cross road

Chapter-10

Pallavi struggled to sleep through the night, and at dawn, she decided to go for a jog to clear her mind. Just as she was about to leave her room, she remembered Raghav's suggestion from a week ago: if she wanted to go for a walk, she should head to the jungle outside of town rather than jogging around the neighborhood. Taking her car keys, she made her way to the car and drove to the so-called jungle.

Once she reached the jungle's entrance, she put on her camera, ready to capture the beauty of nature as she jogged. From a young age, she had loved the outdoors, often recording the sounds of birds and the sights around her to feel more connected to nature. Her uncle had gifted her an expensive camera for her last birthday, fueling her passion even further.

Pulling herself out of her thoughts, she ventured down a narrow path, noticing that the jungle grew denser the farther she walked. After about half an hour, feeling tired, she decided to turn back when she suddenly heard someone screaming about 500 meters away. Rushing toward the sound, she spotted someone chasing Mitul's sister Devi.

The girl's clothes were torn, her hair disheveled, and she had lost one of her slippers, frantically running without realizing Pallavi was there. Quickly assessing her surroundings, Pallavi spotted a large tree where they could hide. As she approached, she pulled the girl behind the tree just in time.

At first, the Devi tried to scream, but upon seeing Pallavi, she calmed down and began to cry. Pallavi allowed her a moment to collect herself before peeking out from behind the tree to assess the situation. She noticed the people chasing Devi moving farther away. Ensuring no one was following, Pallavi settled beside the girl in the shade.

"Look at me," she said softly, "you're safe now. I promise I'll get you out of here." Hearing those words, Devi hugged her tightly, sobbing uncontrollably.

Pallavi hugged her back, waiting until she calmed down. "We need to move. Can you do that for me? Are you hurt anywhere?"

Wiping her tears, the girl replied, "I'm okay. I'm not hurt."

Together, they made their way through the jungle, constantly checking to ensure no one was trailing them. As they walked, Pallavi spotted her vehicle parked at the end of the road, and a sigh of relief escaped her lips.

They were almost to the car when someone grabbed Pallavi, pulling her away and leaving Devi ahead. The girl turned at the sound of Pallavi's scream, going pale when she saw the assailants. Pallavi threw the car keys at her and urged, "Get inside and drive away!"

Before anyone could reach her, Devi caught the keys, unlocked the car, and climbed in. Meanwhile, Pallavi managed to break free from her captor, but one of them struck her leg with log, causing her to fall.

Wincing in pain, Pallavi managed to scramble toward the car, locking herself inside just as she heard more commotion outside. With no time to lose, she started the engine and sped away as fast as she could.

Once Pallavi reached the main road, she asked the girl for her home address and drove to the destination. Throughout the journey, she frequently glanced at the rearview mirror, relieved to see no one following them. When they finally arrived, she parked the car, and both of them hurried inside, feeling safe at last.

Mitul opened the door and, upon seeing his sister and Pallavi's disheveled appearance, his anger flared. However, he managed to control himself and led both of them to his father's office at home.

He wanted to call for a doctor, but Pallavi stopped him, requesting that he fetch a first aid kit from her car. She first treated Devi's wounds,  and she treated her external wounds and ignored the injury she had sustained when someone threw a log at her.

Devi recounted her harrowing experience, explaining how she was on her way to tution when someone kidnapped her and took her to the forest. She shared how she had managed to escape when she met Pallavi, who helped her get back home.

After hearing Devi's  story, Pallavi suggested that she take some rest. Mitul assisted his sister to her room.

Gopal, Mitul's father, had tears in his eyes as he grasped Pallavi's hand. "I am so grateful to you. I don't even know how to thank you. You saved my precious daughter today. I can't imagine what would have happened if anything had happened to her."

Pallavi sighed, saying, "I'm just glad I was there at that moment to help."

Mitul, standing at the door and overhearing their conversation, said, "I will make sure the people responsible face justice and never try this again on anyone," clenching his fists in anger.

Pallavi pulled the memory card from her camera and handed it to Mitul. "I usually record my surroundings whenever I visit a new forest. Everything that happened is documented here, but I have one condition."

Mitul turned to her, curious. "What do you want me to do?"

"Please don't interrupt Devi's education. I know you have the resources to ensure her safety. Until you find the culprits, don't let her name be dragged into this. She's in her twelfth grade and preparing for medical entrance exams, which is already stressful. I don't want her to endure this mental trauma."

Both Mitul and Gopal felt relieved by her conditions. Being in politics, they had seen how information could be exploited by even those closest to them. Yet, Pallavi's unconditional support for Devi renewed their faith in humanity.

Gopal wiped his tears and said, "I am so proud of you. Whoever your parents are, they would be proud of you too. Since they're not nearby, consider me your father."

Pallavi's eyes filled with tears as she nodded, touched by their words.

Later, Mitul dropped Pallavi off at home, expressing his gratitude for saving his sister. "I echo what my father said: you're family now. Consider me your brother. This brother will remember your help for the rest of his life." With that, he hugged her one last time before leaving.

Meanwhile, Raghav watched the scene unfold from his house, fury filling his eyes.