Chapter 24

Feeling a sharp pain in her forehead, Roli tried to open her eyelids which felt heavy. It took a couple of moments for her to get rid of the blurriness and get a clear vision of her surroundings. 

Even after getting her vision clear, she could see nothing as the room was filled with darkness.  

When Roli held her head, hoping to stop the stinging pain, she felt something sticky on her fingers. She could figure out it was her blood and realized why she was feeling the pain. 

She got hurt. But, how? And how she ended up in the darkroom? 

When she tried to recall what happened, she could only remember until she was on the way to the office this morning and the car tyre got punctured. She got down to hire a taxi, suddenly someone from behind closed her mouth. When she opened her eyes, she found herself in this dark room. 

She tried to stand but fell back on to the chair as her head felt dizzy. She then noticed the ropes wrapped loosely around her hands. It looked like someone had loosened those ropes. 

Throwing away the ropes, Roli held the chair's armrest for support as she stood up. A few moments later, when her legs felt steady on the ground, she moved to examine the surroundings. 

Roli took each step carefully as she moved ahead in the darkness. Due to the unclear path because of the darkness, she got hit by something after taking a few steps forward. 

Roli figured out it as a wall and moved to the side by holding the support of the wall. She then happened to reach what seemed like a door. 

Holding the door's knob, Roli tried to open it and to her surprise, it was not locked. 

With a sigh of relief, she opened the door slightly and peeked out to see if there were anyone around. 

There was a little brightness outside due to the dim lights here and there. It was not as dark as the room in which Roli was there. 

Finding none outside, She slowly stepped out and took a couple of steps forward. She then felt like stepping on something and soon took a step backwards, hurriedly. 

Her eyes broadened with horror when she realised what was the thing she stepped on. 

It was a person, who was lying unconscious in the pool of blood. When Roli took her eyes off of the person and glanced around, she found a few more people in the same condition. 

All were lying unconscious with blood dripping out of the wounds on their bodies. It was a horrible sight. 

Witnessing such a terrible scene unfold before her, Roli gasped as she took backwards steps until she reached the wall behind her. 

When she was yet to process the situation she was in, she heard someone shrieking. She followed the sound and found a person standing in one corner with his back facing her. She squinted her eyes and noticed one more person on the ground, sobbing. He seemed to be begging the person who was standing before him. 

Roli didn't know what was happening and what she was supposed to do. She didn't know why she was brought to this place and how all these people were severely injured. 

She was about to take a step to reach those people at the corner. But, her leg couldn't even reach the ground as she saw the person standing, taking out a dagger and piercing the arm of the person on the ground, making him scream with pain. 

Roli quickly took her step back and gasped so loud that it reached the person in the corner, making him turn around to look at her. 

Wearing a hoodie, that wrapped around his broad physique, he took a few forward steps. His eyes were cold without a hint of warmth in it. His face was emotionless. His body emitting an aura that could send shivers to the people. He stopped on his track and glanced at Roli from afar. 

A layer of cold sweat covered all over Roli's face as she looked at the person. Due to the dim lights, she couldn't see the person's face, but just by looking at his silhouette, she felt chills run down her spine. 

Roli had never felt so strange and scared of anything before. But, he was making her feel frightened even to utter a word. His whole presence looked terrifying for her. 

With the dagger, from which blood was dripping down drop by drop, in his hands, he looked like nothing less than a demon, who was ready to burn down everything with his wrath.  

He was about to move forward, making Roli stick to the wall behind her. She was too scared to move. But, even before he could take a step, there came a sound of a police siren from outside. 

The person paused and tilted his head to his left and then back in the direction in which Roli was standing. He watched her for a few moments before turning around and leaving the place through a broken window. 

His moves were quick and dashing. He disappeared into the darkness even before Roli could realise. 

Soon a group of police officers entered and were shocked to find nearly 5 persons lying unconscious with wounds. 

Just next to the officers, Jatin entered the room and was equally stunned to witness the horrible sight. He then looked for Roli, who was yet to come out of the shock.   

Jatin walked to Roli and asked with concern "Are you okay?". 

Roli jerked at his call and turned to look at him but couldn't recognise him.  

One of the police officers went near them and inquired "Roli, how come you're here"? He was Akash's colleague. So, he was familiar with her and was shocked to find her at such a place. 

"Can you tell us what happened here? Who did all these?" He asked, glancing at the bloody surroundings?

Roli's memory was taken back to the hoodie person, with this question. She still felt chills just by recalling about the person.   

Watching the anxious expression on Roli's face, Jatin spoke up "let's talk about it later. She needs to get her wound treated first". He pointed at her forehead where she was wounded. 

"Yeah, you can leave now. We will come to take the statement" The officer agreed and let them go. 

Jatin turned to Roli and lead the way for her. Roli, though still being in the uneventful incident, walked out as she wanted to leave the damn place as soon as she could. 

Only after coming out of the building, Roli was able to breathe. She exhaled a deep sigh, placing a palm on her chest to calm her heart. 

"Here, have some water" Jatin took out a bottle from his car and handed it to Roli. She glanced at him, trying to recognise him. 

"I'm Jatin. Sid's cousin" Jatin introduced himself as he read her confused expression. 

Roli then reminded of Sid telling about him. Sid stayed with Jatin when he was abroad. 

"Where is Sid?" Roli was finally able to speak. And if she wanted anything now then it's Sid. She wanted him near her and tell her not to be scared. 

Jatin fell silent for a while upon hearing her question. He thought for a while before answering "Sid got some unavoidable work so he sent me here on his behalf". 

Roli didn't seem to believe his answer. There was no way Sid would do other works when he knew she was in danger. 

"How did he know that I'm here?" Roli questioned. 

"We tracked your mobile" Jatin had to literally scratch his head and replied whatever reason he could find at the moment. Even he didn't know how could Sid got to know the exact location of where Roli was. 

"Your head is bleeding. We have to take care of that first. Else, you may get infected" Jatin switched the topic, hoping to escape from her questions, for which he had no answers. 

Roli sat down on an old bench while Jatin retrieved a first aid kit from his car and dressed her wound.  

The same police officer, who talked to Roli inside, came out and reached them. 

"Are you fine?" He asked. Roli nodded slightly. 

"We have got a call from an anonymous person informing us about this kidnapping. Are you the person whom they have kidnapped? Can you tell us what exactly happened with those people?" He inquired.

"I don't know. When I opened my eyes, I saw him_" Roli paused as her mind ran the flashes of the hoodie person. 

"Who is he?" Urged the police officer. Whilst Jatin started feeling anxious. 

"I don't know. It was so dark. I couldn't see him" Roli stopped as if she didn't want to talk about the incident. 

Jatin suddenly jumped in and spoke, "let's not force her to remember anything. She needs rest". 

The police officer turned to Jatin and queried "Did you call us about the kidnapping?". 

"No, I'm not" Jatin denied. Even he had no idea about the call and the person who called. He wondered who it could be.

"Well, we will be investigating this incident. Roli, as you were present on the spot, we might need your help to find clues. Please inform us if you remember anything" the police officer said. 

Roli just nodded at him and didn't say anything. She was too occupied by some thoughts to think about anything else now. 

After the police officer went back inside, Roli looked at Jatin as she asked "when will Sid be back from his work?". 

Jatin was dazed at her question and couldn't think of an answer. In fact, even he didn't have any answers to any of her questions. 

Just when he was about to speak something, he heard her mumbling "Sid". 

Roli smiled amongst her teary eyes as she finally saw the person she was yearning to see. When Jatin turned around to see the person getting down from the car, he was stupefied. 

Closing the car door, Sid walked to Roli, who was already rushing to him. When she reached him, the first thing she did was to wrap her arms around his waist. 

"Relax, Roli" Sid's gentle voice reached her ears, making her racing heartbeat calm down. Embracing her in between his arms, he comforted her. 

A couple of moments later, when Roli calmed down, Sid pulled her from his embrace and softly caressed the wound on her forehead. His heart ached to see her wounded. 

Holding his palms that were cupping her cheeks, Roli looked at him and smiled "I'm fine".   

Feeling relieved at her answer, Sid pulled her back into his embrace and hugged her again. 

Jatin, who was watching the scene, still seemed to be in shock. He raised his arms in the air like "what?". As though understanding his dilemma, Sid nodded his head as if saying "Everything is fine". 

Jatin finally sighed in relief after receiving the assurance from Sid. Oblivious to their non-verbal communication, Roli was relaxing in Sid's arms whilst he gently stroked her hairs. 

The police officers called an ambulance to send the injured people to the hospital. When they were carrying them to the ambulance, a person's hand jerked out from the stretcher, revealing an 'X' mark pierced on it. 

Watching it from a little distance, Sid felt uneasy whilst his arms around Roli got tightened and his eyes turned unreadable.