Eternal Hunt

The Unexpected Reunion

Shreya had been assigned a field project in college, but she had to choose the topic herself. She had previously noticed that people had been disappearing in the area for years. As soon as she got the assignment, she decided to research that exact topic. The research required a trip to the Sanchi jungle, so she headed out with a few friends after classes.

On the way to the jungle, they stopped by a small roadside tea stall where an uncle was drinking tea. Shreya struck up a conversation with him.

Shreya: "Uncle, why are these Sanchi jungles so mysterious?"

Uncle: "These are centuries-old jungles, child. Many secrets are buried here."

Shreya (curious): "What kind of secrets?"

Uncle: "Many kinds of animals roam around here."

Shreya instantly remembered the animal attack from her camping trip. She immediately asked, "And what about the people who disappear? I noticed that for the past few years, there has been no trace of them."

Uncle (turning serious): "Who knows. Rumor has it that there's a demon here who abducts them."

Shreya (thoughtfully): "It could just be a rumor. Maybe someone is running an illegal operation behind all this, like drugs or something."

Uncle: "Maybe. But how will we find the answer?"

Shreya: "That's what needs to be found out."

With that, Shreya set off towards the jungle with her friends, determined to uncover whatever secrets lay hidden within.

As soon as Shreya entered the jungle, she ran into a simple, bubbly boy who looked a bit younger than her. Shreya called out, "Hey, what are you doing in the jungle?"

The boy, holding a camera, smiled and said, "I'm here for a photoshoot."

Shreya (laughing): "This jungle is a strange and dangerous place. What are you doing here alone?"

Boy: "My boss prefers working in places like this. By the way, my name is Kartik."

Intrigued, Shreya introduced herself. After a brief chat, they got to talking. Kartik had no idea about the disappearances in the jungle.

Kartik: "What topic are you researching?"

Shreya: "It's a college assignment. This jungle is very mysterious, so I decided to research it."

Kartik: "Well, my boss spends a lot of time here for photoshoots. He stays for days on end. You might get a lot of information if you meet him."

Shreya (liking the idea): "Where is your boss? Can you arrange a meeting for me?"

Kartik (hesitating): "He's a very serious kind of guy. He might not even agree to meet you."

Shreya (smiling): "Oh, I just want to talk to him professionally."

Just then, Shreya's friend, Piya, walked over. Piya found Kartik incredibly cute. She was a simple girl; she liked branded things but never asked anyone for favors, always earning her own way. She was also a very good friend to Shreya.

Piya: "Come on, man. Our friend is really stressed about her assignment. Please arrange a meeting with your boss just once."

Kartik looked at Piya; she seemed really chill. After thinking for a moment, he finally agreed and gave them the address where Shreya could meet his boss. Kartik then left, leaving Piya and Shreya excited about their new lead.

Meanwhile, Namah and his friend were out for a walk. Namah looked a bit sickly and was walking slowly. They stopped near a coffee shop—the exact same place where Shreya and Piya had stopped for coffee.

Shreya and Piya were discussing their plan for the next day.

Shreya: "People have been disappearing here for years, something is definitely wrong."

Piya: "Yeah, of course, dude. That's obvious."

Shreya: "I have to figure this out. If we don't do anything, more people could disappear in the future."

Piya: "No way, man, that's a job for the police. We can't take that risk. We could get into trouble."

Shreya: "Yes, but I want to solve this case. I have to find out what this mystery is."

As they talked, Shreya and Piya got up to head home.

Friend (to Namah): "Did you hear that?"

Namah: "Yes. People are slowly starting to figure out the truth."

Friend: "Isn't that the same girl from the jungle that day? The one you attacked?"

Namah: "Oh, s**t. I think we're going to have to deal with them now, otherwise they might expose our secret."

Friend: "Should I kill her then?"

Namah: "No. Not right now. Let's head back home, I'll tell you what to do on the way."

Namah and his friend headed back, plotting their next move. But there wasn't a trace of stress on Namah's face—it was as if he was lost in an entirely different thought.

The next morning, Piya and Shreya arrived at the address Kartik had given them. It was an isolated, quiet area, and the house stood out with its grand architecture. As they walked down the path, they asked a passing elderly lady for directions.

"There's only one house down this way," she told them. "Just keep going straight, that's your destination."

They walked straight until the house came into full view—a massive, luxurious mansion with a car and a Harley Davidson parked outside. As they approached the gate, a screen lit up and an automated voice announced, "You are new here. Please register." Shreya and Piya entered their basic details to create a profile. Kartik had already set up the appointment in the system.

When they stepped inside, they found a shoe rack, and the voice instructed, "Remove your shoes." They were provided with slippers. Moving deeper inside, they entered a massive hall. One entire wall was covered with monitors, and someone was sitting in a chair facing them.

As the man turned around, Shreya's jaw dropped—it was Aadi, the guy from the jungle!

Shreya (shocked): "What are you doing here?"

Aadi was equally surprised; he had never expected this girl to show up at his house. The appointment had been entirely arranged by Kartik, and they had arrived a bit earlier than scheduled.

Aadi (in his deep voice): "How did you get in?"

Shreya: "We have an appointment with Kartik's boss, Aadi."

Aadi checked the system, and the appointment was indeed there.

Aadi: "Sit."

Shreya (with a bit of attitude): "I don't want to sit."

Aadi (coldly): "Sit, Shreya."

Hearing him say her name, Shreya hesitated, wondering, "How does he know my name?"

Aadi (in his usual serious tone): "I am Aadi, the owner of this company. Kartik is my assistant."

Shreya was even more stunned but sat down quietly. Her entire focus was locked on him. Aadi got up, fetched water, and handed it to both of them. Piya looked visibly impressed by Aadi's dashing and mysterious aura.

Aadi: "Tell me, why did you want to meet me? What's the business?"

Shreya: "That day in the jungle, you—"

Aadi (cutting her off): "Leave all that. Why are you here today? I'm sure Kartik booked your appointment, so there must be a specific reason."

Piya (chiming in): "Sir, we have a college assignment. We're journalism students researching a topic, and we wanted to talk to you about it."

Shreya: "As I've observed, for the last few years, people have been disappearing in the jungle. There's no trace of them, no proof of where they went."

Aadi wondered internally how this girl knew all this, but he kept his face neutral.

Shreya: "You were in the jungle that day too, and you're a wildlife photographer. I thought you might have some information. The college said the assignment has to be on a real unsolved case to get good marks."

Aadi fell into deep thought. He realized she was investigating the exact same incidents he had been tracking for a long time—incidents for which he actually had a piece of evidence locked away in his storage. But he didn't trust Shreya yet.

Aadi: "My job is to take pictures of animals, not to run investigations."

Shreya: "An animal attacked me that day when we first met."