"The book." Arya thought. Maya laid beside him, unconscious. He tried to recall what he had read about such unconscious walking towards the Lake but he could not. He started driving faster. They reached home.
Arya carried Maya to their room. Stella saw him carrying Maya and was shocked to see her like that. "What happened? Arya?" She asked Arya about Maya but Arya didn't respond. He hurriedly took her to their room. Maya was laid on the bed by Arya. Stella rushed into their room with a jug of water. "Thanks Mom but not now," Arya said. He took the jug from his mom's hands and kept it on the table. "Why son? Just sprinkle some water on her face. She could wake up!" Stella said.
"There's something more fussy in here, " Arya murmured. "I need to have a glance into the book first, before she wakes up." Arya thought. "Mom, I need to be alone with her for some time," Arya told Stella. "What?" Stella asked in suspicion. "She is not…" Stella was saying something to which Arya interrupted, "I know, she is not well, I will take care of it mom," Arya said.
Stella was confused and weirded by Arya's behavior. "Son, please… please take care, " Stella said while leaving. "I will," Arya said. Maya still laid unconscious, on the bed. Arya started looking for the book. He was passionately looking for it everywhere. The book was found under a pile of clothes in his almirah. "Found it!" Arya was relieved. "I am sure things will be clear now," He caresses the book cover, "învinge Răul,!" He exclaims. "Long time, no see!" He thought and started flipping the pages.
"Red Sky… Hidden Hammer, Sacrificial elements!... Oh no not these," Arya thought as he was not able to find out what he was looking for. "Unconscious walking? Where's that topic?" He kept flipping the pages. 10 minutes have passed, that topic is nowhere to be found. "I am sure, I read it before here," Arya murmured.
As he was flipping over the pages, he sensed a hand over his shoulder. He stopped! Arya turned around and found Maya standing. "M-Maya?" Maya was awake and stood behind him. She had a tension on her face. Her eyes were pale. Seeing all this Arya tried to lighten the situation. " You're such a workaholic. You're doing stuff now that is making me worried and do some extra work." Arya said and smiled. He wanted to know if she remembered anything. Maya made a curious look. "Is the dinner ready? I was about to cook and… " Maya asked. Arya knew that Maya didn't remember anything. "And?... " He asked. "I don't know, I just can't recall!" Maya answered. "Why am I sleeping? When did I go to bed?" She asked.
Arya was talking about the whole thing with her but realised that it might take a toll on her. He called Stella, "Mom, mom! Look, Maya is… is sleeping. Who is going to make dinner tonight?" Stella rushed to their room and saw Arya signalling her something. "She was sleeping… Then are you making dinner for tonight?" Arya asked the question again in an attempt to make Stella understand that it was not the right time for her to ask Maya anything about what just happened. Stella understood.
"Maya? How are you darling? You… (looks at Arya and then turns back to Maya) we're sleeping when I last saw you. Are you feeling well?" Stella asked.
"Mother… I-I am not aware how I fell asleep. I am still feeling a bit drowsy to be honest," Maya said. Her voice sounded tired. Her face also had turned pale. "Please take some rest. We are here," Arya said gently. He helped her back to bed. Stella stroked her forehead gently as she laid back. Maya soon fell asleep.
"What's happening with my family? Not only my family, this city! Seems like there's something evil that has wrapped everything. Nothing is blooming, not the flowers nor the relationships." Stella thought. Arya was planning to open the book again after Maya goes deep into her sleep. The sky was dark outside. Owls were making sounds. The atmosphere was turning very inauspicious day by day in the city. " I need some motivation, I am feeling weak now," Arya thought. He plugs in his iPod and seats beside the window. Low moon light was peeking in through it.
Stella was sitting beside Maya as she fell asleep, this time for real. The kitten entered the room without a sound with it soft and small paws. It was trying to jump up on the bed but It was too small for it. Stella had a weak smile seeing this. She lifted the kitten, kissed it and placed it beside Maya's pillow. The kitten started playing with Maya's hair.
Arya kept staring at the sky. The moon was half covered with clouds. His iPod was playing sad melodies, like usual.
*KNOCK KNOCK*
Someone was knocking the door. "Son?" Stella called out Arya. "Yes mother, someone has come, I will be seeing who it is meanwhile please take care of yourselves." Arya unplugged his iPod and left the room. Seeing his unplugging his iPod Stella thought "How does he always gets to hear everything even with that thing on his ears? Wini also had the same question,(smiles weakly)...my daughter! I don't know what she has been upto tonight. I hope she has taken her dinner properly." Stella sighs.
Arya reaches the door and finds out it was someone from the Welfare Society. "Arya, sorry to bother you so late, please check your phone once. I rang you multiple times. " The man said. "Yes… I-I… " Arya couldn't complete and the man stopped him by saying, "I understand, you're newly married and should not be bothered after office hours at all. I am very sorry. But considering your age, I worked a lot harder you know," The man taunted. Arya had no reaction. "Anyways, check these papers by tonight. It's urgent. Tomorrow you will have to fill up all the papers as you know, you have voluntarily entered the batch of Vaccine volunteers." The man handed him a file. He didn't wait for any response from Arya and left. Arya kept staring at the file. "I don't know what's taking place in my life, I am truly lost," Arya thought, tears rolled down from his eyes.