Chapter 13 – Right behind you
Every autumnal morning is easily identifiable. There is always a chill in the air, the palpitating sense of an oncoming winter. The cold air collides with the remnants of a late summer sun. There is always a still on an autumn morning, if your eyes awaken to witness it early enough.
The morning Maan was shot brought a similar stillness as well.
Not due to the change in the weather. Due to the fact that Geet had awoken to an eerie silence in the cabin that they had been hiding in, nestled deep into the woods.
A sudden panic overtook her. She scrambled around the cabin, taking precaution not to tumble over the cups of tea from the night before. The smallest of sounds, and it was game over for the pair of them.
She searched for the 6 foot, well built figure of her husband, but he was nowhere to be found. She took a deep breath and tip toed over to the sofa bed she had slept on, moving one of the pillows.
She had seen Maan place a gun there the night before.
The gun entered her back jean pocket. She leant against the wall, slid down, hugged her knees and waited in frozen silence.
The smallest of movements, and it was game over for the pair of them.
A short while after, Geet dozed off. In her dreams she imagined herself in her apartment, the apartment she used to reside in before her life was turned upside down. She imagined the warm sunlight shining through the windows. She imagined the vivid yellow of the flowers she used to water everyday. She remembered the familiar laugh and voice of her brother, dropping by to her place after his night shift for a hearty breakfast and a catch up with his beloved sister.
The last face she saw was her brother's when the door handle creaked.
She shot up, pinned herself against the wall and aimed her gun directly at her husband as he walked through the door.
Maan stared at her with startled disbelief.
Geet stared back at him with pure terror in her eyes.
He didn't say anything. All he did was step forward and lower her hands down, bringing the gun down with them. He pried the gun away from her hands. She didn't refuse, but her eyes were fixated on him in bewilderment.
"We're not safe here. Let's go."
"To where?" she asked. When he didn't respond, she touched his arm gently. He froze, but didn't turn back.
"I'll step outside first. Watch me from the window. When I nod, you follow. Understood?'
She nodded in acknowledgement.
Maan took a step outside and walked against the house. He scoured his eyes in all directions, then motioned for his wife to follow.
His hand instinctively reached for hers as she came out, looking up at him for the next instruction.
"On my count, run. Run as far and as fast as you can."
"What about you?"
"Run."
"But what about you?"
"Just run." He looked into her eyes. "I'll be right behind you."
Geet looked around pensively, her heart beating at a million miles per hour. Maan studied her face carefully, running his thumb over her cold fingers.
"Go."
He let her go, and watched her run with every inch of energy she had, her long hair billowing behind her. He followed suit 5 seconds later, keeping his eyes trained on her.
Inside the cabin, the mob men searched high and low for their targets. One of the men spotted Maan and Geet running into the distance, and they began the pursuit.
Geet ran far ahead, her face flushed, her heart beating, her legs aching but she didn't dare to look back. She could hear his footsteps though, and prayed that the two of them would outrun the men far enough to be safe, at least for another day.
They surpassed far into the forest when Maan turned around and strategically aimed a few firing shots at the mob men. One of them fell to the ground, the bullet grazing his leg. The gun became blank and he tossed it aside as he continued running.
His luck had run out. A direct shot pierced straight through his back, and he tumbled to the ground with a thud. Geet turned back, horrified as she saw her husband lying on his front, helpless and unconscious.
“Maan!” she screamed, her feet suddenly feeling heavy on the ground.
The gunman still had his weapon aimed at her, but she didn’t think twice before running to his side and falling on the floor beside him.
“Maan, wake up,” she pleaded, turning him on his side. The gunman, satisfied with the outcome, walked towards his fallen associate and helped him up before stalking away.
Geet checked his throat for a pulse; it was beating, but just about.
A cold chill ran down her back as she realised she was short on time.
She stood up, wiping her sweaty palms on her jacket, and then ran away from Maan towards the opening of the forest.
...
A shorter chapter than usual, but this is where the story takes a turn, so it had to end here!
How are you guys liking the story so far? What do you think the future holds for our gangster and doctor as they teeter on the edges of love? Leave your predictions down below!
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Arjun
Cricket
Indian Mythology
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