Her Helpmate

20. Missing Shaurya

My eyeballs moved like a pendulum in my conjunctiva. My whole body felt weak, and light-weighted except for some burning and discomfort sensations on the left side of my belly. I tried to shift my hand, but couldn't, I felt something heavy on the back of my both hands.

A few memories, which I presumed to be visions, replayed in my head. Shaurya got shot, then I, our kiss, and...and what happened later. I tilt my head left and right, pressuring my brain to remember something. We both were in pain, yet we laughed, smiled, and kissed, endeavoring to subside our pain. Yes, we both sat in front of a big rock. Then. What happened after the kiss?   

Yes, he screamed with pain, and my headache increased watching his pain. Then everything went block...

"Shaurya!" I mumbled and opened my eyes widely. A bright light stung my eyes. I closed them and raised my hand to shield my eyes but there was something that held it beside my body, itself. Then a beep-beep voice occupied my ear and I snorted, getting irritated.

"Saira!" I heard a familiar voice. Footsteps were approaching me. I felt tense. Did I get abducted? "Sweetheart!" My reflexes calmed immediately after hearing my best friend's voice.

I opened my eyes in a slit and asked only one question, "How is Shaurya?" That was my only concern.

He wet his lips and replied, "let me call a doctor!" his avoidance neither annoyed nor irritated me but made me worry for Shaurya. For my helpmate. He wet his lips. Tilt his head everywhere but at me.

"Maan! You are worrying me!" anticipation of something had happened to him, made my eyes wet.

"Sweetheart!"

"Stop!" I warned and asked him again, "Just tell me he is fine!" I waited for his response but all he did was stand with his head bowed down. "Maan!" I begged while sitting up on the bed slowly. "How is my Shaurya?"

"I dunno where he is, Saira?" he replied.

Fear gripped my throat, "What..." I gulped and asked again, "what do you mean?"

He huffed, and took my hand in his, "Last night we got a call that you got admitted to the hospital. You had a bullet, they removed it but you were still unconscious. On questioning about Shaurya, they said, one person in a turban admitted only you, paid your bills and left the moment after we entered the hospital!"

"Dharam!" I mumbled. They cheated on us. Was their intention to separate Shaurya from me? "No! No! This can't be happening. He...he promised me Maan that he will stay by my side, he will never leave me!" I tried to get down while bleating but he stopped me.

"Saira, you are suffering from low Blood Pressure just stay in bed!"

"No!" I shouted. "I need to get to him. I have to find him. He can't leave me. He promised me, he will stay with me. Indeed, he was with me, before I dozed out!"

"Saira, you were unconscious for more than twenty-four hours. For God's sake, calm down, don't over-stress!"

"Leave me, Maan! " I shouted and at the same time, a nurse came inside. She saw me resisting, to Maan. Then left. I focused back on him and pushed him away. He stumbled back. "Don't you dare stop me, Maan? I will go to him!" And then a group of doctors stepped inside with the nurse.

One doctor held me by my elbow and pushed me back on the bed, "please, Miss Mehra, you are not in good condition. Just lay down or else-"

"Let me go! Please! Please!" Something sharp stung in the left deltoid that suddenly made my tongue heavy followed by my eyelids and forced me to lie down. Suddenly I felt calm and overwhelmed by the darkness.