Who's Remembered from Before?

The room is small, its walls adorned with faded paint and cracked plaster, bearing witness to years of wear and tear. A single overhead light flickers intermittently, casting an eerie glow upon the worn-out table where 28-year-old Darpan is sitting, surrounded by the somber atmosphere of the interrogation room.

Darpan, a young man with disheveled dark brown hair, shows the signs of sleepless nights. His hazel eyes, once vibrant, are now bloodshot and puffy from countless tears shed. His cherry pink lips, usually curved in a carefree smile, quiver as he braces himself to relive the harrowing experiences that brought him here. The room is dimly lit, with a single table separating Darpan from Officer Chirag Bhatia, a seasoned investigator with a stern countenance and a reputation for getting to the bottom of things. He sits across from Darpan, dressed in a crisp uniform that bears the insignia of authority. Leaning forward with an air of silent interrogation, Officer Javed fixes his penetrating gaze on Darpan's troubled face.

Beside Officer Javed sits Officer Zansi Joshi, an older woman who seems to carry the weight of years of service on her shoulders. A small scar above her right eye is a visible reminder of the battles she has fought in pursuit of justice. Her everyday uniform, though slightly worn, speaks of a steadfast commitment to her duty and an unwavering dedication to the truth.

Standing at attention in a corner of the room is Mr. Arjun Desai, a junior officer in his mid-twenties. His impeccably maintained black army hairstyle and a sense of youthful confidence belie the seriousness of the situation. Though relatively new to the force, there is an earnestness in his eyes that suggests a determination to make a difference.He is looking at Darpan with sympathy and understanding as his heart filled with sorrow for the man who had lost his beloved father.

Darpan looks up at the two officers and tries to speak, but no words would come out. Officer Zansi take a deep breath and gently said, "It's okay. We know how difficult it must be for you. We just need to ask a few questions and then you can go on your way" .

He nods and he feels little calmer and more in control.

Without wasting another minute, she asks, "Tell me, how you know about Indali".

Darpan looks at her for a minute, he feels a sudden chill in his heart when he hears her name. Thoughts and memories rushes through his head. He hears many voices, like a bad dream come true. All these voices have one thing in common—Indali's name. She made a big impact on his life. He takes a deep breath and starts to explain.

'Indali Vyas. I don't have words to describe her. She was really a small girl, who suffered from a difficult life. She experienced a lot of hardships, pain and sadness, yet she still managed to keep a hopeful outlook on life. She always smiles but her face tells the truth. Her cheek turned red with rashes, eyes full of tear.

Her life changed drastically when her mother left her and she was forced to move with her grandmother. She was a victim to harsh living conditions and often faced abuse from her grandmother and neighbors. She was known to me from childhood. She was around six year old when she with her grandmother moved into my neighbourhood. Her grandmother, the widow Sarog Vyas.

She was an ugly looking old woman who had a very disgusting personality. From the day she moved in, she was an unwelcome presence in the neighbourhood. It didn't take long for us to realise that she was not a pleasant person. She was rude to everyone and would often be seen yelling and screaming at her granddaughter. She was also known to be very stingy with money and would often be seen haggling over prices at the local market.

I stood outside my house when I first spotted Indali, a small girl who was clearly anxious as she had never met her grandmother and had no idea what had happened to her mother. Her deep, forest-like eyes appeared so lost as she surveyed her surroundings. She held a tattered stuffed doll that had barely any eyes and no hands, and it was hard to make out any hair on the doll. Our eyes met, and I suddenly felt uncomfortable. I tried to look away, but it was too late. The awkwardness of the situation only seemed to increase, so I decided to act normal and smiled and waved at her. She smiled back at me, and it seemed to calm her nerves. However, she didn't wave back, and instead went into her house.My father walked outside the house, his gaze fixed on Indali's home. His lips moved as if he was trying to say something, yet no words ever came. Anyone can clearly notice a frustration on his face, his eyes were red with anger. His hands were clenched tightly in a grip. Although I was standing there, I felt as though my father hadn't even noticed my presence.

I asked my dad a question despite knowing he could be angry but he never scolded me before gave me enough confidence.

"Papa, who is that old lady and child", I asked him.

He glanced at me, aware I had been standing there the entire time.

His face in a second went from serene to exasperated. I know he won't scold me but still I was a bit scared.

"You're not allowed to speak to them. No matter what happens, don't talk to them or mention them to anyone. It's disgraceful that they are our neighbors, and I'm disgusted that I can't do anything about it", he said a little louder than his normal tone. But I realised he wasn't talking to me. He was talking to himself. As he never looked at me when he answered my question. He was just checking her house. I became more curious despite my father's warning.

I asked him,do we know them.

His face instantly filled with rage and I was left speechless. I had never seen him so angry before. I didn't understand why he was so mad, I hadn't done anything wrong.

He shouted at me, "Don't you understand what I told you...Whether we know them or not is none of your concern. You're just a child, so do as your parents say and stay away from them".

I was terrified. My father never shouted at me before and I knew he was serious. I now knew one thing for sure - I had to stay away from Indali.

The same evening, I made my way to meet my friend Aniket. We had been friends since childhood, and I always looked up to him. He was the smartest kid in our colony, and everyone admired him for his intelligence and charm.

As I reached his house, I could see him standing outside his house, his shoulder-length hair swaying in the gentle breeze. I have always envied Aniket for his hair, it suited him perfectly and made him look even cooler. His greyish eyes added to his charm, always sparkling with mischief and adventure.

Aniket's house was a two-story structure painted in a soothing shade of pale blue, standing out amidst the rows of similar houses in our peaceful colony. The front yard was adorned with a variety of potted plants, a testament to his mother's love for gardening. The fragrance of blooming flowers lingered in the air, creating a pleasant atmosphere.

Aniket's family had a warm and inviting home. His mother was known for her culinary skills, and the aroma of freshly cooked meals often wafted through the open windows.

As I approached, I could hear the distant laughter of children playing in the neighborhood park, a common gathering spot for kids of all ages. Aniket's younger sister, Avanti, was often among them, her infectious laughter resonating through the air. Avanti had a knack for bringing joy to everyone around her, and her radiant smile was a constant source of happiness.

I couldn't wait to tell him about the new family that had moved into our colony.

To my surprise, when I mentioned the Indali family, he told me that his mother had warned him to stay away from that family. I felt really surprised when he shared that with me. It sounded a lot like what my dad had said earlier. But he didn't seem bothered at all. His face stayed kind of blank, not showing any interest, unlike me, who was pretty curious about it.

I asked further, wanting to know the reason behind his mother's warning. But he was busy waiting for our other friends to join us, and he brushed off my questions by saying that he didn't care about the Indali .

We both decided to race instead and came up with a fun idea. Whoever could run around the park the fastest would be the winner. As we reached the park, everyone scattered to their favorite spots—some to the swings, some to the slides, and others to the basketball court. The park, surrounded by lush greenery, had a serene ambiance that made the evening even more delightful. After our race, I felt a bit tired, so me and Aniket thought it would be nice to take a slow walk. As we strolled around, he suddenly pointed at Indali and said, "No one wants to be her friend; what a disgusting creature she may be".

He said it like he really didn't like her and checked Indali from head to toe.

His words surprised me. How could someone be so mean. But then I realized that most of our neighbors avoided her too. The whispers of gossip and judgment floated through the air.

I overheard a teenager saying, "I think she is bad luck, well, that is what my parents told me",

Out of the blue, Indali looked at us, and I felt frozen. To my surprise, she smiled and waved her hand. The fading sunlight highlighted her, creating a gentle glow around her. I wanted to wave back, but the judgmental stares of my neighbors made me hesitate.

I looked back at Aniket, who was continuously looking at me.

"What are you doing", he asked, clearly confused by my actions.

"Nothing", I replied, trying to act normal, but the uneasiness lingered in the air.

"Are you really sure about that. Didn't your dad give you a little warning",he said, his voice sounding kind of sarcastic. I felt my face get all red as I remembered my dad telling me about this, but I chose to ignore it.

"Yeah, he did," I whispered, barely making a sound. I couldn't look at him or anyone else in the park.

"Guess you're not winning any 'Best Son' awards with this rebellion, huh",he added with a sneaky smile, talking in a lower voice like he was trying to get a reaction from me. And honestly, he was succeeding.

"Don't speak like my dad", I replied to him.

He looked at me with a smirk on his face, and I could tell that he was about to say something.

"Enough strolling, let's play", he said, mocking my choice of words.

I wasn't able to deal with that anymore. Everything felt weird around me. At that time, I just didn't want to think about her, so I decided to stay away. We all decided to play catch ball.

I noticed her looking at us with a sad expression on her face. I could tell that she wanted to join in our game, but she was hesitant.

"Why is she looking at us", one of my friends said, with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Aniket, being the leader of our group, looked at her and said, "Just ignore her. She has nothing to do with us".

"You know my papa said that we are not supposed to talk to her", another friend chimed in.

"Same here", replied another one.

"So why are we talking about her. Can't we just play", Aniket said, trying to reason with them.

I spoke up and said, "She just wants to play with us".

Aniket turned to look at me, and I could see the anger in his eyes. He was clearly offended by Indali's presence, and he didn't want her to ruin our game.He was not ready to listen, he said, "Another word related to her, and we are off".

I could see that he was serious, and I didn't want to ruin our game. So, I reluctantly dropped the topic and continued playing.

As we were playing, I saw Indali get up from the bench and was ready to leave the park. I felt a pang of guilt and sadness. I couldn't help but wonder how she must be feeling, being excluded and rejected by a group of children.

Aniket noticed Indali leaving. And I know he is up to something. He clenched the ball tightly. "Don't throw the ball at her", I said.

He looked at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes. I could tell that he was planning to throw the ball at Indali, who was walking away from us.

He looked at me and said, 'I am leaving and so do you all'.

As we walked towards the end of the park, where Indali was standing, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Aniket's behavior had been strange lately and I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was about to happen.

Sure enough, as we reached Indali, Aniket intentionally bumped into her, making her hit the ground.

"Watch it, loser", he said with a smirk on his face. I was dumbfounded by his sudden aggression towards Indali, who had done nothing to provoke him.

"What is wrong with you", I asked him, trying to understand his behavior.

But he just brushed me off and replied coldly, "Shut it".

I was about to say something, but all of a sudden, Aniket's mother, Ms. Anitha Bhattachariya, appeared out of nowhere. She looked angry and worried at the same time.

"Are you hurt", she asked her son, her eyes scanning him for any injuries.

Aniket just nodded, still in shock at the sudden appearance of his mother. Then she looked at Indali and without any hesitation, she slapped her hard across the face.

"How dare you touch my son", she shouted, her voice filled with rage.

Indali was Startled, as none of this was her fault. She looked at me for help, but there was nothing I could do. Aniket was also shocked at his mother's reaction.

"But he bumped into her", I shouted, regretting my words the moment they left my mouth.

Aniket and his mother looked at me in disbelief.

"My son is not like that; I have taught him very well. He is not a liar like you", she said, trying to control her anger.

"But that is true. Indali didn't do anything. Everyone saw it", I replied, looking at my other friends for support, but no one came forward. I was alone in this situation.

She was about to say something, but Aniket came in between and said, "Mom, let's leave. I don't want to stay any longer here".

He looked at me, but I couldn't make sense of his emotions. Was he angry or worried. His mother also looked at me with a mixture of anger and disappointment as Aniket held her hand and walked away from Indali. He gave a final look to Indali, filled with anger and hatred.

Everyone at the park looked at me, and I couldn't understand why. Was it because of Indali ? Why was everyone treating her that way? She was just a six-year-old girl. What could she have possibly done that made everyone hate her so much?

These questions were troubling me so much. I couldn't understand why Aniket and his mother were behaving this way. I had known Aniket since we were kids, and he had never shown any violent or aggressive behaviour. But today, he was a completely different person. '

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