Ep-3:- The Flashback

The golden rays of the evening sun bathed the streets of Shaindhav Village as Kamal Vyaas and Ira walked home together.

The mountain breeze carried the sweet fragrance of pine trees.

Villagers greeted them warmly as they passed by.

"Dadu..."

"Hmm?"

Ira suddenly stopped walking.

A little boy, around seven years old, sat quietly beside a small tea stall. His clothes were worn out, and he stared silently at the bakery across the road.

His stomach growled loudly.

Ira's expression softened.

She gently tugged on Kamal's sleeve.

"Dadu..."

"I want to buy him some bread."

Kamal looked at the little boy.

Then at Ira.

A warm smile spread across his face.

"My beta never misses anyone in need."

He reached into his pocket and handed her some money.

"Go ahead."

"But be careful while crossing the road."

Ira's face lit up.

"Thank you, Dadu!"

She quickly ran to the nearby bakery, bought a fresh loaf of bread, and carefully walked over to the little boy.

She knelt beside him with a gentle smile.

"Here..."

"You looked hungry."

The little boy stared at her in surprise.

"For... me?"

Ira nodded happily.

"Yes."

"Eat it before it gets cold."

His eyes filled with tears as he accepted the bread.

"Thank you... Didi."

Ira simply smiled before waving goodbye and running back toward Kamal.

As she crossed the road...

One of the villagers, who had witnessed everything, chuckled softly.

"Kamal ji..."

"Your granddaughter has such a kind heart."

Another elderly man nodded in agreement.

"Ever since she came to this village..."

"She's been just like this."

"Always helping everyone."

Kamal smiled faintly.

"...Yes."

His eyes slowly drifted into the distance.

Those words echoed in his mind.

"Ever since she came here..."

FLASHBACK

Six years ago...

Like every morning, Kamal had entered the forest to collect firewood.

The woods were unusually quiet.

Suddenly—

DSSSHHHHH!

A loud rustling sound came from above.

He looked up.

The branches of a giant deodar tree shook violently.

Without thinking...

He rushed forward.

Something small slipped through the leaves.

Kamal instinctively stretched out both hands.

THUD!

A little girl landed safely in his arms.

She couldn't have been more than six years old.

Her soft brown hair was tangled with dry leaves.

Tiny scratches covered her hands.

Her clothes were torn.

Yet strangely...

She had no serious injuries.

Kamal looked around in panic.

"Hello?!"

"Is anyone there?!"

Only the wind answered.

The unconscious child weakly gripped his sweater.

A tiny whisper escaped her lips.

"...I... Ira..."

Kamal's heart melted.

He gently held her close.

"Don't worry, Beta..."

"You're safe now."

Present

"Dadu?"

A small hand waved in front of his face.

"Dadu!"

Kamal blinked.

He realized Ira was standing beside him again.

She tilted her head.

"Are you alright?"

"You've been staring into space."

Kamal smiled gently, though his eyes still carried the weight of that memory.

"Yes, Beta."

"I'm alright."

Kamal forced a gentle smile.

"Yes, Beta."

"I'm just getting old."

"My mind keeps wandering."

Ira crossed her arms dramatically.

"Hmm..."

"I don't believe you."

"You always tell me when something is wrong."

Kamal chuckled softly and patted her head.

"Come on."

"If we keep talking here..."

"...our rajma rice will get cold."

A bright smile instantly returned to Ira's face.

"Then what are we waiting for?"

She grabbed his hand.

"Let's go!"

Both of them laughed as they continued towards their small wooden cottage.

As they walked...

The cheerful smile on Ira's face slowly disappeared.

She looked around.

Something...

Didn't feel right.

The village road was the same.

The houses were the same.

Even the mountain breeze remained gentle.

Yet...

Her heart suddenly began beating faster.

She unconsciously tightened her grip on Kamal's hand.

"Dadu..."

"Hm?"

"...Do you ever get a strange feeling..."

"...without knowing why?"

Kamal looked at her with concern.

"What kind of feeling?"

Ira hesitated.

"...Like..."

"...someone is watching."

Kamal looked around.

The road was empty.

Only a few villagers were returning home.

He smiled reassuringly.

"You're probably tired, Beta."

She nodded.

"...Maybe."

But the uneasy feeling refused to disappear.

A few minutes later...

They finally reached their wooden cottage.

Kamal took the keys from his pocket.

Just as he was about to unlock the door—

"Dadu."

Her voice had changed.

It was calm.

Serious.

Almost...

Certain.

Kamal stopped.

"What happened?"

Ira stared at the closed wooden door.

Her brown eyes never moved.

"...Don't open it."

Kamal frowned.

"Why?"

A cold breeze passed between them.

She slowly stepped backwards.

"...Someone is inside."

Silence.

For a moment...

Neither of them spoke.

Kamal tried to smile.

"Beta..."

"I locked the house before leaving."

"No one can be inside."

But Ira slowly shook her head.

"No..."

"I'm sure."

"There is someone inside."

The innocence in her voice had vanished.

For the first time...

Her words carried absolute certainty.

Kamal's smile disappeared.

Years of living in the mountains had sharpened his instincts.

Although he couldn't hear anything...

A strange uneasiness settled in his heart.

He quietly placed the keys back into his pocket.

Without making a sound...

He picked up a thick wooden stick resting beside the entrance.

"Stay behind me."

Ira nodded.

"Okay..."

Kamal slowly pushed the door open.

CREEEEAK...

The old wooden door opened with a long groan.

The living room was dark.

The chairs.

The table.

The kitchen.

Everything appeared untouched.

Kamal carefully stepped inside.

Nothing.

He sighed softly.

"I think you were just—"

...Tap...

Both froze.

A slow sound echoed from upstairs.

...Tap...

...Tap...

The unmistakable sound of high heels walking across the wooden floor.

Kamal tightened his grip on the stick.

Ira instinctively stepped in front of him.

The footsteps grew closer.

Tap...

Tap...

A silhouette appeared at the top of the staircase.

First...

A pair of black heels.

Then...

Dark trousers.

A fitted black coat.

Finally...

A woman in her early twenties stepped into the light.

Her sharp eyes immediately met Ira's.

For the briefest moment...

Relief flashed across her face.

Almost as if...

She had finally found someone.

Ira narrowed her eyes.

Her voice was steady.

"Who are you?"

"What are you doing in our house... intruder?"

The woman didn't answer.

Instead...

She quietly looked at Kamal.

Then back at Ira.

Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something—

BANG!!

The front window exploded into countless pieces.

Glass scattered across the room.

The woman reacted instantly.

She lunged forward, pushing both Kamal and Ira to the floor.

The bullet tore through the wall behind her.

Without hesitation, she rolled behind the sofa and pulled out a compact pistol.

Her breathing became uneven.

She pressed a finger against the earpiece hidden beneath her hair.

Her eyes widened.

"Why did you do this to me?!"

"Answer me!!"

Only silence answered.

Not a single voice came through the earpiece.

For the first time...

Fear appeared in her eyes.

Slowly...

She removed the earpiece and threw it across the room.

It slid across the floor and stopped beside the broken glass.

She turned toward Kamal.

The calm expression she wore moments ago had completely disappeared.

Now...

Only urgency remained.

Her voice trembled slightly.

"Where's the exit?"

The mysterious woman looked towards Kamal, panic evident in her eyes.

"I repeat Where's the exit?"

Kamal tightened his grip on the wooden stick.

His voice remained firm.

"Who are you?"

"Why are people firing at my house?"

The woman clenched her jaw.

"I don't have time to explain."

"If you want to stay alive..."

"...we need to leave. Now."

Before anyone could move—

BANG!!

Another deafening gunshot echoed through the cottage.

CRASHHH!!

The front window exploded.

Hundreds of sharp glass shards burst into the room like deadly rain.

"DADU!!"

Ira's terrified voice echoed through the house.

Her heart pounded wildly.

Her hands trembled.

Fear was clearly written across her face...

Yet...

The only thing she could think about...

Was protecting her grandfather.

Everything happened within a fraction of a second.

Without even thinking...

Ira grabbed the nearby sofa pillow with one hand.

With the other...

She snatched the wooden stick from Kamal's grip.

THUD!

She thrust the stick forward and raised the pillow just enough to shield them.

The flying glass crashed against the pillow and wooden stick instead of striking Kamal and the mysterious woman.

The entire movement lasted...

Barely a heartbeat.

Silence.

The room froze.

The mysterious woman's eyes widened.

Kamal stared at Ira in complete disbelief.

How...

How had a twelve-year-old girl reacted that quickly?

Even Ira herself looked confused.

She slowly looked at the pillow in her hands.

"...Huh?"

As if she didn't understand what she had just done.

But there was no time to question it.

The woman immediately grabbed Kamal's arm.

"Move!"

"We have to get out of here!"

Another gunshot echoed from outside.

Reality returned.

None of them realized...

That what Ira had just done...

Was far beyound ordinary human reflexes.

Just then—

BEEP... BEEP...

A faint sound came from the earpiece lying on the floor.

The woman slowly turned her head.

The device had suddenly come back to life.

A distorted voice echoed through the room.

"...Target confirmed."

"...No witnesses."

Static.

The transmission ended.

The woman's eyes widened.

Her hands trembled ever so slightly.

She understood.

This wasn't a failed mission.

It was an execution.

Not only hers...

But everyone inside the cottage.

Without another word, she kicked open the back door.

Cold mountain air rushed inside.

She looked at Kamal one last time.

"If you want your granddaughter to survive..."

"...follow me."

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