

The tip of Mayank's nose went scarlet. "Whatever. Get lost."

The kid frowned and disappeared into the house without further disobedience. Mayank stepped in a moment later and headed straight toward Vaibhav's room. He was greeted with a dark smile by the leader, who was standing beside the window.

"I need to know what's going on!" spat the all-rounder.

Vaibhav observed him blankly for a moment, following which he allowed the grin to reappear. "You don't look so happy, Aavin. Did you get my—"

"That doesn't matter. Tell me why I had to get it. Tell me why you sent your men after me. Tell me why these cowards can't face me like a man."

The leader narrowed his eyes. "I didn't send anyone after you."

Vaibhav's firm voice held Mayank back from erupting immediately. "Really? Your guys nearly ate me up today."

"What do you mean?"