"I am around Jaguda. Will be back home soon. Don't worry." Avni texted Neil, while she was driving. She knew her husband would be hell worried seeing her escape from the handcuffs in Chamko cafe.
"What the hell are you doing there? It's a blast site Avni. Take a U-turn right now!" Neil replied immediately. Avni's eye diverted to her phone as it beeped to check the message.
"Neil I'm really close to Ali! I'm safe." She sent an audio message just to reassure him.
"No! You're coming back right now Avni! That's my order." He replied with an audio message too; he just yelled.
Talking with audio messages was brought to an end as he called her.
"Avni back now." Neil shot up on the speaker without saying Hello.
"Neil I'll be back, I promise." Avni replied, driving cautiously. The tyres were making a screech continuously but she ignored it.
"What's that screech for?" Neil asked. "I don't know. The car- Whoa!" She shrieked. "What happened?" Neil asked, worried. "It's not in my control Neil. I can't stop the car!!" She yelled, pressing the brake strongly with her foot.
Someone rolled over on the deck of her car and she panicked. The accelerator was pressed too firmly; it was more difficult to stop the car now.
Her brain stopped working. A truck approached her, she made a sharp turn and the car bumped straight into a tree.
>>>>>>>>
"Avni? You listening?" Neil's heartbeat was already dead hearing the boom. "Avni you need to say something." He spoke again, only to receive nothing.
"Avni where are you? Are you even listening to me?" Dd, who was driving the jeep looked sideways at Neil.
"I can't move." A faint whisper touched his ears; and as if in an automation, his eyes closed in anticipation. This reply was worse than the dreading silence that housed before.
"Don't try to. I'm coming. I'm coming real fast. The speed of light huh?" Neil hissed back. He was scared from inside. The mere thought of losing her to his carelessness pained him to the core.
Glass, acting as if shingles, gave off a tinkling sound, indicating she wanted to get the hell out of where she was stuck. "Ow."
"I told you don't move." Neil said politely. No more words came out. Avni wasn't in the position to utter something for she could see she dreaded to see, she could foresee something she had been escaping from forever: death. Neil could sense it too but he was just too mad to even imagine losing his love once more..
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
"Neil?" She spoke after a while. "Hm?" Neil responded in an equally soft tone.
"I'm sorry."
Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.
"What for?"
When it's gone, you'll know what a gift love was.
"Just wanted you to know. You were right always. If I hadn't ever protested.." She didn't complete.
"You know? Grief is the price I've always paid for love. It's too expensive. I can't afford it any longer Av. Stay a little longer.."
"Av?" She asked chuckling.
"Yeah. Mine. You're mine." He let her know.
"Av?" He asked.
"Hm?"
"I love you."
"I know."
"I'm sorry. Should have let you know earlier na?"
"We often end up confessing when we've lost everything na? I love you too."
"I'm not losing you. Just wait."
"End my wait Neil. Or let me wait forever."
"Nei-" She started but failed to complete.
"Sirji there's her car!" Dd screamed on the top of his lungs, pointing through the windshield. Neil absentmindedly changed the gear, the car accelerated, and skidded near hers. He messily got out and rushed towards her.
The crash had the front portion of the car bending very sharply inwards. He turned towards the driving seat, and there was her fair empty hand shining in the moonlight.
"Avni? Reply! Please you have to!" But she didn't and that was the last thing he expected. While DD managed the glass and steering, mustering all his force, he tried to push the portion forward. Simultaneously, Neil carefully pulled her out. Every inch of her body was soaked in warm blood.
"I'm sorry. Wake up." He said, cuddling onto her, mild sobs playing continuously as a refrain.
"Sirji Ali.." Dd came from behind.
"What? Call the ambulance. Please Dd." Neil begged. He was currently holding onto his life which was slowly slipping away from him.
"He's dead."
"I DON'T CARE! I FU****G DON'T CARE DD! CALL THE AMBULANCE RIGHT NOW!" He screamed.
"I am. Iam." Dd responded, terrified.
"Half an hour maximum. They're too far away from here." He informed, scared to face his wrath.
"There's a car..I'll ask them for help."
"Yeah." While dd proceeded, Neil picked up Avni in his arms very gently, placing her face in the crook of his neck.
"Please drop us to the nearest hospital. It's an emergency." The driver seemed reluctant to nod. Neil offered his police ID card to reassure him and he seemed more reluctant than ever but nodded.
Dd opened the back door of the car for Neil to enter and chose to wait for the ambulance for Ali.
Neil stepped in with Avni still in his arms.
"Neil.." A familiar voice, he heard after a long time. He turned his head and drowned in a whirlpool of emotions.
"Juhi.."
