What about us?

The sisters had no idea what Tejas had whispered to aunty Dheera. She had asked both of them to immediately leave the room.

"How do you think this happened?" Trish asked as she paced in the corridor outside the room.

"No idea! But my holiday..." Krish crossed her arms. Her loose strands of hair moved in the wind and her narrow eyes drooped slightly.

"Aren't you worried for him?" she paused with disbelief.

"If I wasn't would I have been here?" Only for a few seconds Krish didn't have her usual stern look.

Trish smiled and leaned into a hug. "I don't get to see you nowadays. You are always so busy."

Krish, who first looked around, leaned in slowly into her arms and closed her eyes when she found no one around.

"Don't fall asleep there," saying so Trish tugged her tighter.

Krish ran her fingers through Trish's hair. They had managed to remain the same, ragged and short.

"I know he is like a brother to you but you shouldn't worry so much," Krish whispered sleepily.

"I never knew I could do that until recently." There was a sorrowful smile on Trish's face. "Why do the worse things happen to him?"

"We aren't very lucky either you know." Krish pulled herself away. Her stern expression had taken control.

The smile from Trish's face disappeared as well. Her sister, being the elder one, still bore the burden of some traumatic memories herself. These memories however, were so faint and forgotten by Trish that whenever Krish spoke about them, they seemed nothing more than stories to her.

Whenever Krish would begin to have the ugly reminiscent of their past, Trish tried to steer away her thoughts. Luckily this time a message from Ms Dheera did just that.

"We can go now, sis. You clearly need to take rest," Trish shook her hand fervently.

Krish nodded. When she had walked some distance towards the ramp that led to the ground floor, she saw Trish standing there as if debating on what to do next.

"Are you relieved off your duties for today?" she asked.

There was a quick way to find that out. At the opposite end of the corridor the names and portraits of the guards who were on duty were displayed there.

Trish jogged there. "No," she said loudly as soon as she reached.

"See you then." Krish walked away waving her hand.

When Trish was alone in the corridor, the other guards on duty surrounded her.

"What happened?" asked the heavily bearded one from the group.

Trish recited whatever she thought was the story. No one had heard anything of that sort.

"How could this happen?" another guard with a scar on her face wondered.

"You must feel awful too," the bearded one said softly.

Trish gently patted his shoulder, "I'm alright. I just need to know a few things."

"Is that why you haven't gone yet? You do know that you are free to go home now?" the tall lanky guard said with a smirk on his face.

Her portrait had been removed for the day. Trish nodded her head guiltily knowing that she had lied to her sister.

But before they could talk more Ms Dheera had come out of the room. She seemed to be lost in thoughts.

The group dispersed off to do their duty. Trish rushed to aunty Dheera.

"You are still here?" Ms Dheera said in a disappointed tone as she walked very swiftly to the ramp.

Trish jogged to keep up the pace, "Sorry mam, but I hoped to know if he's alright and if possible—"

"—Don't worry. He is perfectly healthy. And he will be released tomorrow." Ms Dheera had reached the ramp.

"What? Why would somebody do that?"

"I don't have time to talk right now. I'll give the details later," saying so she sprinted down the ramp.

Trish ran back to Tejas room. The bearded guard was stationed outside the corridor.

"Sorry Trish, no visitors are allowed today."

She didn't argue. Instead she nodded her head, put her hands in her pockets and walked away.

Too much had happened that day. She needed time to think about the day. It was a good thing that she had some time to relax. What a weird day!