CHAPTER 11
Sanskar's head dropped backwards, his white shirt got soaked in blood, oozing from a small round wound on his chest. Laksh was leaning over him,
" You liar! You never was Dr Oberoi , but someone else!" He hissed, "I stopped them from killing you this morning! And you repaid this favour by betrayal! Goodbye... Mr. SSR!"
Swara was struggling in her chair, "Please, LET ME GO! SANSKAAR! Please! I can still save him!!! Let me go...He will die! Help!" she was screaming, squirmed to get loose of the knots that stopped her from rushing near Sanskar ...
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"Swara!" Someone had gripped her shoulder in iron hold, "Stop!" She was still restless, when the person started shaking her, "Swara utho!"
Her eyes shot open, she found herself lying on her sleeping bag...For a moment she was relieved. What she experienced few moments back was not reality, but a terrible nightmare... But that relief almost washed away. She froze in fear as she found a masked man in a furry black hoodie leaning on her,his hands clutching her shoulder...
As soon as she recovered from shock, she screamed, "Sans-" Her shrieks ceased as lips were covered by his palms.
" Shhh, it's me! Sanskar!"He whispered. Saying he lowered the hood and removed mask and lit a pen torch in between their faces. The hazel orbs met the caramels, golden and amber sparks in them scorched their heaving hearts... An owl took pity to hoot and rescued them from turning in cinders...
Sanskar released her shoulder, still leaning on her.. Swara still was in angst due to the recent nightmare... She needed to ensure he was alright... Like a possessed maiden she was moving her hands all over his chest, checking if any bullet wound was there.
"Swara! What are you doing?" He was surprised and a bit amused, " Oye! Mera akelapan ka galat fayda maat uthana!!" He wanted to joke some more when he noticed silent tears running from her eyes... He pulled her in his arms and murmured, "You are safe Swara, koi aur nehi hai yaha... Mere alawa...Kuch nahi hoga tumhara... I promise you... mein Tumhara dhaal baan ke khara rahunga!"
"Aur tumhara dhaal kaun banega Sanskar?Maine jo bura sapna dekha Agar woh Sach hogaya toh?Meri itni takat kaha ki main tumhara dhaal ban saku?"she wrapped her arms around him tighter , not letting him move a bit.
Sanskar's external rock hard existence had been melting, having caged the delicate angel close to his chest... Now that warmth seeped inside the chambers of his heart... walls of the chambers danced in fastest erratic rhythm...rushing fluids from the chambers spread that warmth in every inch of his body... Never had he dreamt in his wildest dream, a certain Swara Bose's overwhelming affliction and intense protectiveness over him would make the Sanskar Singh Rathore feel invincible, flying high in the air...
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Days went by. Black wolves' were piled up with burdens of injuries ... Many members carried scars given by those canines... During day they feel somewhat safe, but as soon as darkness spreads over, most of them remains in the tents... Night patrol is the most loathed duty now a days... No, black wolves were not afraid to be hurt and die...But they were supposed to be the predators, not prey!
Swara and Sanskar were now loaded with work.. Almost everyday they had surgeries, dressings or giving the scheduled doses of Vaccines for Rabies... Almost everyone in the camp looked with kind of gratitude to them... Laksh who was ready to strangle Swara oneday, was acting too polite to her, though he and Sanskar had a subdued animosity between them... Ragini, well her behaviour was mostly indifferent to them...
But... the looming dark clouds was there... Clouds of suspicion... Yudh, who every now and then tried to convince something was fishy... So many members were getting injured... He repeatedly suggested the prisoners had definitely something to do with it, as more injured meaned their longer duration of survival.
Thankfully no one could relate the attacks to Swasan. Apsara made fun of Yudh to almost everyday. She jeered, " He's bitter you know? May be he thinks it's like Karma multiplied ! He gave Swara single slice on neck that day,but the animals almost teared his throat after few hours... With those ugly scars, he looks... scary!"
Swara could understand others didn't suspect yet, but the seeds of doubt were being sown on their mind.. Sanskar also knew they have to do something about it. So one day he suggested ,
" I think I should get injured willingly."
They were sitting on the ground in their tent. Now a days it was an added place for making next plan. The trick was to act as a lovey dovey couple. Sanskar sat with one knee folded up and one leg spread down, grabbing Swara sideways, whose back touched his chest. His. chin was just below her left ear.
She lifted her face a little and turned, " No way! You can't do that!... I mean if we have real trouble then how will we fight?"
"But it's the only way!They wouldn't doubt us anymore. Do you have any other way?"
"Make the attack on me instead. It would be more credible..."
"Are you mad? How can I hurt you?... I mean you are the doctor na?"Point!...Sanskar you can control your pets, right? Plan a fake attack on me, they'll just bark and surround, nothing else ."
" Not bad Swara! That's a smart idea! I'll bring the black Wolves . All you have to do is fall on the ground and scream... Wait, what did you say? Pets? Alsatian dogs are mere pets! Tum ko to acting karne ki bhi jarurat nahi padegi! Kahi na daar ki maare faint ho jao!...No, you don't need to do this!" He declared
"Arey nahi Baba! Mujhe doggies se daar nahi lagta... It'll be an Oscar winning performance, dekhna.." She winked and again leaned against him.
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It was around 7 p.m. According to plan Swara had an ugly fight with Sanskar... She told him that she had been terribly missing her family, previous life, her job... Then Sanskar lashed out saying her job was the main cause that landed her in trouble... If she had chosen some safe speciality, they'd be arranging their marriage today... Swara then cried and ran into the forest...
She was running in the forest, careful enough not to go too far from the camp... after sometimes she noticed 4 black huge dogs advancing near her... They were really scary... she knew Sanskar won't let her get hur,t still she moved backwards involuntarily... while she tripped on a pebble and fall backwards... It was show time!
She screamed so loud, that she felt like her lungs would burn, " Sanskaaar! Help! Aaahh! SANSKAAR!! !!"
The dogs surrounded her and growled looking at her... She went on hollering and closed her... After few minutes she heard some footsteps..She opened her eyes and gasped in shock seeing a person jumping amidst the dogs to shield her. Now she shouted in real fear to see the dogs going for him... Blood splattered on her face!
Sanskar was seen in the spot with some of the Black wolves following them. His heart became numb when her last cry reached his ears... He watched her blood stained and shouted, " Swara, nehi!!!Laksh!!!"
One Alsatian gave his last bite to Laksh and the group sprinted in the darkness...
Laksh dropped to the ground in weakness and pain. While Sanskar ran to hold Swara, who was still shaking...
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Ragini's eyes were filled with tears... She never knew she could cry...Though not severely disfigured like Yudh or Ariel or others, Laksh had big stiched wounds on his back, hands and legs. Swara had repaired his wounds under anaesthesia without any delay. Swara!' Her eyes burned in anger. "Only for this girl's idiocy Laksh is suffering now! I'll make her pay!"
Laksh stirred after waking up from the effects of sedatives... He could see Ragini's anxious, then relieved face...
She asked, "Thanks god you're conscious now! Do you feel any pain? Wait, I'm calling Swara for checkup."She got up.
"No! Ragini stop!" Laksh stopped her by holding her hand, "Let her rest. She went through a lot today." suddenly he got angry, "ALL BECAUSE OF THAT SANSKAR OBEROI! Fiance my foot!"
"And why did you jumped to save that idiot girl?" Ragini was equally furious. She officially loathed Swara now. " Black wolves never lay their lives for anyone!And who is She is a bloody prisoner! She is NO BODY! Why didn't you let her die?"
"RAGINI!!!" Laksh was fuming with simmering temper... His eyes turned red. "Don't cross your limits !"
Her body scorned, she asked him with narrow eyes, almost slit like, " Why are you defending her so much, Laksh? You were going to kill her one day , remember? "
He became guarded , " It's nothing, Rags... You know we need her alive for treating camp people."
"Jarurat toh tab bhi thi, jab Chief maut se lad raha tha... Ab kya badal gaya?" she looked exasperated, " Dost Hu tumhara, itna toh tumhe Samajhti Hu! Koi problem hai? "
" Right! You're my closest friend Ragini. I should've told you!" Laksh took a deep sigh. " I think I got deeply attracted to Dr Swara Bose! The attraction is so lethal... I couldn't let her die!"
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