The Secrets of the Elements

Chapter 27: The Masked Man

"How did it happen?" Ray almost screamed.

Advika sat beside Swarna, who lay unconscious on the hospital bed. A tear escaped from her eye.

Zarna closed the door of the spacious hospital room after the nurse and doctor had left to prepare the

ICU.

"She was recovering, but then," said Maya. "Just in a second, we didn't understand, neither did the

doctors."

"How's Arvind uncle?" asked Zarna and sat at the foot of the bed gazing at her favourite aunt.

"Not doing well either," said Ray.

Advika wiped her tears. "We talked to Dr Dixit after Tej left for the office," she said. "Arvind uncle is

serious."

"But she-" said Maya.

"Yes, she had said that to comfort Tej," clarified Ray.

"About the office," said Zarna. "Dad said that the company is going through some serious shit."

Ray, Maya, and Advika looked at her.

"Okay, he didn't say the word shit, but the company is going through some major financial crisis," said

Zarna.

"Tej doesn't know a thing about the word business," said Advika.

"This is tough," said Ray.

"So are we," added Maya. "We'll be his strength. He's not alone."

~~~~~

"Rio!" chirped Daksh and ran towards a galloping horse in the shed. He hugged him and patted his

back, smiling ear to ear.

Rutuja came running from the hut and stood in front of the horse. "Rio," she said and smiled at Daksh.

"How did he get here?" wondered Daksh.

"I don't know," said Rutuja. "Master Indra might have got him here."

She took a step forward towards the horse and touched his muzzle. Rio moved his hoof back and forth.

Rio's chestnut skin shone in the sunlight. His black eyes watching Daksh as he mounted on his back.

Rishi looked at Daksh sitting on the horse from the small window of the hut. He smiled and wiped the

tear that slid from his eye.

"You know," said Daksh, teary-eyed, smiling. "Dad used to take us for horse riding. Me and Danj, when

we were five."

Rutuja looked at him. She knew he wasn't the bad boy he pretended he is.

"Come," said Daksh and extended his hand towards her.

"Are you sure?" she asked and took a step towards him. Rio shook his head and galloped. "Why?"

asked Daksh.

"I remember you pushing me off Rio because you didn't want anybody else riding him," said Rutuja and

crossed her arms.

Daksh smiled and nodded his head. "That was in the childhood, Ru," he said. "Things have changed."

"Yes, they have," murmured Rishi and staggered back to his room.

Rutuja placed her foot on the stirrup and mounted on Rio's back, sitting behind Daksh. He held the

reins and directed Rio towards the land opposite the hut.

~~~~

Tej kept his head near his mother's feet. Tears welled from deep inside and coursed down his cheeks.

Advika's heart sank as she saw her beloved friend cry.

"How did all this happen?" whispered Maya.

"Accident," that was all that escaped from Tej's mouth.

"The police suspects something," added Ray and kept his hand on Tej's shoulder.

"As in?" said Maya.

"It looks like someone had planned this accident," said Zarna. "Dad said that the police asked the novelbin

eyewitnesses and they said that a truck driver purposely hit them."

"The police will do their work, Tej," said Advika. "How much ever tough it sounds, but, you need to look

after the business."

Tej lifted his head and looked at Advika. His face was expressionless.

"She's right," added Zarna.

"Tej," said Advika and sat next to him. "When uncle and aunt recover, they don't want to see their hard

work, their business ruined."

"It's okay if you don't know how things work," added Zarna. "Dad's there to help you legally. Mr Taneja

is also there."

"At least just start," said Advika. "Nobody knows whether they'll succeed or fail before actually trying."

"It's getting dark," said Ray. Tej glanced at the clock hung on the wall.

9:00 p.m., it said.

"You guys should leave," said Tej and wiped his tears. "You should go home, Tej," said Ray.

"No, I'll wait here," said Tej and touched his mother's feet.

"Tej," said Advika. "You need to go to the office tomorrow. You need to rest."

"Exactly," added Ray. "I'm going to wait here, you guys are heading home."

~~~~

The pale crescent moon shone like a silvery claw in the night sky. The air ice cold.

"They should have been dead," said a masked man and threw another man on the rugged ground.

Blood oozed from his forehead.

"I had hit them with full force," defended the man trying to get to his feet.

The masked man kept his foot and the victim's head and pushed him to the ground.

"You have failed me," he said; his voice firm. He kept his gloved hands on the victim's forehead and

closed his eyes.

The victim's body went stiff, he screamed internally as the light began to leave his body gradually. A

burning sensation ran through every cell of his body. His face began to disfigure. A dull sciatic ache

had settled into his legs.

The masked man pulled up his hoodie and walked away from the dead body.

~~~~~~