Justice wears blood

Chapter 2: The Boy Who Lived

The world came back… slowly.

Not with light—

But with pain.

Aarav’s fingers twitched first.

Then his chest tightened—burning with every breath.

Beep… Beep… Beep…

A machine. A hospital.

His eyes opened.

White ceiling.

Blurry lights.

A smell of antiseptic.

For a moment… nothing made sense.

Then—

Fragments.

Blood.

Screams.

His father falling.

His mother’s voice—cut short.

His sister crying.

Aarav’s pupils widened.

His heart rate spiked.

“Anaya…!”

His voice cracked—barely a whisper.

Pain shot through his body like knives.

He tried to sit up—

FAILED.

His body refused.

Bandages wrapped around his chest, arms, head. Tubes connected him to life.

A nurse rushed in.

“Don’t move! You’re not stable yet!”

Aarav ignored her.

“My… family…”

Silence.

That kind of silence… that answers everything.

The nurse looked away.

And in that moment—

Aarav understood.

⸻

Scene Shift – Hours Later

Rain tapped softly against the hospital window.

A small figure sat beside Aarav’s bed.

Head down. Hands trembling.

Anaya.

Her eyes were swollen. Red. Empty.

Aarav turned his head slowly toward her.

For a second… he couldn’t speak.

This was all he had left.

“Anaya…”

She froze.

Then looked up—

Tears instantly falling again.

“Brother,’’

She grabbed his hand carefully, afraid he might break.

“You woke up… you finally woke up…”

Her voice was shaking, like glass about to shatter.

Aarav tried to smile.

It didn’t reach his eyes.

“I’m here…”

But inside—

He wasn’t.

⸻

Scene – Truth

Days passed.

Aarav learned everything.

Or rather—

What they wanted him to know.

Police report:

“A violent gang-related incident.”

“Investigation ongoing.”

“No confirmed suspects.”

No names.

No justice.

Nothing.

Aarav stared at the report in silence.

His hands trembled.

Not from weakness—

From rage.

“They erased him…”

“They erased everything…”

His father’s life… reduced to a line in a report.

⸻

Scene – The Detective

A man stood near the door.

Sharp eyes. Calm face.

Detective Hiroshi Nakamura.

“Your father was a good man.”

Aarav didn’t respond.

“Men like him…”

“…don’t survive in this world.”

That line hit differently.

Aarav slowly looked at him.

“You know who did it.”

Not a question.

A statement.

The detective paused.

Then:

“…Even if I did, some names… are not meant to be spoken.”

Aarav’s jaw tightened.

“Or you’re just afraid.”

Silence.

Heavy.

Nakamura turned away.

“Focus on healing.”

And walked out.

⸻

Scene – Night (Turning Point)

Hospital room.

Dark.

Machines humming.

Anaya sleeping beside his bed, her hand still holding his.

Aarav stared at the ceiling.

Wide awake.

His mind replayed everything—

Again.

And again.

And again.

Until—

Something changed.

His breathing slowed.

Heartbeat… steadied.

The pain faded into the background.

And suddenly—

Everything felt… clear.

Too clear.

The sound of the clock.

The drip of IV fluid.

Even the rain outside—

Every drop felt loud.

Aarav’s eyes sharpened.

“What is this…?”

For a brief moment—

The world felt slower.

Controlled.

Like his body knew something his mind didn’t.

Then—

It vanished.

His body trembled.

A sharp headache hit.

Blood trickled slightly from his nose.

He clenched his fists.

“…No.”

“I won’t die like this.”

⸻

Scene – Promise

Morning light entered the room.

Soft. Calm.

Peaceful.

A lie.

Anaya woke up slowly.

“Brother… you should rest…”

Aarav turned toward her.

For the first time—

His eyes had changed.

No fear.

No confusion.

Only something cold.

Something burning.

“Anaya…”

She froze.

“…Do you trust me?”

“…Of course I do…”

A pause.

Then—

Aarav spoke quietly.

“Then don’t ask me what I’m going to do next.”

Her grip tightened.

Fear returned to her eyes.

“Brother … what are you saying…?”

Aarav looked out the window.

At the city.

At the world that took everything from him—

And kept moving.

“The people who did this…”

His voice dropped.

“…they’re still breathing.”

Silence.

Heavy.

Dangerous.

“That’s the problem.”

Anaya’s eyes filled again.

“Revenge won’t bring them back…”

Aarav closed his eyes.

For a second—

He looked human again.

“I know.”

Then he opened them—

And that humanity was gone.

“But it will make sure no one else ends up like us.”

⸻

Final Scene – Chapter End

Aarav slowly removed the oxygen mask.

Ignoring the pain.

Ignoring everything.

Machines started beeping louder.

But he didn’t stop.

“If the law won’t act…”

He swung his legs off the bed—

Falling to his knees instantly.

Body too weak.

But he forced himself up again.

“…then I will.”

into his eyes—

Cold. Focused. Unforgiving.

⸻

Final Line :

“That night… a victim survived.”

“But something else was born.”