The Soul's Unfinished Story
Chapter 2:HOSPITAL ROOM – DAY
The sterile hospital room is drenched in an afternoon hush. SUNLIGHT filters through the blinds, casting striped shadows across the floor.
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
Sits propped up in bed, eyes distant. The room feels still, but not peaceful—like a house after the party ends.
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
The hospital room was too quiet.
A kind of emptiness that settled into my bones.
The kind that came from knowing I was supposed to feel something… but didn’t.
**Her gaze drifts to the mirror across the room.**
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
I stared at my reflection in the mirror across the room.
The woman in the glass was a stranger. Same dark eyes, same tired face everyone claimed was mine—
but I felt no connection to her.
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
> It had been day since I woke up, and the people who called themselves my family had tried filling in the gaps of my life.
> I had three brothers.
> I had a past.
> I even had a fiancé.
> Not that he had bothered to show up.
**She traces the blanket pattern absentmindedly.**
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
> I wasn’t sure what bothered me more—
> the fact that I remembered nothing…
> or the fact that I didn’t seem to want to.
**Footsteps. A shadow paces at the foot of the bed. Enter: VARDAN (late 20s), theatrical, heart-on-sleeve energy.**
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
“You have to believe me, Inara," *(he declares like a courtroom hero)*
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
"I was the best brother you ever had. No contest."
**From the corner: ARSH (early 20s), hoodie-wearing chaos with a smirk.**
Arsh Shekhawat(youngest brother)
"That’s a lie. I was her favorite."
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
**VARDAN turns sharply, wounded.**
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
"Excuse me? You? You weren’t even born when I was setting the standard for brotherhood! I raised the bar so high even I can’t reach it anymore."
Arsh Shekhawat(youngest brother)
"You made me do your homework when I was seven."
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
(proudly)
"That’s called guidance." (throws an arm around Arsh like a proud sensei)
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
Blinks, overwhelmed but oddly amused.
Across the room, **AKIRA** (30s), the oldest, leans against the window. Stoic. Watching like he’s guarding the last bit of his patience.
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
(quietly)
"I don’t remember any of this."
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
(gasping like he’s been shot)
"That’s because your brain erased everything except the greatest memories! And those," (points at himself)"are all me."
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
"Like what?"
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
Eyes light up.
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
"Ah. Excellent question. Let me take you down memory lane!" *(claps dramatically)*
"Arsh, cue the dramatic music."
Arsh Shekhawat(youngest brother)
(deadpan)
"No."
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
Sighs
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
"Fine, no music. But picture this—tiny you, running through the house in mismatched socks, screaming my name—"
Akira Shekhawat (FL 1 elder brother)
(dryly)
"More like screaming at you."
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
"Details." *(waves him off)*
"So, anyway, you used to think I was the coolest person alive."
Arsh Shekhawat(youngest brother)
"Again, lies."
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
(Ignoring him)
"You used to follow me everywhere, Inara. And not just because I was amazing, but because I saved you from Akira’s terrifying discipline and Arsh’s tiny gremlin energy."
Arsh Shekhawat(youngest brother)
(offended)
"I was not a gremlin."
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
"You tried to eat mud."
Arsh Shekhawat(youngest brother)
"One time!"
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
> I bit my lip, holding back a smile.
> I had no memories of these moments, but somehow, watching them bicker felt… normal.
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
"Okay, fine. Tell me one thing you did that made you the best brother."
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
*(grinning like he’s been waiting years)*
"Ah, I was waiting for this moment. Let me tell you about the greatest sacrifice I ever made for you."
Akira Shekhawat (FL 1 elder brother)
*(sighing without looking up)*
"Here we go."
**VARDAN steps forward, gaze locked with hers like he’s revealing a state secret.**
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
"It was your eighth birthday. There was only one slice of chocolate cake left—"
Arsh Shekhawat(youngest brother)
"Oh, not this again."
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
(undeterred)**
"—and despite being starving after a long, hard day of being a perfect sibling, I let you have it."
Akira Shekhawat (FL 1 elder brother)
"You stole her birthday cake and replaced it with my cake."
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
*(raising a finger)*
"Strategic replacement."
Arsh Shekhawat(youngest brother)
"With ketchup."
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
*(grinning)*
"Artistic expression."
Akira Shekhawat (FL 1 elder brother)
(To Inara)
"You spit it out in his face."
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
(Blinks.)
"...I did?"
Arsh Shekhawat(youngest brother)
(grinning)*
"Hard."
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
*(fondly)*
"It was a gesture of love. You only spat food at people you adored."
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
"...That’s your logic?"
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
"Absolutely."
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
*(deadpan)*
"You were not my favorite brother."
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
*(gasps again)*
"How dare you?"
Akira Shekhawat (FL 1 elder brother)
"I was."
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
"NO, YOU WERE NOT!"
Arsh Shekhawat(youngest brother)
"NO, YOU WERE NOT!"
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
Rubs her temples.
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
"You guys are so exhausting. At this rate, I’ll lose whatever brain cells I have left."
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
(smirking)*
"You already lost your memory. So, technically, you have nothing to lose."
**AKIRA smacks him lightly on the back of the head.**
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
The bickering could’ve gone on for hours if the door hadn’t suddenly opened.
**The DOOR opens. Silence falls like a curtain.**
Akira Shekhawat (FL 1 elder brother)
Straightens
Arsh Shekhawat(youngest brother)
Straightens
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
Straightens
Their mother, walks in. Graceful. Controlled. Quiet strength in her steps.
Naintara Shekhawat (FL Mother)
"Are your brothers tiring you out, sweetheart?"
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
Glances around—Akira’s jaw is locked. Arsh looks away. Vardan suddenly shrinks.
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
"Just… talking."
Naintara Shekhawat (FL Mother)
"Good." *(sits beside her, smoothing the blanket over Inara’s lap)*
"Because there’s something else you need to remember."
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
Frowns.
"What?"
Naintara Shekhawat (FL Mother)
Takes a breath, steady.
Naintara Shekhawat (FL Mother)
"Nivaan."
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
"Who?"
Naintara Shekhawat (FL Mother)
*(smiling gently)*
"Your fiancé."
**Everything stills. Even the BEEPING monitor feels quieter.**
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
> The warmth in my chest turned cold.
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
"...Did he come to see me?"
Naintara Shekhawat (FL Mother)
*(still calm)*
"He’s been busy."
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
> Busy.
> A man I was supposed to marry hadn’t even bothered to visit me.
**She scans her brothers.**
Akira Shekhawat (FL 1 elder brother)
Jaw clenched.
Arsh Shekhawat(youngest brother)
Staring at the floor.
Vardan Shekhawat (FL 2 Elder Brother)
Quiet now, looking away.
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
Exhales
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
"I don’t remember him."
Naintara Shekhawat (FL Mother)
(gently)*
"That’s okay, dear. You will."
**INARA watches her, unreadable.**
Inara Shekhawat (FL)
> But as I stared at my brothers—
> their silence heavier than their words—
> I had a feeling…
> I didn’t want to.
Comments
Vesper a.k.a Niharika
😂
2025-04-07
0
Vesper a.k.a Niharika
mhm
2025-04-07
0