Addiction - Avneil

The struggle..

This is Neil's POV from the time he got out of the car and opened the door at Avni's side..

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Neil opened the car door and looked at Avni. She was in bad shape. She tried getting out but could not. As Neil was trying to help her, he did not pay any attention to his surroundings. And this proved to be a costly mistake!

Neil suddenly felt something hit his head and then for a minute there was blackness before his eyes. He could feel something wet apart from the rain trickle down from his head. He knew it was blood even before he tasted it. Seconds later he got pushed, possibly by Avni to the ground. In some seconds, Neil's head still throbbed but his vision cleared. He opened his eyes but in pain. And then Neil saw what he had feared most. The goon was not alone. He had his friends with him. And one of them had a gun that was posed at Neil. 

Neil was helpless. He could not do anything in speed as he was already disoriented, and if he moved he was sure the goon would have shot him. What will happen after him of Avni? Neil had no clue. And then many things happened in the fraction of a second.

Avni first dropped by his side. And then she came between Neil and the goons so that Neil could not see the goons but only her. Was she smiling a bit while weeping? Neil was not sure why Avni had that expression on. But then he realised, and by the time he did it was very late. Avni had come between Neil and the gun. She was shielding him with her body!

As Neil realized this, the shot rang out and Avni jerked.

Neil did not know what he was doing. He shouted - "AVNI!!!!"

And then Avni fell down upon him.

Neil did not have the strength to lift her and check her but he shifted her on the side and tried to look at her. Then he suddenly heard some movement from where the goons were standing.

The goon who had shot Avni was trembling. His friend slapped him and shouted - "ye kya kar diya pagal! Ladki ko haath bhi nahi lagana tha.. iss ladke ko maarna tha jaan se..!"(what have u done? we were not supposed to harm the girl, only needed to kill this man)

Both the goons looked at Avni again, she was not moving at all. They panicked very badly, they ran away and the third goon whom Avni had pushed on the ground also followed suit.

Neil could not make out what was happening. Although he heard the goons say what they said. He was unable to process. He could not focus on anything but Avni and then fact that now a big patch of red was seeping in through her clothes.

Neil (now bent over Avni in a half lying down and half sitting position) - "Avni, Avni.. Avni.. aankhen kholo please.. Avni.. AVNI!..."(pls open your eyes)

Neil started sobbing now. His tears were mixed with the rain, it seemed the heavens were crying at his loss. Neil lost control of himself for some time. And closed his eyes. He could see Avni's smiling face looking at him in the cab today.

Neil opened his eyes. They were hard now. He had kept his emotions aside. It was the only way to save her. 

Neil checked Avni's pulse, it was erratic but was there. He then took out some clothes from their suitcase and then checked through Avni's back for the bullet hole. The bullet had gone inside through her upper back on the left hand side but had not come out. Avni was clearly unconscious..

There was only one way to try to save Avni. To stop her blood flow and then to get the bullet extracted before its too late. Neil tied some clothes tightly around her and then lifted her up and kept her in lying down position in the car seat on the back. He then ran around to his seat and started the car. He checked Avni  again, and tightened the cloth around her wound so that blood is controlled.

And then Neil drove like he had never driven before. All his focus was on driving. They reached Coonoor in over fifteen minutes even on the mountainous path he had to drive on. Neil googled for hospital and then drove to it. 

He ran inside the hospital leaving Avni in the car and then came back running with an orderly from the hospital. With his help they put Avni on a stretcher and rushed her inside.

The emergency doctor was already there. Neil told them what had happened and on their telling that it is a police case he showed his Identity Card as a police officer. They immediately rushed Avni to the operation theatre after that.

Only when the operation started, Neil did what he had wanted to do since he had seen Avni being shot. He broke down and cried aloud..