Part 3: The Crash
I looked up from my book and turned to see Nupur sleeping peacefully with her head on my shoulder. Some kind of a new feeling had just begun to take place since the college play, and I was having a hard time figuring out what it was. It couldn't be love for sure. Mayank Sharma and Love? Impossible. But then why did I always feel content gripping me when she would sit next to me with the huge tub of popcorn to watch the new horror movie? Why did I feel worried when she came home late? Why were all these feelings engulfing me so badly, and why did I feel so better with these feelings?
A loud shudder interrupted my thoughts. As my seat shaked like the rest of the plane was, I felt my brain sensing danger. Something very, very bad was to happen.
The loud scream of the other passenger woke nupur up. As she saw the chaos around, she clutched my arm tightly. "Mayank, w-what…is g-going on here?"
"I don't know Nupur. I really don't know."
Panic smote me like a blow when I heard the announcement,"Ladies And Gentlemen, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY. Please do not panic and fasten your seatbelts. We are going to do an emergency landing." Nupur started sobbing."I don't feel anything going right Mayank. Are we safe?"
As soon as she said that, I felt myself going diagonal and Nupur leaning against me. The plane shook with double force. I slowly felt the plane land into a forest, as I saw from the window. I heaved a sigh of relief and quickly turned to Nupur. She quickly wiped her tears." Thank God it's over."
A blast was all I heard, and then I could remember nothing else.
Two hours later, I regained my consciousness to see my head in Nupur's lap.She looked at me with her teary eyes and her worried look started building up."Are you fine Mayank?" She asked with concern in her voice.
"I think so." I tried to get up but couldn't. my back hurt awfully. "Or not. "
"Here, let me help you." She extended her hand. I tried to pull myself up, but ended up making her fall over me. I felt a sense of djvu. I got a tingling sensation in my heart. You can't ignore such feelings, I don't know why, for the first time I didn't try to. After all the disaster I had just seen, I wanted a bit of comfort, something which I always found in Nupur's arms. I looked into her deep, brown eyes. I felt myself going closer to her. She closed her eyes tightly. I quickly got control over my senses."Ummm….Nupur, I think you need to get off me. Everyone's staring at us."
"Huh? Oh Yes, sure." She mumbled.
I looked around at the chaos. There was blood flowing everywhere. We were in the middle of some jungle, and there was no connectivity to contact anyone. The air-hostess was lying unconscious, and the pilot was dead. Maybe the fuel tank had caught fire and bursted. There were only ruins of the plane. People were running haywire, and they were all wounded. Nupur luckily had only minor injuries but she too looked pale as death.I turned to look at myself. My arm was bleeding, and my head had a bandage tied on.
" Where did this come from?" I thought.
Then my eyes turned to Nupur's dupatta, which was torn. So she had torn her dupatta to just bandage my wound. I couldn't help but admire her helpful and selfless nature. She was helping a lady stand up. I saw that it was the same air-hostess whom she despised a few hours ago.
"hey, I can see a waterfall! Maybe we might get some water for ourselves." I heard someone shout. I joyfully walked over to the man.
Suddenly, I heard another blast coming from Nupur's direction. My worries began to grow. This time I really was helpless. I ran in the direction. The fire was spreading, and people were screaming as their clothes had caught fire. I saw Nupur in the midst of the chaos. She still hung on the girl.
"Nupur, give me your hand!" I shouted.
"But Mayank, the girl-" She cried.
"Leave the bloody girl, that's her fate! I just care about you being safe for the time being! First you get out, then I'll get out the girl, okay!" I was really possessive and selfish when it came to my loved ones.
She hesitantly gave out her hand.I pulled her out and held on to her tightly. For a second I needed my mind to know that she was safe. It was taking to much time to understand that.
"Mayank, the girl! She's in danger! Go save her!Go now or I'll have to go again." Nupur cried.
I went in at my own risk, the heat of the fire hitting me hard on my face, the flames rising, and the unconscious stationary girl in my sight. I lifted her and quickly ran out. I put the girl down. She was completely motionless, in spite of shaking her so much or sprinkling water. I checked her pulse.
"She's dead."
"Oh My God." Nupur gasped. It wasn't safe for us to stay here anymore. I pulled Nupur away from the rest of the crowd and before she could ask any other questions, I dragged her far away from the scene. The place was quiet and serene, contrary to the battlefield we had just run away from. I could see the smoke rising from the place.
"Mayank, the others need our help. What are we doing here? Let's go back." Nupur said.
"Nupur, it's necessary for us to come out of this place before we help these people, don't you think so? We should find a way out of here and reach a city or a town at least to call for help. Till then, we should stay safe and away from that place. Especially you. See what have you made of yourself. "
"And You? You're completely bleeding. See, there's some more flowing from your arm. Let me bandage it." She started tearing her dupatta, but I held her hand. Tingling sensation again. Why does this happen to me? "Nupur, I'll get it done afterward. Now lets rest the night here."
I rested my head against the tree. Nupur looked at me, teary eyed again.
"Mayank, there's been too much for today. A plane crash, two blasts and this unknown jungle.how much more will we have to see?"
"Don't worry Nupur, we'll soon be out of this place. I promise. There's nothing that can go worse than this, right?"
She smiled faintly . suddenly, she ran towards me and hugged me tightly. She was sobbing, and her tears were wetting my shirt.I caressed her hair, trying to calm her down. I just hoped what I said would be true.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
CID
41