NIBIR FF - LIGHT OF HOPE chapter 9 pg 26 - Page 5

Chapter-4

"Aahhh..."

Kabir snapped open his eyes hearing the scream. He quickly turned on the lamp only to be shocked to find Nisha screaming in her sleep. She was thrashing violently in her bed.

"NOOO...leave me... leave me..." Tears were streaming down her face, her hands stretched fighting something invincible. She was screaming on top her voice

"Nisha...Nisha...What happened...Nisha.." Kabir was trying to calm her down. Nisha continued thrashing in the bed. Kabir tried to restrain her."Nisha...please yaar wake up.."Nisha was not hearing anything. She was not in their bedroom. She was not with Kabir

She was blindfolded on the ground. The boys were taunting her."You are so smart, let's see where your smartness can take you..." They were laughing, laughter erupted around her. She suddenly felt weight on her body, one of them was on top of her. He was grabbing her clothing...

Nisha screamed thrashing on the bed. She hit Kabir. The bangles on her hand tore through Kabir's flesh. "Leave me alone..."She was crying on top of her voice."Leave me...someone please...please help me...Maaa...Papaaa." Kabir found himself in tears hearing Nisha's screams. It tore his heart to see her like this, his brave Nisha, his fighter Nisha. He ignored his bleeding wounds; he had to somehow make Nisha realize that she was safe. Meanwhile Nisha's dream changed.

She was not blindfolded anymore. She was lying on the ground. She saw kabir lying motionless a few feet away from her. She got up and ran towards him. She called him but there was no response, she felt for his pulse. "KABBBIRRR...NOOO,...KABBBIR...wake up ..." She was now surrounded by the goons. They came up towards her laughing. They were dragging her...

"NISHAAA..." Kabir screamed grabbing Nisha by her shoulders and shaking them violently. Nisha's eyes snapped open. As she took in the surroundings relief washed down over her. She was with Kabir. She was with Kabir in their bedroom. Kabir was alive, he was beside her. She brought her hands to his face just to make sure this was the reality and not the dream. Then she hugged Kabir tight with all her strength and simply sobbed. Kabir hugged her back, tears filling his hazel brown eyes. He stroked her hair muttering you're safe over and over again. Hearing his own name in her screams had undone him, he couldn't bear the idea that he was somehow part of her torture; he simply cannot see her in pain because of anything. He did not know what the dream was but he simply knew that he cannot see her in pain, not now not ever. He hugged her tight, he knew that Nisha needed him now. Nisha was shaking badly, Kabir stroked her back in circles to calm her down. Her sobs seized slowly but they remained in the hug without saying anything, him rubbing her back soothingly. Nisha took a deep breath and broke the silence

"I was 13. There was a sports meet at school. It was one of my favorite events in school. I was an archer. A pretty good one too. I was so very happy and excited to participate in the meet. During the events I saw some boys misbehaving with a girl and I told them off" Without realizing it Nisha began talking rapidly as if she was afraid that someone would stop her."It was evening, the competitions were over, I was so happy as I won a medal and I was about to leave for home, I couldn't wait to show papa my new medal. But... those boys surrounded me, they wanted revenge for ruining their day. They wanted to make up for their loss...they wanted m-me. They cornered me and ...a-and blindfolded m-me an- and...".Nisha found it hard to continue. A drop of tear made its way down Kabir's cheek and disappeared into Nisha's hair. Nisha continued.

"I fought...hard...but they overpowered me...but before they could...before anything happened the watchman and the teachers came ...but the incident...it left a scar...and today..." She looked up at Kabir helplessly with tears. Nisha never looked more vulnerable to him than she was now and it hurt him. He held her close to him. They stayed in the embrace in silence

"I am sorry." He said finally. "I am sorry that I never knew this before. Because if I knew, I would have known how much of a brave person you are" He tilted her chin up to look at her in the eyes. "You are the bravest person I have ever met in my entire life Nisha. I have never met a more courageous person than you. You are a fighter and that's what makes you special. You managed to live through this, you chose to fight the inner demon and that makes you the bravest person in the entire universe."

"But I lost the fight Kabir. I was never strong enough, I am weak, I was never strong enough for the nightmares" Nisha said her voice breaking mirroring her hurt. Kabir cupped her face with his hands gently, looked her in the eye and began

"Nisha, we all have our moments of vulnerability, do not mistake them for our defeat, because when we do we are truly defeated. What matters is how we break through these vulnerabilities. Believe me when I say that you are the strongest girl I have ever met and I am sure that you will break through them. And I will be with you in this, we will fight the nightmares together because even the strongest of heroes need a sidekick" He smiled."This is Kabir's promise, all right?"

Nisha nodded her head wiping her tears. She smiled weakly at him. He made her drink some water."Now sleep" Kabir said and made her lie down. He could easily see that Nisha was not yet fully calm and she would be having a tough time sleeping. "How about I give you a head massage?" He asked Nisha

"No yaar Kabir, sleep will you?. You need rest." Said Nisha suddenly remembering Kabir's wounds

"oh come on yaar Nisha, I am hurt in my head not in my hands. And I will show you how much of a skilled massager I am. Please" Nisha could see that Kabir just wanted her to calm down and was again amazed at his care but she was still worried of his health so she denied. Finally she had to grudgingly agree after many pleas from Kabir. Kabir propped himself up in the bed using the barrier pillows and ran his hands through Nisha's hair gently as she lay near him. He started massaging her head and with the soothing feeling she soon fell asleep. Kabir was by now very tired, without realizing it he slid down next to Nisha and fell asleep unconsciously wrapping his hands around her. And the two slept in each other's arms in what seemed to be the most peaceful sleep they had in years

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