Because of the delay in their journey; her coach had transformed into a hub for social media enthusiasts. They were projecting their hardships to the world—struggles, which conveyed how awful they all were while enjoying expensive dishes in an air-conditioned cabin.
The disturbing and loud voices of animals nearby caught her attention. Within moments, an earthquake struck—powerful enough to derail the train and tip it to one side—scaring all the passengers out of their coaches.
A few moments later, the coach that Manya and her friends were struggling to leave experienced another tremor. It seemed like it was aiming for them. The train completely derailed, causing panic and fear among the passengers. Each person ran as fast as they could to save themselves.
Seconds after stepping outside, a forceful impact launched the coach several metres above the ground. Manya pushed her friends aside to save them from the fall—led them to fall into the stream of screams and despair as they watched her get crushed.
Eternal darkness trapped her. At least they made it safe. No regrets, even if it was my second year after recovery. I wanted to cook for mamu. Guess he doesn't have my cooking in his destiny. "Ok, I am ready, Krishna. You can open the door to heaven." At first, it seemed like nothing had occurred, but after a few seconds, she could hear the unmistakable sounds of agony. "Hell? But I never sinned."
In just a few seconds, a beam of light burst through a widening crack, smashing a freezing gust of wind at her. A swift arm snatched the metal and effortlessly remove it.
Her heart skipped a beat. "Am I intimidated by a demon?" she said.
A giggle entered her ear. "For all you have sinned; it's time to repent for eternity." A familiar voice announced.
The hand of the shadow demon seemed human but emitted smoke, like it had just emerged from an intense workout session. Right after she grabbed his arm—he pulled her out. She found herself locked in his captivating blue gaze. "What we call a person who pierces the hell to rescue his beloved?" Dhruv said.
She smiled. "Idiot."
Screams filled her ears. Multiple fragments of chaos had divided the once green and beautiful farm fields. Just a few minutes ago, the train buzzed with families engaged in conversation, travellers making the most of their journey, and children enjoying the sights. Now—there was only grief screaming through the names of passengers and tears struggling to find their loved ones. The injured were receiving care from those who had escaped unharmed.
"Manya?" Raisha stood metres away from her, wiping away her tears.
Manya rushed and enveloped her in her arms. "Are you okay?" She brushed off dust from Raisha's hair. "Where is everyone?"
Raisha nodded and pointed towards a tent for survivors. They all were unharmed, except for some minor bruises. Few of them ran to her, while others still doubted her as a ghost; given her survival and lack of injuries from the fall. Some hesitated to touch her.
"Manya, you were inside the coach. Did you see him?" A girl said.
"Who?"
"We couldn't find Dhruv anywhere," Raisha said.
"But he was," she pointed towards her exit, only to find a piece of metal hanging out. The one Dhruv removed to aid her out.
With all her might, she yelled out, "Dhruv!" Hoped for a response. "He could be trapped inside!". Her friends wasted no time in pulling her back when she attempted to climb the coach.
"There's no way anyone can survive a crash this big," a friend of Raisha said.
This only heightened Manya's anxiety and fear. She shook her head. "No. Dhruv!" Her eyes darted around for a glimpse of him. "He was there! He rescued me!"
"He what?" Raisha said.
"It was him who pulled me out of the coach."
Just a second later, there was a sound of impacts above the white clouds.
"Manya, I think you are tired. Just rest for a while," Raisha said. "I am sure he would have made it out before us." Manya was immersed in the phenomenon happening behind the clouds.
"Don't you guys hear those sounds?" Manya said.
"Just come with me."
***
The doctor diagnosed Manya's condition as a minor brain injury. But before he could utter another word, Manya, with teary eyes, saw a strange, massive bird descending into the cornfield by the train's engine. An unseen force called out for her. Her feet rushed to the area of impact. Her quench to find solace was stronger than the hold of her friends.
"Don't let her go!" Raisha said.
With anger flaring her veins; she kicked every restrain blocking her from reaching her destination.
"Manya." Her name echoed behind the train's engine. Ignoring her bruised feet, she lunged forward and right next to the train engine, she spotted him. Dhruv was lying against the engine, bruised and gasping. His gaze filled with a familiar warmth that melted her worries away—lighting up her face with a wide smile.
"You idiot!" She hit her gently on the shoulder. He moved his arm to grab her hand, trying to stand. "Slowly, we don't have a train to catch."
A soft chuckle escaped him.
His white tee was covered with splashes of black liquid. She thought it to be the grease from train metal. He had few non-critical visible wounds beneath the grease. "I-I thought." Tears welled up in her eyes.
"That I died?" Dhruv embraced her cheeks and brushed off her tears with thumb. "I know little about mortals, Ms. Manya. But I am sure of one thing. Whoever they cry for holds a special place in their heart." Manya leaned over and kissed him. "I can hurt myself endless times for this."
While the nurse tended to his injuries, Manya witnessed a faint trace of weird shape formed out of a gust of wind and dust in the nearby field, as if something invisible standing there.
"That's weird," she said.
Dhruv mirrored her angle and grinned. "It's irrelevant, merely an uncommon natural occurrence."
Feeling his head on her shoulder caught Manya off guard.
"I thought I would never see you again," he again kissed her.
"Me too."
They shared another kiss.
"I can already sense my body undergoing the process of restoration."
"But how did you end up there?"
"A child was trapped there. So, I…"
What was that big bird?
***
They dedicated hours in the victim shelter, assisting the nurses in any manner. Dhruv's difficulty in socialising with humans made him feel down. "You'll learn." She comforted him and requested food for both of them.
She was helping a woman into a wheelchair when a commotion caught her attention. Reporters and police officers were clearing the path for someone. "Might be a VIP," the woman in the wheelchair said.
A brightly coloured pink sports car, the same one that was her birthday present last year, stopped by the barricades. A wide smile spread across her face. "My VIP."
She dashed towards Atharv, ready to immerse herself in his arms. The emotional encounter between Manya and Atharv provided an impactful content to reporters.
"So, how was it?" Atharv said.
Such words didn't surprise her, but deep down, she wanted to see him shed a few tears and show some grief. Whom I am kidding!
"It was amazing. You should have been with me. The train, it-it flew in the air a few feet above! And fall straight on me." She frowned.
"What?"
"I couldn't record it," she pouted.
Atharv checked out the train wreck behind her. "Sorry. Because of her, you had to suffer."
She hit her in the chest. "What about me?"
"Have you seen your clothes, lady?"
Since the accident, it was the first time she observed her clothes: dishevelled, torn, and stained with dust, but they didn't appear indecent. Her hair remained unscathed but muddy. She snatched the jacket off Atharv's arm. "That should be the first thing one says."
"And I thought that crash would've hit some wisdom in you. But what can one do?"
"Manya?" Raisha said. She hesitated to match Atharv's gaze and left away after giving Manya a water bottle.
"I saw her father on the way here. Stuck in the traffic," Atharv said.
"Why would a guy who owns dozens of helicopters be stuck in traffic?"
His shoulders slumped. "And you call yourself my niece."
"What does it have to do with? Wait—no!" she said. Atharv smiled. "But they had like 13 of them."
"It was 15."
"You sold them?" she whispered.
"No, what am I, a broker? Few modifications and they become the perfect gifts."
"You are sick!"
"He shouldn't have boasted. You know how much is the worth of my one car?"
"Stop with your 1.5 septillion crap. You are my family, but it doesn't mean I'll believe all your bullshits."
Manya spotted Dhruv over Atharv's shoulder. Her heart raced. No! don't come here flee away or vanish, he'll kill you! Krishna! He was smiling; glimpsing at the food in his hand and saving it from the crowd rushing around. Atharv's possessiveness worried her—before killing him, he would torture Dhruv like a maniac. Please, be a pervert and eye others for a few minutes, please. Please!
She signalled Dhruv to stop or leave, but he misunderstood and thought she was asking him to come closer, so he quickened his pace.
"Not all humans are stingy," Dhruv said. "They give me food for free, unlike those… at the station." He glanced at Atharv.
"Mamu, he's Dhruv. Dhruv, mamu," Manya said and begged Krishna to tear the ground below, so she could disappear.
Atharv's eyes were scanning Dhruv's possessions as if he were a criminal. Even with all those intimidating stares. Dhruv extended his arm for a handshake. "Nice to meet you."
That's my man, don't have to bow to this scary man! Yes. Manya got all embarrassed. My man?
Atharv gave him a handshake, but continued to observe. He smiled. "Thank you for taking care of her."
"Oh, it was a slight gesture. It's a boyfriend's responsibility to look after his girlfriend, isn't it?" Dhruv said.
Manya took a few steps of freedom, but Atharv grabbed her arm and yanked her back. It was the first time Atharv had held the stern gaze. A person who always appeared kind, funny and smile around her—turned cold.
"Let's go," Atharv said.
Her chest tightened over seeing Dhruv standing all by himself—holding the food he was so excited for her to eat. It might have been small, but it was his first achievement in a new place. Her heart was torn between running to him and respecting Atharv. She chose the latter.
In the quick brief between the turn to the main road, she locked eyes with Dhruv. Wasting no more time. She mouthed, "I love you." And entered a narrow path that led her away from her first love, which wasn't of the familial kind.
***
One hour later.
"He's a good guy," she said.
"So was the leader of the drug racket I caught yesterday, for whom girls are just playthings," Atharv said.
"He's nowhere near such kind,"
He stared at her. "That guy from before,"
"Dhruv,"
"When did you meet him?"
She avoided eye contact. "Goa, station."
He smashed the horn button. "13 hours?" he laughed. "A kid challenged the months of mental toughness lessons that you'd been receiving? Wow."
She smiled. "I told you he's special."
"Just-Just shut up for a moment, please."
"It wasn't my fault that the train crashed."
"What does it have to do with this?"
"It wouldn't have crashed. You wouldn't have known."
"And you believe that?"
With a sly grin, she nodded.
He caressed her head. "You'll be fine. I have contacts with highly experienced doctors."
Her vision got blurry with tears still at the edge. "He was standing all alone."
"Listen, that guy," Atharv said. Manya shot a glare at him. "D-Dhruv. He has everything a girl can dream of."
She wiped away her wet eyes. "Then what's the problem?"
"That is the problem."
"Being perfect is a problem? Care to explain?"
"Last time I saw a man like him, was in the prison. And that man was powerful enough to manipulate anyone. He turned a few of our officers into believing that they are God themselves and asked them to do evil deeds."
"Dhruv's not like him. He isn't a psychopath. He's just like you and me, normal."
"You know this from just 13 hours? And please don't say that your heart says so."
"Why wouldn't I listen to my heart? It led me to you." Her teeth gleamed.
"But—" an SUV overtake them. Atharv pulled Manya back inside and shut the windows. "You know I can't always protect you." He caressed her hair.
"You don't have to. I know self-defence, remember?"
He gave her a brief hug. "I know you think you are smart or intelligent; it's a good thought, but you are a kid who still steals my ice cream. I have to worry."
"Don't. Trust me on this, and I remember nothing about my past. It's my first proper relationship."
"It's my duty."
"Why? I am not a child," she said. He stared at her, "Ok, my memory age is 1, but I can handle myself, and don't you think that it's my time to worry about you?"
He patted her head. "Actually," he checked the mirror, "You should."
She saw a bunch of same SUVs that had just passed; following them, with armed professionals on board. "What did you do?"
"Must have found about those helicopters. Just imprint this thing in your brain, everyone, is my enemy. Except you," he said.
"Who told you I am not?"
A smirk appeared on his face.
"I'm driving," she commanded. "And I won't close my eyes this time."
"Then, Ms. You're not driving."
"Argh! Ok!" In just a few seconds of closing her eyes, she found herself behind the wheel. "Just tell me the trick!"
"Not trick. Science."
The gunfire had little impact. Every single one of Atharv's cars was bulletproof. He owns a personal collection of customised cars, but only shared photos of them with her. If not for her—he would have been living in one of them.
With Atharv's stamp, the relationship she was hesitant to start became official, and her eyes sparkled with a wide grin. "Wait!" She drifted the car onto the highway.
"What? Did you get hit?" Atharv checked her for injuries.
"I never asked him for his phone number."
Atharv's laughter echoed through the empty highway, piercing the chilly smog. He pulled out an assault rifle and destroyed the hostiles.
"You are a police officer. Not a gangster!" To her relief, their chaos was free from any civilian and private properties. "Mamu? How did you arrive at the crash site, which was 16 hours away, after an hour of crash?"
"I was in between an operation nearby. Now push that accelerator and let me breath the fragrance of true happiness."
"Wait—I know Raisha," her jaw dropped with excitement. "She'll definitely take his number and I'll from her. Yes!"
Atharv halted the gunfire and sank back into his seat, sulking over the short-lived nature of his intense joy.
"Don't tell me you are tired?" she said. He gave her a stern look. "If you aren't shooting, can I?"
"Yes, only if the person you are shooting at is that Dhruv guy."
"Ha, Ha, see. You made me laugh so hard."
"Well, one can always hope for good."
"Oh yeah? Let me tell you more. We have kissed," she said. Atharv got shocked. "Do you want to know more?"
He placed his hand over her mouth. "You are your mother's daughter."
"I am?" she mumbled.
He nodded. "This won't stop me from spying on him,"
"Who's stopping you? Do whatever you want. We will prove you wrong."
He clenched his hand. "We'll see."
She gave a fist bump. "Oh, you will see."