ENIGMA

Reckoning

Meanwhile, Arnab sped down the highway, pushing the bike to its limits as the engine roared beneath them. Inaya clung to him tightly, her face twisted in agony as sharp pains shot through her body.

"Arnab!" she cried, her voice trembling with fear. "We have to get out of Mumbai! If my brother finds out what happened, he'll kill us both!"

"Do you want to go to a hospital?" he asked, glancing back, adrenaline coursing through him.

"No!" she gasped, cutting him off. "Just drive, please! Hurry!"

"Inaya, we need to get that nail out," Arnab said, his voice gentler, the urgency mingling with a rare tenderness. He slowed the bike down, pulling to the side of the deserted road, his heart pounding as he saw her tears slipping down her cheeks.

"No," she whimpered, clutching her injured hand close to her chest, pulling away instinctively as he reached for her. "It hurts, Arnab. It hurts so much," she cried, her voice breaking with desperation. "I can't... I can't let you touch it!"

"Inaya, listen to me," he said softly,"I promise I'll be gentle, okay? Just look at me."

As Arnab gently touched Inaya's injured finger, she let out a piercing scream, pulling her hand back instinctively.

Arnab's breath caught as he examined Inaya's finger. The nail had driven clean through, piercing the skin on both sides The finger was grotesquely bent. A faint swelling was starting to creep up her hand, and he could feel the feverish heat radiating from her body.

"Inaya," he whispered, his voice tight with worry. "This is bad. The nail's gone through the bone-you might have a serious fracture. Please, we need to get you to a hospital."

But Inaya's grip tightened on his arm, her wide, pain-filled eyes pleading with him. "No, Arnab, please... just take me out of Mumbai. If my brother finds out what happened, we're both finished."

Arnab looked at her, his face tense. “Inaya, didn’t you just tell me he’s powerful? If he’s that powerful, he’ll find us whether we’re in Mumbai or anywhere else in India. The second we stop for fuel, they’ll know exactly where we are.”

Inaya’s voice broke as she cried out, her hands trembling. “I... I shouldn’t have made this rash decision. After this... I can’t go back. I really can’t!”

Arnab sighed, regret clouding his eyes. “We’ve made a terrible mistake.”

Arnab's chest tightened, caught between fear for her injury and the danger she was so afraid of. But seeing the desperation in her gaze, he gave a reluctant nod, whispering, "Alright, Inaya. Just hold on." He revved the bike, determination sharpening his focus as he sped down the road, the city lights fading quickly behind them.

As the gaping wound on her side throbbed, Inaya felt her strength slipping away, dizziness closing in around her. Panic surged within her, and she cried out, "I can't-do something! I feel like I'm fading..."

"Hold on tight, Inaya!" Arnab barked, his voice steady but urgent. "If you let go, you'll fall!" The night air whipped around them, heightening the sense of danger as they raced through the dark streets, time slipping away with every heartbeat.

Inaya cried hard, her body wracked with pain and regret as she pressed against Arnab. "I can't take it anymore!" she gasped, her voice choked with desperation. "It hurts so much! I feel so dizzy..."