Shades of reality- chp3 pg 1

She ran as fast as she could.

Looking back every now and then. Stumbling upon rocks, wood and her own feet.

She was scared out of her wits, or was she?

A trespasser would assume so. And maybe she was. The darkness of the night started to seep into her pores. Dissolving in her blood making her limbs go weak. But she had acres to cross and alleys to walk.

She had to escape. She needed to get away. Now more than ever.

The road felt sharp and warm under her feet. Imprinting its patterns into her soft skin. The softness that once was.

Hearing them howling like wolves behind her back. Some dragging their hockey sticks along with them adding scratching sounds to the already creepy background noise. The crickets, the distant trains and a 'chowkidaar' whistling to make sure there weren't any burglars around.

And for once that whistle did not drift her brain into a million questions that popped into her thoughts. Like what does a whistle have to do with catching thieves? How could you make sure people were sleeping?

But today she ran. She ran eliminating all her thoughts. She ran for the love of God, for freedom and for her self satisfacation. Or self respect?

The creeps were nearing. Right behind her heels and she had to dodge them.

Somehow.

he ground beneath her feet started to move faster than herself.

The heat from the strong concrete excreted heat into her feet. She so badly wanted to sit somewhere, preferably near the lake that just passed. Dive into that pure liquid, wash all her worries and her soul.

Wash off the darkness and the heat.

Take me to a place so holy

That I can wash this from my mind

But she knew better than to stop. Better than to let those wolves capture her again.

And so she ran faster.

Faster than she had ever imagined she could.

Reciting a prayer in her head she ran for her life blindly into a narrow alley that ended into a crossroad.

Yes. This could be it. Her escape. Her new beginning.

Looking back one last time she dove into the dark bushes aligning the road.

A forest.

She hid behind what seemed like an oak tree. A shelter.

Catching her breath. Holding it in. She watched the goons looking for her frantically. Some heading towards the right and the others straight.

But could this have been this easy? Just dodging them into the darkness? Where they that easily fooled?

So she sat there longer. Praying. Squinting her eyes shut. She prayed to God. All of them. That someone would listen. And she'd be set free like a bird.

And it wasn't long before the sun started scattering its rays into the blue sky. Painting it orange, then yellow.

And she knew now she was safe. No one would hunt for her in day light. No one.

So she dragged herself back into the alley and out into the lake. Every step felt heavy by the second. Burning her feet and draining the already drained energy from her petite body.

And within minutes she felt her surroundings fade out and the day turn into night again. Something was dragging her into a black hole.

And she collapsed near the purity we call water.

Crashing in the cold water she let it all wash away.

Losing herself to the black, letting the darkness eat her she fell unconscious into the warmth of the sand.

It wasn't too late before her limp body attracted a few people around her. Whispering, talking, discussing and making remarks.

Nasty, shrewd and some of concern.

She did not attempt opening her heavy eyelids. It was like crevices of her eye lids were glued together.

But she could hear them.

Her the taunts.

And then someone picked her up. The embrace was soft and warm.

And she thought was this the only person who saw the black and blue on her face, her arms?

Or was he also one of those and then she'd be trapped back again into the world she ran away from some hours ago.

As she pondered she was layed on something soft and firm, a second later she heard a door close and the vehicle move.

She had no idea how long had she been supposedly rescued for. She was in a different place now.

Someplace very comfortable. She was awake but she wasn't.

Conscious and unconscious at the same time.

She wanted to open her eyes and see the place, the comfort and the person.

Thank him and then maybe question him.

Or just assess from his body language what he wanted.

Fear started creeping into her body and the trembling started for the nth time in the hours she had been in this place.

Her eyes were moving rapidly under her closed lids. Fear forming creases on her forehead.

And at that moment the only way her body found relief was to let the fear out in sweat. And so she had beads of salted water on her forehead. Her palms were sweaty. Unconsciously she rubbed her feet to ease the stabbing pain in her heart and her body.

It was time and he knew it. As he rushed down the foyer of his 2 storey detached house in the suburbs. As weird as it was, she had nightmares at a particular time. Not every time she slept. Only at night and that too a certain hour of the clock. He had pondered over it numerous times losing it in vain.

But for now he needed to rush to her. To be by her side. Climbing two steps at a time. loosening the tie around his head he reached the door.

She heard a click in the room and someone rushing to her side., the bed moved a little from the weight of the person beside her. Rubbing her arms and shoulders. Trying to ease away the knots in her. She started trembling violently.

Having no choice, he laid down beside her. His body warming hers and soothed back the fear as he rubbed her back, hugging. She seemed to register the warm, comforting touch and soon eased into the embrace, letting her eyes relax.

They laid there for a while longer, Him stroking her hair, while she stared into space like always.

"Was It really bad this time?" he questioned while resting his cheek on her head. Moving in closer.

"Mmhhm" Was all she mustered up the courage for. Closing her eyes. Sighing.

In the 3 weeks that they had known each other, the nightmares seemed to have gotten worse. And with every dream she saw something new. And the pain grew stronger every time. Enough to burn her soul.

The sun filtered through the thick curtain fabric, barely allowing light into the room. Squinting her eyes tight kripa moved into the pillow next to her. She groaned into it, and sat up yawning. Stretching her muscles awake. She groaned again as her feet hit the cold hardwood floor. And she could clearly hear illiterate women yelling across the street. Laughing like hyenas. Knowing very well for it to be a fragment of her imagination only, she shook the thought away, starting towards the bathroom. Connecting both his and her room.

As the cold water poured on her head she tracked back to when she had woken up the first morning in Angads room. He had found her unconscious beside a lake. And that was all she remembered. She was scared, scared of the unknown. But there was something about him that evaporated all her fears away.

He had made her feel at home and she slipped into it just as easily. Or so she thought. He had been beside her through nights of agony and pain. But in the day he was gone. Or most of it. The first few months that she took to adjust were crucial to the friendship they shared. He took her shopping and out for lunches. It was just pure friendship and casual talks. Yet there was always something that banked them. For her mostly.

She saw him skipping down the stairs casually, Her angel. Her savior.

She admired the calmness that never left his face. And the smile that reached beyond his eyes. Maybe that's what made her so comfortable in a strangers house. Yes she tried leaving but was stopped. At times she felt astonished at herself as to how could she be living with and trusting a man she barely knew.

A peck on her temple brought her back to reality. She smiled looking up at him

" Breakfast?" She lifted an eyebrow.

" Yes please" he let out a happy hungry sigh and sat down beside her on the dining table. She stole glances at him frequently between their meal. Trying to extract any negativity, if there was any and satisfy her mind that he too was one of them, but she found none.

Nah, he was too good of an actor she concluded.

But he isn't. her heart retorted. And she let the argument be. Before her mind and heart started a battle together. She would let things be for now and leave as soon as she recovered a couple of weeks more and that's it.

Angad looked up at kripa from his bowl of cereal and found her lost in thoughts. She was usually found lost somewhere, and she didn't speak about it either. There was something and he was sure of it otherwise an innocent girl like her wouldn't have been found unconscious beside a lake.

Stopping his thoughts he snapped his fingers in front of her and moved his head in a questioning manner.

She shook her head and gave a broken smile. She somehow managed to make it much more convincing than she had felt.

He shrugged his shoulders, hiding his worry and started walking to the kitchen with his bowl and glass.

" Oh btw kripa, you have your doctors appointment today"

She had to almost every other week to get wounds checked and dressed. She had gotten a few stitches on her forehead and knee. And her wrist was fracture.