Not Her

31. Big decisions ...

A choked sob escaped past Khusi's throat as her eyes raked over her messed house. Furniture broken down to splinters, curtains slashed, pieces of glass lying all around the floor, it was a huge mess.

"Yes, send back up and an ambulance. Man down."

After a thorough check up by Abhay, he allowed Khusi to enter inside the house, which was utterly destroyed. No sane human could dare to live there.

Khusi's throat tightened as she tried to swallow down a painful lump, but it was too hard for her. Blow after blow had weakened her resolve. She finally succumbed to the forces and sank down on the ground, breathing heavily.

Abhay, who was standing outside, keeping an eye around the house, ran inside as soon as he saw Khusi sitting on the ground and taking heavy breaths.

"Madam ji, madam ji!" Abhay sat on his haunches and grabbed Khusi's shoulder, shaking her slightly to break her daze, but it was futile. She was gone too far.

Khusi's stomach churned and her chest constricted. The flow of air in her lungs was cut off as she cried, looking around the house. Her sanctuary was down, and she couldn't come to terms with that.

"I ... my ... " Khusi tried to rub her chest. It was turning painful with every passing second. Her line of vision turned blurry. She couldn't breath, couldn't see properly.

Abhay's eyes widened as he realized that Khusi was having a panic attack. He swiftly cupped Khusi's face softly and whispered, "Khusi, look into my eyes. Everything is okay. Relax."

Khusi, whose eyes were wildly roaming around the foyer till now, stilled at Abhay's. His lips were moving but Khusi couldn't figure out his words for a few seconds.

"Yes, breathe. Slowly." After a few seconds she could finally hear what he was saying, as warmth seeped into her through his calloused palms resting on her face.

"Just like that. In and out." .

Abhay's words pulled Khusi out of the dark abyss she was about to fall in, her vision clearing and the pain in chest diminished. Oxygen supply in her lungs returned to normal, Khusi's breaths turning slow but steady.

"The ... the house ... my ...," A sob left Khusi's mouth and her face scrunched up in grief, her shoulders shagged. She wailed her heart out, spittle running down her nose.

Abhay softly rubbed her back, and grabbed a bottle of water which was lying on the floor, passing it to Khusi.

"Shh, calm down. You are safe. I won't let any harm come to you, okay? Here, have some water." Abhay pulled Khusi up, and wrapped his arms around her shoulder as Khusi's knees trembled.

She couldn't believe Nitin Joshi would stoop so low. Or was it even him?

Her gaze turned to Abhay but couldn't ask him the question. Her throat felt heavy. Turning the bottle cap open, she chucked it down, sip by sip. Cold sweat dripped down her forehead even when it was less than 20°C outside.

Sirens rang outside and Abhay tried to stand up, but Khusi's tight grip on her collar made him immobile.

She was gazing at a certain place, where a phone was lying, beeping continuously. Abhay picked it up swiftly as it belonged to one of the thugs, who was now getting carried away by paramedics.

A name flashed on the mobile screen and Khusi's eyes widened as soon as he saw the name.

Nitin Sir : Is the work done? You have Khusi Mukherjee, right?

Khusi shivered as realisation set in. Nitin Joshi, the most powerful and dangerous man of the town was after her. She was starting to hypervilate again, when Abhay grasped her shoulders and stated, "Stop! You are stronger than this. Two thugs trashing your house on the order of a certified asshole shouldn't scare you. The woman I saw a few days ago at the police station, who wasn't hesitating to speak back to the cops, wouldn't behave like this."