It was deathly quiet in the room in the night.
The guard had departed a few moments ago after handing them the food. Or rather, dumping it on the makeshift table in the dingy room.
"Eat this! And sleep!"
Ananya took one look at it and made a face. Rotis with a shape of anything but a circle and a minimum thickness of 5 mm. Alongwith it a curry, which she couldn't identify, practically floating in thick spicy oil. A part of the oily gravy had already started corrupting the roti.
She stole a wary glance at her co-prisoner. He might have been having similar thoughts, but possibly was an expert in wearing a mask. Even now, as he was examining the food from extremely close angle, she couldn't read anything in his expression.
"Ms Kashyap, Eat!"
"Sir...this food..." She rolled her eyes.
"I know, not exactly yummy...but this is the only thing available. So please..."
She cautiously tried to break the roti with two fingers. Then three. And then realized that she needed both her hands to do the honours.
"I think you would need cutting pliers...!" She murmured to herself.
"Yeah...try your teeth!" Her boss turned co-prisoner had managed to bite off a small portion. He was squatting on the floor with the plate held in one hand and the folded roti in another. She too did the same with a little success and grimaced at its tenacity as she chewed in vain.
"And the curry? What is it?"
"I think brinjal..."
"Eeks..I hate brinjal!"
"Ms Kashyap, this is not the time to exercise your choice. So eat whatever you have been given. I will treat you to a five course dinner once this is over, OK?"
"Ok Sir...Saala Khadoos!" She muttered under her breath.
And she did. After polishing off half the meal, she shoved the plate away.
"I am full!"
"Would you like to..." The question was obvious and Kabir suddenly felt shy as the realization hit him square. They were supposed to sleep in this room? Ananya, on the other hand had other priorities.
"Excuse me...Guard Bhaiya!"
The burly fellow with a smug expression came in.
"I want to freshen up. Where is the restroom?"
"What is that?" The guard, who obviously wasn't used to the corporate lingo, looked at Kabir with utter confusion. What did this lady want?
"She would like to go to the toilet!" Kabir discreetly showed his little finger.
Ahh. Now that was something that the guard understood very well. He crooked his finger at Ananya.
"Follow me!"
And off the duo went to some bushes outside. Ananya looked uncertain as the guard cocked his head.
"Go! I will stand here!"
Ananya cursed herself for the nth time that day. Why was she there in the first instance? Ahh...kidnapped and held as a hostage. And out in the open, at the mercy of a couple of crooks. But as Kabir Sir had said, this was not a time to expect luxuries.
Like the privacy of a bathroom. Or even a decent meal.
The jungle was dark, and she could vaguely discern a thick bush at a distance. Where were they? Should she escape? NO. Not with Kabir Sir still there. They might not hesitate to even kill him.
"I am done!" She came out from behind the bush after a while.
Wordlessly the guard led her back to the dingy room.
-----
The night wore on.
The hostages made an odd pair, sitting next to each other, on the floor with their legs folded, incapable of any rational thought.
"Sir... you know what?"
"Hmmm?"
"You missed your 9 pm news...Khalid must be pissed off by now..."
"Hmm..Manav read it, we saw it..." Kabir managed a smile.
"You know what, Manav Sir has a mole on his neck..."
"Really?" This girl was an astute observer. No wonder.
"Sunny says it is fake. I said no...and we put a bet on it!" Ananya giggled.
"Then?"
"I asked him to prove it. Once when Manav Sir was dozing off in his cabin, Sunny tried to pull..."
"WHAT?" Kabir jerked up to an abrupt wakefulness. KKN office could easily double off as a hotbed of gossip. Ananya giggled, half in her sleep.
"And you know what?"
"Now what?"
"Trisha has a crush on you! But then, everyone has..."
"Me? Why?" Kabir had a knowing smile on his face. But he had to get it out of her.
"Because you are handsome, dashing, charming, sauve...and sexy! And I hate it when you flirt with Malvika or Trisha..."
"Why shouldnt I do that?"
"I don't know. But it hurts!" She was plain incoherent. The feisty girl, who wouldn't otherwise let her guard down, was slowly opening up to him.
"Hmmm..." Her head was lolling forward as her neck muscles screamed to relax. She was desperately trying to keep her eyelids open. But not for long.
"Kabir Sir..."
She murmured slowly, her eyes drowsy with sleep. He turned to her.
"What, Ms Kashyap?"
"Say something, Sir. Neend nahi aa rahi..."
"You want me to sing a lullaby?"
She smiled tiredly as her neck rolled sideways to rest on his shoulder. She reached out to his hand and placed it over her forehead.
"Pat me to sleep..."
Kabir rolled his eyes. She was a baby at heart. He lowered his legs and her head rolled down further to rest across his thigh. He started patting her and she relaxed further.
"Ms Kashyap..." He asked after a while. There was no reply. He leaned forward and checked, she was fast asleep with her head in his lap. His fingers slowly removed the spectacles, intermittently patting her.
"You said that it hurts when I flirt with Malvika or Bhavna. Or for that matter, anyone else. And do you have any idea what it does to me when Manav hugs you? or Ronnie? Why? Ananya? I have seen scores of junior reporters so far, much more than I can remember. But why do I feel that you are special? That Tarot reader says Love is in my aura. Is this the same thing? Maybe...
And now this...both of us don't know whether we have any future. Only God does. But please...if there is...let us be together in it!
He took a deep breath and leaned back comfortably against a carton.
"Sleep, my love. Tomorrow maybe a different day!"
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