Part 1
Raghav stood at the edge of the chawl’s entrance, his eyes scanning the place as if every brick carried a memory. And they did with memories that felt like rusted nails lodged in his mind.
He paused. His heartbeat slowed. And then… came the flashbacks.
A younger Ishita running down the stairs, her voice shrill with excitement. “My brother’s getting married!” she had screamed that day, stuffing sweets into everyone’s mouths, her laughter echoing like bells in a temple.
Raghav’s eyes narrowed. “Aunty…?” he whispered, recognizing the once-vibrant woman now aged, yet still holding on to that same flair.
Then, his eyes caught another figure broad-shouldered, familiar in posture. Samar.
And the memories came back like a punch to the gut.
The train fight. The clash in the chawl. Th
