The words did not just reach Lucian—
They struck him.
The Call That Broke Reality
"Sorry to say, sir… but Agastya is missing…"
For a moment—
The world beneath Lucian's feet vanished.
Not metaphorically.
Not emotionally.
But in a way so real that his body forgot how to respond.
His fingers froze around the phone.
His breath stopped midway.
His mind—
Blank.
It was as if someone had pulled him out of reality and placed him into a silent void where only one sentence echoed—
Agastya is missing.
Seconds passed.
But they felt stretched… distorted… endless.
Lucian didn't speak.
Didn't move.
Didn't blink.
On the other end—
The teacher's voice trembled through the silence.
"Hello, sir? Can you hear me?"
That voice—
Sharp.
Urgent.
Real—
Pulled him back.
Lucian blinked.
His eyes refocused.
The world rushed back in fragments.
"Yes… yes… I can hear you…" he said, his voice low, almost mechanical.
He listened.
Or at least—
He tried to.
Words came in pieces.
Forest… group… missing… searching…
But his mind was already racing ahead.
Calculating.
Breaking down possibilities.
Rejecting them.
Trying to hold onto logic—
But failing.
The call ended.
And the silence that followed—
Was heavier than anything he had ever felt.
Indu stood nearby.
She hadn't heard everything.
Only fragments.
Only tones.
But sometimes—
Just "missing "
Mother's Instinct Ignites
A mother doesn't need full sentences.
"What happened?" she asked.
Lucian didn't answer.
That silence—
Was enough.
Her eyes widened.
Her heartbeat spiked.
"Agastya…?"
Lucian looked at her.
And in that single glance—
Everything shattered.
Her hands trembled.
Her breath hitched.
Without waiting—
She moved.
She grabbed the car keys from the table with shaking fingers.
"I'm going," she said.
Lucian stepped forward immediately.
"I'll manage. You stay here."
But Indu had already reached the door.
"No."
Her voice was not loud.
But it was unbreakable.
"A mother doesn't stay behind."
She opened the door and stepped out.
Lucian stood there for a second.
Knowing—
There was no argument left.
He grabbed his keys.
And followed.
Now..
The Race Against Time Starts..
The car engine roared alive.
Indu sat in the front seat.
Her hands clasped tightly.
Her lips moving silently—
Praying.
"Drive faster…" she whispered.
Lucian tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
"I am."
"How far is it?"
"We'll reach soon."
"How many kilometers?"
"Indu…"
But she wasn't listening.
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Nothing will happen to him… right?" she asked, her voice breaking.
Lucian glanced at her for a second.
Then back at the road.
"He will be fine," he said.
His tone was calm.
Controlled.
But inside—
He was anything but not calm.
His thoughts spiraled.
Forest… ninety minutes… wildlife…
Every scenario played out.
Each one worse than the last.
The forest.
Lucian's jaw tightened.
No…
But the thought refused to leave.
Back in the Forest — Panic Spreads
The forest had changed.
What once felt beautiful—
Now felt dangerous.
"Agastya!"
"Agastya!"
Voices echoed through the trees.
Rangers moved quickly.
Eyes scanning.
Ears alert.
Teachers followed.
Fear visible in every step.
"How could this happen?" one whispered.
"He was just here…"
Another shook her head.
"We were all together…"
But the truth was clear.
They had lost him.
Vivan stood near the edge of the group.
Frozen.
His chest felt tight.
His hands trembled.
I should have stayed with him…
The thought repeated endlessly.
He replayed the moment again and again.
Agastya standing beside him.
Then—
Gone.
"Agastya…" he whispered.
But the forest gave no answer.
Tears filled his eyes.
"This is my fault…"
Time Slips Away
Minutes turned into an hour.
But no one felt time moving.
It felt like being trapped—
In a moment that refused to end.
Finally—
A ranger returned.
His expression serious.
"He must have gone deeper."
Silence followed.
Because everyone understood what that meant.
Wild animals.
Unknown paths.
Danger.
"We'll take jeeps," the ranger said firmly.
"Search deeper areas."
Teachers nodded.
But fear had already settled.
Here Lucian was anxious...
The car screeched to a halt at the sanctuary entrance.
Before it fully stopped—
Indu opened the door.
She ran.
Ignoring everything.
Ignoring everyone.
"Did you find my son?!"
Her voice cut through the air.
People turned.
Startled.
Lucian rushed after her.
Catching her before she stumbled.
"Indu… calm down…"
"How can I calm down?!" she cried.
"Agastya is alone!"
Her voice broke into sobs.
Lucian held her shoulders firmly.
"Listen to me," he said.
"Trust me. I will handle this."
His voice was steady.
Strong.
But inside—
He was breaking.
Soon...
They were taken to the place where Agastya had disappeared.
The trees stood silent.
Unmoving.
As if hiding something.
Indu looked around desperately.
"Where is he…?"
No one answered.
Because no one knew.
Vivan stepped forward slowly.
His face pale.
Eyes red.
"Aunty…" he whispered.
Indu looked at him.
"I'm sorry…"
Tears streamed down his face.
As..
"It's my fault… I should have…"
Before he could finish—
Indu pulled him into her arms.
"No…"
Her voice was soft.
Broken.
"This is not your fault."
As..
Child's Guilt Meets a Mother's Heart
She held him tightly.
"Don't blame yourself."
Vivan cried harder.
Time Becomes the Enemy
Lucian stepped forward.
"How much time has passed?" he asked.
The teacher hesitated.
"About… ninety minutes."
Lucian froze.
Ninety minutes.
His mind calculated instantly.
Distance.
Risk.
Survival chances.
His hope—
Dropped.
But he didn't show it.
"We don't have time," he said firmly.
"Find him. Now."
His voice cracked slightly—
But he held it together.
Suddenly—
A sharp beep.
The walkie-talkie came alive.
"Ranger 15 here…"
Everyone turned.
"A boy has been found… unconscious… near the east entrance…"
A pause.
"I repeat—a boy has been found."
Hope surged.
"Let's go!" someone shouted.
Everyone ran.
The Moment of Truth
They reached the spot.
And there—
Lying still—
Was Agastya.
Indu rushed forward.
Falling beside him.
"Agastya… wake up…"
Her voice shattered.
"Wake up, my prince…"
Tears fell uncontrollably.
Lucian knelt beside him.
His hands steady.
He checked the pulse.
A second.
Two seconds.
Then—
He exhaled.
"He's alive."
Relief exploded through the group.
Indu sobbed.
But now—
With hope.
Returning From the Edge
Agastya's fingers twitched.
His eyelids fluttered.
Slowly—
He opened his eyes.
Everything was blurred.
Voices distant.
Light scattered.
"Maa…" he whispered.
Indu hugged him tightly.
"I'm here…"
"I'm here…"
Her voice trembled.
Teachers gathered.
"What happened?"
"How did you get here?"
Questions overlapped.
But Lucian raised his hand.
"Not now."
"He's not in a condition to answer."
They nodded.
Stepping back.
In relief.
But
As they began to leave—
Lucian's gaze shifted.
Something—
Caught his attention.
Between the trees.
Far away.
Two glowing yellow eyes.
Still.
Unblinking.
Watching.
Lucian narrowed his eyes.
Focused.
And then—
His breath stopped.
A wolf.
Standing in the shadows.
Its gaze locked—
Not on the group.
But on—
Agastya.
There was no aggression.
No movement.
Only—
Observation.
Like guardian...
Lucian's heart pounded.
But he didn't react.
Didn't speak.
Because panic—
Would only make things worse.
Footsteps approached.
Voices grew louder.
And in the next second—
The wolf disappeared.
Gone.
As if it had never been there.
Agastya sat in the back seat.
Indu held him tightly.
Refusing to let go.
Her fingers trembled.
But her grip remained firm.
"You're safe now…" she whispered again and again.
Agastya rested against her.
Weak.
Quiet.
Outside—
The forest slowly faded.
Trees turned into fields.
Fields into roads.
And finally—
The city returned.
But inside the car—
Silence remained.
In the front—
Lucian drove.
His face calm.
But his mind—
The red eye glowing
The Burning
And now—
The wolf.
Three encounters.
Three impossible moments.
All connected by one thing—
Agastya.
Lucian tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
This was no coincidence.
And whatever was happening—
Was only beginning...
TO BE CONTINUED...