Sketching her Shadows

Satya was relentless. He had come too far to turn back now. If Saanvi had left behind even the faintest traces of her life, he was determined to find them.

A Lead at Last

Returning to the university one last time, he approached a group of students who had studied in the same batch as Saanvi. They weren't exactly her close friends, but they had shared classes, projects, and occasional conversations.

"Saanvi?" one of them repeated, furrowing his brows. "Yeah, I remember her. She was quiet but brilliant. I think she mentioned being from a small town before she moved here for college."

Satya's heart raced. Finally, a lead.

Another student nodded. "Yeah, she was from a place called Udaigarh. I remember because she once painted an old fort and said it reminded her of home."

"Udaigarh," Satya whispered under his breath. He had never been there before, but if that was where Saanvi had once lived, then that was where he needed to go next.

The Search Begins

A few days later, Satya found himself in Udaigarh, a town that seemed frozen in time. The narrow streets, old stone houses, and the lingering scent of monsoon rains carried a strange familiarity—one he couldn't quite place.

As he walked through the town, asking locals about the Rathore family, he finally found someone who recognized the name.

"Oh, the Rathores? Yes, they used to live here," an elderly woman told him. "But they moved away a while ago. Such a quiet family… never really mingled much."

"Do you know where they went?" Satya asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

The woman thought for a moment before nodding. "I believe they moved to Jaipur. Their relatives live there, and I heard they wanted a fresh start."

Satya clenched his fists.

She had slipped away again.

But at least now, he knew where to go next.

A Step Closer

Before leaving Udaigarh, he wandered through the streets, taking in every sight and sound. He visited her old house—now abandoned—and ran his fingers over the walls as if they could whisper stories to him.

He wasn't sure what he was searching for, but in that moment, he felt closer to her than ever.

His next destination was clear.

Jaipur.