The Touch.
"Sometimes you have to become the scariest monster to defeat another monster. That's not a choice, that's a necessity Ashok."
The phone placed on the bedside table keeps on vibrating incessantly, successfully waking him up. His brown hair dishelved, his brown eyes show the lack of sleep he had and the sweat drops indicate that the nightmares are coming back once again.
The night shift went on for ages. He reached home somewhere around 6 A.M. He couldn't get a good sleep throughout the week, due to the reoccurrence of the nightmares. His headache is killing him. He isn't in the mood of receiving any, any calls at all, until his eyes fall on the name.
Leo.
"Yes, Leo." Arjun utters in his sleepy voice.
"Pihu ma'am has been attacked. I am on my way to some Bhanumati Hospital situated somewhere at Old Delhi." Leo says and his heart stops beating.
"What the hell?! What was she doing at Delhi? Who attacked her and why on earth would someone attack her? Sh*t! Sh*t!" Arjun sits up and jumps out of bed.
"Long story. I'll tell you later. I called Vulcan to get updates on her and that's how I got to know everything. He said he was on the way to this hospital. Sir, he is losing his mind, I have stayed long enough with him to know that in a state like this he is capable of doing the scariest things one could imagine. He ordered me to call you. And truly I don't think I'll be able handle him alone." Leo explains. Arjun looks at the ceiling for a few seconds. He knows why Vulcan asked for him and he knows that the man is probably crashing everything on his way right now.
"I am on my way." He utters speed walking towards his closet.
¤¤¤¤¤
It's a trance. A feeling quite similar to the slow motion mode.
Him running inside the hospital carrying her unconscious figure tightly within his arms gesturing some random hospital staffs towards the other lying figure inside his car.
Getting touched by multiple strangers but feeling only a dull pain, that too isn't similar to the usual one. It's an ache, somewhere deep within him and that's solely connected to the woman he is holding tightly to his chest.
The trance is still there while punching the doctor on the face for merely asking him to stay outside while they treat her.
Or kicking and breaking the hospital items, without a single care in the world.
They could've called the police or tried to handle it the ordinary way by asking the security guards to throw this crazy man out by his neck but the problem occurred when they took a closer look at the insane man standing infront of them, while he was beating the shit out of anyone who is coming even a step closer to ask him out.
His grey shirt is bloody and his grey eyes are bloodshot, his curly hair is everywhere, blood is still dripping down his slightly crooked nose. His stubbled chin has a deep knife wound. Above all he looks like a wounded animal who is extremely unpredictable and can strike anytime.
They recognized this man and they knew even more about what he and his entire family is capable of. What they needed was a certain confirmation.
The receptionist very hesitantly enters the cabin and walks a little closer. This is the first time she has been asked to do her part of job not from her desk but from the patient's cabin, all while the treatment goes on. Looking straight at the man she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before approaching.
"Sir, so..some paperworks are urgently needed to continue her treatment." She peeks her eyes open the very moment her sentence ends. Surprisingly enough the man doesn't react and keep sitting beside the unconscious woman holding her hand as if his life is depending on it.
"Begin." He utters in a menacingly cold voice. His eyes remain fixed at the woman's face.
"May I know your name sir?" The girl asks keeping her fingers crossed. The man remains silent for a few seconds before straightening his posture and looking straight ahead himself, as if he is about to do something that takes a huge deal of courage. And then he utters the inevitable.
"Manik Raj Nagpati."
His deep voice utters. The girl's and the others' eyes visibly widen at the realization that they are indeed seeing the Junior Nagpati infront of them right now.
"Your relationship with both the patients?" The girl asks after taking a few seconds to collect herself.
"The man was driving her and she...." He gulps and looks at the woman longingly.
"She is family." He utters.
¤¤¤¤¤
Leo stands outside the cabin, his eyes fixed at his boss through the rectangular glass vision. Vulcan's grey eyes are fixed at the lying figure of Pihu who is unconscious due to the medicines. One of his hand keeps running through his messy hair every now and then, making it even messier and the other holds on to her limp hand tightly. Leo is yet to understand how his boss is sitting there and holding her hand without screaming his soul out. How did he manage to do all these things alone?
Arjun stands beside the huge glass window looking over the city that looks like a night sky filled with stars replicated on the ground. His heart is still hammering from within.
He has been enlightened by Leo about the happenings that has been taking place in Pihu's life for the last few months. He is still processing the series of incidents and feeling suffocated.
Her unconscious, lying figure is doing nothing to ease his worries. Why the hell was she taking such a huge risk is way beyond his understanding.
Clenching his eyes shut he releases a deep sigh.
"Excuse me sirs?" An elderly nurse in her green and white uniform approaches them. Both Arjun and Leo walks hurriedly towards her.
"Yes." Arjun responds.
"We are about to start the surgeries. Two different teams have been prepared, for the two surgeries that are to take place. Did you get to communicate with any of the family members of Mr. Rao yet? Or are we to begin it without waiting for their consent?" The nurse asks.
"His injuries are quite critical. So, I suggest please begin with the surgery as soon as possible. The expenses will be taken care of." Arjun informs.
"Also, we have sent men to the man's address, because his cell phone is password protected. If his ID proofs have the correct address, his family members will be informed shortly." Leo explains.
"That's a relief." The nurse purses her lips, as if contemplating on talking about something else.
"Is there anything else?" Arjun asks again. The woman looks at both of them before beginning.
"Sir, Ms. Bhattacharya's surgery is all set to begin in the second O.T. but there is a problem. Mr. Nagpati is not ready to leave her side and we can't let him inside the O.T. That's a strict protocol." She says hesitantly.
"Did you tell him about this?" Leo asks worriedly.
"To be honest, we are finding it quite difficult to approach him. He is getting furious. If any of you could.. I mean.. if..." The woman stutters.
"You go ahead with the preparations and please give us some 10 more minutes before we bring him out." Leo says and Arjun nods in agreement.
With that said Leo starts moving towards the cabin but Arjun keeps standing at his spot. Realizing his absence Leo turns around only to find him staring hard at the floor.
"Sir, is everything okay?" Leo asks furrowing his eyebrows.
"How do you plan to bring him out of that cabin Leo?" Arjun asks still looking at the floor.
"I don't know but seeing how he is touching Pihu ma'am and sitting there calmly, I think if words aren't enough we can.." Leo doesn't get to finish his words as Arjun interrupts.
"Don't even dare. Don't touch him and don't think he'll be fine after touching you." Arjun warns.
"But sir, he is still holding her hand." Leo says. To which Arjun looks at the closed cabin door with a weird sadness in his eyes.
"I know. Do me a favor Leo. Wait here or just stand there behind me and let me have some words with him, will you?" He asks.
"Certainly sir." Leo answers immediately.
¤¤¤¤¤
They open the door very carefully. Leo stands at the right side of the doorway as Arjun takes his lead. His eyes fall on the lying figure of Pihu and his stomach drops. There are machineries connected to her body. He recognizes them pretty well. Her entire body has multiple scratches, some fresh blueish blood clots and some bloodied gashes. Her face is swollen. There is a bandage around her forehead and from the doctor he already learnt that she has been kicked on her left leg countless times to make it this horrible.
The bile rises up his throat as he clenches his hands beside him. The rage he feels right now is beyond his understanding.
The sound of someone clearing their throat brings him out of his trance as his eyes fall on the man sitting on a chair too small for his huge figure. His right hand holds tightly onto Pihu's hand and his eyes are fixed at where the hands are connected. His jaw keeps clenching and unclenching as if he is trying really hard to control the surge of anger within him. His eyes look insane and for the first time in his entire life Arjun feels a little scared, scared to approach him.
But he does nevertheless.
"She needs the surgery Manik." He approaches him slowly. Vulcan keeps looking at the joined hands.
"And you know that the more you keep her to yourself the more she'll suffer. Do you want that? Do you want her to go through more pain?" And that's it, Vulcan immediately snaps his head up looking menacingly at Arjun.
"Talk. Say whatever you want to say. Keeping silent will only increase the pain Manik. You know that pretty well by now." Arjun adds. He sees Vulcan breathing heavily.
"I was late." He utters.
"I failed her." He whispers again after a long struggle.
"I FAILED HER!" He growls pulling his hair back with his free hand as a drop of tear pours out of his eyes.
"No. You saved her. You saved her from dying a very painful death. See the truth, understand the situations. Don't let your emotions overtake your mind." Arjun says moving a little closer to him.
"I see nothing! I .... I can't leave her side, I can't take the chance. I can't let anyone come close to her or hurt her. NEVER AGAIN!" He says more to himself than anybody else.
"But you cannot stay inside the Operation Theater. That will be extremely unhygienic for Pihu." Arjun says.
"Look here, look at me man." Arjun urges as Vulcan slowly does so.
"The more you hold her here the more time you're wasting. She needs this surgery as urgently as possible." Arjun shows him the reasons as Vulcan tilts his head seemingly contemplating the possibilities inside his conceited mind.
"A matter of 2 to 3 hours max. You have to do that for her own good. Calm down and see the truth. Please." Arjun request.
Taking a deep breath Vulcan very reluctantly nods his head.
Leo who was standing at the door, holding his breath, finally releases it and a small smile appears on Arjun's face. But the smile immediately falls as he looks at Vulcan's hand that has been holding Pihu's hand from the very beginning.
Arjun pauses for a few seconds before uttering,
"Keep holding her hand till the nurses come to take her to the O.T."
Leo furrows his eyebrows at that.
¤¤¤¤¤
The O.T door gets closed leaving all of them outside. Leo who was busy helping the nurses now looks back at his boss and the very moment his eyes fall on him he snaps his head at Arjun with sheer disbelief in his eyes.
The huge figure of Vulcan has fallen to the floor. He has his knees bent under him as his hands hold the edge of the bed. The veins on his sculpted hands and neck are popping out. His grey eyes are clenched shut and his mouth is agape.
He is striving real hard to breathe.
What on earth is happening?
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Love, Puja. 😇