The Solace Of Infernos

11. Fighting For Love

Dedicated to TheSmileMaker

Before you start reading this, this has probably been the most difficult part I've written so far. I'm still not very satisfied with it. Feel free to suggest any ideas you have, I need all the help I could get.

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Vikram's POV

I held her closer, it felt like she'd disappear if I didn't. I pressed her head into my chest, the rain was harsh, visibility was reduced. After fifteen minutes of this heedless searching, and not finding anything, it was frustrating.

Mish's condition was worsening. The more she was trying to be strong for me, the more difficult it was getting for me to breathe. She wouldn't be able to hold on for long, neither would I.

I felt her palm on my jaw, her body temperature, she was burning. "I know I'm hot, but still, ask your heart to slow down, it's scary." She whispered in my ear, I felt a shiver run down my back. I looked down meeting her eyes, they were serene, with not an ounce of fear. I chuckled.

"You sure are your father's daughter." Her lips wobbled, she blinked to keep her tears at the bay and smiled at me. I could detect the pain behind it but it still calmed my nerves.

The woman in your arms is far more strong than you give her credit for, she's kept up for this long with you.

And she'll have to, I'm not going to let her go. I wouldn't. I paced up.

I heard something, awfully similar to people bickering. I tracked the noises, silent on my feet, to find a bunch of people, they looked decent.

"Hey man, are you alright?" One of them asked, they looked tense, but at this point, all I bothered about was the woman in my arms.

"This lady here is poisoned. She needs medical assistance." It was hard to talk, of the rain, running, and fear.

"Mahir, get a stretcher, get the van ready, we have an emergency." The man jumped into action. "How did she get venom in her system?"

"Spider bite, are you a professional?" A few people came to get Mish, with a stretcher and a blanket, I secured her to my chest, glaring at the man, he immediately backed off. Mish started to shiver, I laid her on the stretcher, covering her in the blanket. She held my hand.

"Hold on for me, Mish." I clutched her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Sir, I'm Dr. Keshav Chopra, we are from AIIMS, here to study the, what are you-- sir?" I pulled him by his collar, "Sir I understand—" I held his collar tightly, his feet barely on the ground.

"Your ID." He showed me his ID. After making sure it was authenticated, I let the doctor check her wound.

"It's bad, the poison was strong, indeed." He met my eyes."I-I mean we have to rush. We need you to identify the spider, to get the antivenom. Would you be able to recognize it, sir?" I nodded curtly.

I recognized the one that poisoned Mish, the doctor paled, my hands started to shake, in fury, anguish. He gulped, started walking to the van, I did too. "How long since she bit?" He wiped the raindrops off his forehead. Mish was carried to the van.

"Almost 24 minutes," I affirmed, checking my watch. He nodded, instructing his coworkers. I held Mish's hand, the doctors had injected her unconscious. "Where are you headed to?"

"To a government hospital in a village nearby. My team is waiting there. Don't worry, you found us in time, if we treat her before the poison reaches any of her vitals, She'd be fine."

His statement agitated me, to no end. "What, do you mean by it?" I glared at the middle-aged doctor.

"With all due respect, sir, you have to calm down. We will try our best." His gaze pinned down at Mish.

Her face was pale, lips turning a frightening shade of blue. How I wished, she'd smile at me, hold my hand, silently tell me, how all of this would turn out to be okay.

Hell, I wanted her to blabber, like she would if she had been there when I threatened the doctor, anything but this deadly silence.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, I looked at the doctor, blankly. "She'll be fine." I nodded, hoping he was right.

"Give me your phone." I dialed his number, he picked up on the first ring.

"Hello?" I inhaled sharply. "Vikram? Is it you?"

"Sir." He sighed. "Are you okay, the both of you? Vikram?"

"Mish was poisoned." There, I failed the person, I've always looked up to.

"Send me the location." He disconnected. I sent him the location of the hospital we were headed to.

"Deal with the documentation, we'll start her treatment." The doctor, fast on his feet, entered the OT.

I did the forms and other required formalities, waiting outside the OT. It'd been half an hour, still no news.

The doctor came out, I rushed to him. "How is she?"

"Still critical, although we have injected antivenom in her system, she isn't responding. We don't have enough equipment here, I'm afraid she doesn't have enough time, to be referred elsewhere."

That was when the last thread broke, I slammed the pathetic excuse of the doctor against the wall, my fingers digging in his throat. I saw red.

"Killing him won't do any good to her." I turned to look at him. He rested his hand on my shoulder. "My daughter needs you, better get your shit together."

With that, he turned and started to get the procedure started. The doctor was taken to be tended to. I raced down the hallway.

Mish was airlifted to Kolkata, Mr. Roy had it all planned, I contacted the medical faculty and informed them about Mish's condition.

When we gained the hospital, the personnel assigned Mish's case was set to go.

I was pacing down the hallway, to get the prescriptions when I ran into Maa and Mrs. Roy.

"Vikram." Maa sighed in relief, she joined her hands in silent prayer. Both their eyes filled with tears.

"Where is she?" Mrs. Roy said under her breath. I led them both to the OT.

"Mr. Roy, Mr. Malhotra." The doctor operating on Mish called out.

"How's my daughter, doctor, is she okay?" Mrs. Roy rushed to him.

"Patient's out of danger, but she's still critical, we shall have to keep her under observation, for a week." The doctor left.

"You promised to keep my daughter safe!" Mrs. Roy approached me, "This has gone too far." She slapped me, sobbing hard, my fists tightened, head bowed, ashamed.

"My daughter loved you, and you... all you've ever done is put her life in danger. But it ends here."

"Sanjana," Mr. Roy clasped her shoulders. "it's not your place to decide that."

"It's my daughter's life we're discussing here. She'll never be happy with you. Just go, please." She pressed her palms.

"Please let her be, I beg of you, Vikram."

I turned and left. She's right all I've ever caused Mish is pain. And it's time it ends.

"Vikram, you know she doesn't mean it." Maa held my arms.

"We both know, it's true, Maa." I pulled back.

"That's it, you're leaving, you won't even fight for it."

"I won't give up without a fight, Maa." I held her gaze. "But this time I'll fight the right person."

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Finally, it's done. How did you like Vikram's side of the story? Was it justified?

Who do you think he is?

Thank you for reading, stay safe, stay in. ♥