Maddy sighed but finally decided to share about his past.
Maddy: You know main abhi jaisa hu na...ekdum angry young man types, main bachpan me vaisa bilkul nahi tha. I was the youngest in my family isliye main sabse zyada pampered baccha tha. Main, dida, mom aur dad, we were a small happy family....they were my world lekin that day all my happiness ended, my world came crashing down.
Flashback
It was Maddy's vacation period, he had just completed his 10th board exams and was now busy planning a vacation with his family. His parents were out at a friend's place while his elder sister aka his dida was upstairs sleeping. He was way too engrossed in playing his video game when he heard an ambulance siren. Curious, he looked out of his mansion's window and found an ambulance approaching towards his house. He was already getting negative vibes and his heart stopped when the ambulance stood right outside his house. He immediately rushed outside to inquire what was happening.
Maddy: Why are you here?
He asked one of the wardboys who stepped out of the ambulance.
Wardboy: We are here to deliver these bodies
Maddy: B-bodies? Wh-whose bodies?
He was already scared to know the answer. The wardboy was about to reply when he heard his dida, Sanaya walking towards them, calling out for him.
Sanaya: Maddy kya hua? Why are these people here?
Maddy: dida voh they...they are saying that they have come here t-to deli-deliver dead...dead bodies
He stammered while Sanaya was numb to react.
Sanaya: D-dead bodies?
Sanaya asked shocked while the wardboys only nodded.
Sanaya: What bullshit! Humare ghar me kisika accident nai hua and nor was anyone operated in the hospital. Tumlog shayad....nahi shayad nahi pakka galat address par aaye ho ok
She snapped but she was getting anxious and scared from within while an equally scared Maddy stood there, clutching his sister's hand tightly.
Wardboy: No Mam we are at the right place. This is Singhania Mansion right?
Sanaya nodded pensively and just after that they saw two bodies being removed from the ambulance, their faces covered with the white sheet.
Wardboy: Agar aap chahe toh you can see the bodies too to confirm
Sanaya and Maddy were scared even more now. This was all too shocking for them and they didn't know how to react. Its not everyday an ambulance is parked right outside your house and you are asked to identify if the dead bodies lying there are related to you or not.
Maddy: Dida hum mumma papa ko call karte hai na, they might know something
He suggested just as Sanaya was about to walk towards the bodies lying there. Sanaya nodded immediately as if waiting for it and fished out her phone to call her mother but she wasn't picking up. She tried again but got the same response making her tensed.
Sanaya: papa ko call karti hu
She murmured anxiously to herself and dialed her father's number but even he did not pick up her calls which only made her worried.
Maddy: Dida kya hua? Aren't they picking up your call?
Sanaya nodded in a no as her grip on Maddy's hand grew tighter.
Sanaya: I think this is the only way we can know what is this all about
She said looking at the lifeless bodies. Clutching Maddy's hands tightly in hers, both of them made their way to the bodies. With shivering hands, Sanaya uncovered the first one and all the colours from her face faded.
Maddy: No this can't happen. No no no this is all wrong
He kept on chanting when he saw his mother's body lying lifeless in front of him while Sanaya stood there stunned at her place. Still in trance, she uncovered the body lying next to her mother and as she did so, her feet stumbled, she was unable to look at that sight.
Sanaya: dad
She whispered meekly as a traitor tear slid down her cheek. Reality was finally sinking in for her but Maddy was still in denial. He was trying hard to wake up his parents from their deep sleep but they didn't budge.
Maddy: Dida this is not real na? Its...its just a nightmare right? H-hai na? Dida bolo na
He asked, shaking Sanaya vigorously but got no reply. Just then a car stopped in front of the mansion and a man in his late fifties stepped out.
Maddy: GD!
He exclaimed seeing his Grandfather and rushed to him.
Maddy: GD dekho na mumma papa are not waking up. Aap bolo na unko ki voh uth jaaye...voh aapki baat maante hai na
He pleaded but his grandfather just shrugged him off as if he was disgusted by him.
GD: ab voh kabhi nahi uthenge, they are no more
He said coldly and asked the wardboys to get their bodies inside the house.
Maddy: Dida
Maddy spoke in a broken tone looking at his sister who hugged him close to her chest as they cried incoherently sitting on the road. A few minutes later a servant called them in, saying their grandfather was calling them. They went inside with red swollen eyes and sat next to their dead parents. Sanaya cried hard, hugging her father's body while Maddy went towards his mother. He was just about to touch her face when his GD stopped him.
GD: Don't! Don't you dare touch them Madhyam. Yeh jo bhi hua hai na uske zimmedaar tum ho
Maddy: M-main?
He asked shocked.
GD: Ha tum. They were worried about your future and hence they came to talk to me and when they left they were still tensed about you aur usi tension me they did not realise that a car was coming from the opposite side and till the time they realised, it was too late
He replied coldly and Maddy stumbled in his steps.
Maddy: no you are lying, aisa nahi ho sakta
GD: Aisa hi hai. You couldn't be a good son to your parents Madhyam and see where they landed because of you
Sanaya: GD
She shouted not able to see her brother breaking down.
Sanaya: Maddy is nowhere at fault, it was just an accident. (Turning towards Maddy) Madhyam kiddo it was an accident, you are not at fault
She cooed, cupping his face and Madhyam believed her. He knew his dida would never support him if he was wrong. His GD just groaned and left the room while they both sat there crying, hugging their parents and calling them out, wishing it to be just a nightmare so when they open their eyes everything turns into how it was before, so that they again become the happy family that they were before all this happened but deep down they knew that it wasn't possible.
End of flashback
As soon as Maddy completed, everyone including Nandini who already knew this was in tears except for Maddy who sat there with a stone face, emotionless.
Maddy: Uss din I lost my parents and a part of me with them. I lost my dad, my superhero, I lost my mom who was my world. We couldn't even spend the last few moments of their life together as a family. Our lives changed. I was no longer the timid Madhyam, I had become strong and Dida was no longer the happy go lucky girl that she was, she had turned silent and I couldn't do anything. I was helpless
Aryaman who was standing next to him, hugged him tightly and Maddy too reciprocated. They broke the hug after sometime as Maddy continued.
Maddy: Time passed and we were slowly getting over our hard phase of life. Dida was slowly getting back to normal and even i started to open up. My college began and there I made friends who were also a part of my band. We were five people, me, Sidharth, Yash, Aarohi and....Sanjana
Everyone except Nandini looked surprised when they heard him calling Sanjana as his friend. They had thought she was his enemy who had betrayed his trust but their assumptions were proved wrong.
Stay tuned.
Happy reading.
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