" Jesus... ", Devasena shot herself out of Amarendra's grip, who by then had released it too. Yet...she felt electrified, she felt floating, very sick simply. 

" I need to go home. ", and with this, Devasena began walking away, and then almost ran out of the weaponry...down the corridor to the main door and at a go out of the main gate and stopped, gasping only when she was on the road. Time and again she looked back to see if he followed, and was equally relieved yet upset that he neither shouted nor followed. 

I will neither hold...nor let go...

Back at the PG, she ran fevers. The PG was deserted..not anyone stayed back from work. The thermometer read a hundred and one degrees.. but she did not have a tinge bit of energy to take a paracetamol even. She fell on the bed...as if dead tired. Of what...she didn't know.

When she woke up, the room was completely dark. For a second she had a feeling she had never had before. 

Was she dead? 

The very next moment an even stranger feeling caught her. Like she was inside a cell. Her limbs felt heavy as if she'd been shackled. Before she could even move to check her senses, a whisper chilled her from head to toe. 

No one remembers him... No one takes his name in Maahishmathi... 

Devasena cupped her ears...but the sound began echoing as if it rose from something long suppressed, within. 

"Jesus... !"

Devasena jumped out of the bed with all life and ran to the switchboard. With a flick the room lit up and along with that, the door swung open. 

Avanthika got in. 

" oh my... You home already?" ...Avanthika's smile got replaced by a worry when she saw Devasena's pale face.

" What... " , before she could finish, Devasena ran to her and grabbed her hand. " Please take me to the library Avanti! I need to read the book! " 

Avanthika knew things were not alright at all. But she only nodded slowly.

" I am really sorry madam, but... I cannot find the book." , Ella directed this to Devasena, who was as if on the verge of demolition. 

 " But I need the book why don't you get that? " , Devasena shouted while heads turned in the library. 

Avanthika immediately took control. She knew Devasena very well. She was frantically in need of the book for some unknown reason and that was what made her behave irrationally. 

" Ella... The book was returned yesterday right? Then... " 

Ella was already in utter chaos. She had began making phone calls, within which she only managed to say that once they trace the book they'll inform Avanthika.

Avanthika took Devasena out of the library and was surprised to see her crying already.

Avanthika had been trying to console Devasena for a long time now. She had come to know everything from Devasena already. From the library, they had walked to the cafeteria of the club itself, another beautiful place to reside for sometime. 

Devasena had sobbed and blurted out each and everything she underwent for the last few days. Avanthika had listened carefully, but at the end all she had done was to heave a sigh of disbelief. 

" believe me Avanthika! It's not at all a misconception. I... " 

" who even said that? Deva... I absolutely believe everything except your lastlife theory. Listen... You are one hell of a beauty. And painters are the best illusion creators. Just as I said... That book has illustrations which are utterly unclear. That man might have just come across the book after he began stalking you...and then painted the things to drive you into an illusion... " , Avanthika chuckled and seeped the coffee. 

Devasena was already tired. So...she just decided to not remind her of the visions and voices, because disbelief was a heavy thing. Not easily movable.

Just then her eyes rolled to the swing door of the cafeteria, pushing which, a man got in.  

Devasena felt giddy again. 

The man in question. 

He slowly took a seat at one corner, called in the waiter, ordered for something and began checking his phone. 

While Avanthika tried to divert her away to some other affairs, Devasena couldn't help but stare time and again at Amarendra, who though not for once looked at her. 

The man was following her. 

For a moment Devasena wanted to believe everything that avanthika just said. But then...something just didn't let her. She very well knew, something slept in her subconscious, which was now stirring vigorously to wake up. 

Amarendra might be following her, but the reason was not mere stalking. 

Should she tell Avanthika that the very man sat behind? 

No. She might just get up and create a scene. And Devasena couldn't afford to lose the man...again. 

Again? What was she thinking? She at times couldn't connect to herself these days. 

Avanthika could well understand that Devasena was not mentally here before her. She somehow felt, Devasena needed to be left alone for the time being. 

" Deva... You sit. I'll just return after making a phone call. Networks are weak in here."

Devasena meekly nodded, and Avanthika walked out of the cafe. 

Devasena and Amarendra now were sitting diagonally opposite, but not for once did his eyes shift from the phone screen. He sipped in the coffee every now and then. 

And Devasena could feel a turmoil erupting within. 

The man purposely avoided an eye contact. Why even? Should she get to him and talk? 

But why? 

The uneasiness pulped up again in her throat, and she began dancing her feet vigorously as a signature to some stress within.

He had finished the coffee. He got up. Devasena's pulse marathoned. His eyes met hers, he smiled, and left the cafeteria. 

Like in a trance, Devasena got up too...and walked behind, out of the cafeteria, as if forgetting everything.

The waiter stood dumb when he found that the man he was supposed to hand over the chit had already left the cafe. He quickly made his way to the backside, where just a few minutes ago a person had paid him well to only hand over a chit to the man who sat at the right corner in a maroon shirt. 

But the person was absolutely nowhere to be seen now. 

What would he do? He had taken the money, and also he particularly knew the man in maroon, a new member of the White Club, but in local news, the man who returned from UK to save Sreebhoomi from vultures, his forefathers' mansion. Amarendra B. A very adorable personality. But the problem was...he hadn't seen the person who paid him off, in his almost one year in this club. So...he could better find Amarendra than the other person. 

Though not correct enough,yet he couldn't contain the desire to read what's written. 

" known your face for centuries now. Could easily confront you, but not everyone dives into the past. If you do remember anything of times that passed...meet me here itself, tomorrow, 6 pm. Wear what you are wearing, I'll find you. " 

The waiter's jaw dropped. He threw the chit to the bin. If he ever found the person again, he would return the money.