SaHil OS: A Change of Heart

Aahil carefully placed Sanam in her bed, adjusting a pillow underneath her head and covering her body with a blanket, His Ammi arrived and he ran to call the doctor. Twenty minutes later, the doctor had checked Sanam and had prescribed medicines, assuring Aahil that Sanam will be fine so long as she'd get at least a three-day bed rest and took all her medicines on time. As, she hadn't just fallen unconscious due to lack of oxygen, but was also suffering from fatigue, dehydration, and low blood pressure.

After the doctor left, Aahil ordered Lateef to get the medicines from a local pharmacy and signaled everyone else to get out. Then after making sure the curtains were drawn and there was a jug of water on the bedside table, he turned to leave and ran into Naziya at the door.

"Sorry Bhaijaan," she apologized.

"Naziya, actually main tumhare paas hee a raha thaa. If you don't mind, kya thum Sanam ko change karwa saktee ho? Uske kapre mitee mein kharab ho gaye. Aur wo kafee gheri neend main so rahee hai," he requested Naziya and then mentally kicked himself for displaying his caring nature towards Sanam.

But this went unnoticed by Naziya as she had always been acquainted with a polite Aahil.

"Jee Bhaijaan,"she nodded, smiling.

"Thanks," Aahil patted her shoulder lovingly and headed towards his room.

He saw his slept-in bed where a few hours ago he had woken up with a start by Sanam's panicked call. He changed and sat on his bed, exhausted, as the phone call replayed in his mind.

Sanam's phone had disconnected there and even in her fumbling tone, she had sounded urgent.

He had sat up with a jolt and forgetting his sleep he had run like a maniac to his car, as if a magnetic pull was tugging him towards Sanam. He had not even questioned his conscious about what Sanam was doing in a deserted graveyard at this time of night. And that too in that old graveyard where cars did not travel due to the construction of the new road, which ran in the opposite direction.

Goosebumps pricked his skin as he thought of the fear and adrenaline that coursed through his body as he dug in the cold soil and eagerly hoped that Sanam would be alive by the time he would find her. Intense relief had washed over him as she had finally breathed in his arms.

Aahil didn't know when exhaustion took over and he fell asleep.

Soon he was digging. Hard. Rocks and debris scraped his skin and accumulated in his nails. But he didn't care he had to keep digging. Because someone's life depended on it. His life depended on it.

His white linen shirt had ripped from the sides and beads of sweat trickled down his temple but he kept on digging. There was an urgent ringing in his ears. Someone's urgent plea, someone's heart-wrenching cries. He felt himself suffocated, trapped in a box; and he fiercely shook his head to get out of this reverie. He had to concentrate!

Finally a metal knob surfaced under his hands and he pulled with all his might. The box opened and he found her. She was mesmerizing even with the dirt smeared across her face and most of her clothes. He hurriedly carried her out and gently turned her face towards himself so that he could check if she was breathing. But he couldn't feel the air by her nose. He was shivering too much. He decided to move her into the moonlight and breathed hard to calm himself. Her lips were a dark shade of blue and he panicked as he saw them. He quickly grabbed her wrist to feel her pulse but he couldn't find it. He was still shaking slightly so he reassured himself that he had probably missed it. Then hesitating but finally deciding otherwise, he pressed his ear to her chest to listen to her heartbeat. It was completely silent. He checked again, silent again. He put his fingers near her nose but there was no air circulation. He held her head and shook it sideways.

"Wake up,Sanam, wake-up! I'm here Sanam. You'll be okay. Open your eyes."

But there was no reply. He realized the inevitable and he just couldn't take it. "Saaannaaam," he wailed as he held her tight to his chest.

The leaves rustled in the wind and a strong gust sent the window shutter clattering in Aahil's room as he woke up the second time that night.This time due to his own scream. Beads of sweat lined his forehead and the surroundings of his room came into view. He was holding onto a pillow close to his chest and as he let it go, the clock chimed 4. He had only been asleep for an hour. He walked towards his bathroom and splashed cold water onto his face.

He walked out and rested his head against his bedroom wall. What a night! As if the reality of it wasn't horrific enough, he even had to relive it in his dreams. He returned to his bed but didn't lie down. He knew he wouldn't get any sleep if he didn't do this.

So he turned around and walked towards Sanam's room. He closed the door behind him and sat gingerly on the edge of her bed. She looked angelic, sleeping peacefully. Suddenly the mental image of her trapped in the coffin, crying for help cropped up in his mind. He could only imagine how scared and restless she must have felt. Unable to breathe and move in that tightly shut, buried, coffin. How suffocating and hopeless it must have felt. Much like a fish out of water. He could only imagine how Sanam would have fought to breathe as her lungs gave up and she slipped into an unconscious state.

He shuddered at his imaginative depiction of her point of view and urgently grabbed her hand. Rubbing soothing circles on the back of her palm. Her touch calmed him down in seconds. After all, she was safe, breathing, and alive in front of his eyes. His eyes moistened as he stared at her.

What if?...but he didn't want to think of the alternative. His dream was much too vivid on that anyway.

Aahil really couldn't think why he reacted the way he did from the moment he got Sanam's call. It seemed so urgent and important for him; Aahil Raza Ibrahim who did not give two hoots for anyone else besides himself, unless it was his Ammi.

This girl was remarkable because she really brought out the human in him. He still wondered if he would react the way he did, if it were someone else. Probably not, but he didn't want to think about that now. Right now he was busy gazing at Sanam and examining her face for any cuts or scratches. Thankfully there weren't any.

He was drifting off sitting next to her and he finally got up after a half an hour to get to his own bed. He carefully placed Sanam's hand by her side and took a last long look at her. As he turned around he felt a tug at his hand and he turned back to see Sanam's fingers curled tightly around his hand.

He quietly shifted in his place and uncurled her fingers but she started to murmur.

"Please mujhe akele chor kar mat jao. Woh log mujhe mar denge. Main marna nahin chah thee," she murmured hysterically.

It seemed like she was not out of the trauma yet and Aahil thought it best to sit down next to her.

Sensing this, Sanam got up and threw her arms around his neck.

"Aahil please mujhe chor kar mat jao. Woh log mujhe maar na chah thay hain. Woh aa jayenge. Please mujhe bachalo Aahil please!" she sobbed into his chest.

Aahil was shocked to see that she acknowledged his presence and expected him to protect her. He slowly raised his arms and put them around her. His fingers brushed her bare back, just below her dori and he felt a jolt of electricity shoot through him. He closed his eyes at the touch and re-opened them as Sanam tightened her grip around his neck. He patted her back and gave her an equally reassuring squeeze.

"Main tumhe kabhi chor kar nahin jaaoonga," he whispered, loud enough for her to hear. He realized what he was saying and he didn't say it unconsciously. For once he let his heart do all the work. His mind needed a break. Sanam relaxed in his embrace and soon fell asleep.

He placed her in her bed and walked to the door, turning around one last time to make sure she was fast asleep. Then he softly closed the door. And not only to her room, but also to those arrogant mannerisms he had showcased in front of Sanam.

Alright two and a half hours of straight writing. It's almost 4 a.m. at my place..so gonna pull the plug!

I know, I have left you guys with another intense peak...I'll try to continue this one..promise.

But I want lots of feedback in order to continue. It gives me encouragement! Hope you enjoy it and keep those comments coming! Love ya...

I swear i would comment soon and a long one 😃😆