The Binding String

N I N T Y - N I N E

If you still feel I snatched your son then I cannot do anything into it and as far as about the punishment, then try me uncle. I bet you cannot put a single finger on me."

Raman smirked and walked away, his wife was praying in front of the goddess idol, begging to save the three young lives which were fighting for survival.

"Raman! Mummy ji called again. Chachiji want to visit Romi."

"Ask them not to, we cannot bear more chaos." Raman replied folding his hands infront of god.

"She need to listen us, Rohit needs his parents." Ishita lower lip trembled thinking about little child.

"Don't worry, sometimes almighty takes our tests but I know they cannot be cruel towards us." Raman replied with a determination, "We will fight to bring him back, nahi?"

"Hmm. Raman how many tests are left? I am hoping for peace."

"You're fighter na, aren't you?" He caressed her shoulder and she hugged him, scared and anxious at the same time. They bowed their heads infront of idol for the last time and came outside of the temple. The corridor was secured by police officials and their personal security persons, they were waiting for doctors to show up with some good news.

*************************

The couple were seated together, whispering prayers for Sarika and Romi when the commotion escalated in the corridors. It was one at the night when Raman saw a team of doctor entering in the ICU where Sarika and Romi were admitted.

"What happened doctor?"

"Ms. Sarika is sinking. We are shifting her on ventilator." The couple gasped with the new revelation, even Romi has asked about her so many times but it was not a right time to reveal about her situation. Raman realised someone was crying and he looked at the other side, they were Sarika parents who were crying silently, standing a few steps away from them. Probably they heard everything.

"Raman beta! Save her. Save my Saru. I know no one saves from ventilator." Raman saw trembling figure infront of him, she was Sarika mother. "Beta speak up na."

"You never cared about her when your son and nephew were behind to kill your daughter and my brother. For whom you're shedding tears now?"

The couple were mum, crying silently. Their son was admitted at the adjacent bed of Romi. Both of them were critical and under observation but Sarika situation was worrisome among the three. Before he could go back, Raman found his uncle walking towards him. Shyam Chand Hooda, the newly elected chief minister of Haryana alongside his son Kanwaljeet, his first cousin with whom he spent his childhood. Raman smiled at his uncle and hugged his cousin who apparently came to meet them after learning about the fiasco. Once a friends, today Shyam Chand Hooda and Kuldeep Singh are an arch rivals now. One etrayal, one death and everything changed between the families, once friends and supporters of each other became thirsty for each other blood.

"Dono bacche kaise hai Raman?"

"Critical but Sarika ko ventilator pe rakha hai mamaji. Papa bhi abhi aate hi honge." Raman didn't even finished his words when he found his father coming running towards him accompanied along his uncle. His uncle is an educated yet a village man who mostly lived and spent his life from the hustle bustle of the city. He handover his son life and future to his elder brother and he had never seen him worried until today.

"Beta! Save my kids. Rohit is too young to live without his mother."

"Don't worry chacha ji. Doctors are doing there work." Raman rubbed back of the old man himself sick worried for his brother and his wife. Ishita too joined them, and they remained stood together in the unity in the hope of listening some good news.