The Healer [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 1 : Wake Me Up When It's All Over

*KEEP THE TRIGGER WARNINGS IN MIND BEFORE READING THIS CHAPTER!*

~

Sensation Club, Pune
Saturday, 9:40 PM

The club was jam-packed with people. It being a Saturday night, everyone — mostly youngsters — had decided to get wasted in a fancy pub and break their feet out on the dance floor. Loud music, crowd's chatter, clinking of bottles, it was chaos.

Moving further in, a group of four friends could be seen seated at a round table. Gulping down shots of Brandy one after the other. Uh, correction. Only three of them could be seen getting wasted. Except for one.

A 25 years old, handsome guy. Dressed up in midnight blue fitting jeans with a metallic gold sweatshirt over it. He had the sleeves bunched upto his forearms and a small tattoo of sunrise was visible on the lower side of his left wrist. Below the sunrise, was written his name.

𝒜𝒷𝒽𝒾𝓂𝒶𝓃𝓎𝓊

“What yaarrr Abhiiiii... one shot wouldn't hurt anyone you knowwww...” - slurred out a girl who looked ready to pass out any moment now.

Abhimanyu grimaced in disapproval. He didn't like to be called ‘Abhi’, and most certainly, not ‘Abhiiiiii’ in a drunken, alcohol smelled voice.

“Yes Maa. I have my thermos, tiffin, and handkerchief. Now can I go ? I'm getting late for school.” - asked a 9 year old Abhimanyu impatiently.

His mother grinned and he knew what was coming. He jumped back to escape but his mother succeeded in wrapping her arms around him. Squeezing him in a hug.

“Ugh! Maa please! You know I don't like being physical!” - grumbled Abhimanyu cutely making her laugh.

“My cutoo Abhi.” - she cooed pulling back and he gave her another disapproving look.

“Seriously Maa ? Abhi ? What is it with people calling others by weird nicknames ?! Such a graceful name Abhimanyu is. Show some respect dude!” - he kept grumbling while walking out of the house.

His mother's laughter reaching his ears till the end.

“Have a shot mannn!” - a guy to his left said in a high pitched voice, breaking his reverie, and thrusted a shot of white wine in his hands. “Start with something soffftttt...”

He shook his head and kept the shot down.

“No. We all know how dangerous alcohol is for our systems. If you don't hold your life dear doesn't mean that I don't either. I love my family and my family loves me. So I'd want to live a little longer please.” - he said sweetly.

And it was a fact. He had loving parents, caring uncle and aunt, two cousins that were more like siblings and a younger brother who was his best buddy. Career vise, he was a successful Psychologist, loved helping people going through different traumas and had successfully brought every patient of his back to life.

So why would he waste all that just for a shot of alcohol ? Which never stays at just a shot. Shot to glass. Glass to bottle. And then tons of bottles until the doctor declares liver failure. Absolutely foolish!

“I'm going to use the loo. Will be right back!” - he said, standing up.

And with that, he disappeared into the crowd.

~

Seated on the marble floor in one of the bathroom stalls of the pub was a girl of age 24. Wearing a black spaghetti knee-length dress, having her long wavy hair wild open. She was leaned against the wall, her legs spread out while giving her undivided attention to the sharp blade in her right hand which she was holding over her left wrist. It's steely grey shine wasn't going along with her pale white complexion.

But then again, when had anything in her life had gone along with her ?

She snorted. Her lips curling in a self-pity smile. But just for a second. It was gone just as fast.

“...you are a bad omen! Because of you Maa died! I hate you Akshu! I f*cking hate you!”

She applied pressure on the blade. Making her wrist aware that something was trying to probe the skin.

“...Akshu you and Aru don't go along well. It'll be better if you both stay away from each other for some time. That's why we've decided to sent you Pune for studies.

But I can't live without you all AG! How would I-

Act sensibly for once! You're elder. Can take care of yourself. Aru is immature. She needs us...”

The sharp edge of the blade tore the skin slightly. The sweet burning sensation leaving her satisfied.

“... I've never seen a girl as prude, old-fashioned and stuck up as you! What's wrong if I want to touch you ?! We've been dating for 6 months now but you haven't allowed anything beyond a f*cking hug! Like you are my granny and I'm your grandson in dire need of a consoling hug! It's your fault! You forced me to do it! Blame yourself!”

By now, she had dug half of the blade in her wrist. The blood was rapidly flowing out of it and she placed her hand on the floor. Boringly looking at the stream of red moving towards the drainage grill. Her blood was looking quite beautiful on the white marble. The two colours complimenting each other.

A tired laugh escaped her. Her eyes drooping. She was finally setting herself free. Free from pain. Free from misery. Free from this world. And would soon join her parents in the hereafter. Oh she couldn't wait.

With a smile on her face, she closed her eyes, and waited.

For it all to be over.

~

After using the loo, Abhimanyu moved towards the basin to wash his hands. He also felt like splashing some water on his face as the club really was suffocating him. He bent over to gather water in his palms when something red to his left caught his peripheral.

Blood was slowly spreading on the floor. Coming from the little gap of the neighbouring stall. Eyes widening, he went to his knees to peek and saw someone sitting on the floor with their back to him but what sent him into panic was the hand peacefully resting on the floor with blood oozing from it's wrist.

“OH GOD!” - he cried out involuntarily and ran out of his stall.

Knowing well that the person was in no condition to open the door, he broke in with force, damaging the locks but those were not his concern at the moment. His eyes were fixated on the girl, seated on the floor. A blade still present in her right hand while the blood flowed from her left.

He pulled out his handkerchief and secured it around her wrist before carrying her up in his arms. Her face fell in the crook of her neck and he realized she was still conscious. Murmuring something. He brought his ear close to her lips to listen :

“Wake me up... when it's all over.”

A chill went down his spine. And the hair on his body stood up in fear. No. He won't let a soul die. He'll save her at any cost. Or die trying.

Making up his mind, he held her close to himself and ran out to take her to the hospital.

~

Author's Note : At first, I had thought to start this story after Laazawal is completed but now I have changed my mind and starting it along with that one to get done with it so that we can finally move to FLAWED. 🥹