Episode 1
It was the last watch of a freezing January night.
He was walking briskly.
His destination was the ancient Makli Graveyard in Thatta.
Another night had passed, wandering aimlessly.
Once again, his search had not ended.
This had become his nightly routine—
And it had been going on for many years.
Every evening after the Maghrib prayer,
He would leave his dwelling in search of what he had come here for.
He roamed through deserts and wilderness,
Returning to his dwelling just before dawn.
Years had passed—
But he still hadn't found what he was looking for,
Nor had his search come to an end.
The one he was searching for—
Was just like him.
He once heard from two people that
Someone like him had been living for years somewhere in the soil of Sindh.
That's why he had come to Thatta—
He didn't remember his birthplace exactly,
Only that it had taken him years to reach here.
Along the way,
He narrowly escaped being enslaved by humans multiple times—
Even came close to death once or twice.
He had made his home near an old tree in Makli Graveyard.
Lost in thought, he was moving swiftly when—
Suddenly, he saw the headlights of a vehicle.
Startled, he jumped into the nearby bushes.
At that moment, a car zoomed past him.
With his sharp vision, he had already counted the occupants—
Four humans, including one woman.
He resumed walking,
But this time he chose to move through the underbrush instead of the open path.
He didn't want to be seen or confronted by any human.
He had no fear of venomous creatures—
But he feared humans.
He had feared them since childhood—
Ever since one of them had brutally killed his mother in front of him.
Later, another had captured his father using some strange-sounding device.
He was too young then to understand,
But as he grew older, he came to know—
That the device was a flute,
And it could lure beings like him against their will.
From his elders, he had learned one thing clearly:
Humans are the most dangerous creatures on this earth.
Stay away from them at all costs.
And he had made that teaching his life's rule.
Lost in these thoughts,
He didn't even realize that he had reached near the graveyard.
Now he felt a bit safer—
Because he knew no one would be there at this hour except him.
He walked calmly toward his dwelling
And lay down near a crumbling old grave, waiting for dawn.
The night was cold, but he didn't care.
He laid comfortably on the cold ground, gazing at the sky.
Where he came from, it was always cold—
A breathtakingly beautiful place,
Surrounded by towering snow-covered mountains—
Like a land made entirely of ice.
The only problem was the seasonal influx of people.
They'd arrive for a few months,
Then disappear once snowfall began—
And return again when winter ended.
During those times,
He had to remain hidden in his shelter,
Food was scarce.
A couple of times, humans had seen him—
Some ran in fear,
But some dared to confront or even try to kill him.
Thankfully, he had escaped each time.
He had been lucky since birth.
The moment he was born, what he saw shocked him—
Countless beings like himself all around.
He pushed through the crowd to free himself.
Then he saw a much larger version of himself—
Probably his mother.
She lifted her head and released a loud hiss,
Pulling all the small bodies toward her.
Panic spread.
She began devouring them one by one.
Some, including him, tried to escape.
Many weren't so lucky.
He survived by sneaking away and lying still at a distance.
Eventually, his mother stopped and rested.
The survivors stayed with her—
She never tried to harm them again.
They had a whole tribe there.
From his elders, he learned many things—
Including the name of their species: Molusk.
He liked the sound of it.
Then one day, a human killed his mother—
And a snake charmer took his father away.
Heartbroken, he left his homeland.
He wandered endlessly,
Not knowing where he was headed.
Eventually, he arrived at a beautiful, cold place.
He liked it and made it his home.
Years passed.
Things changed—
Seasons shifted, and people began to settle nearby.
At first, no one lived there.
Then came one group—then more.
Soon villages began forming.
Tourists started visiting.
It became risky.
He remembered the elders' warnings about humans.
So he moved again.
He traveled through many towns and forests
Until he found a place with no sign of human life—
There he dug deep underground and began living peacefully.
Then one day, he heard a melodious sound—
Distant and soft—
But so enchanting that he couldn't resist.
He found himself swaying unconsciously.
His body moved with the rhythm.
He wanted to go closer—
But a memory struck him:
His father had once followed a similar sound—
And never returned.
He fought his urges and pulled himself back into his burrow.
That was another close escape.
The sound never returned.
Years passed peacefully.
Then one day, he heard human voices near his shelter.
He stayed hidden and listened—
They were talking about snakes.
That's how he learned—
There was talk of an ancient serpent in Sindh's desert sand.
Snake charmers were desperate to capture it—
But it had eluded them all.
That's when he decided—
He had to find it.
Someone like him—
Someone to live with till death.
To protect each other from humans.
He had no idea where Sindh was—
But he was determined.
He would follow the desert's trail,
Eavesdrop to know if it was Sindh,
And settle there if it was.
If not, he'd move on.
That determination led him to Sindh—
After countless hardships and years,
He arrived at Makli Graveyard by chance.
It felt safe and right.
He built his home near an old tree—
And every night he searched,
Returning before sunrise.
He had lived like this for many years.
Still, the search continued.
One evening after Maghrib,
He came out and lay down to wait for the darkness.
It was a moonlit night—
The graveyard bathed in silver light.
Tall mausoleums cast eerie shadows—
Like strange creatures had taken over the place.
Lying there, he wondered—
When would his search end?
When would he find someone like him—
To share a few peaceful days with?
It was hard to travel far—
His size made it impossible to move quickly.
He had to return before dawn.
If a human saw him, they'd be terrified—
Or try to kill him.
That's why he always returned before light.
"If only I were human," he thought,
"I could walk far and free."
He let out a hiss and tried to move—
But couldn't.
Surprised, he tried again.
Still nothing.
He tried curling up—
But failed.
He looked at the sky helplessly.
"Am I dying?" he wondered.
He placed his head on the ground.
Then he felt something in the back of his body—
A strange heaviness.
The sensation spread to his belly.
Movement stirred within,
But he couldn't see what it was.
He was certain—
He was dying.
He closed his eyes.
Minutes passed.
Then he opened them—
And what he saw made him hiss in disbelief.
He stared at himself,
Wide-eyed,
Stunned.
To be continued...