Chapter 3 They Were Always There
Rudranath’s eyes fluttered. An unfamiliar stone ceiling loomed above him. The word ‘Om’ was carved in Sanskrit on the ceiling. He shot upright on the hard bed beneath him.
“Aarohi…? Saanvi?”
He screamed, looking around. But no one answered. Only the murmurs of flowing water could be heard. He was alone inside that stone chamber. Sanskrit lines were carved into the walls around him. Yellow light pulsed along those carvings, lighting up the chamber in a golden hue. He tried to get off the bed, but his body felt heavy. His fingers brushed the hard floor below.
“Stone…”
He was sitting on a small, rectangular stone platform. A flower pattern was carved into its surface. It also radiated the same golden glow. His vision was still a little hazy. He shook his head.
“Where am I?”
A small creak echoed in the chamber, snapping his gaze forward. The tall wooden door opened inward. Footsteps echoed inside the darkness behind that door. He could clearly hear someone walking along a stone corridor. Within a moment, a figure stepped inside the chamber.
Yet the footsteps still echoed outside the chamber.
His breath choked in his throat. Was it a woman? Rudranath rubbed his eyes. It looked like one, but there was no physical body beneath the detailed outlines. The woman smiled at him, glowing in green.
“Oh, you are awake, Mr. Bhattacharyay?”
She came close to the stone bed. Rudranath’s eyes drifted to her feet. They were not touching the stone floor. It looked like she was walking on air. She was the same as the white silhouette he saw before falling asleep. The woman sat beside him. Her hands reached his wrist. Rudranath flinched as something warm seeped into his skin. The heaviness in his muscles faded slowly.
She smiled, looking at him.
“Congratulations on your successful soul recovery.”
Rudranath’s lips remained sealed. His thoughts raced in his mind. Where is my family? How did I end up here? What did she mean by soul recovery? She had already stood up, extending her arms toward the walls. She flicked her wrists.
Rudranath’s eyes widened. The carvings on the walls started moving. They rearranged themselves, forming new lines. The golden hue radiating through them dimmed and dissolved into white light. The whole chamber became clearly visible.
Four tall pillars, inscribed in Sanskrit, held the roof steady. Apart from the platform where he sat, there was nothing else. The water murmured on, yet no water could be seen anywhere inside the chamber. He swallowed.
“Have you seen a six-year-old girl with black hair and sea-green eyes anywhere?”
The silhouette turned with a giggle.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Bhattacharyay, we have rescued your family along with you.”
Rudranath exhaled the warm knot of air stuck in his chest. So they were safe? At least he hoped they were. He remained silent for a moment, a smile curling on his lips. He glanced once more at the chamber.
“What is this place?”
The silhouette was about to reply when the echoing footsteps outside the door vanished. A male voice drifted in from the archway.
“You are in D.O.S.A.M, Mr. Bhattacharyay.”
Rudranath’s head snapped toward the door. A man was standing by the open door with a smile. The clean white shirt on his torso was neatly tucked into his black trousers. His short black hair was back-brushed. The shaved jawline and the loosely tied black tie, paired with the polished black boots, indicated a regular office worker.
He rolled up his sleeves as he walked toward Rudra. Rudra tilted his head the moment he stood by his right.
“DOSAM?”
A soft chuckle slipped from his lips.
“It's an acronym. D.O.S.A.M—Department of Supernatural Act Management is a government body that controls supernatural occurrences in India.”
Rudranath’s eyes narrowed. He was a gazetted officer of the state government. Yet he had never heard of such a division. His eyes drifted from the man’s head to toe. The man nodded in silence as if he understood the doubt.
“We are a secret military division under the central government, sir. Even a gazetted state officer like you wouldn't normally know about us.”
He took out an ID from his trousers’ pocket and extended it to Rudranath.
“I am Sekhar Manjrekar, your investigating officer.”
Rudranath looked at the photo in the ID and glanced at the man’s face. The guy was in his late twenties at best. His mind was racing: What kind of sick joke was this? Supernatural Act? In this age of science? But the ID was definitely a government license. He could also not define the incident with Aarohi. He took a deep breath, returning the ID to Sekhar.
“So, Sekhar…”
He looked at the silhouette.
“…she told me you have rescued my family also.”
Sekhar nodded.
“Yes, we have and…”
The words died in his voice. Rudranath turned at Sekhar, his eyes narrowing even further. Sekhar was looking at the woman. She gave a small nod. Then out of thin air she pulled out a folded set of clothes, offering it to Rudranath with a smile.
“He is ready to be discharged.”
Sekhar placed a hand on Rudra’s shoulder.
“Then shall we talk once we move out of this place?”
Rudranath dropped from the platform. Within a minute, he slipped his legs through the deep-blue trousers. His fingers buttoned the white shirt in a rush, tucking it into the trousers. He fastened the belt.
“Let’s go…”
He followed Sekhar down the dark corridor. The tall gates closed behind them as the corridor’s walls lit up in blue through inscribed lines. For a long moment, only their footsteps filled the corridor, blending with the sweet noise of water. Rudra broke the silence.
“So, where are they, Sekhar?”
Sekhar didn’t turn back. He hesitated before answering.
“…Your daughter is fine for the time being, but…”
Rudranath’s throat trembled.
But…?“
Sekhar let out a slow breath.
“Your wife is suffering from soul vacancy, sir.”
Rudranath clenched his fists as the dark corridor ended in a white-tiled floor. In that short walk, it felt as if Rudranath had traveled from the Stone Age into modern life. White LED lights hidden in the roof and walls welcomed him back to the age of science.
It was a hospital. The moment they stepped in, a white iron door slid shut into the wall, hiding the stone corridor behind it. Rudranath grabbed Sekhar’s shoulder from behind.
“What do you mean?”
Sekhar froze. He turned his head back for a second before walking ahead.
“You will see, sir.”
Hurried steps carried them down the white-tiled floor. Closed wards rushed back one after another. They stopped in front of a closed door—715 was written on it. Sekhar pressed the handle, pushing the door open. Both of them stepped in.
Bleach and industrial floor cleaner failed to entirely mask the stale scent of anesthetic that filled the room. There was only a single bed inside the whole ward. Atop it, Saanvi was sleeping. A thick tube was inserted through her mouth, while two thinner tubes ran through her nostrils. Multiple machines were beeping on both sides of her bed.
Rudranath ran forward, his heart hammering against his ribs.
“Saanvi…”
Her eyes were closed. Her face was pale as if she had not eaten for a year. Dark circles covered her eyes like a panda. He brushed his hand on her face, fingers trembling. She was cold, too cold. Tears slid from the corners of his eyes. He glanced at the heart rate monitor.
Sekhar whispered from behind.
“She is physically fine, but the Shabamukha that attacked your family that night had taken away her soul.”
Rudranath snapped at last. His fingers clenched Sekhar’s collars. His biceps bulged under the shirt as he lifted him up.
“Are you kidding me?”
He whispered through clenched teeth.
“Even if I accept supernatural beings exist…even if I accept there is a department for it…”
He threw him on the ground.
“You want me to accept my wife’s soul has been taken?”
Sekhar rolled against the floor, skidding back a little. When he lifted himself up, his ears were ringing. He could not believe the force Rudra had generated. He was an awakened one himself, yet his legs were trembling.
“You can believe what you want to believe, sir…”
He stood up, brushing off the dirt from his shirt.
“…but that won’t change the truth.”
Rudranath clenched his fists, holding himself back. His head lowered for a moment, then he looked at Sekhar.
“Then get her soul back!”
His eyes were hissing.
“You have a department for this, right?”
Sekhar shook his head, muttering.
“We can't, sir... not yet.”
Rudra's eyes widened.
“Why?”
Sekhar stepped closer.
“The dead were isolated by the veil of Annihitep from the mortal world for centuries. So they needed a link to come to this world that we used to trace.”
Rudranath drifted back in his thoughts: Annihitep? Where have I heard that name? Then memories flooded in. Every strand of hair on his arm stood on end. That creature had called him, Annihitep. The system voice had said the same name. Sekhar continued.
“But after that veil shattered three days ago on that night, they don’t need a link anymore to come.”
Rudranath flinched. Three days ago? Had he really been unconscious that long? And the Veil that had isolated the Dead for centuries had simply shattered? Nothing made any sense to him.
Sekhar placed a firm hand on Rudra’s shoulder.
“You see, your family is not the only one that suffered because your daughter opened the way for them.”
His jaw tightened as he looked into Rudranth’s eyes.
“So, just because I am polite doesn’t mean you can deny your responsibilities.”
Rudranth’s heart skipped a beat. His eyes narrowed. Aarohi? She opened the way? Aarohi's voice echoed through his memories.
“I don't want to open my eyes.”
Then the creature's words rang in his ears.
“My queen.”
His lips remained parted, but not a single word came out of him. A chill ran down his spine. Sekhar’s ID was clearly noted as Senior Investigator.
