chapter five
820 Words
Fear rushed through her body so suddenly that she could barely breathe.
She stood frozen in the middle of the room, clutching the photograph against her chest. Her fingers trembled, and every thought in her mind seemed to disappear at once.
The woman remained in the doorway.
For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.
Then the girl finally found her voice.
“Who are you?”
The woman looked at her carefully.
“My name is Meera.”
The photograph almost slipped from the girl's hand.
“Meera?”
The woman nodded.
“You came looking for me.”
She took a step backward.
“How do you know that?”
“Because I knew someone would eventually come.”
“Who?”
Meera didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she looked at the photograph.
“You found it.”
The girl swallowed.
“I've been searching for you.”
“I know.”
“But why?”
Before Meera could answer, footsteps sounded from the corridor.
The girl turned sharply.
The boy appeared at the doorway.
Her anger returned immediately.
“You!”
He stopped when he saw the photograph in her hand.
“I knew you would find her.”
“You knew?”
His expression fell.
“I wanted to explain everything.”
“You've had enough chances.”
“I didn't steal the object because I wanted to hurt you.”
“You lied to me.”
“I know.”
“You followed me.”
“I was trying to protect you.”
She shook her head.
“Everyone keeps saying that. My grandmother kept secrets. The old man kept secrets. You stole from me and lied to me. Now Meera is standing here telling me she expected me.”
The boy looked at Meera.
Meera gave him a small nod.
He sighed.
“You don't understand the kind of life you're stepping into.”
“Then explain it.”
He looked at her for a long moment.
“This isn't a simple search. There are people who have spent years protecting certain information. People who don't want it discovered. Your grandmother understood that.”
The girl immediately interrupted.
“Then tell me who my grandmother really was.”
The boy shook his head.
“Not yet.”
Her eyes filled with frustration.
“Why?”
“Because knowing everything at once could put you in danger.”
“I don't care!”
“But we do.”
Meera stepped closer.
“You've already lost enough,” she said quietly. “We don't want you losing anything else.”
The girl stared at her.
She wanted answers.
She wanted to know why everyone seemed to know pieces of her life except her.
But she was exhausted.
Meera gently touched her arm.
“Come with me.”
She hesitated.
Then, somehow, she followed.
Meera took her into a small, warm house hidden behind the building. It was nothing like the mysterious place she had imagined. There were books everywhere, plants near the windows, and photographs covering one wall.
Meera gave her clean clothes and helped her settle down.
“You must be hungry.”
The girl realized she hadn't eaten properly since yesterday.
Meera placed a warm meal in front of her.
She ate quietly.
Nobody questioned her.
Nobody demanded anything from her.
For the first time in days, she felt a tiny bit of safety.
But that feeling didn't last.
Later that evening, Meera noticed a small mark on the girl's arm from her struggle earlier.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
Meera's expression changed.
“Tell me.”
“I said it's nothing.”
The conversation became tense.
Meera tried to insist that she stay away from the people searching for her. The girl became angry, refusing to listen. In the confusion, Mira lost her temper and struck her once.
The room went silent.
Meera immediately stepped back.
The girl stared at her in shock.
She had expected secrets.
She had expected lies.
She had not expected this.
“I trusted you,” she whispered.
Meera's face softened.
“I know.”
She lowered her voice.
“And I'm sorry.”
The girl said nothing.
Meera brought her socks, made sure she had everything she needed for the night, and left the room.
The girl sat alone on the bed.
She looked toward the photographs covering the wall.
There were still no answers about her grandmother.
No explanation about her parents.
No explanation about the object.
Only one terrifying realization remained.
Whatever life her grandmother had been protecting her from was much bigger than she had ever imagined.
And somewhere outside the room, the boy was still waiting.
Because tomorrow, he promised, he would finally tell her something she had been asking since the beginning.
Not the whole truth.
Just enough to make her understand why everyone had been afraid of her finding it.
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