TUM MILE

Chapter 42

She was feeling little suffocated now. The headache which she thought was due to panic attack was increasing. She tried to take deep breathe but was not able to.

She knew what was going on. Somebody had deliberately connected the air supply to the carbon monoxide pump. And now, it was taking the place of oxygen in room.

Swara was panicking now. Her mind could not think properly. Her head was feeling as if it would split in two parts with pain. Her feet were not ready to move. With lots of efforts to keep her eyes open, Swara tried to find something heavy. With God's grace, she saw a weapon, an axe to be precise which was brought for the examination an hour or two before.

Anyhow, she took the axe and with all her power, she hit it on the glass window. The glass got broken. Swara never knew fresh air would feel so good to her someday. There was no escape from the room though as glass window was covered with metal grill, but still, keeping her face in front of it, she knew she would at least be protected from the dangerous gas.

Swara sat below the glass window. Her body was giving up now. For one last time, she tried to call people from outside. But her eyes closed and she fell down on the floor.

Sanskar looked at the time. It was 7:30 in evening. Today, when he arrived early, madame needed to be late. Great!

He tried calling her but phone was out of coverage. It used to happen sometimes, he thought.

"Umm Ragini bhabhi!" Sanskar said silently so that Ram and Durga Prasad could not hear. Ragini glared at him. Being called bhabhi from Sanskar angered her always. And Sanskar loved to tease her.

"Ji Sanskar bhaiya!" Ragini said in the same sweet tone.

"Acha sorry! Ragini, now okay?" Sanskar replied, "Have you tried calling Swara? When is she returning?"

Ragini showed him her phone call history. She had called her 2 times and phone was unreachable.

"She is too busy with the dead that she forgot that her living and loving ones are waiting for her here!" Sujata said with a little anger, "Even your papa came! She told him she will come by 6:30 and see the time! Let this girl come! I will show her what a mother in law is!"

Ragini giggled. Sujata stared at her and said, "Laugh! Last night only she told me she loves sabudan khichdi. I thought to make that this evening for her. And now, it get cold. Let her come!"

Ram was laughing too having the khichdi by himself. And so was Laksh.

"Ma! Another plate please!" Sanskar said

"No! You all will not leave anything for Swara! Nobody will ask for another plate now!" Annapurna scolded all of the men.

But the atmosphere changed into a serious one when it was 8:15 already and Swara's phone was still not reachable.

"Let me call jagram!" Ram said. As he called him and talked to him, his face frowned a little.

"What happened?" Durga Prasad asked.

"He is saying he is at home and Swara had sent the keys to his home from someone."

"What?" Sanskar stood up .

"Yes! And he had been told to go home early by Swara only. She messaged him."

Sanskar felt an anxiety taking over his senses. Where was Swara?

Immediately, he took his car keys.

"I am coming with you!" Laksh said.

Sanskar nodded.

Together, they went straight to hospital first. Witnessing Swara's car still parked in the lot, Sanskar knew something wrong was happening.

Guard of lab was sitting outside, half asleep.