FF :Time and Again Book 1 completed (Page 23)

                                                                                                     Dehradun, 2011.

In the same spot where Pia had vanished, someone arrived searching for her, but missing her by seconds. Abhay Raichand let out a howl of frustration. "Piaaa!" he yelled, uncaring of whether anyone heard or not.

He'd had had a flash of her going to the same spot; he knew she had gone there. Then where was she? He reached for his cell, dialled her number again and again, only to be greeted by an annoying female voice that kept telling him that the number was not reachable.

Abhay closed his eyes and tried to track Pia again. It was no use, he couldn't find her , which made Abhay more terrified than he'd been in a year. No, she would have gone home. Praying silently, he dialled Misha's number. "Hi, Misha, is Pia at home?", he asked, fighting to sound casual.

"No dude, she had some work in the library, she must be still at college," said Misha, sounding perfectly calm. "Why, was there something- " But Abhay had cut the call.

Running across to his car, he dashed at breakneck speed to the college. The gates were closed.

He'd vaulted over them easily, moving like a blur towards the library. However, one glance told him there was nobody there, the lights were off and he couldn't find any scent of a human. A lingering smell of perfume told him Pia had been there, but that also made it equally certain that she wasn't there any longer.

He banged the wall of the library in anger and frustration.

"What are you doing here, boy?" came a soft voice. Abhay spun around, the librarian , Miss Gupta, came into view. She was carrying a sheaf of papers under her arm. "Did you want something from the library? It's closed, dear. Come tomorrow, I'm sure the assignment can't be that important."

Abhay stared at her, seeing a faint ray of hope. "Miss Gupta, have you seen Pia Dobriyal?" he enquired. "Oh,  so you were hunting for Pia in the library?" said the librarian,with a small smile. "My dear boy, she's not in the city. She left for France, I believe."

Abhay stared at her in shock. "France..." escaped his lips. "Yes, dear, I heard her talking to someone called Nicolas. Apparently some shoot for a calendar in some other country' I am sorry, dear, but I know nothing more. I merely heard her talking on the phone. Anyway, it seemed as though it was something of an emergency. Didn't she tell you?" Abhay said nothing.

" She was rather...close to you, wasn't she?" asked Miss Gupta.  "Before...she lost her memory..."

Abhay turned away, intending to go, when  he heard the soft voice again. "How did you get in, Abhay?" asked Miss Gupta.

He had been expecting this. "I climbed the gates," he muttered, trying to look embarrassed. "Oh, of course," she said, smiling slyly. "Going to apologize to her, were you?"

"What?" said Abhay in shock. "Well, you haven't exactly been giving her the royal treatment, have you," returned Miss Gupta. Abhay opened his mouth to protest. "I know I haven't been here for very long, but you do hear the occasional rumour from students...Anyway, you ought to get going, it's nearly nine o'clock at night..Pia Dobriyal will be back soon, I hope'."

In a daze, Abhay walked back to his house. His mobile rang. For a brief  moment, he felt elation, thinking it was Pia, but it was short-lived as he saw Misha's name.

"Dude, have you seen Pia?" asked Misha , now sounding rather panicky. "No Misha, I didn't find her, Miss Gupta told me she'd gone out of the city... Didn't she tell you guys?"

Abhay was having serious doubts. "No way!" said Misha in shock. "Honestly?"

" Apparently so," said Abhay, fighting not to yell  at her. "Listen- I'll call you later. Goodnight."

There was something fishy, Abhay was sure of it. His every instinct told him that Pia hadn't gone to Paris, but then why would the librarian lie?

In the forests of Dehradun, not so far from where Abhay had been searching for Pia,a figure cloaked in black opened a sleeve and dropped the blood from a cut wrist onto the ground, among many other things on the grounds. Spells were chanted for over an hour, and just as Abhay entered the Raichand Mansion, his brother was returned back to the face of the earth.The very same brother he had killed a year ago. The man who had been  known as Siddharth Mehra had returned...not that Abhay had any idea of it.

This is for all those who missed Abhay...Isse kaam chalao for now..Btw, Miss Gupta...Did anyone recognise her? She's from the forum...a rather well known writer...Ab main inki tareef kya karoon.. ;) Miss Gupta, I hope you like it