Aarav and His Mother
Aarav ran out of the elevator the moment the doors slid open. He glanced at his phone mid-stride, realizing with a jolt that he was already an hour late. Swiping his access card, he pushed through the office doors.
The glass panels opened into a cool, softly humming world of polished floors and quiet efficiency. Sunlight streamed through tall windows, catching the edges of sleek workstations arranged in clean geometric rows. Digital screens mounted along the walls glowed with world clocks and project dashboards, their soft reflections dancing across framed posters about innovation and integrity. The low murmur of early-morning conversations blended with the steady hum of servers behind frosted glass. Potted palms added a gentle green calm to the steel-and-glass modernity, while the curved reception desk stood beneath a subtly lit company logo—an emblem of the pace, ambition, and order that shaped life within these walls.
“Late on the very first day, huh?” His manager said as soon as Aarav reached a few feet away from his cabin, running. The voice was deep, casual, almost teasing.
Aarav bent forward, chest heaving from the sprint to the office. His breath came in uneven bursts as he steadied himself against the desk.
The speaker—a tall, broad-shouldered man with dusky skin and an air of effortless authority—didn’t bother to look up from his laptop. His fingers tapped steadily across the keyboard, eyes fixed on the glowing screen.
“What happened?” he asked, tone deliberately indifferent. “Bike trouble? Overslept? Or was it… some emergency? A hospital case, maybe?”
Aarav struggled to catch his breath. “You… won’t believe… what happened, Indresh. A man… in a mask… he flew..”
Indresh’s brows furrowed slightly, though his gaze remained locked on the monitor. “Masked man? What—did he rob you?” His words broke off mid-sentence, clipped and sceptical.
“No,” Aarav shook his head, still panting. “It wasn’t like that. I can’t even explain it properly. There was police, witnesses… the whole street saw it. You’ll read about it in the news soon enough. It was like that thing that we all heard happened in US.”
Indresh finally leaned back, exhaling through his nose, though his expression betrayed little interest. “Alright. I’ll check the headlines later.” His tone shifted back to business, brisk and commanding. “For now, install all the software packages I sent you. If you run into trouble, get IT to help. Once that’s done, report back to me.”
He paused, eyes flicking briefly toward Aarav before returning to the screen. “HR walked you through the rest of the onboarding process, right?”
Aarav nodded silently, the weight of the morning still pressing against his chest.
Aarav’s phone buzzed sharply against the desk, cutting through the low hum of printers and muffled conversations drifting across the open floor. He answered quickly. “Hello.”
“Hello, this call is from the Whitefield Police Station,” a firm female voice said. “I am the Sub-Inspector Leela Kumari. I have called regarding the incident you witnessed today morning. We need you to come in and give a detailed statement.”
Aarav kept his tone steady. “I already gave my statement at the spot. I’m not sure I have anything new to add.”
“We understand,” the officer replied, patient but insistent. “We just need some additional clarification. Can you come by?”
Aarav glanced at the rows of cubicles, the soft clatter of keyboards, the faint hum of the AC settling into the background. “Ma’m, this is my first day at work. I was already late because of the incident. Could I come in the evening, or tomorrow?”
“It won’t take long. Your office is in the Bel Campus, right? The station is close to your office. Please come during your lunch break.”
He exhaled, the tension of the morning pressing against his ribs. “I’ll try, Ma’m.”
He ended the call and stared at the darkened phone screen for a moment before realizing Indresh was watching him over the edge of his laptop.
“What happened?” Indresh asked, his voice still calm but carrying a managerial edge.
Aarav slipped the phone into his pocket. “The police called. They want me to give another statement about the incident.”
Indresh tapped a key, eyes still fixed on his monitor. “When do they want you there?”
“By lunch,” Aarav said.
Indresh let out a small, sarcastic exhale. “Great first day you’re having, huh?”
Aarav gave a stiff, embarrassed smile. “Yeah… looks like it.”
“How far is the station?” Indresh asked.
“About three kilometers.”
Aarav sighed, imagining the rush—having lunch, running out, giving the statement, rushing back before his shift resumed.
“I’ll take you,” Indresh said, still typing. “No point stressing on day one.”
Aarav blinked in surprise. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I don’t want your first day completely ruined.”
“Thanks… that helps a lot,” Aarav said, genuinely grateful. He settled into his chair and began installing the software on his laptop while the office eased into its mid-morning rhythm—printers churning, chairs rolling across the floor, the AC vents clicking as they adjusted temperature.
His phone vibrated again.
Mom.
Aarav lowered his voice instantly, cupping the phone near his mouth. “Mom, where were you? I called so many times. I was worried.”
“I just stepped out to throw the garbage,” she said casually—but something in her tone was slightly off, too controlled. “What happened? Something wrong at the office?”
“Not here,” Aarav whispered, leaning closer to his screen to avoid being overheard. “On the way… something crazy happened. A man in a mask. Mom, he wasn’t normal. He saved this old man—and then he just flew. Straight into the sky.”
He spoke quickly, excitement and anxiety bleeding together.
This time, the silence on the other end was longer. The office around him faded into background noise—the tapping keyboards, hushed conversations, someone stirring sugar into a mug.
“Mom?” he whispered. “Are you there?”
“Yes…” she finally answered, but her voice was faint, strained—nothing like her usual tone. “Aarav… did you talk to him?”
The question came too quickly, too sharply. It didn’t sound like curiosity—it sounded like fear.
“No,” Aarav replied. “He just took off with the old man. Everyone saw it. The police questioned us—that’s why I got delayed.”
Another heavy pause. Aarav frowned at his screen, sensing something he couldn’t explain.
When she spoke again, her voice was steadier, rehearsed. “Will you be late today?”
“Probably,” he said softly. “I have to go to the station again during lunch. They want more details.”
“Alright,” she said slowly. “Just… be careful. Don’t get involved in anything unusual.”
Her phrasing struck him as odd, but before he could respond, she ended the call.
Aarav slipped the phone back into his pocket as the familiar office buzz returned—printers humming, someone laughing near the pantry, the faint crackle of the AC settling overhead. But his mother’s tone lingered uneasily in the back of his mind.
She hadn’t sounded surprised.
She had sounded. scared.
A soft voice called from behind him as he installed the applications. “Hi.”
Aarav turned in his seat.
“So you’re the new guy, huh?” A tall, light-skinned man in a crisp blue shirt and black trousers stood there, smiling with easy confidence.
Aarav blinked, still catching up. “Y-yes. I’m Aarav. I joined today as the new Junior Engineer.” He extended his hand, trying to match the warmth in the man’s expression.
The stranger glanced at the offered handshake, then back at Aarav’s face, and smiled wider. “Congrats on landing the job. I’m Karan, I work in Testing. Indresh and I are good friends.”
“Oh, he’s my manager,” Aarav said.
“Yeah, he told me. So, first job?” Karan asked.
“Yeah. I finished engineering six months ago.”
“Really? From where?”
“Pallak Institute of Technology, Tamil Nadu.”
“Is that your hometown?” Karan pressed.
“No… my mom and I moved around a lot. So my hometown is… well, you could say in Kerala.” Aarav hesitated. Aarav noticed that Indresh looked up from his monitor for a moment and looked back at the monitor.
“You could say Kerala? Not sure?” Karan teased with a crooked smile.
Aarav didn’t respond.
Karan chuckled. “Relax, man. I’m just messing with you. You don’t have to answer everything.”
He gave a light laugh before adding, “Let’s have lunch together, okay?”
“Oh—sorry. I can’t. I have to step out during lunch,” Aarav replied quickly.
“Ah, alright. I’m eating outside anyway. Take care. Ciao.”
He waved casually and walked away, leaving Aarav to the quiet of his workstation.
“Done with lunch?” Indresh asked as he noticed Aarav stepping out of the break room, still adjusting the strap of his backpack.
“Yes,” Aarav replied.
“Let’s go then.” Indresh rose from his chair, the wheels of his swivel seat giving a soft squeak in the otherwise humming office.
“You have a government ID with you, right? They may ask for it,” Indresh said, swiping his key card.
“Yeah, I have it in my purse,” Aarav replied as they stepped into the corridor.
The building’s air shifted as they exited cool office conditioning giving way to the warmth of the afternoon. Their footsteps echoed faintly in the long passage that led toward the open parking lot. Outside, the midday sun sat high and bright, bleaching the pavement and warming the air around them. The parking lot buzzed with the steady rhythm of lunch-hour movement car doors shutting, engines starting, and the distant honk of autos on the main road. A security guard’s voice carried across the lot as he directed a delivery vehicle, blending into the noon bustle.
“I thought it was a bit strange during your interview when you mentioned doing all your schooling from home,” Indresh said as they finally reached the car. “Now I get it. You must’ve travelled a lot, huh?”
Aarav nodded, hesitating. “Yeah. My mom is a writer and she likes to travel. So we rarely stayed in one place for more than a year.”
“If you don’t mind me asking,” Indresh said as he fastened his seat belt and started the engine, “what about your dad?”
Aarav paused, fingers tightening slightly around the seat belt buckle. “I… I’m adopted.”
Indresh glanced at him briefly before focusing back on the road. “That’s completely normal. And it’s not something you need to inform your manager about,” he said gently. A small, reassuring smile touched his face. “Still, I like the honesty. Your mother raised you well.”
“Yes… she did,” Aarav murmured, turning toward the window.
The car rolled out of the parking lot, passing a shaded stretch of pavement where a woman walked hand in hand with her young child. Aarav watched them quietly.
“She lost her child and husband when she was young,” he said softly. “She adopted me a few years after that.”
“So, where all have you travelled?” Indresh asked after a quiet moment, changing the subject.
“I think we’ve been to almost every state in India. The only one I haven’t visited is Arunachal Pradesh. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen all the others,” Aarav replied, wiping his eyes without Indresh noticing.
“Great. Which was your favorite state?” Indresh asked.
“All states have their own unique features—like the greenery of Kerala, the sincerity of people from Tamil Nadu, the diverse natural landscapes of Karnataka, or the spiritual energy of Bihar. Every place has its own beauty. Anyone born here should feel lucky,” Aarav said with a smile.
Indresh’s eyes darkened for a brief moment, though Aarav did not notice.
Indresh parked the car in the police station’s lot. “Go and finish your procedures as fast as possible. Tell them you’re short on time. We need to get back to the office soon. I’ll wait here,” he said, pressing the unlock button. Aarav stepped out and walked toward the station. A small fear crawled onto his face as he crossed the entrance—an instinctive unease.
(To be continued)
Karun G Nath 
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