Prithvi... [Vol 3]

Chapter 64

"Where is he now?" Principal Kochar asked at last.

"On the first floor," Vrinda answered. "Prit -"

"We've locked him in the room upstairs," Nandini inserted quickly.

Relief cleared the lines on the distinguished man's forehead. "Ok, that's good. You've – errr – You've done the right thing by informing me instead of – Ok, let Dhiren remain in that room until evening.  Once all these festivities are over for the day, I will deal with him. And rest assured, we will take the strictest possible action against him!" he guaranteed, and with some desultory muttering about the necessity to cater to the chief guests, he awkwardly excused himself and made his way back into the hall.

"He didn't seem upset about it at all!" Vrinda said angrily when the doors had closed behind him.

Nishi nodded suspiciously. "I know! He took it so calmly! Almost like he's been hearing such complaints about Dhiren every day!"

She turned to Nandini, whose eyes were fixed nervously on the exit to the first floor. "By the way, why didn't you want him to know that Prithvi was standing guard outside the room?"

Nandini reluctantly turned towards her friend. "I don't know, I just have a bad feeling," she said restlessly, "I need to go upstairs and talk to Prithvi.  You both should go inside and sit in the audience now, and please, don't tell anyone anything!" she begged.

"We cant sit there and enjoy the programmes after  -"

"We're not leaving your side until -"

"I promise, I'll be fine," she averred earnestly over their spontaneous objections. "I just have to make sure Prithvi is okay too," she adjoined in a troubled murmur.

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

She ran up the stairs, two steps at a time, hurtled around the wall and stopped abruptly at the entrance to the corridor.

Prithvi was leaning against the wall near the door of the room from which she had stormed out a short while ago. He was on the phone, talking in a low voice with a hard gaze fixed on the opposite wall, looking completely absorbed.

She enjoyed a second's relief….before realising that the door to the room was no longer closed. With a silent groan of fear, she began hurrying ahead.

Prithvi looked around at the sound of her anklets and instantly cut the call with a last, rather ominous sounding, murmur. He moved away from the wall and stepped into her path.

He cast a sharp look over her head and then looked at her questioningly. "Where is he?"

She sidestepped him and rushed into the room, only to stop short with horror at the nightmarish view of a bloodied human lying on the floor, writhing slightly.

She backed away automatically, feeling nauseous at the gruesome sight, and then twirled around with a white face. "What have you done to him!"