The Two-Wheeler Mystery

It was entirely dark outside, nothing could be seen properly. Divyanshi held Deven's arm tightly and whispered in his ear

------ " Dada! I am having a little uncanny feeling! Let's go back !"

Deven patted her arm and replied

------ " Don't worry , nothing will happen ! Everything is fine ! I am always there for you !"

It had been a long time since Deven and Divyanshi left home in the dead night to meet Chirasmi's brother. She persuaded them to go with her to him ; she said he would love to make new friends. Deven was holding a lantern and in its yellow light rays , he could discern only a vague figure of Chirasmi. He spoke loudly 

------ " Are we almost there ? I think it's quite late now ! Where is your brother !"

Chirasmi did not speak. After ambling for a few more minutes she happily pointed her finger towards the birch forest which could be seen ahead and yelled excitedly

------ " There he is !"

The three of them moved closer towards the forest and it was after a few moments that Deven and Divyanshi saw Chirasmi's elder brother in the light of the lantern. He was either older or peer in Deven , he was dressed in an old sweater and thick black trousers. He appeared perplexed but as Chirasmi went near him , a beam of happiness and relief appeared on his face.

------ " There you go ! Where have you been for so long ? I was afraid when you didn't come back even after five minutes !"

Chirasmi tried to pacify him.

----- " It's alright , Dada ! I am alright !"

Pointing to Deven and Divyanshi , Chirasmi told her brother

----- " Dada , meet them. They are my new friends ----- Deven and Divyanshi ! I found Maa's medicine in their house !"

The boy came forward and shook his hand with Deven. He introduced himself in a very formal way , he was not in such a light mood , like his sister.

----- " Hello Deven and Divyanshi ! Nice to meet you ! I am Aarav , why don't you both join us for a bicycle ride ?"

Deven was a bit startled , Aarav had never met him before , it was their first meeting. How could he offer a bicycle ride to a totally unknown boy ? Deven had cast a glance at Divyanshi ; the ecstatic smile on her face revealed her ardent desire to ride a bicycle , at least once ! Deven agreed to the queer proposal , he somehow felt that Aarav and Chirasmi were innocent !

" Deven ! Divyanshi ! Let's go to our village ! The natural beauty of the place will certainly please you !" , suggested Chirasmi.

So it was decided , that they would have a bicycle ride to Aarav's village ! Deven sat being Aarav in his blue bicycle and Divyanshi adjusted herself behind Chirasmi in her white bicycle. The ride thus began. The four children were having immense fun and enjoyment as they advanced from the birch forest towards the river. As they approached near the river , Aarav told Deven that they had to cross the wooden bridge over the river to reach the village. Before them there lay a shallow canyon and the brook was flowing swiftly from deep down the valley.

As soon as Deven noticed the canyon , he became petrified. He shook Aarav and yelled at him

------ " Where are you going Aarav ? The bridge is broken !"

Aarav exclaimed 

----- " What rubbish ? Can't you see the wooden bridge over there , it's absolutely alright !"

Deven now gazed at the bridge and he could not believe his eyes ! Even yesterday evening he saw this bridge broken from the middle , the other two ends hanging downwards ! Then how did the bridge regain its original form within a night ! Deven felt a bit eerie and bewildered. He shook Aarav and yelled at him

----- "Leave us here ! We want to go back !"

But there was no response ! Deven took his lantern nearer to Aarav's face and peeped forward ! To his amusement he realised that though Aarav was pedalling the bicycle his face had turned dead white ! He started giving livid and spooky vibes !

Abruptly , the speed of both the bicycles increased and very soon the canyon became clearly visible. They were almost there ! At this horrible point of time , Deven heard his sister's fearful scream ------- "Dada !"

Deven turned his lantern towards Chirasmi's bicycle and realised that Divyanshi was trembling with fear and before her Chirasmi was sitting , pedalling the bicycle in the same sinister look and silence , that Aarav bore ! Something was not right , or probably the entire scenario was unnatural ! Deven had to decide within minutes what was to be done.

He quickly jumped off Aarav's bicycle and saw it moving ahead without any protest from the other solitary rider. Now Deven started running very fast and finally reached near Chirasmi's bicycle. From there he somehow pulled out a terrified and trembling Divyanshi and let Chirasmi pass by ! They were almost near the canyon at that time ! Deven knew that the bridge was broken , but it was normal ! How was it possible ?

While Deven was consoling Divyanshi , both of them suddenly looked forward ! They could see Aarav and Chirasmi pedalling their bicycles over the old and creepy wooden bridge. Suddenly the calamity occurred ! The bridge suddenly developed cracks and broke apart from the middle ! Before Aarav and Chirasmi could reach the other end , the bridge had already fallen apart and both of them fell straight into the river , in the valley ! Although the valley was shallow , the river was quite swift flowing ! Deven and Divyanshi rushed towards the bank , but they were too small to help them. They helplessly saw two innocent children drowning and yelling for help ! Amidst several cries for help Aarav and Chirasmi , very soon , disappeared in the water ; neither their corpses , nor their bicycles could be seen !

Divyanshi yelled out of fear 

------ " Dada ! W ... What happened to both of them ? Are ... Are they dead ?"

------ " I warned him not to cross the bridge , it was broken ! Oh God ... If we hadn't jumped off at the proper time , then by now we would also ..."

Deven heaved a deep sigh of relief and fear. He embraced his terrified sister and firmly held her hand , to take her back home.

*****

Next morning when Deven and Divyanshi were sitting quietly in their room , their mother came in.

" What's the matter , dear ?" , she asked in a bit of a bewildered way , " Won't you both play today ?"

The children did not answer.

------ " Is anything wrong , kids ? You can tell me , without hesitating !"

Their mother sat beside them , Divyanshi hugged her tightly and Deven dragged himself nearer to her and held her arms. He asked

------ " Maa , have you ever seen two estranged bicycles in the birch forest near our village ?"

She was quite surprised at his question.

------- " No Deven ! But why are you asking such a question ?"

------- " Nothing Maa ... just curiosity !"

Deven sighed , then as if after recalling something , he again asked her

------ " Maa , that broken wooden bridge ... That bridge ... Did any accident ever take place there ? I mean it's a very dangerous spot , so ..."

Deven's mother pondered deeply and at last exclaimed 

------ " Oh yes ! An accident did occur there ! Many years back , two children , had come to our village , for some reason I am not aware of ... They resided in the village located across the river bank ! They had to cross that wooden bridge to return back ! As much as I know ... they never returned back ! People said that while they were crossing that old bridge to return back home , the bridge developed cracks and broke down and both of them fell down in the river and drowned ! Even their bicycles fell down and they were demolished in that brook forever ! It was indeed pathetic ! They were very small children , probably of your and Divya's age !"

Deven was startled , yet he asked his mother

------ " Maa , is this incident quite old ? I mean , I never heard about this before ! And ... Do you know their names ? Were they siblings ?"

----- " Even I had forgotten this incident , since you asked me about it today , I suddenly remembered it ... Yes , I think they were siblings ---- a boy and his younger sister ! It was a very old incident ... It took place even before your father married me !"

------ " Maa ? Do you know their names ?"

------ " Their names ? I ... can't recall the sister's name at present and her brother's name , I think was ... Yes ! Aarav ! The elder brother was Aarav and his sister's name was ... What was it ? I can't ..."

----- " Was it Chirasmi ?"

----- " Ah , yes ! It was Chirasmi ; Aarav and Chirasmi ... but ... Deven , what has happened ? How did you know about them ? Has anyone in our village told you their story ? Are you frightened ? Don't feel afraid , I am here for you both !"

Deven felt goosebumps over his entire body , he did not speak a word ! Now , he could clearly discern who had visited him and Divyanshi , last night ! He turned towards Divyanshi ! Fear was clearly visible on her little face , even she had realised the truth behind that nocturnal incident ! Deven started shivering , Chirasmi's mysterious grin was constantly emerging before his eyes , by that time !