Note: This chapter is unedited. Read at your own risk.
A rainy night in Kashi.
Rain had a strange way of changing Kashi.
It didn't merely fall from the sky; it seemed to descend like a blessing, wrapping the ancient city in a veil of mist and silence. Every few seconds, a chilly breeze swept through the narrow lanes, carrying with it the earthy fragrance of wet soil and incense from nearby temples. Every breath felt fresh, as though the city itself had been washed clean.
Kashi was already one of the holiest cities in the world. But when the heavens opened, and the rain embraced its centuries-old temples, stone steps, and sacred river, it looked almost unreal-a place that belonged somewhere between memory and divinity.
The ghats stood quieter than usual.
Only a few devotees remained, carefully shielding their oil lamps from the rain before placing them onto the Ganga. Tiny flames floated across the restless water, refusing to die despite the weather. The remains of fresh marigold garlands drifted along the river while raindrops painted endless circles on its surface.
The temple bells never stopped.
Their familiar rhythm echoed through the city, blending with the distant chants of evening prayers. It was the same sound that had welcomed every sunrise and every sunset for generations.
For most people, it was another rainy evening.
For someone, it was a goodbye.
A white cab crawled through the rain-soaked lanes, its headlights cutting through the mist. It moved slowly, avoiding puddles, stray cows seeking shelter beneath old shop awnings, and devotees hurrying home with umbrellas held tightly against the wind.
Inside the cab sat a young woman beside the window.
She hadn't spoken a single word since the journey had begun.
Her eyes remained fixed outside, watching every familiar corner of the city disappear one after another. The tea stall where she had often stopped on winter mornings. The old bookstore she had visited as a child-the temple where she had tied countless sacred threads with silent wishes.
Everything she had once called home was slipping farther away with every passing minute.
The girl was none other than Shivanya Mehra.
She gently rested her forehead against the cool glass of the window.
"People say home is where the heart finds peace," she thought bitterly. "Then why did mine become the first place I wanted to run away from?"
The question lingered.
No answer came.
Her phone vibrated inside her bag.
She didn't even look at it.
A few seconds later, it rang again.
She switched it off without checking the screen.
Tonight, she wasn't leaving just a city behind.
She was leaving every expectation, every unanswered question, and every memory she could no longer bear to carry.
The cab finally stopped outside Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport.
The driver stepped out to unload her luggage.
"Madam... we've reached."
She nodded quietly, paid the fare, and pulled the handle of her suitcase behind her.
The airport buzzed with life.
Families hugged each other before departures. Children laughed as they chased one another across the terminal. Newly married couples clicked selfies, excited for their holidays.
Shivanya walked through the crowd like a ghost.
She checked in, collected her boarding pass, and completed the security check almost mechanically. Every smile offered by the airport staff was met with nothing more than a polite nod.
She reached the departure gate nearly an hour before boarding.
For the first time that evening, she unlocked her phone.
The wallpaper showed Kashi at sunrise.
She stared at it for several seconds.
Her thumb hovered over a contact as though she wanted to make one final call.
Instead...
She locked the phone again.
Some goodbyes were easier when spoken in silence.
A little later, her flight was announced.
Without looking back, Shivanya boarded the aircraft.
A destination she had never imagined she would choose appeared on her boarding pass.
Bali. The aircraft touched down with a gentle jolt.
Shivanya slowly opened her eyes.
For a brief moment, she had forgotten where she was. But as the passengers around her unfastened their seat belts and reached for their luggage, reality settled in once again.
She was no longer in Kashi.
She was in Bali.
As she stepped out of the airport, a warm breeze brushed against her face. It was completely different from the cool, rain-soaked air she had left behind. The scent of the ocean lingered in the atmosphere, mixing with the fragrance of tropical flowers that decorated the pathways outside the terminal.
People hurried past her, laughing, chatting in languages she couldn't understand. Some were excitedly beginning their vacations, while others warmly welcomed loved ones with hugs and smiles.
Shivanya simply stood there.
For the first time in years, nobody knew who she was.
Nobody expected anything from her.
Nobody was waiting for her.
It should have felt like freedom.
Instead...
It felt painfully empty.
A taxi driver approached her with a polite smile.
"Taxi, ma'am?"
She looked at him for a second before gently shaking her head.
"No, thank you."
She had no hotel booking.
No itinerary.
No destination.
All she knew was that she couldn't stay in one place.
Pulling her suitcase behind her, she began walking through the unfamiliar streets of Bali.
Boutique cafés overflowed with cheerful conversations. Small souvenir shops displayed handcrafted wooden sculptures, colourful dreamcatchers, and woven bags. Scooters zipped past every few seconds, while the distant sound of waves grew louder with every step she took.
Everything around her felt alive.
Everything inside her felt broken.
After walking for what felt like hours, she finally reached the beach.
The sun had begun its slow descent, painting the sky with shades of orange, pink, and violet. Gentle waves rolled onto the shore before quietly retreating into the sea.
She removed her sandals and let the cool sand slip beneath her feet.
Without thinking, she walked closer to the water and sat down.
She wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her chin upon them.
Her eyes remained fixed on the endless horizon.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
It disappeared just as quickly.
Back in Kashi, whenever life became too overwhelming, she would sit quietly on the ghats beside the Ganga. She had always believed that water had a strange way of listening. It never interrupted. It never judged. It simply carried away the weight people silently placed upon it.
Perhaps that was why she had unconsciously found her way to the sea.
Different waters.
The same silence.
A single tear escaped her eye.
Then another.
Soon, tears flowed freely down her cheeks, disappearing into the wind before they could reach the sand.
"I tried..." she whispered to herself. "I really tried."
Her voice trembled before fading into the sound of crashing waves.
Minutes passed.
Then hours.
The beach slowly emptied as the evening grew darker. Families packed their belongings, couples walked back toward the cafés, and the laughter that had once filled the shore gradually disappeared.
Shivanya didn't move.
She had completely lost track of time.
What she didn't know was that she wasn't alone.
From a distance, a pair of watchful eyes had been following her ever since she had stepped out of the airport.
A black SUV slowly rolled past the beach before disappearing.
A few minutes later, another vehicle arrived.
Then another.
She remained unaware, lost in her own thoughts.
"Ma'am."
The voice was calm yet firm.
Shivanya didn't react.
"Ma'am."
This time she slowly lifted her head.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Several men dressed in perfectly tailored black suits stood around her. Tiny earpieces rested against their ears, and their expressions revealed nothing.
They looked less like ordinary security guards and more like men carrying out a carefully planned mission.
One of them, who appeared to be their leader, stepped forward.
"Ma'am," he said respectfully, "you'll have to come with us."
Shivanya immediately stood up, taking a nervous step back.
"What? Who are you? Why would I go anywhere with you?"
"It's our boss's order."
"Your boss?" she repeated. "Who is your boss? And why are you following me?"
The man remained expressionless.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. We can't answer your questions here."
"This is ridiculous!" she snapped. "I don't even know you!"
For a brief moment, silence settled between them.
She looked around desperately.
The beach had become almost deserted.
She was in a foreign country.
No one knew she had come to Bali.
No one back home even knew she had left India.
For the first time since landing, fear outweighed sadness.
Realising she had little choice, Shivanya reluctantly walked toward the waiting limousine.
As she settled into the luxurious leather seat, she sighed and looked out at the darkening sea one last time.
"Kya hai, Ganga Maiyya..."
A tired smile escaped her lips.
"Thodi si freedom dhoondhne itni door aayi thi... aur yahan bhi ek nayi museebat mera intezaar kar rahi thi. Lagta hai meri life ko drama se bahut pyaar hai."
The limousine doors closed.
The convoy pulled away from the beach.
The city lights blurred beyond the tinted windows as silence filled the car.
Unable to bear it any longer, Shivanya finally turned to the man seated beside her.
"Where are you taking me?"
No reply.
She tried again.
"And who exactly is your boss?"
This time, the man looked at her.
Only two words left his mouth.
"Zorvik Rawat."
The moment she heard the name, the colour drained from her face.
The ocean she had hoped would wash away her past had instead carried it across countries to find her again.
A chill ran down her spine.
Somewhere deep inside, she already knew...
This was only the beginning.
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Author's Note: I know this chapter is pretty short, but don't worry-I'm working on making it better. Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for the next chapter. Things are just getting started!
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