📅 Mid-December — Nandanpur, Night
The wind howled through the empty fields.
Meera's small body shivered as she stumbled over frozen grass, tears running down her cheeks.
Where… where is everyone?
The funeral, the smoke, the whispers — everything had blurred into one terrifying moment.
She hugged herself, trying to keep warm, but the cold bit through her jacket.
---
Fear and Confusion
Every step felt heavier.
Every shadow stretched like a hand reaching for her.
Raghav… why did he snap at me? Why did I leave?
She sank to her knees near a frost-covered bush, sobs muffled against the winter night.
I just want someone to hold me… anyone…
---
The First Signs
Far across the fields, near the riverbank, Abhay and Ishanvi searched tirelessly.
The mist swirled, curling around Abhay's knees. He stopped suddenly.
Water in the nearby canal shimmered, moving subtly toward the west — faint, almost imperceptible, but instinctive.
Ishanvi glanced at him, her own fingertips tingling.
Fire… heat… something is calling us.
She closed her eyes for a heartbeat. The warmth in her palms pulsed toward the west, faint and trembling, as though guided by someone small, frightened, and close.
---
Meera Senses Something
Meera's sobs quieted for a moment.
She didn't know why, but a small feeling — a strange warmth, a gentle ripple of hope — brushed against her mind.
Someone's looking for me…
Her small voice called out weakly:
"Raghav…? Vaidehi…?"
The wind shifted, carrying faint echoes of voices.
Not hers. Not human.
---
Subtle Powers in Motion
Abhay knelt, hand touching the water's edge.
Tiny currents swirled toward a distant point.
She's out there.
Ishanvi followed, hand glowing faintly, warmth pulsing through her palm like a beacon.
Fire and warmth… she needs comfort.
The mist around them seemed to part slightly, almost guiding their movement.
---
The Moment of Recognition
Meera froze as she felt it — not heat from the fire, not cold from the river, but a pull.
Someone is here. Someone is close.
She whispered again, this time louder:
"Raghav… I'm here!"
Abhay's water shimmered brighter, curling toward her, almost protective.
Ishanvi's warmth reached across the fields, subtle but insistent.
For the first time since leaving the house, Meera felt a faint pulse of hope.
Someone is coming. Someone is finding me.