But it was not end of their problem yet...
They were sleeping at night around fire when clouds came to sky form nowhere and heavy rain started suddenly...
Astha...Shlok held her hand pulling her to the hut, as it was only shelter for them on the island...few drops were falling from the hut too but they were still a bit safe...soon water started flowing under them as rain was heavy and they were lying on floor...They were trying to keep themselves as strong as they could but it was getting colder enough with increase of rain.
I am feeling very cold Shlok...Astha spoke shivering...
Yup me too Astha... but we have nothing to save us...fire has also extinguished...Shlok to spoke shivering.
Seeing no other option, Astha slowly moved closer to Shlok... he looked at her and without saying any word pulled her tightly into his arms knowing this is the only option for them to reduce cold a bit...still shivering, One hour had passed when they had started shivering more...as the held his shoulders tightly gripping him more and more...
Till then Rain had stopped leaving extremely cold night for them..
Shlok thought for few minutes and spoke hesitatingly...Astha, I know, its wrong, but we don't have any option... Can I ?
Before he could speak ahead Astha immediately tightened her grip saying single word...Yes...
Hesitatingly Shlok moved ahead slowly moving his hands inside her top and unbuttoning it...Astha too had moved her hands in his t-shirt while tears were continuously flowing into her eyes...but she knew, it was the last option for her as well as their survival...
There was no love, no intensions...but it was the need...need of time which made them to go against their wishes, their commitments... Shlok's commitment to Swati and Astha's commitment to her dreams...
Shlok was not trying to take any unnecessary steps...he didn't use his lips even once as those were required for the heat as much as his hands and feet were required...Astha had closed her eyes as she didn't want Shlok to see her tears knowing it will increase his guilt as the truth was no one from them was at guilt...
They had to perform the whole process four times in night almost after each hour to keep them heated up... no word was shared in the complete night, not even once they tried to look at each other... The only thing they knew was, they had to survive that too without making situation uncontrollable for each other...
Somehow, the night had passed...and it was almost morning, when both too much tired slept tightly, cold didn't matter anymore for them...moreover with the first dawn sun also had raised in the sky removing all the cold and heating up the sand as quickly it had got cold at night making it comfortable for them to sleep...
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It was almost midday when Shlok got up and saw Astha's painful face sleeping in his arms...looking at her , he immediately covered her with the leaves surrounding and wore his clothes , with the noise, Astha too woke up... Shlok looked at her and lowered her face and spoke hesitatingly...are you OK?
Yup... she too spoke slowly trying to get but her whole body was paining too badly making her tears roll over her eyes...
Shlok helped her to make her sit and gave her clothes leaving for outside for few minutes...While Astha wearing her clothes inside,
Shlok was crying his heart out on the beach...I am sorry Astha...and I am sorry Swati for cheating n you... But I was helpless...
Soon he listened a bit voice from hut...he went inside and saw Astha was trying to stand but her body was not helping her... He immediately picked her into his arms and took her to the water making her sit in the water which was heated dup due to sun heat... This heated water will make you feel better... all he said while leaving from there...
Almost one hour had passed when Shlok came back with some fruits while Astha had also come out of water drying her clothes...
Feeling better? He asked looking away...
Hum... Astha spoke... quite better...
I...I am sorry Astha... I was...he spoke...
Don't feel guilty Shlok...you didn't force me for anything...then why are you feeling sorry? Neither you were wrong nor me and nor our intensions... Astha spoke with a bit smile... That was need of the hour...I don't regret for whatever happened and nor should you...
But Astha... that all was...he tried to spoke...
No Shlok...no more word... We will never talk about it again...never... I being a girl saying this...just forget if there was yesterday night in our life... We are friends and will be... Astha smiled moving ahead and giving him a light hug...
Thanks Astha.. Shlok spoke with sigh, a heavy burden was left from his heart...but I still cheated Swati...
No way Shlok... You didn't... Whatever you did was just to save your life and Swati can be with you only if you are alive... Then how were you wrong... So please don't think about right and wrong...our aim should be to survive only...She smiled...
But will she understand all this? Shlok spoke thinking about Swati...
Of course shlok...if she really loves you, she will... You people are in relationship since seven years... then this much trust to hoga hi na tum dono mein...
Hummm...wo to hai...shlok spoke but she is aggressive at times and more possessive...don't know, how will she react...
Don't worry, I will make her understand if required ...Astha smiled... vaise Shlok, I must say...kitna darte ho tum swaati se... she spoke to lighten his mood...
Fir se shuru mat ho jayo Astha...shlok too smiled whole heartedly this time...yaar darta nahi hun main use bus pyar karta hun...bhut jyada aur koi bhi cheez jo use dard deti hai, mujhe bhi deti hai... she is a sweetheart...ya she is a little practical than me, but we love each other a lot...
Ya I can see in your eyes... Astha smiled...and now will you give me something to eat? I am feeling hungry...
Ya.i brought it, I knew you will be very hungry as usual...saying he gave her fruits to eat and coconut water to drink...
As decided, both had not talk even once about the last night...and had started talking normal after sometime as both knew, their abnormal behavior with each other will just create problems here being all alone and they needed each other's support till they were here...
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Few more days had passed , from rising of sun and moon, they had counted, maybe thirteen days had passed since they were there...their relation had changed, their equation with each other had changed... Now they could understand unsaid words of each other even...
Shlok used to switch on the phone and check for signal but nothing was there...battery was also getting low now...
Shlok... Astha was sitting near beach having tears...when he came there wrapping his arm wound her...crying again?
Will we ever go from here? May be thirteen days have passed...Astha spoke slowly...
Yaar, only one cruise come nearby and we signal that daily...but people never noticed us... he too spoke sadly...as he was also losing hope now...
So what will we do? Astha looked at his face...
I have just one last option...Shlok spoke...
What's that...she looked ta him...
I am going to make a boat now...may be by the boat, we will reach to the cruise and go back to home...
Yes, we can do it Shlok, tomorrow morning, we will collect dry bamboos and will start...Atsha smiled...
Next day morning, they woke up with new energy, they collected a lot bamboos and started tying them with each other with the help of grass in the shape of a boat...with a lot hard work, they had prepared boat in two days only...
But how will we go there Shlok? I mean even if we reach near cruise, the people will not be able to see us due to darkness...Astha spoke thinking...after sometime, they both jumped with joy...fire flies...yes...we may use fireflies... saying Astha gave Shlok an empty water bottle with cover as they had two bottles, Shlok immediately went in the middle of the island where a lot trees were and they had seen fireflies...slowly Shlok collected them in the bottle...as the night started...Astha smiled happily seeing the bottle in which hundreds of fireflies lighting...wow Shlok... What a beautiful scene?
They had approximate guess about the time when will the cruise come and as the night darkened, they had filled boat with required limited fruit, water etc and started their journey in the sea...
Shlok Astha was holding him ...i just wish, now no more obstacles...
Ya pray for our success dear... Shlok too smiled boating in the middle of waters towards the approximate destination...the bottle with fireflies was acting as lamp for them, they were In the middle of nowhere not knowing whether they were in right direction or wrong... but boating straightly, sometimes Shlok, sometimes Astha...two hours had passed, and even their island had become invisible to them...when they saw cruise coming towards them...
This means, we were right Shlok...Astha smiled and started shouting for help...
But as the cruise reached nearby, they found, they were still at the distance of approximately two KMs from cruise not visible to them...
Astha's hope broke once again and she sat lifelessly on boat...
Astha, Shlok held her shoulder...
We have lost Shlok...Astha started crying and hugged him...Shlok too hugged her back...
No Astha...not at all... See we were s closer today, I promise, tomorrow, we will reach to the cruise... We will start two hour before tomorrow... please be positive...he gave her strength...
When suddenly Shlok listened beep of his mobile...
Shlok, what was this? Astha moved in shock...Shlok too checked his mobile in the bag...
Message beep on my mobile? They both jumped with joy , means here is some range...
He checked, lot of messages were being received suddenly...
i had switched on in the evening to check range, then there was no range... but how could it got connected suddenly... Shlok was shocked...immediately clicked to his mind... The cruise.. as it came nearby, we got the range...
Oh my god...Shlok shouted...Astha, I got it... May be cruise has its own satellite, mobile got the signal when cruise came nearby...
Yes...Astha too jumped, you are right...saying shlok immediately dialed his father's number...
But before he could talk, range was lost again...
Oh my God...Shlok checked... Cruise has gone away and the range too...
Astha lowered her face again...
Hey don't worry Astha , Shlok spoke taking her into hug...we will try again...and I am sure, we will be able to contact at home today...saying he pulled her into hug wiping her disappointment's tears and on the backside looking at the mobile which had got switched off due to battery discharge ( sorry for the wrong hope Astha but can't increase your disappointment, we have lost last hope too , your phone's battery was already dead and mine went today, we can't contact at home tomorrow too even if range will be there...now last hope is to catch this cruise tomorrow...I wish...) thinking he tightened his grip around her for sleep as they had to sleep in the boat itself as island was not visible to them in dark and they didn't want to get lost in the sea...
astha said to forget whatever happened that night ,so i will not count it...otherwise they will feel guilty na...š³šš
