Ophidian – Part 1
In a grand house standing beside a dense northern forest, Shamsul Kader sat quietly on a sofa in the living room. Beside him, his younger daughter, Rumaisha Kader, sat with her head lowered, unusually silent.
This house belonged to his cousin-sister Runia Rahman's in-laws. Shamsul had never wanted to come here. But Ishtiaq Ahmed, Runia's husband, had insisted—almost to the point of forcing him.
After sixteen long years, Shamsul had stepped into this house again.
There was a time when this very place had felt like a second home to him—when he would spend most of his days here, laughing, talking, living freely with his beloved sister.
Runia had no brother of her own—only a sister, Tania, who lived abroad with her family. And so, all her life, she had loved Shamsul as her own brother. Even now, that love had not faded.
Shamsul, too, had no siblings of his own. To him, Runia and Tania were his entire world. Yet, it was Runia—the younger one—who held a slightly bigger place in his heart, much to Tania's playful complaints.
When Runia had been pregnant with her first child, Shamsul had stayed by her side during the last four months of her pregnancy. Back then, Ishtiaq had just started a new job, her mother-in-law had been ill, and her father-in-law was no more. Though there was a house helper, the absence of a dependable man in the house made everything feel incomplete.
And so, Shamsul had taken on every responsibility—taking her to doctor's appointments, looking after her needs, standing by her like a guardian.
Runia had never forgotten that.
But then… one incident changed everything.
An incident caused by her own son, Safwan Ahmed.
After that day, Shamsul never returned to this house again.
Rumaisha sat quietly, her heart weighed down with a strange mixture of nervousness and shame. It had been years—so many years—since she had last come here.
As a child, she had spent almost all her time in this house. Her aunt had been her entire world. Whether at her own home or here, she would always cling to her fuppi, and Runia, who had no daughter of her own, loved her deeply—like a piece of her own heart.
The last time she had come here… she had been very young. She had come with her parents and Rafsan bhaiya.
That day, while playing with Safwan and Shafin, something had gone terribly wrong. Safwan had bitten her—hard enough to make her seriously ill.
She still remembered fragments—her father crying uncontrollably, her aunt's tearful face, and the heavy sadness that filled the room. Lying weakly in her mother's arms, she had seen nothing but worry in the eyes of everyone she loved.
After that… everything changed.
She never came here again. No one even spoke of this house anymore. Her father refused to return. And though she missed her aunt deeply, even Runia stopped visiting them often—perhaps once a year… or sometimes not even that.
Today, after so many years, she had finally come back.
She hadn't seen Safwan or Shafin since that day. She spoke to Shafin occasionally over the phone, but Safwan…
After he left for Singapore for his studies, he had completely disappeared from their lives.
For some reason she never understood, no one in her family liked Safwan—especially her mother, Ayesha Khanam.
And she never knew why.
Seeing her sitting so quietly, Ishtiaq smiled gently and said,
"Rumi, why are you sitting like this? You came here after so long. Go, have fun—talk to everyone. Your aunt is in the kitchen, go spend some time with her."
Rumaisha glanced at her father for permission.
Shamsul looked at her for a moment, then said in a calm but firm voice,
"No. You don't need to go now."
Then, turning to Ishtiaq, he added,
"Brother-in-law, we'll leave soon. Please tell my sister not to prepare anything. If we sit, it'll get late."
A flicker of pain crossed Ishtiaq's face.
The same Shamsul who once couldn't stay away from this house… now didn't even want to sit here for ten minutes.
To Ishtiaq, Shamsul had never been just a brother-in-law—he had been a friend. Even though he was younger, they had shared a bond deeper than most friendships.
During Runia's pregnancy, Shamsul had stood beside him like a shadow. Through every difficulty, every fear—they had faced it together.
But one truth… one incident… had broken everything apart.
After a brief silence, Ishtiaq stood up and said softly,
"Alright. Sit. I'll call your sister."
Within moments, Runia entered the living room.
"What is this, Shamsul?" she scolded lightly. "You come after so long and now you want to leave immediately? At least sit for a while. I've almost prepared the snacks."
Then she turned to Rumaisha with warmth in her eyes.
"Come with me, dear."
Rumaisha looked at her father again. This time, he gave a small nod.
She followed her aunt.
As she stepped out, she saw Shafin entering through the front door, fresh from college.
The moment he saw her, his face lit up. He rushed forward and grabbed her hands excitedly.
"Apu! You're here! After so long!"
Runia smiled from the side.
"Yes, she's here… and planning to leave already."
The joy on Shafin's face faded instantly.
"Why, apu?" he said, almost pleading. "Don't leave today. Stay at least one night. No one has time for me here. Baba is always at work, Amma is busy in the kitchen, and Safwan bhaiya… he's as good as absent. You don't know how lonely I am."
Runia chuckled softly.
"Come with me. If he starts talking, he won't stop."
Then she added,
"Shafin, go freshen up and come downstairs."
Shafin nodded obediently and walked away, though his eyes lingered on Rumaisha.
In the kitchen, Rumaisha wrapped her arms around her aunt from behind.
"I miss you so much, fuppi," she said softly. "You don't visit us anymore. It used to be so much fun. Today, you have to make patishapta for me—I love the way you make it."
Runia laughed warmly.
"You've grown up, but you're still the same child."
Then, with a teasing tone, she added,
"Though your father looks ready to run away—as if my son will bite you again!"
At the mention of Safwan, Rumaisha paused.
"Where is Safwan bhaiya?" she asked. "I didn't see him."
Runia fell silent.
A strange tension filled the air.
After a moment, Rumaisha asked again, her voice softer this time,
"Fuppi… what really happened that day? Why did I get so sick? Others have bitten me while playing before… nothing happened then. Why was it different that time?"
Runia's eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
She tried to speak… but her voice faltered.
Finally, she handed Rumaisha a tray and said quietly,
"Take this to the living room. I'll come."
Rumaisha understood she had touched something painful.
Without another word, she took the tray and walked toward the living room.
But just before stepping inside…
She heard something.
Something she had never imagined.
#Ophidian
#Part_1