The children's were unconscious but as the children’s senses returned. The cold, hard floor beneath them was the first harsh reminder that this was not a dream. One by one, they stirred, their groggy minds struggling to piece together the events that led them here.
In the dimly lit room, the air was thick with tension. Five little hearts beat in unison, their whispers barely audible over the sound of their captor’s heavy footsteps outside the locked door.
Ruhi was the first to sit up, her head pounding with a dull ache.
Ruhi- “Where… where are we?”
she stammered, her voice echoing off the bare walls.
Tina blinked back tears, her gaze darting around the room.
Tina- “This isn’t home,”
She whimpered, the realization dawning on her.
Tina- “We’ve been taken!”
Shivansh and Kriyansh clung to each other, their small bodies trembling.
Kriyansh- “I want my mom,”
Kriyansh sobbed, his words punctuated by Shivansh’s silent nods.
Panic began to set in, their young minds racing with fear. The room was small, with a single dim bulb casting long shadows that seemed to dance menacingly on the walls.
But amidst the chaos, Abhir remained calm. He took a deep breath, steadying his nerves.
Abhir- “Listen to me,”
he said firmly, his voice cutting through the panic.
Abhir- “We’re going to be okay. We’re going to get out of here, but we need to stay calm and think.”
Abhir, the most courageous of the group, huddled close to his cousins.
Abhir- “Listen,”
he whispered,
Abhir- “we can’t let fear win. We’re smarter than him, and we’ll find a way out.”
Ruhi, her eyes wide with fear, nodded.
Ruhi- “But how, Abhir? He’s big and scary, and he wants money from our parents.”
Tina, always the creative one, chimed in,
Tina- “We need a plan. Something that’ll distract him so we can run away.”
Shivansh, suggested,
Shivansh- “What if we pretend one of us is sick? He’ll have to open the door.”
Kriyansh- “But what if he gets angry?”
Abhir took a deep breath, trying to mask his own fear.
Abhir- “We stick together, no matter what. If we’re united, he can’t hurt us.”
The children nodded, a silent pact forming between them. They were in this together, and together they would find their way back home.
As the hours ticked by, they crafted their plan, each child contributing an idea. They would take turns crying out, feigning illness, and when the kidnapper entered, they would make their move.
The door creaked open, and the kidnapper’s gruff voice boomed,
( I am certainly lazy person samjhdar samjh jao bus )
1-“What’s all this noise about?”
Ruhi, with tears streaming down her face, cried out,
Ruhi- “My stomach… it hurts so much!”
The kidnapper, caught off guard, stepped closer.
2-“Quiet down, or else—”
That’s when Abhir signaled, and the children sprang into action. Tina and Shivansh threw their toys at the kidnapper’s feet, tripping him. Kriyansh, with surprising agility, darted past him, opening the door wide.
Abhir- “Run!”
Abhir shouted, and they did, pouring out into the night, their small legs carrying them faster than they’d ever run before.
Behind them, the kidnapper’s shouts faded into the distance, their fear replaced by the hope of freedom and the comforting lights of home drawing nearer with every step.
As the children dashed into the night, their hearts pounding with hope, Abhir glanced back to see the kidnapper's shadow looming close.
Abhir-"Split up!"
he yelled, and they scattered in different directions.
The kidnapper, fueled by greed and anger, managed to catch Ruhi, Tina, Shivansh, and Kriyansh one by one, his grasp tightening around their small wrists. "Thought you could outsmart me, huh?" he sneered, dragging them back to the dingy room.
Abhir, however, had slipped into a narrow alley, his breaths shallow and quick. He could hear the distant shouts of the kidnapper calling for him, but he pressed on, his mind racing for a solution.
Finally, he spotted a PCO booth, the fluorescent light a beacon of hope. With trembling fingers, he dialed his home number, the beeps echoing in the silent night.
Person- "Hello?"
came the familiar voice of his father, Abhi.
Abhir-"Papa!"
Abhir cried, relief washing over him.
Abhir- "I'm at a phone booth near—"
But before he could finish, a hand clamped over his mouth, and the phone clattered to the ground. The kidnapper's gruff voice filled his ear,
2- "Gotcha, little rat."
Abhir struggled, but it was no use. He was dragged back, his heart sinking as he saw the worried faces of his cousins.
The kidnapper, now more cautious, kept a close watch, but the children's resolve had only strengthened. They whispered plans, their spirits unbroken, knowing that Abhir's call had already set in motion their rescue.
Hours passed, and the kidnapper's eyes grew heavy with fatigue. Seizing the moment, the children put their new plan into action. They started a game of charades, their laughter and noise masking the sound of Abhir picking the lock with a pin he had found.
The door clicked open, and this time, they moved with silent precision. They tiptoed out, their eyes adjusting to the darkness, and made their way towards the main road.
Their tiny silhouettes merged with the night, and as they reached the safety of the crowded streets, they knew they were finally free. The city's hum welcomed them, and they embraced, their adventure ending not with fear, but with triumph.
Back at the PCO booth, Abhi held the receiver, his heart racing. The line had gone dead, but he knew his son's voice. He alerted the authorities, and within minutes, sirens filled the air.
The kidnappers realising of the kids missing starts to look for them again. They have planned that next day they will call the parents of the children and demand the money. But with the kids missing they can't take the risk or else they will be easily caught and they won't be able to earn that much money.
