Hi readers 🤍 This is my first story. I hope you enjoy it. Do share your thoughts.
Bombay never truly slept.
Even past midnight, the city stayed awake—through the distant sound of horns, flickering streetlights, and rainwater gliding across empty roads.
Rudraksh Khurana drove through the quiet stretch near the flyover, his focus steady on the road ahead. The rain had slowed into a light drizzle, enough to blur reflections on the asphalt. He preferred this hour. Less noise. Less chaos. Less interference.
He was about to take the turn when something moved.
A shadow.
Before his mind could register it, a figure stepped onto the road.
Rudra slammed the brakes.
The car skidded slightly on the wet surface before stopping just in time. His breath caught as the girl collapsed right in front of the headlights, her body hitting the road without resistance
For a moment, everything froze.
Then he was out of the car.
She lay motionless, rain soaking her clothes, hair spread across the asphalt. As he knelt beside her, his eyes immediately caught the thin line of blood near her temple. It wasn't much—but it was fresh, mixing with rainwater and tracing down her skin.
He checked her pulse. Weak. But steady.
"Hey," he said firmly, tapping her cheek lightly. No response.
The road around them was empty. Too empty.
Rudra didn't hesitate. He carefully lifted her, supporting her head, and placed her in the back seat. Her body felt light—alarmingly so. He slid into the driver's seat and dialed a familiar number.
"Adi," he said when the call connected. "I'm bringing someone to Pan Khuri's hospital. She collapsed on the road. Head injury."
"I'm coming," Aditya replied immediately.
The call ended. Rudra drove.
***
The hospital lights cut sharply through the darkness as he arrived. Nurses rushed forward the moment he stepped inside carrying the unconscious girl.
"She collapsed on the road," Rudra said calmly. "There was bleeding from the head."
A stretcher was brought instantly. The girl was wheeled inside, rainwater dripping onto the white floor.
Pankhuri appeared moments later, composed and alert, already slipping into her role. She gently brushed the girl's wet hair aside and examined the wound.
"Small cut near the temple," she said. "Likely from the fall. Not deep."
She paused.
Her eyes moved slowly to the girl's arms.
"These bruises," Pankhuri said quietly, "aren't from today."
Rudra looked at her. "Old?"
"Yes," she replied. "Some healing. Some recent."
Aditya arrived just then, his expression serious as he took in the scene. No one said anything for a moment.
Pankhuri turned to the nurses. "Clean the wound and bandage it. Move her to a private room."
The girl remained unconscious as the wound was cleaned and dressed. Her breathing stayed uneven, shallow, as though even sleep couldn't calm her completely.
"She'll regain consciousness," Pankhuri said.
Rudra stood near the door, silent, observing.
The rain tapped steadily against the window.
Aditya glanced at Rudra. "You have a habit of collecting trouble, you know that?"
"She collapsed in front of my car."
"Of course she did," Aditya muttered. "Why do normal things never happen to you?"
Rudra ignores it. And suddenly she woke up screaming.
The sound tore through the room as her eyes flew open. She jerked upright, her hand flying to her head, fingers brushing the bandage.
"No—!" she cried.
Before anyone could stop her, she grabbed the metal tray beside the bed and hurled it across the room. It crashed loudly against the wall. A glass followed, shattering on the floor.
"Hey—" Aditya stepped forward instinctively.
"Don't touch me!" she screamed, scrambling backward, her eyes wild with terror.
Her movements were frantic, uncontrolled. She kicked at the chair near the bed, knocking it over. Her breathing turned erratic as she shook her head repeatedly.
"No… no… please…" she muttered. "I didn't do anything… I swear…"
Rudra moved forward, then stopped, keeping his distance.
"You're in a hospital," he said firmly. "No one here is going to hurt you."
Her eyes snapped to him.
Fear flooded her face—raw, unfiltered. She grabbed a pillow and threw it blindly, missing him entirely. Her lips trembled as she whispered broken phrases, barely making sense.
"Not again… please… don't send me back…"
Pankhuri raised her hand sharply at the nurses. "Don't restrain her. Step back."
The girl's voice faltered. Her body trembled once—then went limp. She collapsed back onto the bed, unconscious again.
Silence followed.
Pankhuri moved quickly, checking her pulse and breathing. "She fainted from panic," she said. "She's stable."
Aditya exhaled slowly. "That wasn't normal fear."
"No," Pankhuri agreed quietly. "That was trauma.
"She'll regain consciousness," Pankhuri said. "But whatever she's been through… she's deeply traumatised."
Rudra's gaze stayed fixed on the unconscious girl—the faint bloodstain on her bandage, the tension still visible in her body even now.
Whatever road had brought her to collapse in front of his car…
…it wasn't a safe one.
Outside, the rain continued to fall.
And somewhere in the darkness, a past waited—unwilling to stay buried.
— To be continued
What do you think happened to her?
Let me know your thoughts 🤍
Thanks for reading ✨