Hari stopped his car a few feet away from the entrance, swung the door open, and walked to the gate. The gate was kept opened as if someone rushed out in a hurry and had no time to lock.
He entered the gate, walked cautiously to the patio. His mind alarmed him that something is wrong. The front door was ajar, and there is no sign of life inside. He pushed the door open and went inside.
The hall was a mess. The coffee table was turned upside down with its legs broken, cushions in chairs were shredded as if somebody was searching for some valuables inside. The TV was cut into small pieces. He imagined someone lifted the TV and forced it down with a thud.
The wall clock was misaligned from vertical, the glass broken. Hari found that the clock had stopped at 2:57, an hour ago from now. He cleared all the mess to make himself a path and rushed towards his bedroom. "Where is Meena?" his mind asked him.
"Meena," he cried while rushing towards the bedroom. His mind imagined everything it could imagine. He took a deep breath, cleared his mind, and went inside. Articles and books he had preserved on the racks were shattered and scattered on the floor. The king-size bed was intact, but the bedspread was pulled out from it as if someone had dragged the person sleeping on the bed along with the quilt.
"They have taken Meena!", the thought suddenly dawned on him. His mind scanned the entire area searching for a clue, a clue which will take him closer to where she was taken. A shred of evidence which will help him understand the motive of kidnappers. Was she taken for a ransom? Are they expecting a secret document from me?
He oversaw his steps, trying his best to avoid altering the scene. He was inching closer to bed, examining for a clue when he placed a foot on the silky smooth bedspread and slipped.
"Honey, what happened?"
Hari got up from the floor, supported his sprained hips with his hand, and asked her, "Are you alright? Where did they take you? Did they torture you for something?"
Meena got up from the bed, turned on the lights, and found Hari in a confused and alarmed state. She reached for him, planted a kiss on his forehead, and said, "Don't watch too many movies hon."
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