Love Game

Chapter 16

In evening. It was getting dark all around. The car was running fast. Murtasim's head was on Meerab's lap. He had blood all over his face. Sejan was sitting in the front seat and was repeatedly comforting Meerab.

"Sejan bhai, how long? Tell the driver to drive faster. Murtasim is in pain."

Sejan looked at Murtasim's face. His eyes were closed, his eyelids and lips were trembling. Sejan asked,
"Bhai! Are you okay?"

Murtasim closed his eyes and said in a moaning voice,
"I'm fine."

Meerab placed her hand on Murtasim's cheek and said,
"Just a little bit more. We're on our way."

Meerab was crying. Sejan said to her,
"Bhabi, why are you crying? Brace yourself. Bhai will be fine."

Sejan himself was hurt by Murtasim's condition. But he cannot be broken like Meerab.

Meerab then remembered that place. There she shot someone. For this she has to answer to everyone especially Murtasim. There must have been doubts in their minds about this. So she wanted to clear her side beforehand so as not to get caught later.

Meerab bowed her head and said,
"Sejan bhai, is the man dead?"

Sejan asked in surprise,
"Which man bhabi?"

Meerab had her head down. She looked at Sejan and bowed her head again. She remained silent for a while and said in a guilty voice,
"Whom I shot."

Then she said a little louder and faster, "Believe me Sejan Bhai, I didn't understand. I didn't really think that the bullet would come out. I just pointed the revolver to scare them and showed so much confidence to make them believe. I didn't understand that the bullet would hit his leg. What will happen now? What if the man dies? I feel very scared."

Sejan looked at Meerab's tearful face and said, "You did the right thing. Let the man die. Don't feel guilty at all."

"It is not so easy for me. If the man really died! I cannot forget the incident."

Meerab was restless so Sejan said,
"Nothing will happen Bhabi. People don't die from being shot in the leg. He will be fine."

Meerab looked at Murtasim. Murtasim was moving and everything reached his ears. But he couldn't believe anything. They reached in front of the hospital. Moments after Meerab put a revolver to Zarif's head, Sejan arrived with the entourage. As if Meerab had regained her life, they quickly rescued Murtasim. Then Sejan saw his condition and quickly brought him to the hospital.

Meerab was standing in front of the door and was wiping her tears. She was taking two steps forward to clear the restlessness of her mind and was still standing back. A storm was raging inside her mind and nothing seemed good to her. She was waiting for the doctor to come out and give the good news.

Sejan stood with folded hands. He wanted to go and bury Zarif immediately. He could not imagine that Murtasim would be in such a state.

As soon as the doctor came out, Sejan opened his arms and went to the doctor. He asked nervously, "How is Bhai?"
Meerab was also looking at the doctor's face.

The doctor said with as serious a face as possible, "The injuries are serious. It will take time to dry. He will have to be under our observation for a few days. There is no reason to worry."

Meerab asked,
"Can we go inside?"

"Meet him after a while. Besides, I gave him a sleeping injection so he won't wake up before an hour."

The doctor left. After a while two nurses came out. Meerab looked at Sejan and was anxious to go inside.

"Bhabhi wait a little more."
Meerab nodded and went to the nearby bench and sat down.

..

Murtasim's whole body was bandaged. Meerab slowly went and sat next to him. Murtasim was sleeping. Meerab sat next to him and patted his head. She wanted to gently touch his cheek but his cheek was cut and bandaged in different places. Still she gently touched Murtasim's cheek very carefully. His hands were shaking. She was having a strange feeling.

.

When Murtasim regained consciousness, he saw Meerab by his side. Meerab sat straight and said in a sweet voice,
"How are you?"

"Fine."

Murtasim looked around then asked,
"What time is it?"

Meerab  looked around for a watch. Not getting the watch, she stood up and said, "I am asking Sejan bhai."

"Tell him to come in."

Meerab called Sejan. Sejan came in and first inquired about Murtasim and then told him that it was 10:17 PM.

Murtasim told Sejan,
"Meerab can't stay home alone. I want to go home."

Meerab and Sejan looked at each other in shock. Then Sejan said to Murtasim,
"Doctors won't leave you in this condition."

Meerab said,
"How can you go? You can't sit up properly."

Murtasim tried and couldn't really sit up. Then he thought for a while and said,

"I won't leave Meerab alone. Arrange for her to stay here and arrange for her necessary things to be brought here. And yes I am sick. Arrange for Meerab's security."

"Ji Bhai, I am making all the arrangements. I will also be here today."

Sejan went to make all the arrangements. Murtasim asked Meerab,
"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Murtasim remained silent for a while and said, "Where did you learn to shoot a revolver?"

Meerab's chest heaved. At that time, she said so much to Murtasim, why is he still asking? Meerab was sure that Murtasim had heard everything. Still, since he's asking, there must be a reason.

"I don't know how to shoot a revolver. I acted to scare like in the movie but the bullet came out. Believe me I didn't want to kill anyone. My mind wasn't working. I didn't know what to do. So I did whatever came to mind. I took the revolver in my hand and said that. And the bullet was out." Saying Meerab started crying.

"Before that, I never had a revolver in my hand. When I was in college, these games used to be played in the field and we used to go there with friends. We used to play different games with bets. We used to pull small balloons there. We had to shoot them with a gun. We used to play them. But the bullet in the gun was not real. I could never crack more than a six out of ten. I couldn't have fired any gun other than that gun."

Murtasim closed his eyes and said,
"Okay."

Meerab was not sure whether Murtasim believed her or not. Meerab will not forget today's incident. And decided that this incident should not be disclosed to his brother. Then he will be angry again.

After a while Sejan came and approached Murtasim and said,
"Everything is done Bhai."

Then he handed the shopping bag to Meerab and said,
"Bhabi your clothes. Get fresh."

As Meerab went to the washroom, Murtasim asked, "Everything okay?"

"Ji Bhai, all set. Now waiting for you to recover. Then the real game. I'm staying outside. Call if necessary."

Sejan left a phone next to Murtasim and walked out.

Meerab freshened up and fed Murtasim. Then she ate her food. She looked very tired. Needed some sleep. Seeing her, Murtasim said, "Lie down. You don't have to serve me anymore."

Meerab looked at Murtasim for a while then got up and went to her place and lay down. She didn't understand why Murtasim was talking to her like that but she was getting arrogant. She was about to cry and tears were welling up in her eyes. She could not understand why Murtasim's small words were bothering her. She was not supposed to suffer but she was suffering.
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