Abhira Off-Tracks: Short Stories

The Fate's Lesson - Part 12

Sorry for being super late! I had fallen sick because I had a truckload of work for the last ten days. *sigh*

Recap - Akshara, in her drugged state of mind and a wounded body, poured her heart out to an exasperated Abhimanyu in the midst of the riots. And while Kairav found his moment of repentance for never tapping into his little sister's feelings, Jiya on the other hand caught hold of Ruby. Ruby, however, outsmarted the police at the last moment, shot Jiya in the leg and disappeared from their sight, only to come face to face with Akshara in Abhimanyu's arms as he tended her wounds.

In the turn of events, Ruby ended up shooting Akshara near the nape of her neck. And while Ruby was caught and taken away by the police, Akshara could only stare in absolute déjà vu of the events unfolding in front of her. It was Gautam in Jiya's lap the same morning and by the dusk, there sat Abhimanyu, with Akshara's head on his lap, while she bled profusely. Akshara could only laugh at her fate, for she learnt the fate's lesson only when death stood at her door, ready to take her away. 

And her biggest regret? 

Not being able to tell Abhimanyu that she loved him too.

~ Because death is the only thing that could've ever kept him from her. ~

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Abhimanyu placed Akshara on the stretcher while Kairav had placed his kerchief on the wound to reduce the excessive blood flow. The stretcher was rolled inside the ambulance van and Abhimanyu, Kairav and Vansh sat inside before the van sped out of the scene.

Abhimanyu was about to put on her the oxygen mask to steady her breathing but to his horror, Akshara had stopped responding.

"Akshara? Akshu? AKSHU!" Abhi tapped her cheeks and checked her pulse, "Utho! You can't sink! NO!" He ordered, "Bahot shauk haina meri jaan bachane ka? I swear agar tumne aankhein nahi kholi... toh main woh kar dunga jo tumne sapne mein bhi nahi socha hoga."

Abhimanyu sighed in relief as Akshara furrowed her brows, let out a painful groan and struggled to open her eyes. Kairav's phone had been continuously ringing, and he finally picked it up only to have a thousand questions bombarded back at him. Akshara lifted her trembling hand to remove her mask, and Kairav immediately threw the phone aside, unknowingly leaving their family to be a mute spectator to all that Akshara was about to say.

"Aa... Ab..Abhi..."

Akshara was adamant on throwing away anything that stopped her from speaking her heart out today. Abhi placed his palm behind her head and tried to make her wear the mask, but she outright refused.

"Akshu kya zid hai? Takleef ho rahi hai tumhe, please pehno isey."
His crying voice coaxed her in the softest tone he ever spoke in, but Akshara had a lot to say before her senses gave up on her.

"Subah... kk-koi isi tarha..."

"Chup." Abhi scolded her. "Akshu... Don't strain your neck na baba. Ek... ek baar treatment... woh ho jaaye na," he wiped his tears and forcibly put the mask over her nose and mouth, "mujhse jj-jitni baatein karni hai tumhe, tum karna." He donned a pair of hand gloves and started cleaning the wound on her forehead, "Mm-main... main sab sununga, promise."

Akshara breathed harder into the oxygen mask while Abhimanyu bit his lip to not let a sob reach her ears. But Akshara pulled the mask down.

"Bol lene do Abhi!" Akshara said in a breath, "Kyunki subah ko... koi... maut ke darwaze pe khada tha... meri tarha," she looked into Abhi's swollen eyes, "au..aur mujh jaisi koi thi..." she clutched his arm, "tumhari jagah, ap..apne pyaar ka... sar godh mein... liye hue."