The sun blazes overhead as Aarav wipes the sweat from his brow. The clanging of metal and hum of machines surround him. He adjusts his gloves and smiles at his colleague, Raghu.
Raghu: "Hey Aarav, think you'll ever leave this junkyard for something better?"
Aarav (grinning): "Better? Nah, man, this is paradise! Free workout, fresh air, and the company of fine folks like you!"
Raghu laughs, but as Aarav turns away, his smile fades. His eyes betray the heaviness in his heart.
Inner Monologue: "It's easier this way. If I keep laughing, they won't ask questions.
They don't need to know how close I am to breaking."
Aarav is kneeling by a pile of scrap, sorting wires, when his phone vibrates. He pulls it out, glancing at the screen: City Hospital. His stomach churns as he answers.
Nurse: "Mr. Aarav? I'm calling about your mother."
Aarav (hesitant): "Is she… okay?"
Nurse: (voice heavy) "I'm so sorry… she passed away earlier today."
The phone slips from Aarav's hand, clattering onto the metal pile. Time seems to freeze as the words echo in his mind.
Inner Monologue: "No… no, this isn't real. She can't be gone. She's all I have left."
He picks up the phone, his voice trembling.
Aarav: "Are you sure? Are you sure it's her? This… this can't be true!"
Nurse: "I'm so sorry for your loss, sir."
Aarav ends the call, his breathing ragged. He stands, forcing his voice to steady.
Aarav (to colleagues): "I… I need to take a walk. Be back soon."
Aarav walks away from the worksite, each step heavier than the last. He finds a secluded spot behind a pile of rusted cars. The moment he's alone, the dam breaks.
He presses his fist to his mouth, trying to muffle his sobs, but the tears won't stop. His body shakes as he crumples to the ground.
Inner Monologue: "Why does it always end like this? Why do I always lose the ones I love?"
As Aarav wipes his tears, a sudden blinding light flashes before his eyes. He shields his face, stumbling backward.
Aarav: "What the…?"
A searing pain shoots through his chest. He gasps, clutching at his shirt as he falls to his knees. The world spins around him.
His vision blurs, and a faint mechanical hum fills the air. Strange whispers echo in his mind, but he can't make sense of them.
Then, darkness.
Two minutes later, Aarav's eyes snap open. He gasps for air, his chest still aching. He remembers the call.
Aarav: "Ma!"
He scrambles to his feet and takes off running, tears streaming down his face. His breathing is ragged, his legs burning, but he doesn't stop.
Inner Monologue: "Please, let it be a mistake. Let them be wrong. I can't lose her. I can't!"
The streets blur as he runs, his sobs choking him. His thoughts spiral: "First my dad, now her… I have nothing left. Nothing!"
Aarav's tear-streaked face as he runs, his expression a mix of desperation and heartbreak. His voice cracks as he whispers:
Aarav: "Please, Ma… don't leave me."