Shapra's mind was swirling with all the strange things he had encountered over the past few days. His thoughts were interrupted when he made a firm decision. "I'm going home. I need to know the truth," he declared.
Poojari and Anmol both nodded. "We'll go with you," Poojari said. Anmol added, "You're not alone in this, Shapra."
Shapra didn't hesitate. He, along with Anmol, decided to skip school that day and head straight to his house. As they approached the door, Shapra noticed something unusual—there were shoes outside that he didn't recognize. A guest? He thought for a second but dismissed it, his mind focused on finding answers.
When they entered the house, what they saw startled them. Sitting in the living room, laughing and talking with Shapra's father, Siddarth, was the same man who had attacked Shapra on the street.
Shapra and Anmol froze, their eyes wide in disbelief. Anmol pointed at the man. "What is he doing here?!" he asked, his voice filled with confusion and anger.
Siddarth glanced at them, his expression calm. "Is this how you speak to a guest, Shapra?" he asked sharply.
Shapra's mind raced. This was the same man who had tried to hurt him just days ago. How could he be sitting here, talking like an old friend?
Shapra opened his mouth to protest, but before he could, his mother, Shradha, entered the room, smiling warmly at Poojari and Anmol. She greeted them with her usual hospitality, which momentarily lightened the tense atmosphere.
Shapra couldn't hold it in any longer. He blurted, "Dad, who is this man? What's going on? Why is he here?"
Siddarth gave Shapra a stern look. "Shapra, this is an old friend of mine. His name is Ridhir. He's come to visit. We haven't seen each other in a long time."
Shapra was still confused. "Old friend? But he's the one who attacked me on the street! How can you just let him sit here like a guest?"
Ridhir stood up and held his hands up in a peaceful gesture. "I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. When I saw you, I thought you were Siddarth. You look so much like him. I didn't mean to cause any trouble. I'm just here to meet with him."
Shapra wasn't convinced. "You think I look like an old man?" he said, his voice full of disbelief. "Don't you see the difference between an old man and a young boy?"
The tension in the room eased slightly as everyone chuckled, but Shapra still felt uneasy. He needed answers.
Siddarth glanced over at Poojari and then at Anmol. "That's Anmol but who is that man behind him?" he asked, his tone still calm but serious.
Shapra looked at his father. "Since you know about Anmol, the man behind him is Poojari. They helped me a lot. I've also told them everything about us and our reality."
Siddarth's eyes narrowed slightly. "I told you not to tell anyone about this."
But Shapra wasn't backing down. He took a deep breath and explained everything—about the demi-monster, the strange rock, the vision he had when he looked into the gem, and the old photo of his grandpa with the people who looked like demi-monsters.
Shapra could feel the weight of his father's gaze. Siddarth sighed deeply. "Shapra, I was trying to protect you. I didn't want you to be dragged into all of this. But you deserve to know the truth."
At that moment, Shradha, who had been silently listening, walked into the room holding a plate of food. She stopped when she saw the tension in the air. Suddenly, her hand went limp, and the plate slipped from her fingers, crashing to the floor. The noise echoed in the quiet room.
Shapra rushed over to her. "Mom! What's wrong?"
Shradha was pale, her face in shock. She looked at Siddarth, her voice trembling. "I told you to tell him everything, Siddarth. I told you he needed to know the truth."
Siddarth closed his eyes, clearly conflicted. "I didn't want you to get caught up in something so dangerous. I wanted you to live a peaceful life, free from the troubles of our past. But I see now that I was wrong."
Shapra's heart was pounding. His whole life—the life he thought he knew—was suddenly shattered. He stared at his parents, trying to make sense of their words, but it was too much.
Before he could say anything else, Anmol stepped forward and put a hand on Shapra's shoulder. "Shapra," he said gently, "we're all here for you. No matter what the truth is, you don't have to face it alone."
Shapra didn't know what to say. His mind was spinning. Everything he thought he knew about himself, his family, his past—it had all changed in an instant.
Siddarth sighed, his face filled with regret. "Shapra… We're not your real parents."
And with that, the room fell silent. The weight of Siddarth's words hung in the air, and the truth—hidden for so long—was finally revealed. Shapra's world was never going to be the same again.
To be continued...