MaNan SS- Running away from the darkness. (Part 4-page4)

Part 1- The nightmare

She was running like her life was depending on it, because it was. Bare-feet, huffing, in a soiled white kurti, hair worse than a haystack, Nandini Murthy was running to find a
safe place on an empty road in the middle of the night. How did this happen to her?
Why did her night take such a drastic turn? Where was he? Was he searching for her? These were the question running
in her head.

Suddenly, she tripped over a stone she didn't see in the dark of the night and fell. It took her a
second to realise the stinging pain in her left foot and another to hear heavy
footsteps quickly becoming louder and louder which could only mean one thing;
the person she help high up on a pedestal was truly Satan in disguise. A rough
hand lifter her pulling her hair and she screamed her lungs out. It was torturous
and each limb in her body was aching.

"Nobody can save you now dearest Nandini," the husky voice whispered harshly as another hand closed around her mouth making her panic even more, "I told you! I told you to listen
to me and none of the events tonight would have happened, but you had to use
your head! You had to contemplate everything! Now, you have to pay for it!" She
felt herself being dragged by her hair against her will into the opposite
direction. Now that the hand was not clasping her mouth shut, she screamed
again and again until her lungs gave out

Nandini Murthy woke up with a start and realised she was
screaming. It took her a minute to absorb her surroundings and the familiar feel of the bed beneath her. She was in her room and it wasn't an illusion because she made sure by touching her blanket and the mattress. She brought up her hand to her cheek to pinch it only to find it moist with sweat.

It was a dream. It was just a dream. No, it was not a dream;
it was a nightmare which only took place because it was based on events that had happened the night before.

She fell back on her bed with a thud only a second later noticing a human figure at the other end of the bed. She screamed. The human
figure got up as if it was awake and ready to jump into a battlefield. She saw it fidgeting around, doing what?

"Nandini? Nandini, are you alright? What happened? Why did
you scream?" a very familiar male voice said. She immediately calmed down. It was her favourite voice in the entire world.

Wordlessly she crawled back onto the bed and into the arms
of the person. A second later she felt his hand caressing her hair and shushing her to calm her down. Involuntarily sobs found their way and she was crying in his arms. She didn't know how long she cried for but not for a second did the strong protective hold weaken. Eventually she felt him shift back and lay her down, he wiped her tears and cradled her to his chest caressing her hair until she fell asleep.

After all she had been through, she knew her saviour would
never let harm come her way again. He was her light as she was his. Her Manik.

_______________________

Do you want me to continue? Or would you rather have it as a one shot?

Hello everyone! Like many here, I have been a reader of a number of amazingly written stories here and I had a bunch of my own in a folder on my laptop. So here's all the courage mustering up to post it. Please do leave your comments below, make sure to add me and i will send PMs. If you have any creative comments, make sure you let me know.😊

Thank you for reading this!😃

Love
Samiyra
(pronounced as Sam-ira)

This was really awesome!!
Plz continue it!

awww

It was good and you should definitely continue it . And you r such a good writer ..you should write more stories :)

Originally posted by: tinkerred10

It was good and you should definitely continue it . And you r such a good writer ..you should write more stories :)

Originally posted by: maankigeet4ever

Very very very well written Samiyra. You showcased both Nandini's trauma and her need for Manik despite the trauma very well. I was drawn in from the very first line, right till the end.

You should definitely write more :)

Love,

- Reya <3

Very well written dear...loved it ...do write more on manan ...would love to read it

btw...i liked ur name ...Samiyra ...so beautiful :)

Originally posted by: __Aarti__

Very well written dear...loved it ...do write more on manan ...would love to read it

btw...i liked ur name ...Samiyra ...so beautiful :)

Thank you so much! For both the compliments! 😳

Part 2- Manik's morning-

It was his phone's ringtone that made manic Malhotra get up from his slumber. Distantly remembering Nandini's panic previous night sometime in the early hours he let out a defeated sigh. She was still in his arms, her head resting on his chest and his arm draped around her waist. Reaching across her he checked the caller id silently cursing the person who was on the other end.

He silenced the phone, got up slowly and went to the other end of the room towards the window and answered, "What is it Cabir?"

"Nothing bro, called just to check up on you guys. Are things getting better? Do you need anything?" Cabir's voice was not the usual jovial one but rather serious for once.

"Working on it man, she freaked out last night but at least she responded to me. Hopefully she'll open up today." Manik sighed and looked at Nandini sleeping peacefully.

"Okay. Don't worry bro. The tiny girl's a fighter, stronger than any of us. I'll meet you outside the college." Cabir said and Manik just mumbled a goodbye before hanging up.

Manik just stared at Nandini for a while, hair strewn over the pillow, mouth a tiny bit open and her plump cheek looking a little bit squished as she was sleeping on her side. He planted a swift kiss on her forehead then went back to the window seat and made the make-shift bed look a little messy so she'd think he slept there and not beside her. He knew for a fact that she was trying to take things slow with them and realizing that she'd spend the entire night sticking to him would only freak her out further.

After freshening up, Manik went downstairs in the kitchen only to find a very hyper Chachi muttering to herself about something that he couldn't much catch on. Chachi had accepted Manik more than willingly as a perfect fit for Nandini but wasn't much sure about her husband. Manik had hinted about Nandini being special' to him to Chacha in college but considering how tensed Chacha was, Manik was sure he wouldn't suspect anything. Chachi had let Manik spend the night in Nandini's room by setting him a bed on the window seat. Obviously realising that a person with Manik's height and build wouldn't be able to fit there, she also told him to sleep on the couch downstairs if he wasn't comfortable in here.

"Morning, my favourite chichi, why are you so fussy today?" Manik beamed at her as he hopped on the kitchen counter.

"Good morning my kid, just the usual morning chores are going on. Nandini's chacha has to leave in 20 mins so just packing food for him." She replied with a smile. She suddenly stopped all her work and with the rolling-pin in her hand asked him, "By the way Manik beta, how did you sleep? I mean, were you comfortable by the window? I'm sorry about it, I'll make sure we have a better setting for you next time."

She knew that Manik being around was probably the best way to keep Nandini sane and away from the depression and shock. So it had been a stronger reason for her to let him spend the night here.

"I was more than comfortable Chachi, don't worry about me." He said now examining a cucumber as if he was seeing it for the first time.

Their conversation stopped when they heard footsteps coming down the stairs. As anticipated Nandini was awake and looked like a pink balloon in her pajamas. Her hair was unruly, eyes puffy and cheeks looking chubbier than they did usually. Manik actually had to suppress his urge to go pull them.

"Morning Nandu, how are you?" Chachi asked, all the playfulness gone from her voice.

"I'm fine." Nandini replied emotionlessly.

Manik only observed her cautiously as her went towards the fridge,drank water and without a word went back upstairs.

Manik looked at Chachi who was also looking at him and they both sighed in unison. He had to make her smile, she had shown reactions to him yesterday by slapping him but that was when she was having a panic attack. He needed everyone's help so he texted the rest of his friends to make certain arrangements before the two of them reach college.

Precap-
Fab5 and Navya's attempts at making Nandini smile.

______

Hello loves,
Never truly thought people would actually respond to my writing but thank you so much! I appreciate all the comments even if I do not reply. So, that was a quick update but it was just bubling up in me to post it already.
Also, like I have mentioned before, I am new here, yet to figure out all the ways this site works I have a few doubts, if you can clear them, please do so by commenting below-

1. How do I edit the title of the post to indicate the updates?

2. For new parts, I just post them as replies? (Bit weird considering that the writer and audience have the same buttons)

3.How to hyperlink? (I know I can google this, but I am lazy.)

Thank you for reading the longest update, let me know your thoughts and comments. I have not re-read it so if there are any errors please let me know. Also, yes it was supposed to be an OS but dil hai ki maanta hi nai. Last point- I use British English and not American so a few words have 's' instead of 'z' , the spellings are not wrong.

Love,
Samiyra.