Undying Love |✔

Chapter 51- The Tag Game

The bullet twisted and writhed in my arm whenever the muscles around it moved. It felt like an invisible fire had exploded in the region the bullet was stuck, and it was burning with so much intensity, I thought I'll have to cut off my arm if it wasn't taken out soon.

Although Sam had tied a scrap of dirty cotton cloth tightly around my upper arm that Amit had found in the glove compartment of the jeep, my shirt's sleeve was still soaked with blood. No matter how much I tried to keep my arm steady and clinch it tightly with my fingers, the speed with which we were going made my attempts unsuccessful.

The road was still full of jolts, and Aamir said I'd have to be patient as the highway was still half an hour away.

Half an hour. I wasn't sure whether we'll leave the rural area safely or not.

Rohini's eyes were glued to the road, and she was clutching my thighs in her feeble grasp.

There was a time she had fallen asleep peacefully when we'd moved with these people for the first time, without any worry, without any fear for her life. It was as if all her carefree attitude dissipated the moment the bullet struck me.

All the tension seemed to catch up with her. She was sitting with her back straight, and her eye movements were frantic, looking at every which direction for any sign of Karma or his men.

This reminded me of our fight when she'd heard about Karma's men running after me too, instead of just her. At that time, her state was of absolute fear. I'd tried to reason with her then too. But now, her anxiety level seemed intense. She hadn't spoken a word to anyone in the past twenty minutes we had been on the road. And she constantly looked at me to see if I was ok.

"Rohini," I called her to get her attention.

She whipped her head, and asked, "How do you feel?"

Her forehead was creased and she looked at me with concern.

I didn't say anything. I brought my other hand and smoothed her forehead's creases one by one. Then smiled, telling her I was okay. Although I felt anything but.

If my words were of any comfort, she didn't let it show by smiling. Her lips quivered and she looked at me as if she was sorry it had happened to me. Then said, "All because of me,"

I shook my head and shushed her. After unclasping the wounded arm from my left hand again, I clutched her hand that was resting on my thigh. The pain had taken most of my strength, but it was enough to let her know it wasn't because of her. It was because of some sick person who took pride in torturing innocent people.

Sam, who had been observing us, spoke after a moment. "Don't cry, kid. He's gonna be okay. The bullet didn't penetrate his bone. It's just stuck somewhere between his muscles. After we reach the hospital and get his wound treated, everything will be alright."

The little speech Sam made so professionally did more good to her than my assurances, and she let out a deep breath.

I smiled at him to let him know I was thankful to him. He waved it off, implying it was no big deal.

"Ten minutes more," Aamir spoke and picked up the speed.

For a brief moment, I was thrown back on my seat. On reflex, I clutched my upper arm.

Ten minutes.

They sounded like a sweet melody. It was the highway I was craving to see. The village and the villagers had made so many people stressed and alert, that I wanted to cross the boundary soon, and say farewell to this place once and for all.

With every passing minute that we crossed another mile, my adrenaline rushed, and my heart rate spiked.

A few more minutes, and the highway will finally be seen. We will be out of the village, and those people wouldn't be able to catch us.