Hitesh's Wife: Smiles warmly "Ah, Neha dear, it's been ages! And these must be your lovely children. How you've all grown!"
Neha: Returns the smile, albeit warily "Yes, it's been quite some time, hasn't it? This is my daughter and son, they're getting bigger by the day."
Hitesh's Wife: Gazes at Zain and his sister with keen interest "Such adorable children, indeed. I hope you're enjoying the party."
Zain: Nods politely, though his senses remain on high alert "Yes, thank you. It's quite a spectacular event."
Hitesh's Wife: Rubs her hands softly on the children's heads "It's sad that your father wasn't able to join us. It would have been such an honor!"
Zain: "He promised that he would join us next time."
Hitesh's Wife: Slowly whispers into Zain's ear "You never know if there would be a next time."
After whispering these words to Zain, she went to greet other guests, but her words caused Zain a great sense of unease.
Amidst the bustling crowd, a familiar face captured Zain's attention. It was Aarav, Mr. Hithesh's son and a former classmate of his sister. Several months prior, he had abruptly vanished from school.
Zain: Tugs his sister's hand, pointing discreetly. "Look, it's Aarav!"
Nisha: Eyes widen in surprise. "That's strange. Why did he disappeared from school without informing anyone? And why did he forced his father to have such tight security?" Say's with a bit of confusion
To get their answer's they both decided to approach him and inquire about the reason for his disappearance and the security.
However, they couldn't ignore the fact that Aarav was shaking violently, despite his attempts to appear calm. They hoped it was just a bad fever, but his behavior clearly resembled that of prey being hunted by a predator.
By pure chance, their eyes met with Aarav's, and his face was pale like a dead body's. Upon seeing Zain and his sister, for some reason, he calmed down.
But before the siblings could comprehend anything, he hastily went somewhere, leaving them both confused.
Zain: "Do you have any idea why he's acting that way? Did he drink alcohol by mistake?"
Nisha: "I don't really understand his behavior. Maybe you're right about the alcohol."
Not long after that incident, a new problem emerged for Zain, a problem so insidious, so urgent, that to ignore it would court catastrophe. It was constantly on his mind, warning him of danger. He needed to find a solution urgently, or risk facing serious consequences.
Zain: "Hey sis, I have an urgent problem. Can you please stay close to mom for a few minutes?"
Nisha: "It's not safe to go alone. You don't know what could happen, and you also promised you won't leave me alone!"
Zain: "I know it's not safe, but I have to go urgently. I promise I will come back in a few minutes. Meanwhile, you stay close to mom; she will keep you safe."
Zain then handed his sister's hand to their mother and took his leave. All his sister could do was watch him slowly disappear into the crowd, her worry growing as the atmosphere seemed to darken for some unknown reason.
Zain urgently searched for the place he had his eyes set on since he arrived at the party. The marble floors seemed to stretch endlessly before him, the ornate decorations blurring into a dizzying tapestry of luxury and hidden dangers.
It was the only place that could solve the issue Zain had been grappling with since the beginning of the party.
Finally, Zain spotted a discreet sign indicating the what he was looking for. As he approached, a sudden commotion near the kitchens caught his attention. A waiter stumbled out, his face ashen, muttering frantically to himself.
Their eyes met for a brief moment, and Zain felt a chill of recognition - "wasn't this the same waiter who had broken the glasses earlier? He has the same uniform but why does he look completely different?"
The man's gait was unsteady, almost robotic, as he hurried past. Something about his demeanor felt off, but Zain couldn't quite place what it was. The urgency of his bodily needs pushed the thought aside as he finally reached his destination.
Zain: "Yes I Finally Found It! I was looking for this place for so long. I've been waiting to go to the bathroom for ages. They even have special heated seats!" He said with happiness.
As Zain pushed it open, the ambient noise of the party faded, replaced by an eerie silence. The bathroom was a marvel of luxury - gleaming marble, gold-plated fixtures, and... were those heated toilet seats? Despite his discomfort, Zain couldn't help but be impressed.
He quickly made his way to one of the stalls, sighing with relief as he finally addressed his urgent need. But as he sat there, the silence of the bathroom began to feel oppressive.
The muffled sounds of the party seemed a world away, and Zain couldn't shake the feeling that he was isolated, cut off from the safety of his family. As Zain was lost in his thoughts, her sister, on the other hand, was approached by Aarav.
Aarav: Aarav greeted them nisha's mother with a fake smile, his eyes betraying a hint of unease as he spoke. "Nice to meet you, aunty! It's been so long since I've seen you." His gaze then shifted to Nisha, his expression flickering with concern before he quickly masked it with a polite demeanor. "It's been months since I last saw you, Nisha! How have you been?"
Aarav was greeted with just a smile from Nisha.
Neha: "Oh, Aarav, what a surprise! I heard that you left school without notifying anyone, why is that? And why do you look so pale? And what's with all this security measures?"
Aarav: "Ah, I'm just having a bad fever, nothing to worry about! And please, don't worry about the security; it's just a precautionary measure for the safety of our guests." He paused briefly before continuing, "As for leaving the school, I didn't really like being there, so I've decided to go abroad tomorrow to study further."
Neha: "Did you really have to go as far as booking OBSIDIAN for this party?"
Aarav: "Oh, well, that's a pretty long story! So please don't worry about it. It's just for the security of our guests. And if you don't mind, can I have few minutes alone with Nisha?"
Neha: "Your really hard to crack aren't you? But Sure, go ahead!"
As her mom walked away to greet other guests, Nisha hesitated to be alone with him. Despite her apprehension, she couldn't ignore the discomfort and fear evident in his eyes.
Aarav: "Why did you all came?! I literally begged my father not to arrange this party and SPECIFICALLY not with your family as our guest!"
Nisha: "What do you mean, why did we all came? It was your father who invited us. And what's wrong with us specifically attending the party?" She says with frustration
Aarav: He sighed heavily "What's with that attitude?! I'm scared, and yet I'm trying my best to protect you. So please, just be nice and listen to me." He said with a voice trembling with fear and desperation.
Nisha: "What happened? Why do you look so scared? And who's this Obsidian Mom is talking about?" She said with a calm and worried tone
Aarav: "I'm terrified because YOU are here. You and your entire family are in extreme danger! And it's not just you; everyone's life is at Risk! Obsidian is the only one who can protect us!"
As Aarav's said those words, Nisha's Heart sank to her stomach, a deepening of the unease that had been with her since the party started. Suddenly, it wasn't just a feeling anymore—it was real, and it sent a chill down her spine.
Nisha: "What do you mean everyone's life is in danger because of my family? Who would want to kill us and for what reason? And if Obsidian can protect us, then where is he?"
Aarav: "Everyone's life is in danger because HE want's to kill you!!"
Nisha: Nisha's voice trembled with fear as she pressed Aarav for answers "He? Aarav, tell me, who is HE?!"
Aarav: "He's our class…" Starts coughing vigorously
Nisha: "Aarav why are you coughing so much?!!" Nisha's voice trembled with concern as she rushed to support Aarav, her hands instinctively reaching out to steady him.
As Nisha was busy talking to Aarav, she didn't realize the air around them was becoming thicker and harder to breathe, like a heavy, poisonous fog was filling the venue. Causing Aarav and several other guests to start coughing uncontrollably, gasping for air.
As Nisha was steadying Aarav, she noticed the same waiter from before staring at her with an unsettling smile, slowly making his way toward them.