Zindaan – The Golden Cage Chapter 16 (The Twisted Maze – Part 1)

Thank you to Shona, LCharish, Niharika, Khushi, Ninika for your precious comments on last update. It means a lot. Many of you think that Shivay is behind the murders, let’s see iwhat will happen in future. Yes, I will slowly reveal relation between Shivay and Drishya. Keep patience and keep reading??. 

An ika was sitting on her bed, holding her head in frustration. She is not getting what will she do? Her mind was blank, completely blank. She suddenly starts feeling that the void which was inside her get deep, this much deep that she is lacking emotions. She is not even able to cry for herself. Is there not any way to move out from this dilemma? She heard that there is always a way, then where her path is hidden? She stared at her childhood picture with her so-called friends whom she met some time ago. Everything around her is a trap of relation in which she gets trapped by her will. She can’t just sit and mourn over this. She keeps the picture in her drawer and comes downstairs.

She remembers that her father shows a photo album, maybe it is still there. She walked toward the storeroom while thinking it but it was locked. She sighed in disappointment and move toward Drishya’s room. “I want keys of store room,” She asked her. “Why do you need?” Drishya asked her. “I am not bound to answer each question of you. Did you answer when I asked? ” She replied making her shut. “What should I understand other than this that you are hiding something when you are not giving me keys” Anika shout while she moves toward her almirah and keeps the keys on her hand. “Ani, Do find whatever I am hiding” She replied sarcastically that was Anika thought. Was it really sarcastic?

Anika moves toward the storeroom, ignoring her words. She searches everything and found that photo album which keeps above some piles of papers. She picks it and opens it. The first picture itself with her parents made her smile, brought back the memory of telling her father that the picture was captured when they went Amusement park. But she was not able to revive that feeling of adventure, enjoyment and happiness. Why this is happening with her again and again? She probably did those things but without feeling? Is it possible? She thought while looking at the photos. She keeps flipping pages and sees all over the photos of her school, colleges and birthdays. She closed her eyes in disappointment not finding anything out of ordinary.

Everything is perfect but again isn’t it too perfect like somebody planned this. She starts tangled again in her own web of thoughts, suddenly she notices something unusual in that perfect album. Where was her sister in those pictures? She again starts flipping the photos for finding her presence. That’s when she noticed a girl in her childhood picture with her parents. The thing which makes her more confusing is that she was present with her in her school pictures but not on her birthdays neither on family trips. What the hell is going on? Can’t she get a perfect family? She closed the album and walked out from storeroom.

“Why aren’t you present at family events?” Drishya heard her voice who said this while throwing some photos in front of her. Raghav looks on confused, he can’t hear anything but he can sense her hurt like in the same way she did. “You should ask this from Dad. I was too small to remember this” Drishya replied while Anika rolled her eyes. “I shouldn’t come here for wasting my time when I know that you are not going to answer” Anika muttered while leaving all photos behind. “You told me that you had not family. Then how come you have Dad and sister?” Raghav asked remembering her words. “Not everything is real, sometimes it is an illusion.” She replied while filling colours in the drawing. That calm on her face is telling another story may be,  of an upcoming storm but for whom? For Anika or her.

Daddy, Why don’t we have Ishu’s picture in our family album. Didn’t she went to any family trips with us or she wasn’t present on family events? Anika asked while sitting in front of her without,  caring about future consequences. Tej looked at her and smiled. ” You know that she is introvert. She doesn’t like to go to crowded places” He replied to her. “Huh….Did she born as an introvert? There is must be the reason behind her being like this. Don’t you think?” She said making him speechless. For the first time, she realised the determination, fearlessness in her voice. She doesn’t care about anything except knowing about her past. She has freaking right to know about her life and nobody can snatch it…Neither her father nor her sister.

“Anika, There was no need for exaggerating stupid things. I told you that she herself doesn’t like outsiders. Do ask her if you don’t believe me” He said. She felt a mocking in his voice for the last sentence. “Why did you that think that I don’t believe you. Did you do something that breaks my trust?” She counters back while putting his words on his face. “Ishu…..Ishu, Come downstairs ” He shouted instead of giving a reply. “Yes, Dad…” Drishya said to him after coming downstairs. “Do tell her that you were introvert and you don’t like crowded places?” He said while she looks on and nods her head like a puppet. “Look, I was saying that you are overthinking,” Tej said while smiling while she looks at her. “I am going to make a chocolate shake for Raghav. Do you want anything Ani?” Drishya asked for trying to escape while she nods her head negatively. “Today we both father and daughter drink coffee together,” Tej said to her while Drishya moves toward the kitchen. “It’s Daughters not daughter,” Anika said while he nods his head.

“How dare you to give her keys to the storeroom? ” His voice was slow but still threatening. “She was asking. If I didn’t give, her curiosity gets increase more. Then it will get difficult to hide anything” Drishya replied while stirring spoon. “This is just impossible that she gets to remember anything. Did you play with me and told her?” He asked while her hands get a stop. “If I played with you, then you were standing there after losing everything” She replied while he looked her in anger. On the other second, he dashed the cutting board on her forehead in rage. “Did you just threaten me now?” He asked while she touched her bleeding forehead. “Did you get threaten with that?” She asked looking at the blood.

She knew the consequences of Anika’s question will be dangerous for her but still, she insists her to ask from him. The girl is indeed stupid or maybe intelligent to fool everyone around her. “Go and clean it, don’t create a scene.” He said while she continues to stir coffee. “Where are Anika’s medicines?” He asked while taking the cup from her hand. “Those pills cause risk of life to her. Don’t play with her memory” She said in concern. “I know that you will hide them that’s why I brought it,” He said while adding some tablets in her coffee and move from there. She was still standing there when Raghav pull her hand. “When did you come?” She asked bending down while he signs that he was hiding behind the rack. “You don’t have to scare with him. I am with you” She smiled ruffling his hairs while he looked her bleeding forehead.

“Can you do a favour on me?” She asked while he instantly mods his head. “Don’t let her drink that coffee. Go and do what I am saying to you”   She said while he nods his head while running from there. Raghav runs toward the direction and intentionally get collided with him. Tej looked him furiously after both the mug get fall down.  “Are you blind or what?” He shouts in rage while Anika looks on. “It was just a coffee,”  She said while taking Raghav in a hug. He sighed and move from there in frustration. Anika bends down and wiped his tears while he shows a drawing.  It was a sketch of a small family. She smiles and then she gets remind about the sketch which Shivay made. How much curious she was to look at that? Before she understands anything, he runs upstairs leaving that sketch behind.

Drishya was putting a bandage on her forehead. It is a slight injury but the position of it, reminding her something. She wipes the blood around the wound and looks keenly stitch marks which were there before injury too. She opens the drawer from key after putting a bandage. She picked up an old photo which almost gets damaged because of folding. “I will surely find that man one day, Baba. Soon, I will find the starting point of this game,” She blabbered and smile. She keeps it back after hearing footsteps. “Did he scold you?” She asked Raghav who was still looking her forehead. “No, He hit you,” He asked touching her forehead. “Not at all, I allowed him to hit me ” She replied. “Why?” He asked back. “You are a child, behave like one too. Don’t lose your childhood by talking maturely” She said. “Here is your chocolate milkshake,” She said with her alluring smile. Anika was still standing there with that cute drawing and the broken pieces of mugs. Whenever she tried to fix things, they get more slipped from her hand. Her father showed this much care for her and on the other moment, he behaves like this with a child. Is his love limited to her but why? What’s so special in her?

“How did you get that injury” Swayam asked to her who was writing a prescription to some patients. This is the first time from the morning when someone noticed the bandage hidden inside her fringes. She might forget that did any curtain really hide her from him. She looks on and then again starts writing. “You will take it from the pharmacy.” She replied to her patient while directly ignoring his words. “Thank you, Doctor” Patient replied while walking out. “I asked you something,” He said. “Dr Swayam, I am not answerable to you” She replied while he looks her angrily. He held her hand tightly and dragged her from there. “Swayam, Have you lost it. Leave my hand, everyone is watching” She tried to take her hand out from his grip. “Shut up! I don’t care about them” He shout on the top of his voice. “What’s going on here,” Mr Singhaniya asked while seeing chaos. “Dr Drishya and Dr Swayam, do solve your personal issues outside the hospital. No need for disturbing patients and other people. Got it” He said sternly. “I apologise Sir. We won’t create any scene here” Drishya said eyeing him. “Sorry Dad,” He said while jerking her hand.

“What happen to you?” This time Shivay couldn’t control himself from asking, looking her zoned out again. Anika looks on and nodded her head negatively. He was discussing about their new collection in a meeting room with all employees. “Where did you lost?” He asked. “Sorry, I won’t repeat it” She replied. “Are you alright?” He asked to her who was sitting in her cabin after the meeting. He doesn’t know why he asked, did she really matter to him? That’s irony the one who himself is broken, asking well being of another one. “Do I look like alien today” She laughed which didn’t reach to her eyes. He just gets to know by own about her fake laugh.

“You are not trying to make me fool but yourself from that fake laugh and petty jokes,” He said crossing his arm against his chest. She looks on and her eyes get filled with tears. “Hey, Don’t cry. Everything will be alright” He really doesn’t know how to say caring words for someone. He seriously needs to learn that but those rehearsed words also did magic for her. She hugged him without uttering any word more. He was taken aback by her sudden action. He tried to remove her hands from his collar but he felt some warm drops on his shirt. Yes, she was crying and those drops are her tears. “When you can realise, then why don’t they realise?” She blabbered. “Who?” He asked while caressing her hairs. “Family….My father and sister” She said.

She was right, she doesn’t need anyone who protect her or fight for her, she needs someone who understands her. He removed her hands after listening to her reply. “Sorry” She muttered after realising. “What about your family?” She asked playing with her finger while he looks on. “I don’t have a family like you” He replied while she stared him. “Did you feel sympathetic after listening to this?” He asked after realising her gaze. “No, How could someone who have family holding secrets show sympathy to you?” She said while he nods his head. “Let those secrets come to you instead of running behind them. They will get reveal by own” He replied on which she smiles. “Who was the girl whose sketch you were making yesterday?” She asked directly. He shook his head in a dilemma. Should he tell her or not?  “Maya…” He muttered after a long pause. “Maya, Your girlfriend…” She delved. “No, She is family. My whole world ” He said and move out without listening to her reply. “Maya. I heard it somewhere” Show uttered her name while trying to remember it.

Drishya looked at him who was waiting for her in the basement. She rubbed her forehead on his stubborn. She moves toward her car ignoring him and unlocks her car. “Ishu, Let’s stop here. Don’t go that much far that I lose my connection from you” Swayam said from behind. “You already made me embarrassed inside the hospital. Isn’t it enough for you?” She asked while turning toward him. “Do leave that house, they don’t deserve you?” He said while she looks on. “Do I deserve to be with them?” She asked while opening Car’s door. “You will end up getting hurt yourself only for Anika. Just leave her” He said while she closed door angrily. “You know why did I break up with you? It’s not because of Dad neither for Anika nor for Shivay. It was you who always run from every problem. You just know to leave the person behind, who caused a ruckus in your life. I am not like you, I will never run or leave Anika, just because she can cause me trouble. Did you get it?” She shouts. “Can you ever get over with past?” He asked holding her hand. “No, I won’t. I will never.” She said while crying. “Why I can’t get forgiveness? Why this just rule for me not for your family? ” He said caressing her forehead.

“I didn’t expect them to be with me. I did expect from you. I don’t expect in return from them because I read their emotions but they never do. I expected from you that you were behind me for holding me. It didn’t matter to me that Anika and Dad hurt me, I just care about whether you can hurt me or not.” She replied jerking his hands. “Let’s not repeat our story in Shivay and Anika. Let Anika fight for herself, stop doing that for her or else you will make her weak” He replied and move toward his car. “I am scared what if she is unable to identify fake ones in real people” She muttered while he stopped. “Let her make the wrong choice then only she is able to identify the right one. Let her come to you, don’t force your care and love on her” He replied while entering in his car and drive from there.

Kindly Ignore grammatical and spelling errors. Don’t forget to check second part of update which will updated tomorrow. 

Take care and Keep smiling

Regards

Niyu?