CURSED BIRTHDAY

Rakesh stared in disbelief.

“What?” he exclaimed.

“Yes, your dad was nothing but a suicide bomber. And more importantly, do you even know who your father really was? Did he ever show you your childhood photos? What proof do you have that he was actually your father?” Gaitonde smirked.

Rakesh stood frozen for a moment, his mind racing. Without another word, he turned and left the place, his head filled with doubts, questions, and an overwhelming sense of unease. As he walked towards the orphanage, he kept replaying Gaitonde’s words. Could he be telling the truth? The thought struck him harder when he realized—he really didn’t have any childhood photos.

Lost in thought, he lay down on his bed, staring at the ceiling. The questions swirled in his mind until exhaustion finally pulled him into a restless sleep.

The next morning, Rakesh woke up to a surprising sight. The orphanage was decorated with colorful banners, and “Happy Birthday” posters were plastered everywhere. He blinked, trying to process what was happening. He quickly got up and rushed to find Nityam.

“I need to get out of this orphanage,” Rakesh said, his voice urgent.

Nityam, however, ignored his plea and instead greeted him with a wide grin.

“Happy Birthday, Rakesh! Come on, everyone, bring the candles and the gifts! It’s the birthday of the most daring child in this asylum!” Nityam announced.

Rakesh stood amidst the cheerful chaos, feeling completely detached from the celebration. He was physically present, but his mind was elsewhere, lost in an abyss of uncertainty about his own identity.

Later that evening, around 6:35 PM, the orphans were visited by none other than Gaitonde.

“Happy Birthday, Rakesh beta,” he said, his voice carrying a sinister edge.

Rakesh’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you here? Can’t you just tell me who I really am? Is this even my real name? Am I truly Rakesh Joshi?”

Gaitonde exchanged a knowing smile with Nityam before replying, “Well, didn’t he tell you why I’m here? I’m here to kill you. That’s it. I guess you’re 18 now.”

Rakesh smirked. “Why wait until 18? You still can’t even kill me now.”

Gaitonde chuckled darkly. “I’ll first let you know your identity. That way, it’ll be more fun watching you die.” With that, he turned and left.

Kulkarni, one of Gaitonde’s men, hesitated before speaking. “Sir, why do you want to kill him?”

Gaitonde’s expression hardened. “No questions, Kulkarni. I’ll just say this—he’s a confused guy. And a confused guy can work for us or against us.”

Kulkarni frowned. “So, are you thinking of recruiting him? Making him work for us?”

Gaitonde smirked. “I didn’t say that.”

“Then… you’re turning him against us?”

Gaitonde’s smirk widened. “Not that either.”

8:00 PM – The Same Day

Rakesh sat alone on a bench, lost in thought. Suddenly, he heard the sound of a van approaching at high speed. Something about the noise seemed familiar. He turned around—and froze.

“Rashmi!” he gasped.

Rashmi—his childhood crush. She had been with him since the day of the blast. They had always shared a close bond, a so-called relationship.

Without thinking, Rakesh sprinted after the van. His heart pounded in his chest as he realized she was being taken away. Desperate, he jumped onto his bike and chased the vehicle through the dimly lit streets. The pursuit led him to an under-construction building, where he was abruptly stopped by a group of guards.

He could have fought his way through, but there was no time—he had to save Rashmi. Before he could react, someone covered his face with a cloth soaked in chloroform. His vision blurred, and within seconds, he lost consciousness.

When he came to, he found himself in an empty room with a single glowing screen. His head throbbed as he tried to make sense of his surroundings.

“Where the hell am I?” he muttered.

The screen flickered, and a computerized voice spoke. “Welcome, Rakesh.”

Rakesh frowned. “What kind of joke is this?”

“You’ve been selected for the early recruitment program. We have some tasks for you to complete.”

Rakesh scowled. “Recruitment? I never applied for any program! Let me go. You’ve kidnapped the wrong Rakesh.”

A door creaked open, and a shadowy figure entered the room. The man sat down across from Rakesh, but his face remained obscured by the dim light.

“I’m the head of a non-government agency,” the man began. “We work to expose the illegal malpractices of the government. If you join us, we can take down Gaitonde together.”

Rakesh’s mind spun. “How do you know me? Why do you want me? And what about Rashmi? Is she okay?”

“We’ve been watching you since the blast, child. And don’t worry about Rashmi—she’s safe. Bringing her here was just a way to get you to come. We knew you’d do anything for someone you care about.”

Rakesh clenched his fists. “Why should I trust you? And what exactly do you want from me? Didn’t you have a better way to bring me here? This feels like a cliché Bollywood scene.”

The man chuckled. “Your identity, Rakesh. The proof of your existence. Don’t you want a reason to live?”

Rakesh’s breath hitched. “Why me? Why have you been watching me? And what kind of agency is this? Just let me out of here—I can’t breathe!”

The man leaned forward and pulled out a gun, aiming it directly at Rakesh’s forehead.

“You have two choices, little guy,” he said, his tone cold. “Either die right here, or help me. And in return, I’ll help you find out the truth about your father.”

Rakesh stared at the gun, his pulse racing. The words echoed in his mind.

“Find out the truth about your father…”

He had spent years questioning his past. Could this be his chance to uncover it?

But could he trust these people? And if he refused, was he ready to die tonight?

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