Shadows Of The Stumps

Chapter 11 - Slow Mornings

Blood spattered the walls as Meera darted behind a thin iron sheet, her breath ragged amidst the chaos. Arya and Arjun guided the hostages to safety, gunfire echoing around them.

Frantic, Meera scanned the scene, searching for Ayan. 

 Where was he?Her eyes locked on a masked man in a black jacket trying to escape. Instinctively, she dashed toward him. 

 The fight was fast and fierce—Meera landed a punch, dodging his knife, only to feel a burning pain in her side. A bullet. Then another. 

She gasped, but clung to his leg, refusing to let go.Just as he raised his knife for a killing blow, a shot rang out. 

 The masked man staggered—Ayan! 

 But in a heart-stopping second, another shot struck Ayan. 

 "No!" Meera's cry was the last sound before darkness claimed her. 

 "NO!" Meera jolted upright, heart pounding as sweat trickled down her face.

 The nightmares had become a relentless presence, haunting her with memories of that night—memories she wished she could forget. She exhaled slowly, trying to steady her breath. 

The room was cloaked in the dim sunrays yet to become stronger, and her gaze fell on Ayan's watch resting on the bedside table. 

A wave of emotion washed over her.She got up from the bed, her limbs heavy with exhaustion. Everyone else in the hotel seemed to be asleep, drained by the long journey. 

The silence in the corridor was almost too loud, giving her a rare moment of solitude.Meera sighed, feeling the pull of the emotions she'd been suppressing for so long. 

Maybe the quiet would help. Or maybe she just needed the release of motion. With a small shrug, she decided to head down to the pool for a swim. As she padded down the hallway, her mind replayed fragments of that nightmare, and she couldn't shake the feeling off. 

The pool area was empty, the water still, reflecting the faint morning light. 

Meera slipped in, the coolness enveloping her like a comforting embrace. Each stroke through the water was methodical, rhythmic, offering a brief reprieve from the turmoil inside her.

Meanwhile, Arjun stirred from his sleep, and instinctively went out to Meera's room only to find it empty. His brows furrowed. He grabbed his phone and checked the time. Early. Too early for her to be up without telling him.

A sinking feeling settled in his stomach as he stepped into the hallway. His eyes darted around, finding nothing but the stillness of the early morning. His heart quickened. Meera never disappeared like this without a word. The weight of the past weeks, the constant stress of the mission, and the lingering threat that seemed to follow them everywhere began to gnaw at him.

He checked the lounge, the lobby, even glanced through the hotel's common spaces, but there was no sign of her. His mind raced back to the nightmares she had been having, the ones she wouldn't talk about in detail but that clearly rattled her.

Panic started to creep in. Where could she be?

Back at the pool, Meera continued swimming, her mind temporarily quieted by the repetitive motion. But then, in the distance, she heard hurried footsteps approaching. She lifted her head just as Arjun rounded the corner. 

"There you are!" he exclaimed, his voice laced with frustration. "I've been looking everywhere."

Meera pulled herself out of the water, water dripping down her body as she reached for a towel. "I needed some air," she said quietly, avoiding his eyes as she wrapped the towel around herself.

Arjun's jaw clenched. "You can't just disappear like that, Meera, especially after everything."

She sighed, guilt creeping in. "I'm sorry. I just... I couldn't sleep. The nightmares..." Her voice trailed off, and for the first time since that night, she let her guard down, her eyes meeting his. "I keep seeing it, bhai. Over and over."

He stepped closer, his expression softening as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know. But you don't have to face it alone. You have me."

Meera's gaze faltered. "I know. It's just... sometimes, it feels like I'm still out there. Still fighting." She paused, her voice barely above a whisper. "And losing."

Arjun looked at her, his hand tightening gently on her shoulder. "You're not losing. You're here. We're here."

The silence between Meera and Arjun was heavy but oddly comforting. Meera closed her eyes briefly, taking in the quiet support he was offering. Yet, in the back of her mind, she couldn't shake the feeling that the shadows were still there, lurking, waiting for the next move.

They sat by the pool, their feet dipping into the water, the unspoken weight of what they'd been through hanging between them. Finally, Arjun broke the silence. "We should head back. You need to change."

Meera nodded, her voice faltering as she spoke, "Can... can we go to your room instead? I don't want to go back to mine. Not yet."

Arjun understood without needing more explanation. When they reached his room, he handed her a pair of tracks and a t-shirt with a Disney princess print.

Meera raised an eyebrow, exasperated but amused. "Why do you, Ayan, and Arya di always have these backup Disney t-shirts for me?"

She froze mid-sentence, her breath catching as Ayan's name slipped out. The weight of his absence was sudden and heavy. Arjun noticed but chose not to linger on it. He smiled lightly and said, "Because you'll always be the youngest, and to us, you'll always be a Disney girl."

Meera forced a small smile, grateful for the distraction. "Fine," she sighed, "I'll change. Can you grab my stuff from my room.?" Arjun nodded.

Once she had changed into the familiar, comforting outfit, Meera stood in front of the mirror. Her eyes were bloodshot, her damp hair clung awkwardly to her face, and the weight of everything pressed down on her. She straightened her glasses, trying to compose herself.

"I'll be in the team room," she said quietly. "Sorting out logistics. Meet me there once you're ready."

Arjun nodded, watching as Meera walked out with her headphones and laptop in hand. Even in her exhaustion, she moved with purpose.