Chasing A Pretty Criminal

CHAPTER 2 : NO ESCAPE

Arnav started taking rounds of the cell everyday, he would take quick glances at Kritika and sometimes would find excuses to talk to other inmates.
Kritika indifferent to all of this looked lost all the time, sometimes staring at the wall or looking out the the small window.
During lunchtime she would sometimes look at the trees outside jail boundaries as if her soul is already roaming in the woods and her lifeless body is left behind. Other time she would be sick and go to the medical room.

One evening while taking rounds Arnav noticed that Kritika was not in the cell.
" Where is your other inmate? " Inquired Arnav.

"Sir she was taken to medical room because she was complaining of stomach ache and nausea." replied the inmate.

A worried Arnav rushed to the medical room and saw her sleeping on the bed in medical room , he went and sat beside her caressing her hair just when the medical assistant enters.
He abruptly get up and asks what is wrong with her.

" Sir, it's a case of food poisoning" says the medical assistant.
" I have given her medication, she fainted because of severe stomach ache but she'll be alright when she gets up. "

"Oh ...hmm okay " says Arnav

"Anything else Sir? "

" No" says Arnav still standing there , reluctant to leave her alone with a man.

" thankyou for coming sir , I'll quickly take her blood samples so ... I think... You should go now."

"Huh... ah right " Arnav gives a judging look before he leaves.

Next morning,

Kritika hurriedly finishes her lunch and heads to the medical room .

" Kritika going to the med again? Are you not well? " asks one her friends.

" Ahh.. I am gonna rest in the medical room a little while the assistant runs some tests. "

" Alright, take care and come back soon.. " and her friends leave.
On their way they talk about Arnav not coming to the jail today and Kritika overhears this.

" good for me " she thinks to herself.

Kritika runs to the medical room and shuts the door.

"Here's your gown and hears a phone , Rohan Sir will call you on this number." Says the medical assistant

"Thanks , what about the cctv cameras?"

"I'll take care of it ma'am , it's time for you to leave ."

Kritika changes into the medical assistant gown, wears a cap to hide her face and loosens her hair. And keeps the phone in the gown.

Before leaving she says a final goodbye to the medical assistant for his help.

She calmly walks towards the backside of the jail without catching anyone's attention. Due to the medical gown , no on duty officers pay attention to her .

She swiftly climbs the walls and jumps to the other side into the jungle.
She falls on a pile of dry leaves, all happy she dusts off her clothes and stands up but falls again as she gets a mini heart attack from the horror of seeing a tall figurine waiting there for her.
" How on earth?!" She exclaims looking at Arnav standing right there with a backpack, donning aviator glasses and in casual , someone would think he is going to a beach .

" Food poisoning , huh? When you didn't even eat lunch yesterday. " says Arnav with a mischievous and interrogative look in his eyes.

" How did you know i skipped lunch yesterday??"

Arnav places his hands on his waist and gives a feeble proud smile then claims in a coy tone " Well , all I look at these days is you , ma'am."

* Kritika rolls her eyes*
" So the medical assistant is your ally . I had a bad feeling about him from the beginning."

"No! I paid him to help me with the escape. "

"And?" Says Arnav wanting to know her entire plan.

"And I learnt something very important from you " says Kritika as she slowly moves towards him
" and it is to never give up easily Mr. Arnav " she pushes him to the ground and dashes off at full speed.

Arnav gets up dusting his clothes off.
" Betrayal was never this fun" he licks and then bites his lower lip and chases behind her with a huge grin.

Kritika runs for her life in horror while Arnav was having the best time of his life chasing her through the woods.

After a 30 minute long chase in the middle of nowhere, Kritika gives in and falls to the ground panting heavily.
Arnav who was right behind her ,stops in front of her , trying to catch his breath.

" Why did you not stop me from escaping yesterday itself ?" asks Kritika

" Because it is more fun this way , just you and me " replies Arnav in a mischievous tone.

" What a psychopath " Kritika frowns.
She raises he hand for him to arrest her by putting the handcuffs
"What do you even want from me. Here arrest me again!"

Instead he holds her wrist and pulls her up with force directly engulfed into his arms, while her other hand on his chest both of them breathing heavily. He looks into her eyes with love " I want you . No ! I just want to be yours. " He says while gasping.
Kritika's pupils dilate and her heartbeat increases exponentially, her cheek are flushed and she cannot help but look it his eyes.

Just then she hears the clicking sound of handcuffs.
Arnav handcuffs his hand with hers.
"Now you can go wherever you want. Arresting you was never a part of my plan,
My only plan was to be with you no matter what happens this time i would never leave you alone Kritika."

"You better go back to your perfect world. Mine is never getting restored." Said Kritika tearing up.
"By the way, helping a criminal makes you a criminal too! Are you ready to lose your job for which you ghosted me? And everyone else.... "

"Yes , I'll follow you everywhere you go , that's why these handcuffs , so you don't dare leave me behind, so where are you going now?" Asked Arnav looking like a happy puppy.

Kritika scoffs and says "Definitely, to hell!"

Arnav holds her hand , gives her a smile as pleasant as the morning sunshine and says

"
Lets go to hell together then!
But the devil will frown upon me for he would have never seen man look so oblivious and happy in hell.
And when he'll know this happiness stems from your presence he'll send you away to heaven just to make me suffer without you !
But!.. but I'll still be at peace knowing that you are at peace in heaven.

The devil who could not make me suffer will then talk about us to his friends and you know what he'll say ? He'll say NO ONE CAN WIN AGAINST A MAN DEEPLY IN LOVE.
"
Kritika stands stunned as she has never heard something so mesmerizing in the longest time.
But then says in an indifferent tone " Alright, Shakespeare! "

She puts her hand in her pocket but the mobile phone is missing!
She looks at Arnav in horror.

"My phone is missing! He was going to send me the directions!! How do we got out of this jungle now!?"

" That damn medical assistant even sneaked in a phone! " say Arnav , shocked at his audacity.

" you idiot !! Ahhh..!! I think it fell from my pocket when i was running away. Now what do I do ? " Cries Kritika

" Sorry , about that I didn't bring my phone because someone might have tracked it and that would have been a problem for you .
It's already evening, i think we might need to spend the night in jungle itself " says Arnav in a serious tone.