THE CURIOUS CASE OF HOMECOMING

Home home sweet home

Rajesh was the caretaker of our house. The person who raised me and used to play with me. The whole house was the same as it was, just that these two people were missing.

"STOP TALKING SO MUCH AND EAT YOUR FOOD SILENTLY." Suddenly dad said.

I was surprised by his voice but didnt say anything and ate my food silently.

After a good afternoon nap I went downstairs and sat on the sofa looking for the newspaper.

"Mom where is today's newspaper?"

"Paperwork didn't give newspaper for the last two days" she said while offering me a cup of tea

"What has happened to this place I don't understand." I said while sipping my tea.

She sat next to me holding her cup of tea and said: "many things have changed beta".

"What happened to Rajesh and Laxman Chachu?" I asked.

"Laxman cheated on your fathe and took all your father's money and Rajesh was helping him in all his misdeeds. So, your father asked them to leave the house immediately". She said.

"Oh no, it is so sad, I am still not believing in my ears, it is so difficult to believe" I said

I never imagined Rajesh and Laxman chachu will do something like that. Mom said nothing and left.

I suddenly realized mom started talking very less nowadays. Earlier we used to sit and chat for hours. I somehow started missing those moments.

"Oh, meat curry again. Wow. What happened mom you are making meat curry both for lunch and dinner. Earlier we used to eat meat once a week." I said

"This is for your honor, my dear". Dad said.

"But which meat is this dad? It tasted like mutton, but different, is it mutton or something else dad?".

"You enjoy your food dear, don't talk much while eating. It will get stuck into your throat." Dad said

Next morning i woke up late.

"Good morning mom, it's so late, already 12, why didn't you wake me up," I said with a lethargic voice.

"You were in deep sleep beta, I thought you would be very tired". She said.

"Mom, I am feeling so heavy, I need to walk a little. I will go scroll from outside." I said after finishing the lunch

"No need to go anywhere" dad said roughly.

I was shocked by his words.

"No beta, actually it is very polluted outside that's why your dad is saying as this" Mom said.

"I need to walk dad or else I would fall sick."

I don't know I felt something weird but without bothering anything I put on my earphones and started walking.

"Are you Nishi?" a voice asked me from behind. I turned and said:"yes".

"How are you beta? do you remember me?"

It was Hari kaka.

"Hari kaka, how are you?"
"I am fine beta, how is Mr. Verma? Haven't meet him for a long time" Hari kaka said.

"He is fine kaka but why you haven't met him for so long?" I asked curiously.

"What to say, after the death of Laxman, your dad just stopped interacting with other people and the boy who used to stay with you guys, he got disappeared suddenly from the town, this incident shook him more"

My feet became cold after hearing those words. What? Laxman chachu died?

Hari kaka left offering me blessings

I was so upset, at the same time I was shocked. A lot of questions kept on rolling in my head. I thought why did Mom and Dad lie to me about them?

I returned to my house thinking about all those things.

"Mom, where are you?" I shouted.

I sat on the sofa and again started thinking about all.

Suddenly I realized no one was there in the house. I shouted again "mom, dad, where are you guys?

No one responded. I sat there for a while silently. Rajesh's and Laxman chachu's face was continuously
popping on my head.

Half an hour passed, I realized my parents were not in the house.

I searched everywhere but couldn't find them.

I went to the kitchen table, to fetch some water but there were no water bottles.

I moved towards the fridge, the fridge was locked.

I searched for the key here and there suddenly a flower vase fell from the table and there it was. The key was under the vase. I took the keys and opened up the lock and unclosed the fridge door.

"Wait, dear, I will get you water," mom said from behind.

I turned around and said with a smile "don't worry mom I'll get it." and just looked into the fridge.

Gosh! the moment, I looked into it, the world shook apart as the fridge was full of meat with blood and nothing.

The ground under my feet started spinning the moment I saw the heads of Rajesh and Laxman chachu wrapped up in transparent polythene.

I just started vomiting. I turned around and looked to them, two people were standing there silently and smiling, a question popped into my head, Do I know them? My hands and feet became cold, not a single word popped out, from my mouth but my eyes were full of questions.

They said together:

"What to do beta, they betrayed us so we killed them and ate them up."

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