Whispers in the Dark

November 19, 2005.

The blast tore through the crowded marketplace at noon. Smoke curled into the sky as panicked voices filled the streets. By nightfall, the death toll filled every news channel.

The government was shaken. Opposition leaders screamed negligence. Anchors debated endlessly.

And then came the whispers—

The mysterious organisation that had first revealed itself in March 2005 released another statement.

> “Your corruption has cost lives. We warned you. This is only the beginning.”

Nobody knew who they were. Nobody knew how they operated. Nobody even knew if the blast was theirs—or if they were only using tragedy to tighten their grip.

But one thing was certain: the country was beginning to change.

---

2035 – Delhi

A month had passed since the fight in the corridors. Bruises had healed, but something else had taken root in Karan and Kabir’s lives. Something they didn’t talk about openly.

The three of them—Karan, Kabir, and Meera—sat on the school grounds under the fading evening light. Books were scattered, untouched, while their voices carried low, heavy with something unsaid.

“You two don’t even realize what you’re playing with,” Meera muttered, arms crossed, eyes sharp with worry.

Karan leaned back, smirking to cover the unease. “Relax, Meera. We’re not doing anything… wrong. We’re just… trying to set things right.”

“Set things right?” she shot back. “Do you even know what will happen because of this? You think it’s just some game, but it’s not. It feels—wrong.”

Kabir stayed quiet for a moment, staring at the ground. Finally, he said, “She’s right. We don’t fully know the consequences. Every move we make… it leaves a mark.”

Karan’s smile faltered. He didn’t reply.

Meera’s voice softened. “Promise me you’ll stop before it goes too far. Please.”

The silence stretched until Kabir exhaled, breaking it.

“Look… maybe we can’t figure this out alone. Let me talk to my sister. She’ll know what to do.”

Karan looked at him sharply. “You’re serious?”

Kabir nodded. “We need someone smarter. Older. Someone who won’t panic but can guide us. She’s the only one I trust with this.”

---

And that’s how three more faces entered their circle.

Not classmates. Not kids. Older, sharper, more mature.

People who could handle secrets too heavy for school corridors.

The pieces were shifting.

And none of them fully understood the weight of the game they had just started.