Hide n Seek.. Shraman FF - Epilogue 2 page 101 - Page 4

Originally posted by: deltadawn

I am thinking SS... But my mind is so full we may have an FF..

Part 1

Mumbai...

She walked out of the railway station with some batchmates. It was late by normal Indian standards for a girl to be out of the house.. but then it's Mumbai. Super Safe ..!!

Also she has her friends along. Having gym going well built guys in her group was an advantage! It wasn't awkward that she was the only girl in that group since nanu had permitted her to join the class to help get her desired gpa by scoring better. She wanted to finish the year well so she could embark on her next journey in life. The much awaited distance from her already distant relatives. Nanu was an exception... He was her everything ; mom , dad, friend, philosopher and guide. She confided everything with him.. almost.. everything with him. There was just one dark spot in her memories which even nanu did not know...

Her thoughts came to a halt when she felt something unusual looming around the next corner. Her friends had gone silent and were slowing down their brisk walking pace murmuring something. They always walked home from the station as it was barely 10 mins and the route went through the market which usually has shops open at the time. But today was monday and market was closed. So there was a silence around. She lifted her eyes in the direction of concern and saw 4-5 ugly big guys walking towards them. And the next thing she registered was that they had a dirty heinous look steadied on her.

Next few moments were commotion as one of the men said something like " ladki ko pakad, wo pillo ko hum bhagaate hai" and her friends instead of confronting shouted " Sumo bhaag"

In utter confusion she darted in the opposite direction from home not watching which guy from her group accompanied her and which didn't. She could hear footsteps behind her as she ran frantically in search of one open door or friendly face who could help her...

She kept running for another 5 mins panting heavily, fear gripping her as she realized she was back at the station which was now deserted. She hid between the xerox wala and juice centre which were now closed but the darkness gave her hiding space. She texted Pushkar who she was sure would be awake at this hour too, to come pick her up from her hiding or to look for her around the station if she wasn't here. Pushkar could reach there in 5 mins on his bike...IF he read her text.. she couldn't keep the phone light on for long as she heard footsteps again. her heart racing, hope draining each second as she kept glancing towards the gate for some sign of any of her friends or Pushkar. The goons were around definitely as she could hear them shout " dikh rahi hai kya chupi hogi kahi idharich dhund re"

Her prayers seemed to have answered as she heard a car engine come to a stop nearby. But was it pushkar? Who would give him a car? If he came alone and the goons caught them? She was sure Pushkar couldn't fight them off by himself. He was her age.. and lanky. But he would come for sure and she trusted him well enough to vouch for that.

The person from the car got down and opened the boot to take a rod out in his hand. Then he cautiously walked over to the spot between the two shops and pulled the girl out who was peering from the shadows ..

Someone pulled her out of the hideout in one swift motion and she knew it wasn't Pushkar because of how strong his grip on her wrist was. So she let out a scream in fear. Her face red with perspiration, hands shivering, heart beating out of her temple, eyes blood shot with anticipation. She looked up at the person and relief flooded in her eyes the very next moment. So much was the impact of seeing this person in front of her, in the situation she was in... That she lost consciousness and lay limp in his strong arms.

He did not have much time to embrace the moment because of the situation they would be in a few seconds, thanks to her blood curdling scream..he swiftly pulled her in his arms like a feather and walked up to the car. He put her in the back seat and turned around to be punched hard in the face by one of the goons. The next moment he shut the door behind him. Locked the car and put the keys inside his pant pocket. Kicked the guy in the groin and pushed him back. He picked up the rod which was lying at his feet and challenged the other 4 who decided it wasn't very wise and fled from there.

He drove them back to Tiwari Killa which was a small 3 story settlement situated cozily between the multiple high rises in that area, with its petite garden, flaunting the old world charm of a 150 yr old structure in the heart of the bustling town.

The gate was unguarded and open so he drove into the narrow driveway which was sans a car owing to the current status of the inhabitants of this charming home. He pulled Sumo into his arms again like a baby and walked up to the main door which thankfully was ajar probably waiting for the girl to return who now lay limp in his arms.

He went in to see a troubled Nanaji pacing up and down the veranda. And as he turned to face the old man who was still steady as a rock at 78 yrs of age, the old man's stooped shoulders on seeing his grand daughter in the state couldn't help but make him worry for his health. He quickly responded saying. "I met her at the station nanu. I went there to surprise her, but guess it became more of a shock and she passed out!! "

Nanus frown turned to a smile as he said "Shravan beta tum log ye chuhe billi ka khel das saal ke baad bhi khel rahe ho!! Pagli tumhare intezaar me itne saal baithi rahi to shayad tumhe dekh ke hosh kho baithi. Mai Manju se kehta hu iske liye khana lagaye. Tum isse kya kamre me rakh doge iske?"

Shravan did not need directions to the room in which he spent the most and best days of his childhood and teen years. He lay her down on her bed and watched carefully, his best friend forever.. Suman Tiwari!

The only friend he had since he was 6 years old. The only girl he knew inside out, the only girl who held so much power on him still that she could reach into his heart and pull it out with her bare hands and he would still smile because the heart wasn't his since he was 16 anyway...it belonged to her. The beautiful devil who wouldn't open her eyes still..

He couldn't be sure though if she wanted it because of the way she had stomped all over it the last time he tried to profess what he felt. But what he saw on her face tonight for that flash of a second when she met him confused him... Was she happy to see him? Or was she happy that someone came to her rescue? The way she was 10 yrs back she could hold such a selfish intent even in the situation that she was tonight. But people mature and people change overtime they say... Don't they???

Pushkar always said such nice things about her.. even when he did not ask. Pushkar persisted in giving him every tiny update about her. Like he somehow sensed Shravan's urge to know about her everyday for 10 years...

He was still standing there 10 years later, on the bench near the lake where she simply ripped his heart apart , and tossed it under her foot to be trampled before she ran back home asking him never to show his face to her again...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Part 2 - http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4777899&TPN=2

Part 3 - http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4777899&TPN=5