Chapter 3: Promises and Pain
Scene 1: Collision at College
"I don't want to talk to you."
Kiyan's words hung in the air like frozen daggers. He shoved Aarav with a sharp, merciless push and walked away without a backward glance.
Aarav stumbled. Lost his balance. His head slammed into the sharp edge of the canteen's heavy iron gate. A resonant, metallic THUD drowned out every sound around them.
A beat of dead silence.
Then warm liquid erupted from the back of his neck. A crimson stream flowed down, soaking his white shirt, staining it deep pink, then red.
"AARAV!" Nayan's scream tore through the silence. He sprinted over, trying to lift him. "Aarav, are you okay? Get up!"
Aarav reached back and touched his head. His fingers came away warm and sticky. He stared at his hand in shock—fresh blood glistened on his palm.
Kiyan turned.
His eyes locked onto Aarav's blood-soaked neck, his stunned face. His fists clenched so hard his nails pierced his own palms. A sharp pain shot from his hands to his wrists. Blood dripped from them too—his own blood.
Aarav saw it. He opened his mouth to speak... maybe "Kiyan..." or "What the...?" But before he could, Kiyan whirled around and dissolved into the crowd, as if running was his only option.
Nayan dragged Aarav toward the classroom. Karishma limped behind them. Together, they wrapped a makeshift bandage around Aarav's head, pressing a handkerchief against the wound to stop the bleeding.
"Aarav," Karishma said softly, her voice thick with concern and confusion. "Did something happen between you two? Kiyan never acts like this. He seems... off today. Did you say something to him?"
Aarav looked at her, genuine bewilderment in his eyes. "Karishma... I didn't say anything to upset him. I don't know what's gotten into him."
Nayan sat beside Aarav, anger simmering in his voice. "Whatever it is, Kiyan had no right to push you like that. Look at you—you're hurt. Did he even ask if you were okay? He shouldn't have done this!"
Aarav just stared at Nayan silently. Karishma placed a hand on Nayan's shoulder, signaling him to calm down. Nayan stormed off in frustration.
Karishma sat beside Aarav. "Aarav," she said gently, "whatever happened between you two, you have to fix it. Otherwise, this friendship will turn into something ugly." She touched his shoulder. "You understand what I'm saying?"
Aarav nodded.
Karishma left too.
Aarav sat alone. Questions stormed through his mind. Kiyan... what happened to you? Why are you acting like this? Did you really not feel anything when I got hurt? Does it mean nothing to you?
He grabbed his bag and walked out. Nayan and Karishma sat at a table outside. Aarav approached Nayan.
"Bro, I'll talk to him. Don't worry. Hmm... we should go now. No more periods today. Yeah, let's head home."
Karishma looked at Nayan. "Let's go, Nayan."
Nayan nodded, stood up, took Karishma's hand, and walked her out of college. He helped her onto her scooter. "Go carefully."
Aarav added, "You two too."
Nayan revved the scooter and drove off, Karishma behind him. Aarav started his bike and headed home. On the way, he caught his reflection in the side mirror—the handkerchief still tied around his head, the edges stained brown with dried blood.
What happened to you, Kiyan? You didn't even look back once. Have you really changed?
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Scene 2: Self-Laceration in the Forest
Meanwhile, Kiyan ran through the forest at breakneck speed. His breaths came ragged and uneven. His feet, bruised and bloodied from tripping over tree roots, barely registered the pain. He stopped near a massive tree and slammed his still-clenched fists against its thick trunk.
THWACK. THWACK. THWACK.
Each impact sent waves of pain through his palms, but he didn't stop. The memories clawed at him—pushing Aarav. Aarav's head bleeding. Aarav's shocked, wounded eyes staring back at him.
"Why... WHY?!" he screamed, pounding harder. "Why did you do it, Aarav? WHY?!"
Blood now flowed freely from his hands—the rough bark had torn his skin open. Crimson streams ran down his wrists and dripped onto the forest floor, staining the fallen leaves red.
Nishi the Dayan heard his screams and rushed like lightning. She grabbed her son, wrapping both arms around him, stopping his hands mid-swing.
"What are you doing, Kiyan?!"
She seized his hands and dragged him back to the Black Cave. Inside, she examined his wounded palms.
"What have you done to yourself, Kiyan? Your hands are bleeding! For what? For that Vaishnav—the one you claim to hate? For him?"
Kiyan turned away. "No, Ma... I was just angry at myself... for trusting that Vaishnav so blindly."
The Dayan gripped his shoulders and forced him to face her. "Forget him. You have no connection with him—not friendship, not enmity. What he did was his choice, his betrayal. And what you're doing now? That's his victory. You're hurting yourself because of him. That's exactly what he wanted. Now forget him. Come. Sit here."
Nishi the Dayan placed his wounded hands over hers and whispered a incantation, healing his injuries. The wounds slowly closed.
"Don't torture yourself, son. Not over that Vaishnav... That way, he wins and you lose. Forget him and move on, my child. I don't want to lose you."
Kiyan hugged his mother. "Neither do I, Ma."
Nishi smiled. "Come, sit. I made kheer for you. Come, sit and tell me—how did it turn out?"
Kiyan sat beside her and began eating the kheer. Nishi kept asking, "How is it? Tell me?"
"Ma, it's delicious. Here, you have some too." And he began feeding her with his own hands.
The Dayan's eyes softened. "After so many years, we've sat together in peace and eaten kheer like this. It feels so good today, sitting with you, sharing this."
Kiyan smiled too. "For me too, Ma." They fed each other, both repeating, "We'll stay together forever." They laughed, sitting side by side, lost in the moment.
The Dayan rose. "I'll be right back, beta." She walked out of the cave.
Kiyan continued eating. Then he heard a scream.
He bolted outside—and froze.
"MA!!!"<｜end▁of▁thinking｜>The translation maintains the emotional core while adapting for an English-reading audience. Key elements preserved:
· Cultural terms: "Vaishnav," "kheer," "Dayan" retained with context
· Emotional beats: The mother-son bond, Kiyan's internal conflict, Aarav's hurt
· Dark tone: Violence is stark but not gratuitous
· Modern vs ancient: Contemporary college setting contrasts with cave scenes
The scene ends on a perfect cliffhanger. Shall I continue with Chapter 4?