Part 32

She felt a jostle and some jarring. The bright illumination blinded her for a moment and before the scorching intensity could be felt and she could cry out in pain, she was standing outside in open space. The sun was settling somewhere in the west and the golden pink hues on the cloud lining indicated the approach of the dusk. However, the surrounding dense foliage cast a dark shadow before the time of actual dark. She tried to take in the surroundings but the thought of Sameer was still uppermost in her mind. The connection was feeble at best, on the verge of breaking. She couldn't hear his voice and was about to panic due to the unfamiliar surroundings, but a fallen form a short distance away attracted her attention. Her forehead furrowed and she squinted her eyes to bring the image into focus after her pupils were slightly dilated due to the onslaught of bright light.

Unmistakably, it was a male form and she started walking slowly towards him, albeit still skeptical of his identity but uncannily drawn towards him. Meanwhile her connection with Sameer was hardly even there and though it faded away, she felt drawn towards the stranger. A few feet further, when she was totally disconnected, her stomach hit the pit and ground beneath her shook. She fell sinking into a dark fathomless abyss as unmindfull panic gripped her heart. She stopped for a second and then cried out, "Sameeeer..." and sprinted towards the fallen figure, which was Sameer's last conscious image. He couldn't see clearly but his heart knew, it was her and she was safe before he passed out.

Naina rushed to his side and dropped on her knees. Though she had never seen him before, she was sure it was him. He had such angelic features. It could be none other than her Sameer. She started to call out. But when he didn't respond, her instinct was to shake him but just before she followed her whim, her hands halted midair. He was unconscious and her touch almost electrocuted the strangers. She didn't want any harm to come him on her account. He gad already suffered excessively because of her. Blood was drying up around his nostrils and mouth, indicating the copious amount of energy he had expended to save her.

The consternation was confusing her pausing her ability to think. She continued to call out his name loudly a couple times but he didn't even stir. Fearful of his fate, she placed two shaky fingers under his bloody nose without touching him and calmed herself to feel. A second later, a relief spread across her bring coz he was still breathing although the breaths were shallow. She had to do something soon or at least get help.

"Mujhe jaldi se madad lani hogi! Sameer...tum darna mat. Main hoon tumhare saath. Tumne mera saath nahi choda, ab meri baari. Main tumhe kuch nahi hone dungi!" She declared assuring herself more than the unconscious man.

She hurried up and ran in several directions. Every few feet ahead when she didn't find anything, she retraced her steps and searched in the other direction. After a couple of futile attempts, she spotted a black car. From the looks of it, it was a large and seemingly expensive and imported. That meant someone would be nearby. She checked inside the car and also tried the door handles. It was locked and empty but she saw some supplies in the backseat. So, she yelled at the top of her lungs, "koi hai? Koi meri aawaz sun raha hai? Yeh kaali gaadi kiski hai? Mujhe madad chahiye! Koi hai...koi sun raha hai?" She yelled a couple of times more and paid hawk-eye and ear attention for the owner of the car, but only the faint echo bounced back. With every passing second, she was was losing hope and her trepidation increased.

She felt the dire need to go back and check on him. When she dropped down next to him, she noticed that nothing had changed, he hadn't moved a muscle and his face was slowly turning white as plain sheet. It left like the life force was draining out of him, which scared her more. She began to cry, holding herself responsible for his condition and dreading losing him. The sun was speedily taking cover beneath the clouds to call it a day. It would be dark soon and they would be stuck out here in the middle of nowhere. How would she help him then? The thought sent a chill down her spine. She hastily wiped her tears, and decided to do the unthinkable, all the while praying fervently that it didn't worsen his condition further.

She closed her eyes, wiped her panic-stricken sweaty palm on her jeans-clad thighs and with quivering hands, tried to shake him awake stealthily with as minimum contact as possible. This time, she felt a jolt of current down her entire body and through the toes that curled in response. A myriad of images flashed through her brain. She could only recognise some as figments she had seen earlier while probing his brain, and a lot many memories of his current family and friends.

She jerked her hand back due to the onslaught but he was unperturbed. She was glad he didn't go up in flames at her touch but her presentiment was entirely different, unique. It was nothing like ever before. However, ignoring that, she tried to jarr him again, also calling out his name simultaneously. He didn't respond even after a few tries but she heard a jingling sound in his pocket. Her eyes darted to the spot and she saw something like a silver metal jutting out.

She gazed back to his closed eyes and then making a decision, extended her hand and gripped the end of the metal and pulled it out slowly without touching anywhere. It was a very foreign but a very intimate gesture for her, but given that Sameer's life was at stake, she put all her tribulations aside. Finally, the whole thing pulled free of his pocket and it came out to be a key ring. The bunch had a few small and large keys, but one among them was the largest and quite different. She singled it out and identified the same black-blue-white logo aa on the car a few meters away. Realization dawned on her and she got up haggardly, cursing herself all the way sprinting back to the car. "Tu bhi na ek number ki budhdhu hai Naina. Sameer yahan uddke thode hi aaya hoga. Aise jungle wale ilaake mein apni gaadi lekar hi aaya hoga na. Usne bataya tha na ki uske paas gaadi hai. Bekaar itna samay barbaad kar diya".

Since it was an imported car, there was no keyhole on the driver side. She was lost for a second before noticing some lock symbols on the buttons of the key. She skeptically pressed one and the car flashed lights, made a hum music before the doors clicked open. She had seen imported cars in Mumbai but never been so close to any or experienced it first hand. Putting the thoughts or marvel on the back burner, she immediately opened the back door, grabbed the first aid kit and the two water bottles and hurried back. She rapidly opened a water bottle and sprinkled some water on his face. No response, no stirring. She emptied almost half the bottle, wetting his shirt on the front and shoulders as well as the dried blood. She quickly tore a pack of gauze and cleaned up all the blood. Thankfully, he wasn't bleeding anymore. But nothing woke him up. So, she tried to hold his head up and make him drink some water but he didn't gulp any and it streamed down from his mouth to the neck, further wetting his shirt. It was getting darker and she was panicking. No matter what she tried, Sameer wasn't waking up. It was like he was in a coma where he couldn't hear or feel anything. She had no clue what to do. The thought of losing him tore her insides and tears started leaking out of her clear eyes.

She continued gazing at him with overwhelming feelings, praying continuously for a miracle. Amidst all the panic and grief, she had failed to notice that faint light emanating from his chest. Now that the sun was not in sight, and a gray melancholy had settled around her, she spotted a ray forming a halo on his shirt. She gripped the seams of his shirt dubiously, wanting to examine the source, but paused a couple of times before mustering the courage to act on it. Finally, she held the seam of the shirt lightly and slowly moved it aside only enough to expose the source of emanating light.

She gasped at what met her eye. It was an eye-shaped tatto, more like a birthmark and it was glowing such that it was almost starting to leave a mark, further embossing it on his skin, like branding someone with a hot poker. She couldn't imagine if this also pained or troubled him. He had never mentioned anything about it, he only talked about the light lavender fragrance he could inhale when connected to her. He liked to say that it was her essence and it energised him, and he felt ill at ease if disconnected from her.

Out of its own volition, she reached out slowly and her palm, hesitant at first, covered the birthmark. The light diminished and glowed off leaving behind only the original mark. She let her hand linger for a moment longer, unsure what effect had touch had caused and why the light vanished. She only hoped she had soothed his burn.

Just when she was about to remove her hand, Sameer opened his eyes suddenly and in a raspy breath muttered "Naina". And before she could remove her hand back, he grasped it in position by covering the back of her warm palm with his large cold hand. He turned his head, blinked several times to bring her in focus, then smiled at the angel of his heart. She smiled through misty eyes and tear-streaked face. But it conveyed the relief that she let out in a whoosh of deep breath. She thanked her stars for returning him to her and though both had a zillion questions, he sat up slowly, still not letting go and clutching her hand firmly in his, continued looking deeply at each other. A heartfelt peace as if they reached home was coveyed just by eyes. The final hues of the dusk brightened the surrounding gray and the melancholy now transformed into ecstasy. Neither knew how and why, but each felt complete as if a missing piece of their personal jigsaw had found its place and home and their wandering heart found solace. They were mindless of the time as if the centuries could pass and they could freeze in this moment permanently.

None were yet aware that the gods of fate were similing down on them for their successful advent in bringing the destinies of two lost souls together for infinity after an eternity.