Mr Murthy's foot tottered off the wooden log for third time and Nandini had to exert all her might to stop a relentless Manik. She supported her father to gain his balance while Manik's scowls didn't go unnoticed by her. They were running in a jungle to find that one line called border of that damned place. They couldn't carry on their journey in truck as they would get caught in minutes once it went through the checking. Only way out now was crossing that border through dense forest where there was no army. 

"Slow down, Manik," Nandini besought and his pace gradually slowed down. 

It was getting impossible to match his urgent steps. Her father wasn't in a condition to run as effortlessly as they could, and Manik was impatient. He hadn't spared a single glance at Mr Murthy since the time they had started to cover distance on foot. Nandini could sense it all but she hadn't any time to feel awful about it. 

Clouds above intensified with that roar and soon heavy drops started to dance on their flesh. Weather was bipolar, just like his warmth. His hand had this assuring grip over her hand but that assurance was too tamed that she knew how he had drawn the line between her and her father. 

It was an hour since they were running in that forest and she could see no end to it. Her father had started to wear out, his breaths were aloud enough to convey his tiredness. 

"Can we take a break?" She asked Manik amid that deafening rainfall. 

Manik looked back to see her face which had this worry written all over it. He nodded and she smiled. Mr Murthy sat against the tree to catch his breath. 

"You alright?" Nandini asked cupping his face. 

He looked into her eyes and nodded his head. He was being utterly quiet in this hour of urgency and she was so thankful. 

She looked around and saw Manik sitting on a rock as if rain had nothing on him. His face was looking whiter as those bruises were rinsing in rain water. His eyes moved to meet hers and she tried to find some missing piece in them. Something had changed terribly. 

Manik saw her looking towards him ardently as if she was trying to find something. He knew what she wanted to see. He turned his face away, he couldn't show her his fears which were consuming him. He was afraid being there with her beside. His eyes couldn't miss a corner of that damned forest so that nothing reaches her. He had a lot on stake while she was out there. That forest was nothing less than battleground for him where he couldn't breathe a single breath without being alert.

She walked to him and he couldn't avoid her anymore. 

"What's wrong?" She asked baffled. 

He shook his head and started to look around. 

"You are behaving so strange," She said that part lowly as if having a battle within whether to let it out or save it for later. 

Manik immediately looked into her big eyes and he could see this concern eating her.  

He tugged her closer pulling her hand and she stood between his legs. Her eyes didn't leave his as he tried to say something. She wasn't awaiting words for sure. 

"We need to resume our journey soon," He disappointed her by giving her those shallow words. She looked away in resentment. She mumbled to herself how it was not the time to dig him. Before she could even realize, his lips pecked her cheek briefly. He was trying to pretend something. 

 She returned to her father who had his eyes closed as he rested against the tree. She tugged his hand to make him stand and he did. She smiled at his understanding. He had started to listen to her as if she was the only right thing. She looked at Manik who nodded in return. Feet started to move slowly but steadily. His hand gripped her wrist firmly and journey resumed. 

__________________________

Aryan held his breath in his throat as soldiers at check post were checking his truck. He knew there was nothing in there. It was a hard call to drop three of them in that forest but they had to. Aryan's face was enough to make those soldiers search his truck thoroughly as he was looking so pale. 

"What are you hiding, young man?" Officer asked him and he smiled nervously. 

"Nothing," He replied lowly. 

"Why one box is empty? Why are you carrying an empty box?" Soldier asked as he came back to front of truck. 

"That's...th...that's for an equipment I need to collect from camp," Aryan answered fumbling. 

Officer examined his face sternly and Aryan cursed himself for quivering. 

"What equipment?" Officer asked to grill further. 

"I don't know. It's written in there," Aryan replied quickly pointing at authority letter. Officer pretended to read the letter as if he was getting those medical terms. 

"Fine. Let him out," Officer commanded the soldiers and Aryan breathed deep in relief. 

"Drive carefully. Mountains are melting," Officer warned him as Aryan took the wheel. Aryan nodded and smiled. His truck slowly crossed that big gate and he was out of that damned city. He paced the truck so that nightmare ends as soon as possible. 

___________________________________

"Manikkkkk," Nandini screeched her lungs out as Manik beat that soldier beyond death. 

He had gone deaf.

Nandini looked around and saw nothing but a mourning void as Manik kept hitting that motionless body. Horror was the last inappropriate word to tell about the painful lump in her throat. She had witnessed something she hadn't seen ever. She had never seen Manik like that.

She walked to Manik as he kept punching a blooded face to no end. His fury had no bar. It was just few minutes when a soldier had seen them crossing the border and had attacked them. A brawl followed which turned into something which she hadn't imagined. Manik had not stopped hitting that soldier even when he had passed out. It was like nothing could reach his incensed mind. Her screams, pleads and urge; everything had gone null on him. 

"Stop it," She tried to pull Manik away holding his arm but he jerked her away. She looked around in helplessness to find her father shivering in fear looking at that cold blooded murder. 

"Stop it, Manik," She tried again to part Manik away from that probably dead soldier. He jerked her away brutally and again walked to resume his pitiless work. 

"What's wrong with you?" Nandini shouted baffled. What had gotten into Manik? She had asked herself the same question numerous times. 

"He is dead," She yelled and he seemed to slow down his wrath. 

"Leave him," She added aloud and he stopped. Her appalled breaths touched his ear and looked back at her. She was more than terrified. Her eyes met his and he got up. His gaze found ground beneath and silence spread. Nandini's eyes found his blooded hands which were probably having his own blood too. His face was dark, still having those traces of ire but there was this impiety. None moved as they both tried to overcome their own set of rages.  

She stormed towards him to hold him.

"What's eating you?" She asked finally getting a hold on demon which was eating him. He didn't reply but kept struggling with his fury.

"I couldn't let him take you away," He murmured still not looking into her eyes. Her heart ached sweet as she heard him say. 

"I have failed once, I can't let him again," He added and she held his face in palms. 

"Look at me," She asked as he quivered in rage. He wasn't a bit done. 

"Look at me, Manik," She commanded and he did. 

"I am right here and no one is going to take me away," She said reassuringly. Her thumb caressed his cheek as she tried to calm him down. He kept looking into her eyes. Time was running and they had to make a move. 

"We have a lot to talk," She said as she kissed his forehead. 

Turning around, she looked at her father who had curled himself into a ball. He was afraid. She reached him and he took her hand even before she tried to soothe him. 

His eyes darted towards Manik and they for sure didn't hold admiration. Mr Murthy's eyes held fear and flak. Manik had scared him. Nandini was finding herself drowning in a whirlpool those two men were creating. They were creating this canyon which was consuming her. Nandini looked at Manik who was breathing heavily to calm himself down. She closed her eyes believing she could heal whatever had cut him so bluntly. She assured herself.   

_______________________________

Aryan waited for Manik and Nandini as he parked his truck behind a huge tree. There wasn't much of vehicles on road but he needed to be careful. There was no clue of Harshad and Aabid either. Aryan didn't even know if any of them would make it. This gamble was taking too long to tell if they had played the trick right or wrong. He had clearly told Manik how he would meet him on this belt of forest. He didn't know what took them so long. 

Something moved in bushed behind and Aryan jumped in his place. An arm cleared the last veil of forest and Aryan saw Harshad walking out of forest. He smiled in relief as soon as Aabid followed him. He hadn't tasted the fruit of patience before and he had got rewarded in sweetest way. Manik came out of bushes holding Nandini's hand. Mr Murthy followed them and Aryan couldn't believe his eyes. It was like something had favored them wholeheartedly. 

Harshad clutched Aryan in arms as he reached him. 

"I can't believe you made it," Harshad whispered and Arayn could finally believe how they all had made it. 

"We found them on border," Aabid answered even before Aryan could ask. Manik looked at Aryan and Aryan could feel this urge to run to him. He was somewhat happy seeing Manik alive. He didn't know what emotions that was, but he was more than happy seeing all of them fine. 

"Time to go home," Aabid said as he opened the door of semitrailer. 

Manik without a word walked to take the wheel while Nandini too found it apt to take this break to clear her messy mind. She entered the semitrailer with her father and Harshad followed them closing the door behind. 

___________________________________

Truck was on halt for minutes. They were home but Harshad didn't let them out. He said he needed to talk to people first.  Nandini could feel her palms going sweaty as the feeling took over her heart. She looked at her father and there was this abundant excitement to take him out in an air which was his. She knew there would be altogether an army standing outside. This army was her people. Their minister was home and they couldn't wait to ask him why he did this to them. Even she couldn't wait to tell them how he didn't do a thing to harm them. Manik was nowhere to be seen. All she needed in that moment was him. She was nervous. Door of trailer opened and first face she saw was of Manik. He was standing there as if he had never left. Harshad entered the trailer and Manik kept standing at door. Nandini urged him to come through eyes in but he didn't move. She couldn't understand why he was doing that. 

"I have talked to them," Harshad informed as he sat in front of her. He looked nervous.

Manik put his hands on either side of small entering of trailer as he listened to what Harshad had to say. Nandini was right, he hadn't moved an inch. 

"It's risky. They are not ready to listen," Harshad said and Nandini's heart sank. 

"Let me talk," She insisted and Harshad frowned. 

"They are angry and they won't think twice to hurt you," Harshad denied her request. 

"Nobody will touch her," A voice interrupted and Nandini knew who it was. 

"Anybody touches her, I will kill them," Manik stated making it more complicated for Harshad. 

"This is not a solution, Manik," Harshad spat back. 

Manik looked away and Nandini found no word to describe discerning attention of that man standing at door. He had not spoken a word after that savage behavior of his and there he stood making his concern clear. 

"They won't hurt me," Nandini said with a confidence. 

"Except for your father and moron brother, I doubt if anybody would even think of hurting her," Manik remarked and Harshad clenched his teeth in frustration. 

Nandini couldn't understand what Manik had just said. She had no idea about what chief and Harshit had done. 

"Why would they hurt me?' Nandini asked baffled and Harshad looked everywhere but at her. 

"We would talk about it later," Harshad insisted and Manik chuckled. 

"Thankless moron," Harshad couldn't help but throw an abuse under his breath. 

"I think I can handle it," Nandini said and Harshad looked to be two minded. 

__________________________________

Her first step in free air sent chills down her spine as she saw hundreds of people standing in front of her eyes. They all held this illegible emotion in their eyes. She got reminded of time when she had stepped on gate of base camp with her mother and they all had hurled abuses towards her. It could be something very similar. Nandini looked at Manik who was standing next to her. Before she could even convey her need, his hand clutched hers. Harshad had made his men cover her up. Mr Murthy stepped down the trailer and gasps filled the air. Words had started to gear up. Mr Murthy held Nandini's hand tightly as he saw such huge crowd. 

"I am right beside you," Manik whispered in her ear as he took the rifle from one man. Nandini feared what if Manik actually fired someone in rage. Manik walked to edge of barricade and people had already started to condemn the rowdy he was. Nandini started to take each step with a great calculation and murmurs touched her ears. People made way for her as she walked amid them. She wondered if she should believe the air or dread the unforeseen. A ring of protection covered her but still fear was frigid. She could feel her legs trembling as people stared her and her father with utmost fury. She met their eyes as she walked but then she realized none of them had hatred for her. They all were suppressing their rage. Their eyes were fixed on their minister as he walked almost shamelessly in middle of them. Little did they know their minister had hardly any memory of what his one mistake had brought upon them. 

"Go back," One of men said gritting his teeth as they passed him. Nandini looked into his eyes and he seemed to withdraw his fury. She was clear how she was only shield of her father there. Those people were regarding her, that was the only reason her father was untouched till now. She didn't know whether to feel proud or laugh at irony. 

Manik was walking a step ahead of her and his muscles were tensed. Nandini could feel a lump in her throat as she covered half distance. Few ladies smiled at her warmly as if were welcoming here. She couldn't believe how she was missed. Once she had walked amid that mass of vibes with her mother, today she was walking with her father. Only difference was that she was nothing that time and now she was someone for whom those angry people were holding their rage back. 

Silent condemnation filled her ear as she reached the end of that huge crowd, she had not expected such bipolar welcome. They all welcomed her but her father wasn't regarded there. 

"Let me take him," Doctor said and Nandini nodded. 

Mr Murthy hesitantly walked behind doctor into his temporary dispensary. Nandini took a deep breath before turning around to face that huge crowd. 

They all gazed her ardently. She was failing to extract the love from hatred but they were trying hard to convey the difference. Some of them smiled at her as she let her eyes roam. Slowly they started to disperse and Nandini knew how they had endured her father's presence for the time being. She felt this gratitude towards them for not losing the built faith in her. They all needed answers and they were probably trusting her. 

"That was a new," harshad mumbled with a smile and Nandini could feel her muscles relaxing gradually. 

Nandini looked at Manik and he looked unmoved. He was this rock who had ceased to move, he was only constant in her life. He looked at her till her eyes found this content and then walked to an end. She knew he was keeping away, she couldn't wait to meet him now. They were home and now she could breathe. They were safe and now he could be. 

_______________________

_________________________________

Unedited*