Episode #7:- Muffled Cries

Sanskar's jaw was clenched tightly, his face a mask of cold determination. Though his expression remained blank, internally, he was like a volcano ready to erupt. The sight of the guns in the goons' hands didn't intimidate him; after all, he led a powerful gang himself.

He stared at the men with unwavering focus when he suddenly felt a tight grip on the back of his shirt. It was then that the reality of the situation hit him. He wasn't alone; he had someone to protect. Swara, standing behind him, was depending on him for her safety.

The weight of responsibility settled heavily on his shoulders. Whatever happened next, he was resolved to protect Swara at all costs.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" Sanskar demanded, his voice laced with barely-contained anger.

The apparent leader of the goons, a man with an unsettling grin, replied, "What do you think? You and the girl behind you are on our land without permission. We thought we'd pay you a little visit."

Sanskar's anger surged, but he kept his composure. He wanted to maintain control and not reveal his more dangerous side, especially in front of Swara, who was already terrified. Although his instinct was to deal with the situation swiftly and harshly, he knew he needed to remain calm for her sake.

Sanskar didn't miss the lascivious looks the goons were giving Swara. Their eyes roamed over her with a predatory hunger that made his blood boil. He tightened his grip on his fists, his expression hardening as he focused on the leader.

The mere thought of them even considering harming Swara filled him with an icy rage, but he knew he had to keep control. He couldn't afford to act recklessly, not when Swara's safety was on the line. Each second of restraint felt like a battle within him, but he was determined to win it—for her.

"We were just lost; now we're leaving this so-called land of yours," Sanskar said firmly, grabbing Swara's hand and stepping forward, his gaze fixed on the path ahead.

But as they were about to pass the group, Sanskar felt Swara stop walking. He turned around to see one of the goons gripping her hand. Swara's face was a picture of horror, momentarily stunned by what had just happened. As the realization hit her, she looked at Sanskar with terrified eyes.

Sanskar's rage flared instantly. Without a second thought, he yanked Swara toward him, pulling her into his protective embrace. His eyes darkened with fury as he faced the goons, ready to defend her at any cost.

"How dare you touch her?" Sanskar roared, his voice echoing with fury. Swara flinched and began to shiver in fear. Noticing her trembling, Sanskar gently rubbed her back, his eyes blazing with a deadly glare at the goons, warning them that they had crossed a dangerous line.

The man who had held Swara's hand merely grinned creepily, rubbing his hand while continuing to eye Swara. She clung to Sanskar even tighter, her body trembling uncontrollably.

"Don't you dare mess with me," Sanskar warned, his tone icy and menacing. "You won't be able to handle the other side of me."

The goons responded with mocking laughter, their amusement only fueling Sanskar's rage.

"Ooo hero, keep your dialogues in your pocket. We don't have any work with you. We can spare you on one condition—just give this sexy to us. If you want, we can give her back to you once we're all done with her," one goon said shamelessly.

Sanskar's entire body tensed. His vision blurred with rage, and his fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white. The sickening words hung in the air like a taunt, pushing Sanskar to the brink. He could feel Swara trembling against him, her fear palpable, and that only made his resolve stronger. No one was going to harm her—not while he was breathing.

Swara's body stiffened upon hearing the goon's vile words. She looked toward them with a jerk, then at Sanskar, her face etched with horror. A troubling thought crossed her mind: What if Sanskar gave her to them? After all, why would a "mere stranger" whom she met just yesterday risk his life to save her?

What she didn't realize, though, was that this "mere stranger" wasn't just any ordinary man. He was the one chosen by fate, destined to be her life partner—her soulmate. She had no idea that in the future, this man wouldn't hesitate for even a second to set the whole world on fire, just for her.

Her thoughts broke when she felt Sanskar's grip tighten around her. She looked up and saw his jaw clenched tightly. Before she could process anything, Sanskar released her and swiftly moved her behind his back.

The goon who had spoken those disgusting words barely had time to react before he felt a strong blow land on his jaw. Within seconds, he was lying on the ground, crying out in pain. Swara's face hung in shock as she saw the man sprawled out before her.

"Never, ever again, try to insult any woman when I'm there," Sanskar growled, his voice filled with rage.

The other goons, seeing their partner on the ground, grew furious and launched an attack on Sanskar. Swara gasped, startled by the sudden assault, but Sanskar didn't falter. He met their attacks head-on, skillfully overpowering them, refusing to let any of them gain the upper hand.

Within minutes, all the goons lay on the ground, defeated. Sanskar, breathing heavily after the fight, turned toward Swara. She stood with her hand over her mouth, watching in shock. But as Sanskar turned, her expression shifted from shock to terror—she saw the first goon, the one Sanskar had knocked down earlier, getting up to attack from behind.

Swara tried to warn Sanskar, but no words escaped her lips. Before Sanskar could react to the movement he felt behind him, a sharp pain explode at the back of his head. His vision blurred as he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Swara's face turned pale, fear gripping her as she saw Sanskar fall. She looked at the goon, who was now staring at her with a wicked smile. Panicked, she took a step backward and tried to run, but her foot caught on something, sending her crashing to the ground.

As she fell, her old wound struck a stone, sharp pain shooting through her body. Before she could even process what was happening, darkness slowly began to engulf her vision.

Mumbai Poona highway:-

"What do you mean you can't find Sanskar?" Rishi (Rishab) roared in anger at the guards. He, along with Karan and RV (Rithvik), stood at the spot where there had been a traffic jam the previous night. Now the road was clear, but the situation was far from resolved. The guards had called Rishi after failing to locate Sanskar for over an hour.

Rishi and the boys had been delayed by the massive traffic jam that only cleared the next morning. By the time they arrived, their anger had reached its peak as the guards admitted they still couldn't find Sanskar.

"Bhai, why don't you track Sanskar through his mobile?" Karan suggested to Rishi, who nodded and quickly pulled out his phone. But before Rishi could begin tracking, one of the guards interrupted, saying, "Sir's cell phone is still in the car."

"Damn it!" Rishi cursed in frustration. Suddenly, RV remembered Sanskar's wristwatch—it had a tracker too. He quickly shared the idea with Rishi, but once again, the guards informed them that the watch was also left behind in the car.

The three shared a helpless look, the fear inside them growing stronger with each passing second.

Jungle Side:-

Swara's eyes flickered open, but she quickly shut them as the harsh sunlight streaming through the window stung her. After a moment of adjusting to the light, she slowly sat up, wincing at the pain in her head from the wound. She looked around the room, which was large but strangely filled with dried grass scattered all over. Fear settled into her chest as she realized she had no idea where she was.

As she scanned the room, her eyes fell on Sanskar, lying unconscious a short distance away, face down on the floor. Panic surged through her, and she hurried toward him, her heart pounding. She knelt beside him, frantically turning him over onto his back, her hands trembling as she shook him, trying desperately to wake him.

"Sanskar, please... please wake up!" she sobbed, her tears falling onto his face.

Just then, the creak of the door opening behind her sent a chill down her spine. She turned slowly, terrified, and saw three of the five goons standing at the doorway, grinning menacingly.

Her heart raced in panic as she quickly turned back to Sanskar, trying harder to wake him. Her hands moved to the back of his head, where she suddenly felt something wet. Confused, she pulled her hand back and froze when she saw it covered in blood. Her eyes widened in horror.

Swara's eyes darted between the approaching goons, her terror rising with every step they took. Tears streamed down her face, and her heart pounded in her chest. She clutched Sanskar's hand tightly, her last thread of hope, but when she saw them getting closer, fear overwhelmed her, and she instinctively crawled backward, trying to distance herself from the menacing figures.

Unnoticed by anyone, Sanskar's fingers twitched slightly the moment Swara let go of his hand. But Swara, too scared to notice, continued to retreat until her back pressed against the cold wall behind her. The feeling of being trapped sank in as she tried to push herself further into the wall, trembling with fear.

"What do you say, boys?" one of the goons sneered, turning to his partners with a vile grin, his eyes never leaving Swara.

Swara's breathing quickened, and her mind raced as she pressed herself against the wall, silently pleading for a way out.

"Her hero isn't waking up anytime soon. Till then, I think we can have some fun," another goon said, winking at his friends. Swara's eyes widened in horror as she let out a desperate sob, glancing back at Sanskar's motionless body.

"Boys, I don't think I've heard her scream yet," one of the goons remarked with a frown, snapping the others out of their cruel amusement. They turned to Swara, realizing she hadn't uttered a word since they entered the room.

"Maybe she's mute," one of them suggested with an evil smirk, sending the others into fits of laughter. They advanced toward her, their lustful gazes locking onto her as Swara shook her head frantically, pleading silently as tears streamed down her cheeks. She pressed her body harder against the wall, her heart racing as panic consumed her.

Swara's panic escalated as she tried to flee, but one of the goons grabbed her from behind and threw her roughly to the ground. Desperate, she attempted to scoot away, but another goon seized her ankle and pulled her back toward him.

Her heart pounded in terror as she felt someone looming above her. She tried to scream, but no sound came out. The horrifying ripping sound of her shirt tearing from her right shoulder filled the air. Her efforts to push the goon away were futile as he tried to kiss her, but she turned her head desperately, moving it from side to side.

Struggling with all her might, Swara found her hands and legs being restrained by the other two goons. The sight of the third goon preparing to tear her shirt further was like a dagger to her heart.

She closed her eyes tightly, tears streaming down her face as a wave of helplessness washed over her. Her body trembled uncontrollably as she braced herself for the worst, feeling as if her very soul was being torn away.

Swara's eyes snapped open with a jolt as she heard sounds of struggle and noticed the grip of the three goons loosening from her body. Looking up, she saw Sanskar standing before her, his eyes burning with a fierce, bloodshot rage. He was holding the goon who had been above her by the neck, lifting him off the ground with an intensity that was both terrifying and exhilarating.

The other two goons lay on the ground, having been overpowered. Swara wasted no time; she scrambled to her feet and stumbled to the corner of the room, her entire body trembling with fear. She curled up, hiding her face in her knees, her cries escaping uncontrollably as she sobbed bitterly. Her whole body shook as she sought solace in the corner, trying to process the chaos and the overwhelming fear that had gripped her.

Sanskar slowly came to his senses as he felt a sharp pain in his head and noticed blood on his hand. As he attempted to stand, the sight before him froze him in place. The three goons were assaulting Swara, their hands and leering eyes violating her dignity. The horrifying scene ignited a primal fury within him.

Sanskar continued to pummel the goon mercilessly, driven by sheer fury, while the other two, who had been lying on the ground, struggled to fight back. The remaining two goons, alerted by the commotion, rushed in to assist their comrades. As one of them moved to stab Sanskar, a firm grip stopped him.

All eyes turned to see RV standing in the doorway with a murderous glare, holding the goon's hand tightly. Sanskar's lips curled into a smirk at the sight of his friends arriving with equal determination. The combined force of the "Great Black Tigers" quickly subdued the goons, leaving them unconscious on the floor.

The three men shared a triumphant bear hug, but Sanskar abruptly broke away, his mind racing as he remembered Swara. He hurried to the corner where she was sitting, gently shaking her. Her limp body fell unconscious in his arms, and before he could utter her name, he heard the collective, shocked cry from the others.

"Swaraaaaaaa!"

The voice was filled with disbelief and anguish. Sanskar turned to find RV, Rishi, and Karan staring at Swara with wide, horrified eyes, their expressions reflecting the gravity of the situation. The sight of their shock deepened Sanskar's concern, his heart pounding as he tried to comprehend the extent of Swara's condition.

Without pain, you will never truly appreciate happiness in your life.

To be continued...

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