Part 32
She felt a jostle and some jarring. The bright illumination blinded her for a moment and before the scorching intensity could be felt and she could cry out in pain, she was standing outside in open space. The sun was settling somewhere in the west and the golden pink hues on the cloud lining indicated the approach of the dusk. However, the surrounding dense foliage cast a dark shadow before the time of actual dark. She tried to take in the surroundings but the thought of Sameer was still uppermost in her mind. The connection was feeble at best, on the verge of breaking. She couldn't hear his voice and was about to panic due to the unfamiliar surroundings, but a fallen form a short distance away attracted her attention. Her forehead furrowed and she squinted her eyes to bring the image into focus after her pupils were slightly dilated due to the onslaught of bright light.
Unmistakably, it was a male form and she started walking slowly towards him, albeit still skeptical of his identity but uncannily drawn towards him. Meanwhile her connection with Sameer was hardly even there and though it faded away, she felt drawn towards the stranger. A few feet further, when she was totally disconnected, her stomach hit the pit and ground beneath her shook. She fell sinking into a dark fathomless abyss as unmindfull panic gripped her heart. She stopped for a second and then cried out, "Sameeeer..." and sprinted towards the fallen figure, which was Sameer's last conscious image. He couldn't see clearly but his heart knew, it was her and she was safe before he passed out.
Naina rushed to his side and dropped on her knees. Though she had never seen him before, she was sure it was him. He had such angelic features. It could be none other than her Sameer. She started to call out. But when he didn't respond, her instinct was to shake him but just before she followed her whim, her hands halted midair. He was unconscious and her touch almost electrocuted the strangers. She didn't want any harm to come him on her account. He gad already suffered excessively because of her. Blood was drying up around his nostrils and mouth, indicating the copious amount of energy he had expended to save her.
The consternation was confusing her pausing her ability to think. She continued to call out his name loudly a couple times but he didn't even stir. Fearful of his fate, she placed two shaky fingers under his bloody nose without touching him and calmed herself to feel. A second later, a relief spread across her bring coz he was still breathing although the breaths were shallow. She had to do something soon or at least get help.
"Mujhe jaldi se madad lani hogi! Sameer...tum darna mat. Main hoon tumhare saath. Tumne mera saath nahi choda, ab meri baari. Main tumhe kuch nahi hone dungi!" She declared assuring herself more than the unconscious man.
She hurried up and ran in several directions. Every few feet ahead when she didn't find anything, she retraced her steps and searched in the other direction. After a couple of futile attempts, she spotted a black car. From the looks of it, it was a large and seemingly expensive and imported. That meant someone would be nearby. She checked inside the car and also tried the door handles. It was locked and empty but she saw some supplies in the backseat. So, she yelled at the top of her lungs, "koi hai? Koi meri aawaz sun raha hai? Yeh kaali gaadi kiski hai? Mujhe madad chahiye! Koi hai...koi sun raha hai?" She yelled a couple of times more and paid hawk-eye and ear attention for the owner of the car, but only the faint echo bounced back. With every passing second, she was was losing hope and her trepidation increased.
She felt the dire need to go back and check on him. When she dropped down next to him, she noticed that nothing had changed, he hadn't moved a muscle and his face was slowly turning white as plain sheet. It left like the life force was draining out of him, which scared her more. She began to cry, holding herself responsible for his condition and dreading losing him. The sun was speedily taking cover beneath the clouds to call it a day. It would be dark soon and they would be stuck out here in the middle of nowhere. How would she help him then? The thought sent a chill down her spine. She hastily wiped her tears, and decided to do the unthinkable, all the while praying fervently that it didn't worsen his condition further.
