Thanks for voting 🙂

She glared at him when he hissed in pain again as she pressed the cotton over his wound.

A- ogling girls, were you on the road?

S- it was not my fault, I'm telling you! Stop nagging me now.

A- shivaay, you are not a child. You know I

S- oh please Annika, am I dead already? no right, stop ,ahh!!

He screamed when she pressed hard on the wound. She then threw the kit away and sat on the bed with a red face . Shivaay waited quietly for a few seconds before reaching up for her hand slowly.

A- I can't handle it again, after everything I've seen.

He understood what she meant, there was an immediate faint sigh escaping his lips.

S- it's always about you , isn't it?

A- why, expecting more of me? So tell me now then, what would you do if I just suddenly die?

He remained quiet while she kept watching his face keenly.

A- I asked you something.

He then looked at her for a second before slowly taking her hand to his chest.

Annika's eyes immediately grew wider when she felt it for real.

The beats, they were wild.

' Doctor , The patient is having another attack'

Rudra saw the medical crew rushing in hurry when the nurse said something to the Doctor. He was afraid, leaving the asleep kids behind, he ran to stand before the door of the ward. Tears staged their pool in his eyes as he saw her shaking like a half dead snake, his breath grew uneven .

The staffs were struggling to get hold of her, but this lung attack just seemed to syringe out every ounce of life she hardly had back in her . She couldn't breathe fit.

He fell behind and threw the chair at Tej who didn't care to stop for anything rather he just jumped ahead and came for shivaay's throat. Shivaay tried kicking him off and started running , avoiding him is more important , he knew .

T- you can't!!

Tej screamed and threw something at him which landed directly on his legs for he fell down with a thud.

S- ahh!!!

Shivaay felt the chills when he saw the mighty Tej approaching to finish him off this evening. He couldn't give up, his body was failing though, pressing his arm on the floor he crawled away for Om who just came in dragged him out of the room and closed the door at Tej's face.

R- she, she's ok right?

' we feared this would happen '

R - what would!

' her organs have started to give up, it could lead to failure too '

Rudra was shocked on hearing it.

R- speak like a doctor, help her!

' sir, you're getting emotional and insulting us. Don't forget that it's we who saved the other victims. But she, she's different, exposed to the virus too much. Her own antibodies are going against the medicine, unless and until her body reacts to the new agents we've given... '

Rudra almost lost his cool when the doctor stopped just there and shook his head helplessly.

R- oh so you feel proud now? Those kids there, they saved everyone , not you.

He screamed at his face with full rage.

Om on the ground with shivaay above, both breathed heavily as if it were their last. The other cops gathered there in no time and escorted the both out of that place, but shivaay knew something's gotta stop Tej now, this very instant.

S- cease all the properties from every construction site in this perimeter. I want every piece of iron and blocks and anything which could hold this place closed. Get it done now!

' yes sir '

Shivaay kept breathing fast, still he could feel the haunt of that sight which he witnessed in there.

Om - shivaay,

S- Om he, he is not something we any of us can handle. It's becoming more dangerous. He created

Om- he didn't

Shivaay stared in confusion when Om interrupted him.

Om - I got something to show you.

Shivaay gulped in acknowledging the horror on his face . He was soon thrilled on seeing the video where Tej was injecting himself, a continuous series of the same procedure followed as if he was monitoring the updates everyday.

S- things he could do already , and if he starts thinking like a human... God! this keeps getting worse. We have to block him here, or else we're putting the whole city in danger. And this, this thing keeps hitting my instinct continuously.

Om - what is?

S- he's got some bigger plans with Veer.

They both exchanged serious glances with each other when shivaay alarmed him.

Om - we have to find him before anything happens.

It was already night, the three somehow managed to have the girls fed. Stubborn devils as Annika would call them, indeed they are. If not shivaay had interfered Rudra would have already cried in the process of convining them to eat.

Shivaay on the other side didn't utter a word back when Rudra mentioned about annika's condition. He listened to him clearly and then went to check on the kids again.

He suddenly bumped with someone on the way but caught the person before she could fall.

S- I'm sorry , I didn't

Shivaay remained quite after seeing Leena infront. There was bright smile on her face as soon as she saw him there.

L- Hi!

S- how are you feeling now?

L- yeah , kind of ok now. Just trying to take a walk.

He nodded casually.

S- glad to know you're fine.

Leena grinned showing every teeth when she heard him say that.

L- really? Thanks! And how's your girlfriend, the doctor. I hear she was infected too.

Shivaay blinked slowly and looked intrigued when she completed. She sensed it .

L -what! Don't tell me I'm wrong, I clearly saw it in your eyes for her the other day. I maybe a prostitute but I can

S- mam I think you need rest, let me take you to your ward.

L- aww! What you just said is all enough. Go and take care of the doctor, I'll be fine, go go .

She spoke when he insisted and started walking slowly, pressing her palms on the wall for support.

Shivaay there didn't take any step ahead, he stood leaning on the door for his legs dragged him down soon. He sat pressing his face on his knees. His pant became wet in no time, he was crying.

V-why do you even stay at hostel even after owning such a big house here!

Veer was astonished on seeing the grand huge OM which looked no less than any monument inside as well as outside.

Shivaay just shrugged casually without exactly replying.

Om- so this place is like... Your parents stay here when they visit india?

S- hmm, I hold the keys. They're coming by this weekend so the maids are here to arrange and clean things .

V - I'm gonna explore this place upside down, you're in Om?

Om - yup.

Om replied immediately and both of them just vanished inside the house in no time leaving shivaay behind. He looked here and there for a few seconds ,scanning the entire place.

S- Veer, where's she?

He shouted to make it audible.

V - in some corner, reading as usual.

Came back his loud stretched words for shivaay sighed huge before checking every room. And after sometime she was found, in his room, seated in one corner exactly like veer said, reading something. She noticed him with a plain look before diving back into her book again.

S- what are you doing here?

A- sorry I didn't know I wasn't allowed here.

She replied with a straight face and got up, he was irked.

S- I didn't mean that. We were all there but you weren't seen .

A- you guys were so loud , so disturbing. I was searching for a quiet place and guess I found this fine.

She just shrugged and replied wandering her sight everywhere around the room, for once her vision stopped moving from the pool. It lasted a few more seconds and soon she zoned back in to not gain his attention for staring the other side. He was gonna say something when someone knocked the door.

' shivaay, I'm going out , got to buy a few things, groceries and '

S- hmm yeah one second.

He quickly fetched some cash from his pocket and gave it to the maid. Annika was still staring at the maid who just left after collecting the money. By the time she looked back , he was found at the other side, seated with his legs dipped in water.

A- I...I'm getting late, where's this Veer?

S- on rounds, he'll be late. Come sit here until then.

A- no I should

S- scared I'd push you in?

A- scared of you, Am I nuts?

She rolled her eyes saying this and went towards the pool to take her place beside him.

S- I feel hungry.

He spoke rubbing his palm over his stomach.

A- I'm sure they must've prepared something special for you.

S- no, let's do this instead. Pasta corner, hmm?

He insisted while she seemed a bit surprised.

A- seriously? that street stall ?

S- why so shocked as if it's our first time? We four have been like literally every week.

Annika just casually shook her head when he asked. As he was tip tabing his legs in the pool, she got some water splashed on her face. Holding a hard glare on him, she started wiping herself.

A- stop.

S- what? It's nice.

He did it again for she soon got wet again, and this time she decided to take revenge. Collecting some water within her palms, she straightly emptied it on his hair. He immediately jumped like a frog and stood up.

S- annika!! Not my hair!

There was an immediate smirk on her face when he hollered while fixing his hair. He couldn't stand idle after that, he went straight and pushed her inside the pool. Annika who didn't expect this at all squealed out suddenly and shook in cold.

A- you!

V- playing without us? Sinners!

Before even shivaay could say anything veer who came from behind dragged shivaay along with Om for the three just leapt to fall into the pool. Annika laughed aloud watching shivaay's terrorized face as he was leaslty expecting them behind. He noticed it and deliberately tried splashing a whole lot of water on her, she immediately pulled veer between them who took all the content on his face.

She again laughed , celebrating her clever act.

Rithi- wake up

He shook a bit with a sudden jerk before sitting up, Rithi kept rubbing on his shoulders to bring him back while he crushed and squeezed his eyes to first exactly realize where he is. On the corridor, lying like a waste sack, curled all to himself.

Rithi - why are you sleeping here , on the floor?

S- I don't know.

Rithi - I'm going to see annika, will you come?

She asked holding his wrist which he pulled back to resist.

S- I have to be somewhere else, I can't.

Rithi - isn't she important now?

He stopped where he stood on hearing her complain.

Rithi - please?

Shivaay just sighed huge and shook his head before leaving from there. Rithi felt very sad, she immediately ran back to the room where riya and she were staying.

Riya found her disturbed face and got scared.

Riya- what happened, about annika?

Rithi - everyone is leaving us.

Riya- talk straightly !! You're scaring me.

She insisted holding her shoulders.

Rithi - no... I was scared so I asked him to be with me... but he, he left.

Riya- who, shivaay?

Rithi - hmm.

Riya- god Rithi! We don't rely on anyone, don't you know this?

Rithi - really? You think it works like that? Wake up Riya! Don't be a mad like annika.

She shouted at her angrily while Riya glared hard.

Rudra almost screamed when he saw her eyelids moving. The doctor who stood on the other side noticed this too, he gulped in and slowly stepped back insisting Rudra to be ready any second as she could be anything now. Rudra stared at him in disgust and immediately moved close to annika who was trying hard to open her eyes.

R- angel, can you hear me?

A- Ru ....Rudra

That was a very mild whisper she made before opening her eyes slolwy. And Rudra here went speechless in joy, he just jumped and screamed .

R- thank God!!

He immediately went out and called the girls in.

Rithi/ Riya - annika!

She moved her hand which lied on the bed slowly, insisting them to move afar from her. Rudra understood this and held them with himself while the doctor first checked her completely.

Rithi - annika

She tried going to her but he didn't allow.

R- wait.

' I bet you've got extreme will power doctor...don't worry you're safe. But some tests and organ analysis are to be done first.'

At once the girls felt Rudra's grip loosening, they ran to annika and hugged her from both the sides.

A- stop crying.

This was annika being annika, rude and strict, came her light whisper yet again when she saw the girls crying.

Rithi - I missed you !!!

Rithi cried expressing her fear while Riya just stayed quiet, holding onto annika tightly. Rudra smiled with happy tears running straight from his eyes continuously. That's when Om rushed in after hearing the news, seeing her awake, all and well, he got really emotional . Riya kept changing positions to find a comforting spot and hugged annika.

Om and Rudra stood behind, watching the scene infront happily. They didn't want to interfere .They knew what all the kids went through the past few days. Maybe they weren't very good at expressing things but at the end, annika is their one and only family for all they know so ofcourse words aren't really necessary when true emotions are what it takes .

Her eyes wandered aside on every nook and corner of the room, she then wet her lips to ease her mouth which felt very dry and rough.

A- wh...where's he?

She asked meeting Om's eyes who shook his head immediately responding that he didn't know.

The lock broke open when he hit the iron rod on it hard the third time. He stopped before taking a step in when he noticed something. A huge picture of Veer hung straight , fixed to the wall,anyone who enters can't escape the sight of it . He took a few seconds to stand there and view it before moving in. He ran in and started scraping the things upside down, he didn't really know what he was doing but he seemed too desperate. Shelves, cupboards, drawyers, he was checking everything seriously without even knowing what he was searching for.

S- what are you hiding... come on... show me ... show me...

His mobile started ringing in a few minutes, he picked up.

S- hello

Om - annika just woke up , she... She's fine !

Om had to check his mobile once when he didn't hear him back.

Om - shivaay

S- yeah... Yeah

Om - shivaay where are you?

S- I... I'm... Om I'll call you back.

He hung up and sat back on the couch, rubbing his palm over his chest slowly. Immediate tears captured his eyes and he chuckled wiping them .

' 1 day, 12 hrs, 46 minutes, 34 seconds remaining '

The alarm went on suddenly speaking up some sort of reminder. This grabbed his attention, he took the device in his hands and looked baffled. Calculating something with his fingers he wrote it down and looked around to find a calender.

He was going to mark the date but remained still when he found it highlighted already. Sports meet , this was written in red. Shivaay kept thinking for a while before calling someone in the department.

' hello'

S- yeah it's shivaay.

' yes sir? '

S- day after tomorrow, that is 16th of this month. I need the details about every events happening in the city on that day,especially sports events. In schools, colleges, everything. They must have filed for permits and escort,so filter them out give me the list ASAP.

' ok but I'm afraid it would take some time sir '

S- I'll wait, but do this on priority without anyone knowing.

' sure sir, I'll call you within an hour '

S- yeah make it quick.

She kept caressing their heads softly, both were asleep. When she noticed Om coming in, she immediately distanced herself from the girls and moved aside , he noticed it clearly.

Om- clothes for you.

He left the bag on the table and turned to leave but stopped on hearing her reply.

A- thanks

His jaws tightened when he gritted his teeth hard.

Om - annika can I tell you something?

His sudden loud request confused her.

A- hmm

Om - I don't know why you're like this, but having trust issues is seriously, seriously a big problem. And by inculcating the same in these children's mind, you're doing a big mistake I'm telling you.

She stayed quiet while he tried atmost to alarm her on what's right and what's not.

' sir, I've sent you the details. Only one sports event is scheduled on that day. And it's a huge event sir because many VIP's are invited for the meet. It is to happen at Seed school of knowledge. There's also one article on the newspaper about it'

S- ok, I got it thanks.

He hung up and dialled for Om.

Om - whatever might be the reason, you

He was interrupted by the ringtone which went on suddenly.

Om - yes shivaay?

Here annika looked intimidated on hearing his name.

S- Om show the picture I sent you to her and ask if she recognizes him.

Om looked clueless.

Om- shivaay, what are you... Where are you now?

S- Om please don't ask me anything because even I don't know what I'm doing.It can be nothing, but my instinct says there's... Om please do it. I have seen him somewhere but I can't remember where. See if you can get it or ask her. I'm sure we've seen him somewhere.

Om - ok... Ok

Om quickly downloaded the photo and scanned it thoroughly for a minute before taking it to annika.

And before even he could make a demand from her, he noticed the way her eyes grew big when he placed the mobile infront of her eyes.

Om- what is it annika?

S- wha... What happened?

Annika immediately grabbed the mobile , she had this look of shock and anger in her throughout.

Om- annika!!

A- haan

She responded with a jolt when he shouted to gain her attention.

Om - who is he ?

A- ve veer's accident... He's the ,one who did it.

Shivaay sat down holding his head after hearing what she said.

How was it?

Honest reviews please.

Please vote and comment if you like my story 😊