Hrida remained hidden behind the dresses and observed them from far distance as they continued their shopping, her eyes turned glossy when she realized what she was missing at the moment, but her resistance didn't allow her to crumble in front of them. She held herself from reaching out to them, she waited for them to leave.
After 30-40 minutes, they exited the mall but Navya hadn't returned yet, which made Hrida panic, rubbing her palms and humming low tunes. Her head filled with negative thoughts, she couldn't help but pray silently for Navya's well-being.
She heard a loud 'meow ', and realized that Tapish was still tucked in her coat, she took off her coat and put it on her arm. Tapish constantly 'meows', Hrida understood and followed behind him, he took her to again that pet store, Hrida chuckled when she saw what Tapish wanted.
Hrida bends and mutters in a fond tone," You are so cute. This cat food, I will buy for you, actually the purchased food items shopping bags are with Navya Didi and fortunately she gave me a few amount of money in case of an emergency.
This is a major emergency, here have it, I will pay at the counter. Wait for me, here, and don't go anywhere."
Hrida pays the bill meanwhile Tapish is patiently waiting for his sister, Tapish's fur is covered in sweat, and he feels thirsty and hungry at the same time, Hrida comes with a cat snack packet, two paper bowls, and a water bottle.
Hrida and Tapish relaxed at the bench outside each store, she poured snacks covering the whole bowl and poured water into another bowl. Tapish went for it and was enjoying his snack meanwhile Hrida is caught in the tides of thoughts crashing upon her brain.
Her haunting thoughts don't leave her alone, she is completely drowning deeper and deeper into dark boundaries of overthinking and pessimism.
Tapish had finished his snack and drank enough water, he looked towards Hrida and let out a soft 'meow' but Hrida didn't pay any attention to that. Tapish let out a loud 'meow', which caused the few people to turn back and stare at Tapish with an annoyed gaze but it didn't have any effect on her.
Tapish jumps on her shoulder, leans closer to her face, and licks her cheek, Hrida's eyes blink rapidly and snap back with a sparkle in her eyes, she glances in Tapish's direction and a playful grin settles on her lips.
But Tapish didn't stop tapping his paws against her cheek even after Hrida fondly told him to stop, eventually, she gave in and surrendered to Tapish.
Tapish lets out a playful 'meow', to which Hrida responds with a mischievous chuckle, " Ohhkay...Tapish bro, you are completely acting like that idiot. But you forget, I am your sister after all, you wait, I am going to pamper you with lots of kisses when I catch you, Hahhhah..."
Tapish let out another playful 'meow', and he started running, skating around the edges of the railing, she followed after him to catch him, they skated through every floor and finally stopped at the top 7th floor.
Hrida pants heavily looks for a place and sits on a bench near the multiplex theatre hall, Tapish looks just fine as he relaxes beside her and takes a cat nap. She drinks enough water and asks about the time to a stranger, to which the stranger responds that it is 7 p.m.
Hrida thinks," Where is Navya Didi? Did Lakshman Bhaiya take her into the investigation room? God, I just hope Navya Didi returns soon."
Hrida hummed lightly while her eyes darting around the whole scenario surrounding her, her gaze stopped at a young couple whose faces were behind the same book cover, which struck weirdly to Hrida.
Hrida ignored the thought and diverted her focus to a different scenario, she noticed a bunch of college girls and boys cornering another group, and she also noticed the egoistic smirks on the bully group members whereas the other group was confident but had no intent to fight or cause chaos.
One of the members from the bully group voiced out his stupidity with a reckless smirk on his face, " Tccch, Sari...Did you see these 'intelligent guys' before us? Because I don't see them at all.
After all, you can't expect us humans to see invisible beings like them. Right, Sari ?"
One of the defendant group spoke up with a fierce tone, " Yup, it's obvious, your wall of ego is greater than the highest buildings in the world, so how can we expect you to see humble beings like us? It's okay, we can understand your problem."
The guy responds with an offensive tone," Excuse me! Miss Whatever, you don't know that you should be careful of how and with whom you are talking. Since I am not an easy guy to handle, handle your tone with care."
Then one tall boy from the defendant group made him realize the truth with a witty remark," Yeah, Dami, He is right, you should handle him with care because he is quite fragile and empty so he may break and fall off into pieces if you twist his heart a little hard. So, we need to carefully handle him, guys."
The guy being offended, lost his cool and insulted with a venomous tone, " What did I expect, it is inherited from your family, this ill-mannerism, rudeness, and dirty presence. Ugh!...Tchh…Sari, I think their parents taught them well how to behave like animals like they are."
The tall guy was going to teach him a lesson but his friends held him back because they wanted them to behave illogically to blame them and humiliate them among the huge crowd. The defendant group ignored them and was about to go their separate ways.
But then, the same guy from the bully gang poured the whole pop-corn box over them and showered them with cold drinks dripping from their hair, their shirts and dresses being stained dirty black or blue, their faces frowning deep in annoyance. The bully gang mockingly laughed like there was no tomorrow, their irritating laugh bled their ears to bow their head down.
The watchers also looked at the bullies with disappointed expressions, and deep frowns, and some even scowled at them, complaining loudly about their ill-behavior but this didn't affect the bullies even a little bit.
Among the crowd around them, one stepped forward and asked the bullies with a polite tone, " You created the mess and you need to clean the mess, the mall is not private property instead it is public property. So, please, all of you clean the mess."
One of the bullies mocked his family in insolent language, the person glared at them with a killer gaze but kept his cool, those bullies cackled in laughter, their horrifying laughter resonated throughout the entire mall.
Those bullies were leaving the floor by the escalator, then the tall boy from the defendant group purposefully nudged him hard on his elbow causing him to trip on his lace, he fell and rolled down the escalator till his pant lace got stuck at the end of the escalator.
The arrogant guy's head is heavily bleeding while he is pleading for help to free him from the escalator, the people gathered by his side to help him free but the guy falls unconscious from fear and blood loss.
All the people were shocked by this accident, but they didn't know whether it was an accident or an incident. Before they could come out of this shock, the people faced another terrifying shock.
Hrida stumbled back when her keen eyes witnessed the accident and the culprit, whose posture changed, his teeth enlarged and morphed into fangs, his ears enlarged, and his height extended to an enormous height.
The people around him rushed down the escalator to the ground floor and gathered at the ground floor in fright while Hrida remained frozen in her place, Tapish tugged her gown but she didn't flinch at all, he tried to bring her out of trance.
Hrida was just standing still, her eyes widened in shock, and her eyes glued to that creature, the creature's vision stopped at Hrida, who still hadn't come out of shock, Tapish 'meows' at her but she was indifferent.
The tall creature creepily smiled at her with familiar recognition in his eyes, he slowly crept towards her and most of the people were shouting out loud, " Run away. Run away girl, he is not going to spare you. Run...Runn.."
A few of them tried to advance upon the escalator but the beast growled at them with a dangerous hungry glare, which caused them to step away, only very few brave ones reached at 7th floor, to rescue her but then the beast raised his flexible thin hands, and part of his shadow slides and engulfed them and turned into shawmys (Shadow army).
Hrida stayed unmoving even when that beast was a one-foot distance away from her, Tapish growled at the beast to scare him away, but the beast's creepy gaze was concentrated upon only her.
Tapish climbed over the beast's shoulder and thrust his claws deep into his shoulder, the beast expelled out an ear-splitting scream that sent goose bumps over everyone's skin. Many people were trying to call the police or exit the mall but they couldn't do either of the options because the beast had energetically cut off their signals and trapped them inside the mall.
Hrida's eyes blinked rapidly, and finally, she released a long breath and then she noticed her surroundings, slowly the picture became clear in her mind and she could process the actual matter.
She gasped loudly when she discovered Tapish trapped within the beast's razor-like sharp fingers, he hung Tapish in the air below the railing from such a tall height, that his intentions were visibly clear and impure.
Tapish lets out a desperate 'meow' while hanging in the air at the mercy of the beast's fingers, Hrida grunts in a heavy voice, " No, don't drop him. You safely let him down without causing him any damage.
I said 'No', can't you hear?
I know what you want, Kali. I know it is you, so leave him, do what you always wanted to do. I offer you to take over my body and release Tapish safely back on this floor.
First, let him down, then you can have me. I don't undo my words; you might know that about me since you always follow my trail."
The beast thought for a second, then revealed his condition in a bone-chilling tone," I might accept your condition if you are willing to say out loud that You are my bearer. Quickly, speak out, otherwise, my fingers being tired might release the hold on your brother. Come on, my pretty doll! "
Tapish hisses at the beast and constantly 'meows' as if telling her to not listen to him and let him be there. Hrida silenced Tapish with a serious look on her face, her eyes fierce and her heart wreathing in pain, " Tapish! I know what I am doing. And, I won't let him drop you. It is fine if he controls me at least you will be safe and fine.
And after he swallows me in his darkness, you need to stay as far away from me as you can, because I don't want to hurt you and I am doing this for myself because I can't bear the pain of seeing you hurt by me or someone else. So, as soon he releases you, run away quick, got it."
Then her gaze shifts to the beast, she remembers how he had tortured and harmed many innocent people, who didn't deserve that at all, her blood circulation increases, hot lava tears expelling out from her eyes, her lips set in a deep frown, her eyes burning like coal, which excited and poked wave of curiosity in his essence, he had been waiting for this moment so long and that day finally become reality today.
Hrida scowls with a bone-chilling cold tone," I don't like how excited you are because of the pain you are currently inflicting on us human beings. I don't want to waste my time lecturing you, so please, immediately safely land back Tapish on the floor like right now. "
The beast snickers and the lights start flickering rapidly, he withdraws his arm, away from the railing and drops him on the floor, and without wasting any second, he jumps from the current lanky body to Hrida, she lets out a painful cry, which raised the terror level, they kept trying to reach out or send message to the police station till they succeed in it.