Chapter 7: The Ghost in the Machine

Three Days Before the Massacre

The morning air in the Suri household smelled of toasted cumin and fried dough. Raji had outdone herself, piling a mountain of golden, fluffy poories in the center of the table. It was Priya’s favorite, a peace offering for the tension of the previous days.

The family sat in a rare, heavy silence. The only sound was the rhythmic scraping of steel spoons against plates. Priya stared at her plate, tearing a piece of poori but not eating it. Her mind was a chaotic playback of Karthi’s shouting and Katthi’s whistling.

"Everyone was asking about you at the wedding yesterday," Raji said, breaking the silence with practiced cheerfulness.

"Mmhmm," Priya murmured.

"The mutton was excellent," Raji continued, trying to bait her daughter into a conversation. "Better than the shop near the junction."

"That’s nice, Ma."

Raji sighed, dropping her spoon. "Priya, you aren't even here. Your body is at the table, but your head is somewhere in the clouds. Did Karthi say something again?"

"Leave it, Ma," Malini chirped, her mouth full of potato curry. "The boyfriend probably didn't like her earrings or something. You know how he is."

"Shut up, Malini," Priya snapped.

"Enough," Suri intervened, his voice calm but firm. He looked at Priya with eyes that saw too much. "It’s about Vaani, isn't it?"

Priya froze. A tear escaped and traced a salty path down her cheek. "I said horrible things to her, Nanna. She’s my best friend, and I treated her like an enemy because of... because of him."

Suri reached across the table and patted her hand. "Friendship isn't a straight line, dear. It’s a jagged one. Even your mother and I have days where we can’t stand the sight of each other. But love is the gravity that pulls you back. Go to her. Say sorry. She’s waiting for you to be the big person."

"You think so?"

"I know so," Suri smiled. "Remember when you were in the hospital after the accident? Malini cried until she turned blue. She swore she’d never tease you again if you just opened your eyes."

"I did not!" Malini reddened, looking at her plate. "I just... had a cold."

The laughter that followed was the first real moment of peace Priya had felt in weeks.

The Mystery of the Abyss

As Priya and Malini walked toward the college, the younger sister’s curiosity finally boiled over.

"Akka, do you remember anything from the accident?" Malini asked, swinging their joined hands. "The police said it was a mystery. They found you in a car in a ravine, miles away from the beach."

Priya slowed her pace. "The ravine? I thought I was on the bike."

"No," Malini’s voice dropped to a whisper. "You were in a silver car. And there was someone else in the driver’s seat. A man. He was already dead when they found you. The police couldn't find his ID, his fingerprints weren't in the system... it was like he didn't exist."

A cold chill washed over Priya. A dead man. An anonymous savior or a kidnapper? She tried to reach into the dark corners of her memory, but all she found was a flashing image of a silver dashboard and the smell of expensive cologne mixed with blood.

"Why didn't Ma tell me?"

"She didn't want to scare you," Malini said. "But I think you should know. Whoever that man was, he’s the reason you're alive. Or the reason you almost died."

Priya stood at the college gates, watching Malini walk away. The mystery of her past felt like a shadow stretching out to touch her future.