Hunt for Survival

Sharing the deepest pain

Shaurya

We have reached a dead end. There is nothing in front of us.

“Are you sure that this is not the end?” I asked.

“I have been here several times and there was indeed a bridge which connected both places, the Princess said.

“But where is that bridge? I am only seeing the deep valley in which, if one falls, then no one can even find my bones. It is looking that deep.”

“You are exaggerating it.”

“I am exaggerating? You should really see the depth. It is terrifying.”

“Are you afraid of heights?”

“No, not at all. I am just afraid of what would happen if you fell down and your poor brother wouldn’t even be able to find your bones as well.” She glared either at me.

“I can fly over there.’

“Oh, I forget that you are possessed of forgetting magic as well. Then why don’t you just create a bridge for us?”

“I am not a constructor. You help yourself.” She really doesn’t have any intention of helping me at all.

“Can’t you take us one by one?” Prashant asked.

“Of course I can.” My eyes widened but then I shook my head because this is not the first time I have seen this side of her.

“You are really biased between us.” I said and she glared in my way. “Stop glaring in my way like. Next time your eyes will be out of your socket.”

“Why don’t you keep your mouth shut?”

“Because it is my mouth and I can speak as many words as I want. It is none of your mouth.” I said and she rolled her eyes.

“Then please help us cross this bridge,” Prashant said, and she went towards him and I shook my head. I can’t rely on her for help. I looked around and saw a tree which was near the bridge. I went towards the tree and examined its length and saw the distance between the two lengths. It is perfect for me. I climbed on the tree and, just like the last time the knife cut the tree in half, I will apply the same here. I took the knife and cut it into half and then the portion was titled and it fell correctly. I looked at them.

“See, I don’t need your magic,” I said. The blade was lightly touching my shoulder. In other words, I said with style. I smirked in her way and she looked annoyed by my performance.

“You could have done that before,” Prashant said.

“How could I have that before when I got the idea right now only?” I asked him.

“Alright.” I think that he doesn’t really want to talk so much. From the last day, he has only been like that. Talking less and doesn’t even have knowledge of his surroundings.

“Are you doing alright?” I asked him.

“No problem. I am alright.” I nodded. Though I wasn’t so sure about this, I didn’t exceed this matter. We crossed the bridge but I was scared when I was looking down. Though the bridge which I created was broad enough, it didn't have my heart. When I reached the other side, I a sigh of relief.

“This was dangerous.” I said and then the earth started to shake when we walked just a few meters. “What is going on?”

“We have reached the place where most of our kingdom's treasure resides and there are about four powerful giants who are always on alert and even if a bird comes, then it doesn’t really have any way back to his home.”

“Why is the treasure out of the kingdom?”

“This is because the last ruler was defeated by my brother and his treasure was in the castle only and there was also a rumor that his treasure was stolen and who had stolen it no one knows and, after sometime, when my brother takes over the throne, he keeps the treasures over here and is guarded by these giants.”

“Your brother is really careful about the treasure.”

“He has to be.”

“I don’t really want to know more about your brother.”

“There is nothing more to even know about him either. But everyone over here has to be aware of his magic tricks, which are so dangerous.”

“And is it?”

“His illusion. The illusion which could be created by him is so realistic that it could make one fall into a trap that could attack the person and kill them in a blink.

“Are you warning us?”

“It is really a warning. You had better be aware of his illusions and don’t let him attack you.”

“I can’t really tell what you are thinking.”

“Then don’t waste your time on it. I don’t think that I can accompany you on more of your adventure.”

“Why? Are you leaving?”

“I think that now I should leave. It would be better that I went back.” I reached to the side of her and looked at her and then looked at Prashant who was walking behind us.

“Won’t you tell Prashant what you feel for him?” She froze in her way and she looked at me.

“How do you know that?”

“What?”

“That I like him.”

“You have made everything so obvious that even a blind person will know that you like him when you talk. You are always so reluctant towards me, but you are always so cheerful when it comes to Prashant. I know that his personality is cold but he is good at heart and you also know that and that is why, if you like him, then I won’t really be shocked.” She looked back and Prashant looked at both of us weirdly.

“What is wrong?”

“Nothing, nothing. Just some random talk.” I looked at her.

“Do you really think that he likes me?” She again started to walk and I looked back at him.

“Well…honestly…”

“He doesn’t really like me at all. He just pities me and somewhat cares about him and nothing else is in his feelings for me. I think I would be grateful to him for this only.”

“You are giving up on him?”

“Isn’t it better that I don’t have any hope when it comes to these feelings and you guys won’t even be over here after you complete your mission.”

“Don’t you feel angry when you think that you are walking with those people who have the intention of killing your brother?”

“I….” She didn’t say anything. “I would say that karma always comes back.”

“I won’t push you further.” We walked further and it was getting dark and we found a place to stay and avoided those giants. I found the dry twigs and set up a fire to keep us warm. But Prashant was outside and he didn’t even go outside.

“What is wrong with him?” She asked me.

“I don’t know.” I let her sit over there and went out and saw Prashant sitting on the rock and he was thinking about something and I didn’t disturb him but stood beside him. I looked above and saw the stars above. The place where I live I haven’t seen so many stars in the sky. They are beautiful. I have an interest in them, not much, but now looking at them my interest just jumps higher.

“What are you doing over here?”

“I am looking at the stars and accompanying you.”

“Why?” I looked at him.

“What do you mean by why?”

“Why are you accompanying me?”

“Because I thought that you would need someone to be here with you.”

“I don’t need.”

“Then should I leave? If that is what you want, then I will leave.” I said, but he spoke before I left completely.

“I have lied to myself for a long time that I don’t need anyone, but in fact, I do want someone with whom I could share my pain.” I looked at him.

“What is wrong?” He shook his head.

“I am just feeling excessively lonely today.”

“Would you like to share?” He looked at me and then looked down. “No problem from my side.”

“I would share. I am feeling heavy. Maybe after I share with you I can feel somewhat good.” I stood beside him again. “When I was born my parents were so very happy to have me and everything was all nice. But when I turned five, an accident took them away and later on I got to know that it was murder and that it was arranged by her partner and that happened because of the medicine on which my parents were working on. If it had been successful, then they would have been known around the world, but that person ruined it and took that credit and when this came into the light, then none of the people took any action against him but kept consoling or making me understand. None of them did anything which helped me get avenge for my parents’ death. One of the reasons that I don’t want to be in medicine is because of him, only, only him, and I don’t want to carry forward.”

“So from yesterday you have been thinking about this?” He shook his head.

“No, I was wishing to be in my world so that I could be there with them now. Today is their….”

“There is no need for you to say further. I got it.” I said and he didn’t say anything. “Now that you have shared something with me, then let me also share my pain. My father was an army officer and he died in a war when I was about eight or ten. My mother was scattered when she heard that news, but that didn’t stop her from taking care of me and my elder brother. She took responsibility for her but she started to get sick and she wasn’t able to go back to her job, so my brother Aarav took the job and dropped his studies midway.

Me and Bhai used to be close and we did fight but were always fighting at the end of the day. We both love to play so many video games and he wanted me to achieve my dream of making a game of my own. My brother also had his dream but he gave up on them just to handle our house and I know that he was one of the best in the world, but one day, police came and took him away and later on we got to know that it was a d**g issue. I was about thirteen years old at that time, while he was seventeen. The police had beaten him so much, but what would he tell if he wasn’t involved in this and they left him say But the next day, some people came inside our house and dragged my brother away, whose wounds hadn’t healed yet. Everyone was framing their sentence against him and made him a culprit, but we knew that he could never do something like that and the next day….” I don’t even know how to say anything but it, won’t be good to leave in between “We got a call from police and asked for us to come and when we reached there…we found…we found that he was no more. Those goons from that day had killed him but none of us know the reason. This was another breakdown for my mother. I didn’t know how she had handled her so well till now. I can still remember our days which were so pure but someone, some greed, had put my brother to death. If possible, then I would like to make those people suffer.”

“I am sorry.” I looked away and wiped my tears. I cried more when I learnt that my best friend, my brother, is no longer with me and this still hurts me. “Now you are the only one left with your mother, so I will try to avoid your death. She handled your father’s and brother’s departure, but I don’t think that she can handle the departure of yours.” I nodded. I won’t make my mother cry anymore. I will make her happy in the future and, for that, I have to get out of here and that I will do.