JeeMan OS : Wake Me Up Before I Fall Asleep

The long dark corridor was too much for Maanvi to handle. The old memories flashed back into her mind. She trembled in pain, her hand still bleeding from the gun shot. She needed help, she wanted to shout but it seemed almost impossible to shout. She was too weak to even speak. Her mind couldn't make out what was happening. Just a minute ago, she was enjoying with her Jeevika Di and the next moment, she was there again. The place where it all had started. The place which had been abandoned years ago.

Even in the dark, she could see each and every thing present in the house. She still remembered the place as if the incident had happened just a few minutes ago. She was back again in the house even though she had promised herself that she wouldn't return ever again. But, she found herself looking at the pictures of her and her mom. Her Mom's warm smile made her remember how much she loved her. She was just 13 and usually at that age, kids didn't really share such a relation with their mother. She had heard that some would even shout at their mothers. But, she was different. She couldn't think of a day without her mother. The days when she would play with her, go out to watch movies and trouble the neighbours. Her mom was reluctant to trouble them but when Maanvi pleaded, she would give up and they would throw water balloons at their neighbour who would be busy gardening. It used to all perfect then. The small but lovely world of her and Mom.

She limped towards her room, crying in pain. Dark spots appeared in front of her eyes but she knew she couldn't give up.

As soon as she entered her room, she fell down on the ground and closed her eyes. She couldn't hold it any longer.

Flashback

"Mom, mom! Where are you? I'm back," she shouted, throwing her bag on the ground. She went towards her room, thinking her mom had probably gone out somewhere. She stopped dead in her tracks. The cold voice was recognizable to her. She couldn't forget the voice. How could she? It was of the man who had wrecked her mom's and her life. It was her dad who called her a mistake, a notorious kid. Who would beat her when she was a child. If it wouldn't have been for her mom, that man would have killed her with no mercy. She peeped in through the gap, trying to listen to their conversation even though she felt scared to eavesdrop.

"You listen carefully, Myra. Maanvi is my daughter too and it's up to the father to decide whom she's going to stay with," he shouted in his harsh voice.

"Anil, stop all this rubbish. You almost killed her when she was a child, do you think I want that to happen again? And besides, you aren't welcome here. Maanvi is my child too and it's not you who has to decide that. It had been decided long ago. You cannot go against the court's verdict. Now, I think it's time for you to go and never return again. I don't want her to see you," her mom replied with courage and she admired her for that. Her mom's courage had helped to create the world of their own and she didn't want her villain of a father to return and destroy everything all over again.

"You're going to regret it, Myra. Trust me!" He said finally, walking till the door. Maanvi hid beneath a table, waiting for him to go away.

"I'm not," her mother said. She knew her Mom was trying to blink back the tears. Because of her dad, they led a cursed life.

_ Night _

Maanvi could hear someone's footsteps. She walked up to her mom's room, not finding her anywhere. The footsteps were coming closer. She opened the window of her mom's room and jumped out. She cursed herself for being a coward. She ran towards the bush and hid behind it. She saw the lights in her mom's room switch on. She realized that her mother was nowhere and listening to the footsteps, she was sure it was not her mom. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She didn't want to be weak or a coward and she found herself walking towards the window. She peeped inside and saw her dad standing with an evil grin. She looked at the room, feeling thankful that her mom wasn't there. But, if she wasn't there, where was she? She heard her dad calling out her name but didn't dare go inside the house. She ducked and hoped that her dad wouldn't see her. She opened her eyes wide open when she saw her dad getting out of her house. He was holding a bottle filled with some liquid and threw a matchstick inside the house. She realized only later that he was setting fire to the house. Her heart started beating fast. What if her Mom was inside? The thought made her feel guilty. If only she had stayed inside the house. She saw that horrible man run away and getting the chance, she rushed inside the house through the window, taking a huge risk. She heard her mom shout and cried helplessly. She needed help. Her mom was in the kitchen crying out for help but she knew she couldn't go there. The fire in the kitchen was too much but she still ran towards it. She saw her mother covered with soot and she shouted. Her mom looked at her with fear.

"Maanvi, run!! You cannot stay here. You'll die. Run away, dear."

"Mom, I won't leave you. I'll stay here."

"Don't be stupid, Mannu. Save your life. The fire will increase and you've got to go."

"W-wait Mom, I'll get help. Don't move from there."

She ran away from there just to realize that she couldn't jump out of the window. Her mom's room was in fire. The entrance was also in fire. There was no way out. What could she do?

For minutes she stayed there but suddenly she found herself getting carried away by some people. The fire brigade was here. She was relieved but didn't know what had happened to her mother. She cried and a hand squeezed her shoulder. She looked up at the face which was staring at her with a warm smile. Just like her mother's.

"Don't worry, dear. We've got you," said the girl. Maanvi knew her. She stayed just opposite their house. It was Jeevika di, who was staying alone. They never talked before but Maanvi really loved her for coming there, when she needed someone the most.

"B-but m-my Mom. What happened to her? She's still inside. Tell someone to save her," Maanvi shouted. Jeevika's face turned sad, and Maanvi knew what that meant but she hated to believe it.

"I'm sorry," Jeevika whispered and a tear slid down her cheeks.

That day, Maanvi felt her heart break but someone helped her. An angel called Jeevika. She brought Maanvi to her home and since that day, Maanvi considered her as her elder sister. Her Jeevika di.

End of Flashback

She opened her eyes, thinking about her Jeevika di. She had to fight for her di. Jeevika was in trouble and she had to do something. She heard the door of the house open and terror filled her.

"Maanvi! Hahaha, such a coward. Such a coward. Leaving Jeevika with me and hiding somewhere. Just like the day when she left her mother to die in the fire and she ran away," laughed the voice she knew so perfectly. His cold piercing voice echoed in the corridor. She knew she couldn't hide and he was right. She was a coward and she didn't want to be one again. She got up, still weak from the injury. She didn't know how much time she wasted when she fainted but there was just one thing in her mind. To finish that man once and for all.

"Mannu, don't come out. Please don't! You're not a coward and you weren't one that day this house caught fire. Believe in god, believe in me and believe in your Mother," Jeevika di shouted. She was just like her mother and that made her stay with Jeevika di for so long. Jeevika was 20 when she was just 13 years old and even in that age, she had been mature. 7 years had passed since that incident. But, when she entered the house, she felt that she was the same innocent 13 year old hoping that her mother would turn up somewhere. The thought that Anil was still alive, made her tremble in anger. She had just one target. To murder Anil without any mercy, just like he had killed her mother. She knew he was carrying a gun and somehow, she had to get it from him. He was just a few yards away from her room and Jeevika di was with him. She had to stay put and not hide anywhere. I'm not a coward, she whispered to herself again and again. She tore a piece from her dupatta and tied it around her hand which was bleeding. The gun shot would kill her and she knew that. She just hoped that the bullet wouldn't cause much more pain.

"Ah! Look who's here," Anil said, entering the room. Jeevika cried as she saw Maanvi standing there with a determined expression. Maanvi knew what to do and she knew her plan would work. She needed to buy sometime for her Di to get away.

"We'll do the fighting later. First, let go off Di," she said with fury.

"Oh certainly! You've grown so much, my daughter," he said, emphasizing on 'daughter' as he let go off Jeevika. "Happy?" He asked and Maanvi nodded.

"First of all, don't call me daughter. I'm not your daughter and nobody deserves a father like you. I wish I could kill you right now but the sad thing is, I don't have a gun like yours," Maanvi said and signalled to Jeevika to go away. Jeevika stayed put but Maanvi still stared at her. Somehow, Jeevika knew that Maanvi was telling her to go away quietly and call the police. She obeyed Maanvi's orders, waiting for the right time to go away.

Maanvi came closer to Anil and he smiled wickedly, pointing his gun at her.

"Kill me if you want to but be sure to know that, you'll be the one killed," said Maanvi, giving a slight glimpse to Jeevika to go. Jeevika quietly tiptoed out of the room, without letting Anil know.

Maanvi remembered, Jeevika had once taught her how to Judo flip people. She knew she could use it on Anil but she was too weak and knew that because of the bullet she couldn't survive for much time and even Anil knew that. But Jeevika's words came back in her mind, Believe in god, believe in me and believe in your mother. Thinking about it gave her a strength which she never thought would some to her and without thinking twice, she judo flipped him, her arm on Anil's neck. He had fallen flat on the ground and his gun slipped out of her hand. Worried lines appeared on his face and Maanvi quickly grabbed the gun. She pointed it at him and instantly the police entered. Jeevika had already told them everything and Maanvi wasn't surprised at what they told her.

"Do the honours." Said a cop. Maanvi looked at him, tears flowing out of her eyes.

"Never thought I would have to kill my dad," she said.

"Don't do it," Anil shouted in fear.

"I have to. I'm sorry." The next thing she knew, she had already shot him three times and after her work was accomplished, she fell down on the ground losing control of herself.

Jeevika

Her heart broke to see Maanvi falling down and she rushed to her. She cried her heart out. She felt scared to see Maanvi like that and didn't want her to die just like her sister did years ago. She couldn't let her Mannu die after her own little sister. That day when her sister died, she just stood there looking at her. She cried, did everything but couldn't save her angel and now after years when she had got another sister, she couldn't let her go so easily. She herself carried Maanvi and took her to the ambulance that had been called by the police. She kept quiet but inside she was shouting to god for doing the same thing again. She joined her hands, closing her eyes, praying to god.

4 hours later

The doctor told her that Maanvi's health was critical. Every second her worry would increase but she still prayed to god. She could give her life to save Maanvi but she wanted Maanvi alive. Her heart raced and she went inside, where Maanvi was lying down almost lifeless. She sat beside her and cried. Her teardrops fell on Maanvi's face.

"Mannu, please wake up. Don't leave me like my sister did, years ago. Stay with me." Jeevika closed her eyes and fell asleep on Maanvi's legs.

"Di," said a weak voice and Jeevika woke up with a start. She smiled in happiness. Maanvi had woken up, a weak smile on her face. Jeevika hugged her tightly and cried her heart out.

"Do you think that I can leave you so easily. I'm Maanvi and you're my Di. Nobody can understand our relationship. If one falls asleep, then the other one's there to wake her up," said Maanvi.

That moment, Jeevika smiled like she had never done before. Maanvi was right. They both were there for each other at difficult times and nobody could separate them. Maybe they weren't related to each other by blood but nobody said that they weren't sisters!

-x-

Hey Everyone,

I hope you liked the OS! This is dedicated to all those who have encouraged me to write and I'm really sorry for not updating my SSs. I've been very busy.

So yeah, please do comment and let me know if you like it or not :)

Love,

Stella