Young Love

"Rishi, now Prakruth is gone.... Tell me clearly...." said Punya.

"Sis, come here..." said Rishi.

"Ok..." she sighed and sat on the bed.

He held her hand and started speaking softly. "I know you're friends with Prakruth, I also have friends but you should know what type of person is your friend".

When a ten year old boy started advising his teenage sister about types of friends, it seemed strange to Punya yet she listened carefully.... "What kind of a person is Prakruth??" she asked.

"He's not a person, he's not human. Trust me" said Rishi.

"Then what is he??" asked Punya.

"I'll tell few things, you only guess"

"Ok... Let me try" she said.

"He likes to stay alone in the forest like area right?"

"It's his farm house"

"Yeah, but he is alone... Right?"

"Yes... So"

"His parents don't want to stay with him right?"

"No it's other way around. He doesn't want to stay with them"

"Whatever. He doesn't attend any evening meetings or movies or parties right?"

"Yeah, he doesn't prefer to be a party animal. So..."

"I know what he does at night"

"He has to look after the farm and also study so he has very less social life" explained Punya.

"He keeps low profile with people, he speaks only to his childhood friends and doesn't make new friends at all"

"Yes, he's reserved kind"

"No, only his childhood friends can keep his secrets so...."

"What secrets??"

"Wait I'll tell you.... He has pet animals all over his place right? You may have noticed, there will be missing old ones and added new ones"

"Yeah, When they die, he'll bring new ones"

"How will they die???"

"Various reasons, some natural some accidental. But he cares for them as much as possible" said Punya defending Prakruth.

"Idiot, he himself is a threat to them"

"How? It can't be"

"Even I didn't believe but when I saw a photo, I had to believe what is he..." said Rishi.

"Well then what is he?"

"You couldn't guess???" asked Rishi.

"Nope... You tell" shrugged Punya.

"He's a a... VAMPIRE" whispered Rishi.

"Why are you laughing, I'm telling truth. He is a night walker, he kills pets to survive and he keeps lots of secrets. He's strong enough to fight 10 men at a time. I've seen him bashing thugs once. His eye color isn't normal... He's very attractive and his voice is mesmerizing. Whoever meets him falls for him, even though it's first time. All these are evidences" said Rishi.

"Rishi relax, stop reading your supernatural fictions and imagining things. Vampires don't exist in present world. It is fictional character" said Punya.

"See this photo" he held a photo where Prakruth was holding a rabbit and biting it's neck. His face was wild and eyes yellowish, blood around the mouth to clearly state what Rishi claims. It was morphed photo...but a ten year old boy could easily believe.

"Rishi, I'll believe you now. Can you tell me who gave you this photo???" asked Punya.

"I know you'll meet that person and ask, so I can't tell"

"I promise that I won't meet that person. Tell me who's it?"

"No I have promised her, that I won't reveal it to anyone" said Rishi.

"It's a girl?" asked Punya in dismay.

Rishi scoffed. "Oh Did I say it? No I didn't tell you anything about that person. No I didn't" said Rishi in a panicked tone. He grabbed the photo, rushed away from Punya, opened the door and ran off.

"Rishi... Rishi...." Punya ran behind him but he had gone upstairs and shut himself in his room.

"Punya what's going on?" asked Narmada.

"He's scared of something he read from a novel. Added to it someone else has fed him with cooked up stories" said Punya.

"About what??" asked Varun.

"About Vampires Dad" said Punya.

"Oh that's insane. He's a kid. Imagining such things is very easy for that age" said Pavan.

"Yes Uncle" sighed Punya.

"But why did he scream at Prakruth?" asked Narmada.

"I'm also worried about that. He thinks Prakruth is a Vampire, he also has a morphed photo" said Punya.

"Ridiculous. Punya who do you think did the influential part?" asked Varun.

"That has to be dug out, Mom I'm hungry. I didn't have lunch at farms" said Punya.

"Oh you should've told me earlier. It's ok. Call Prakruth and speak. I'll prepare something for you to eat. He'll be worried as hell" said Narmada.

"Sure I'll call. I should inform him about grandparents too" said Punya.

"I spoke to your grandpa. I told them I brought you here for college seats and other things. Don't worry" said Varun.

Punya smiled and walked to her room to call Prakruth.

"Hey Hi"

"Hi... How are you? You know I was so much worried about you" said tensed Prakruth.

"I know so I called. I'm absolutely fine now. Please have lunch first then I'll explain everything" said Punya.

"No no no, I want to know first then I will be able to eat. If you are tired. You eat and then call. I'll wait for you"

"Do you think I'll be able to eat when I know that you'll be waiting in hunger and tension??" asked Punya.

Prakruth chuckled "So tell"

Punya explained everything in detail and waited for his response. There was no response for few minutes.

"You know I burst out laughing hearing his bullshit theory" said Punya breaking the silence.

"It is not the theory I'm worried about, I'm thinking about the person who filled his head?" said Prakruth.

"Yeah, he has a morphed photo of you" said Punya.

"Punya, whoever it is they haven't done this for fun. They've planted this fear in him to achieve something else"

"What exactly??" asked Punya

"I don't know but I smell something fishy" said Prakruth.

"Punya... Your food is ready" called Narmada.

"Coming mom" replied Punya.

"Punya leave it to me. Go have food peacefully. If possible get the photo while coming tomorrow. I want to see" said Prakruth.

"Sure, Love you" said Punya.

"Love you too. Take care" said Prakruth and hung up.