The Independent Girl (Sample)

Chapter 12 - Seperation

Sandhya ran as fast as she could in the dark and cold night. Tall dense trees surrounded her. She did not dare to look behind; something horrible that did not have a face and could not be comprehended was following her. She ran for her life, crying for help.

Her mother stood at a distance, smiling, with her arms open for Sandhya. She did not look scared, as if she did not care about whatever was following Sandhya, as if she could handle it easily. Sandhya ran towards her, but saw her mother's image disappear slowly.

She cried out in dismay and ran faster. Her father appeared and stood just like her mother had stood, with his arms open for her and a smile on his face. Fear gripping her heart, she ran towards him. Just when she was nearing him, he disappeared slowly, torturing her.

She did not have the energy to run any further, but she still ran, mustering all her remaining willpower, sensing that the faceless thing was almost on her and she would soon be its victim. Then she saw Akash, smiling and with his arms open, simply standing as if he would take care of everything if only she could reach him before the faceless thing hit her.

"No! No!" She cried out in terror as she saw Akash's image disappear mercilessly at the same time as the faceless thing behind her engulfed her.

"Akash!" she cried out loudly and sat up on the bed, her body trembling from head to toe, her brow covered in sweat.

Akash switched on the light, ran to Sandhya and cupped her panic-stricken face.

"Sandhya!"

He could see that she'd had a terrible nightmare. She looked at him with a blank expression for a few seconds before her eyes turned red with anger. She shrugged him off, surprising him.

"Why did you leave me? Why did you disappear! Why? Why? Why?" she screamed fiercely as she clutched his shirt.

Aghast, Akash shrugged as he tried to make her understand.

"Sandhya! You had a bad dream. I am right here! Calm down!" He hugged her.

Realization dawned on Sandhya and she slowly wrapped her arms around his back. She remembered each and every detail about her nightmare, the worst nightmare she'd ever had.

Why did she have that dream? Did it mean that—Sandhya stopped her thoughts right there, closing her eyes tight.

It was just a stupid nightmare, nothing else, she told herself as she held Akash for several minutes.

Akash tried to comfort her, but wondered if he could go on longer without losing to the want that his heart was screaming for inside. He loosened his hands from her back, hoping that she would do the same, but she held him closer and tighter in response.

"Promise me that you will never leave me," she whispered.

"I will never leave you," he whispered, trying to resist the exotic fragrance of her hair.

Sandhya removed her hands from around him and looked into his dark eyes for a long time, deep in thought. She cupped his cheek with one hand and kissed him gently on his lips.

"Sandhya," Akash murmured in agony.

"Mmm?"

He tried to pull away. She looked at him with moist eyes, not loosening her grasp on him. He stared back at her in confusion. She caught hold of his hands and wrapped them around her waist.

"You are torturing me," he muttered.

"I don't intend to anymore," she replied softly.

He stared at her in disbelief. "Sure?"