Chapter 1 The boy who never sleeps
Chapter 1 – The Boy Who Never Sleeps
Exactly 12:01 AM.
A deep silence had spread across the entire city. The rain had just stopped. The light from the yellow lampposts on the road was trembling in the puddles filled with water. Far away, the sound of dogs barking could be heard, and in between, the rumbling of clouds in the sky would pierce the silence of the night.
On the upper floor of a small two-story building built in an old neighborhood of the city, there was a room...
That room always remained closed.
So closed that even the family members never tried to peep inside it.
Outside the room, a small nameplate was attached—
"SOYAM"
Inside the room...
It was dark.
Only three computer screens were glowing.
On the first screen, codes were rapidly changing in thousands of lines.
On the second screen, a digital map of the whole world was open.
On the third screen, countless small boxes were flashing, as if some invisible conversation was going on from different corners of the world.
Sitting in front of those three screens was...
A very ordinary twenty-four-year-old youth.
Soyam.
There were light dark circles under his eyes.
Fatigue was clearly visible on his face.
But his fingers...
They were not tired at all.
They were moving so fast on the keyboard that it felt as if an artist was playing a piano.
Suddenly...
A small green light glowed on the screen.
Soyam’s fingers stopped.
Without saying anything, he looked at the screen.
After a few seconds...
He smiled slightly.
"Not now..."
He said to himself very softly.
Then one by one, he turned off all three screens.
Darkness enveloped the room again.
He looked toward the clock.
12:47 AM
"That's it... this is enough for today."
He stood up from the chair.
Opened an old diary kept on the table.
On the first page of that diary, only one sentence was written—
"The world must never know who I am."
Soyam looked at that page for a few moments.
Then he closed the diary.
The room's light turned off...
And the door opened slowly.
Outside, the whole house was in deep sleep.
Without making a sound, Soyam walked down the stairs.
Went into the kitchen.
Opened the fridge.
Took out a water bottle.
Just as he started drinking water...
A voice came from behind—
"Didn't sleep again?"
Soyam was startled.
Behind him stood his mother.
On her face, sleep was less...
Worry was more.
Mother: "Son... waking up all night like this every day is not good."
Soyam tried to smile.
Soyam: "It was just a little office work, Mother."
Mother started looking into his eyes.
She knew...
Her son was lying.
But she also knew...
Some things are not known by asking...
They are known only when the time comes.
She gently stroked his head.
Mother: "Don't work so much that life itself is left behind."
Soyam smiled and nodded his head.
"Yes, Mother."
Mother went to her room.
Soyam kept watching her go for a while.
Then he took a deep breath.
Mumbled softly—
"Wish... everything was so easy."
...
Six o'clock in the morning.
The small courtyard of the house.
Mother was making tea on the stove.
Father was turning the pages of an old newspaper.
Lines of worry were clear on his face.
Electricity bill.
House rent.
Cost of medicine.
The same calculation every month...
The same trouble every month.
Soyam came out of the room.
A cleanly ironed light blue shirt...
Black bag...
And the usual calm smile on his face.
He first bent down and touched his parents' feet.
Father put his hand on his shoulder.
Father: "Son... today is the day to get the salary, right?"
Soyam remained silent for a few moments.
Then he smiled.
Soyam: "Yes Papa... it will be received today."
Father lowered his eyes.
Father: "If possible, bring the medicine first this time... we will look at the other expenses later."
Soyam’s heart filled up.
But he didn't let anything show on his face.
Soyam: "The medicine will also come... and this time a new saree for Mother too."
Mother immediately spoke up—
Mother: "I don't want anything. First, get new shoes for yourself."
Soyam looked down.
His shoes were truly worn out in places.
Still, he burst out laughing.
Soyam: "Right now, these are also working."
Mother and Father looked at each other.
They were proud of their son.
But more worried than that.
Because...
He never thought about himself.
...
It took ten minutes to reach the bus stop to go to the office.
Like every day, today also Soyam was going on foot.
The aroma of ginger rising from the tea stall by the roadside...
The laughter of children going to school...
The sound of shops opening...
Everything was perfectly normal.
As if there was no secret in this city.
Just then, someone called out from behind—
"Mr. Serious!"
Soyam turned and looked.
White kurti, blue jeans, a laptop bag on her shoulder, and a mischievous smile on her face...
Sanjana.
She came quickly to him.
Sanjana: "Won't you even say good morning?"
Soyam smiled.
Soyam: "Good morning."
Sanjana made a face.
Sanjana: "Such a short answer? At least talk like normal people sometimes."
Soyam was about to say something when his phone vibrated lightly.
Without looking at the screen, he silenced the phone.
Sanjana noticed this.
She smiled and asked—
"Again the same... late-night messages?"
The smile from Soyam’s face vanished for a moment...
But the very next moment, he composed himself.
"It must be an office email."
Sanjana looked at him for a few seconds.
She didn't believe the answer...
But she didn't say anything.
Both moved toward the bus stop.
Soyam’s phone screen was still off...
But a new message had already arrived inside it.
"12 hours left..."
And Soyam...
Deliberately did not read it yet.
