The hospital corridor felt colder than it should have been ....not because of the air conditioning, but because something inside Isha had gone numb.....
The noise around her had faded into nothingness .....people were talking, crying, moving… but it all sounded distant, like she was underwater
Vikram was gone
That one truth kept echoing in her mind again and again… refusing to settle, refusing to feel real
Her fingers were still trembling when she stepped out of the was .... she couldn't bear to look at him anymore… not like that… not lifeless… not silent
Karan stood beside her, worried eyes following every small movement she made ..... he wanted to say something… anything… but words felt useless in front of her silence ...
"Isha…" he finally spoke softly
But she didn't respond
Her gaze was fixed somewhere far away… like she was trying to connect invisible dots… like her mind was replaying something over and over again
This wasn't right
This couldn't be just an accident
Her heart refused to accept it
Vikram was careful… always careful ..... he wasn't the kind of person who would lose control so easily
Then how…?
Why…?
Her breath suddenly hitched as a strange thought crossed her mind
No…
No, this wasn't just bad luck
Something was wrong.... something was missing
And then…
The voice came
Not soft this time… not like a whisper brushing against her thoughts…
It was clear .... cold ..... and terrifying
"He was not an accident…"
Isha froze
Her entire body stiffened as her eyes widened in shock
That voice…
It wasn't inside her imagination
It wasn't her thoughts
It was something else ..... something real… something that didn't belong here
Her lips parted slightly, but no sound came out
Karan noticed her sudden reaction
"What happened?" he asked, stepping closer
But she shook her head quickly
"No… nothing…"
She couldn't tell him
How could she…?
How could she explain a voice that only she could hear
Her heartbeat grew faster.... louder
The words echoed again
"He was not an accident…"
Her chest tightened
Then what was it…?
Murder…?
The thought sent a chill down her spine
Her hands clenched tightly into fists
If that was true…
Then someone… someone had taken Vikram away from her
And suddenly… grief wasn't the only thing she felt anymore
There was anger
Sharp… burning anger
Her eyes darkened slightly as she looked back toward the ward door
"I won't let this go…" she whispered under her breath
Karan didn't hear it
But the voice did
And it responded
"Task unlocked "
Isha's breath stopped for a second
Her eyes flickered with fear and confusion
"What…?"
"Find the truth behind Vikram's death "
"Reward .... First ability unlocked upon completion "
Her mind went completely blank
Task…?
Reward…?
Ability…?
What was this…?
Was she losing her mind…?
Or was this really happening…?
Her fingers slowly rose to her temple as if trying to stop the voice
But it didn't stop
It only grew clearer ... stronger
"You have been chosen…"
Chosen…?
For what…?
Why her…?
Her breathing became uneven
Fear crept into her chest, wrapping around her heart like chains
But beneath that fear… something else was rising
Determination
If this voice was real…
If this task was real…
Then maybe… just maybe…
It could help her find the truth
Her eyes slowly hardened
"I'll do it…" she murmured under her breath
Karan looked at her, confused again
"Do what…?"
But she didn't answer
Because this wasn't something she could share… not yet
Not until she understood it herself
Not until she knew whether this was a gift… or a curse
The hospital suddenly felt suffocating
"I need some air…" she said quietly before walking away
Karan followed her without questioning
Outside, the evening sky was painted in dull shades of orange and grey
But to Isha… everything felt darker than it looked
Her mind was racing
Vikram's death…
The voice…
The task…
It was all connected
It had to be
And she was standing right in the middle of it
Her hands slowly tightened into fists again
"I'll find out…"
"No matter what it takes…"
The voice didn't respond this time
But she could feel it
Watching ... waiting
Like it was testing her
Like it already knew what she would do next
Suddenly, a memory flashed in her mind
Vikram's face
The last time she saw him
His expression…
There was something strange about it.....
Something she hadn't noticed before...
Something important _
Her eyes widened slightly ....
His phone…
He had been holding his phone....
And now…
Where was it…?
Her heartbeat quickened again ....
Without wasting another second, she turned around and rushed back inside...
"Isha— wait!" Karan called after her ....
But she didn't stop ...
Not this time ....
Because for the first time since Vikram's death…
She had a lead ....
She had a reason to move forward ....
And she wasn't going to lose it....
Not again....
As she reached the ward door, her hand stopped just before pushing it open ....
Her fingers trembled slightly _
Fear… hesitation… pain…
Everything hit her at once ....
But she closed her eyes for a moment....
Took a deep breath ...
And pushed the door open .....
The room was silent _
Too silent _
Her gaze slowly shifted toward Vikram _
Lying there… still… unmoving _
Her chest tightened painfully _
But she forced herself to move forward __
Step by step __
Until she reached beside him __
Her eyes scanned the area quickly _
The table…
The bed…
The floor…
Nothing __
Her heart sank for a moment __
But then—
Her gaze stopped _
There…
Under the edge of the bed _
Something was barely visible __
Her breath caught in her throat __
She bent down slowly__
Her fingers reaching toward it… trembling… hesitant _
And when she finally pulled it out…
Her entire body froze _
It was Vikram's phone ....
Her grip tightened around it instantly ....
Like she had just found something priceless ....
Something that could change everything ....
Her heartbeat pounded loudly in her ears _
Her thumb hovered over the screen ....
For a second… she hesitated _
What if…
What if she found something she wasn't ready for…?
But then…
The voice echoed again… faint but clear .....
"Truth requires courage…"
Her eyes slowly closed… then opened again .....
This time… there was no hesitation left.....
She unlocked the phone...
The screen lit up softly .....
And her eyes immediately landed on something that made her blood run cold ...
A message…
Unread…
Sent just minutes before his death ....
Her fingers trembled as she opened it ....
And the moment she read the first line…
Her world shattered all over again ....
"If you're reading this… I'm already dead."
Her breath stopped ....
Her vision blurred ....
And her hands began to shake uncontrollably ...
Because in that moment…
She realized one thing clearly ..
This was never an accident _
And now…
She was already a part of something far bigger… far darker… than she had ever imagined _