The fair in Mumbai with many — laughter, magic show, puppet show, music, and the smell of roasted corn, candy floss and what not filled the air.
The giant Ferris wheel with screams and excitement painted the sky, and stalls lined every corner, offering games, food, and joy.
Among the crowd, Siya, a 19 Year-old college girl, with excitement stepped in.
She had always loved places like this — it made her forget about her hectic college life.
Her gaze instantly fell on a man spinning cotton candies.
"Two, please," she said cheerfully,
eating like a child as the soft sugar melted on her tongue.
Across the crowd, a group of middle-aged men watched her — their eyes following her every move.
But Siya, lost in her little world, didn't notice.
Just then, a woman's voice called out:
"Madam! Fortune telling! Only ten rupees!"
Siya chuckled. "Why not?"
She sat before the old woman dressed in bright red, and a shiny blue round glass ball on table as she shuffled her cards.
The fortune teller looked at Siya, her smile fading slowly.
"You have kind eyes," she whispered, "but a shadow walks beside you."
Siya frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"
"soon you will meet a man " the woman murmured. "He will change your fate."
Siya laughed nervously.
"Okay, creepy much," she joked, getting up quickly.
She continued strolling — and soon, a familiar voice called out,
"Siya?"
Turning, she gasped in surprise.
"Mira!"
Her childhood friend ran to hug her.
"Oh god, it's been years!"
Siya said, smiling.
"I know! What are the odds we meet here?"
Mira laughed. "How's college?"
"Hectic. But at least tonight, I get to breathe!"
Siya giggled. "Come on, let's roam around."
The two walked together, hand in hand, like besties.
As they passed a row of game booths, a man with a painted face suddenly dashed into Siya,
making her drop her phone.
His face was half white, half black — like a haunting jester.
Sorry," his deep voice rumbled.
"It's okay,"
Siya said, brushing off her phone and smiling politely.
Mira laughed. "Let's take a picture! Hey, you too — scary man!"
The painted guy hesitated, then stood between them. Mira clicked the picture.
For a moment, Siya met his eyes through the paint — cold demeanor, beautiful eyes, yet strangely sad.
It sent a shiver down her spine.
Mira was looking at the photo and she spots a poster on the wall.
Siya notice the small poster on the wall behind them in the picture.
A missing girl's face stared back — dark eyes, black hair.
The resemblance was uncanny.
She frowned, whispering,
"That… kind of looks like me."
Mira glanced at it,
"Weird coincidence, looks like twins"
The painted man gazed towards the poster, his expression tightening.
But he said nothing.
"It's getting late," Mira said after a while.
"You've got college tomorrow, remember?"
Siya sighed. "Yeah. I wish we could talk longer."
They hugged, laughing softly.
"Next time," Mira promised.
Later that night, Siya returned to her small hotel room near the fair.
She washed up, smiled at her reflection, and climbed into bed — cotton candy and laughter in her memory.
But outside the hotel, the same men from earlier were lurking, watching her window.
Just as they took a step closer, a police siren wailed in the distance.
Startled, they ran away.
And somewhere beyond the fairground lights…
the painted man stood watching her window too with mobile the siren sound and one hand poster of the little missing girl.
His whisper :
"Found you."
→To Be Continued