Seize Her And....

Chapter: 58

Anything For Her.

The setting sun cast yellow and orange shadows allover the sky. The long day is finally coming to an end. Ashok stands at the porch of Bhuban Daktar's house. His tear stained eyes fixed at the ground. The doctor has been very transparent, too transparent for their liking.

"The blood loss is immense." He told Aniruddha, who glared back at the him.  His eyes daring him to speak anything that can break the glass bubble he was building around him.

"And?!" He gritted menacingly while Ashok stood right by his side.

"Even if I tried, my medical knowledge has it's limits dada. Please understand. The wounds are too deep. I disinfected and stitched them as much as I could but the blood loss has made everything worse. Her pulse rate is decreasing, her blood pressure is rapidly dropping. I can't assure her recovery at this point." Bhuban explained and the  first time in so many days Ashok saw the raw vulnerability in Aniruddha's eyes.

The bloodshot eyes teared up, his lips started trembling as he slowly shifted his body towards Bhuban. He grabbed Bhuban's hands in his, Bhuban flinched expecting the worst but the moment Aniruddha's body started shaking Bhuban's eyes turned soft.

"Don't.. don't say this Bhuban. You.. you are my only hope right now. Do something. I can't see her like this. It's like someone is pulling my heart out of my chest with their bare hands " He hung his head low as the sob broke free.

"You know what she  means to me. You have known me long enough. This is Mrinal, Bhuban. My Mrinal. I fed her with my own hands, braided her hair, taught her how to read and write for the first time, chose the best clothes for her, always.. always saved the best piece of fish for her,  always gave her the bigger glass of milk. She is not just the woman I love.. she is half of me, my soul, my entire being. If she is there- I am there and if she is not- I am not. I am nothing without her." He said and looked back at Bhuban, eyes pleading. Bhuban only looked at him with sad eyes.

"Save her, Bhuban. SAVE ME." He whispered helplessly.

A trail of tears cascaded down Ashok's cheeks. He has been with this man for so many days. He saw his strength, his power, his calmness, his skills and his leadership. He is the one who taught them not to break, not to lose hope, not to die before death and now witnessing this helplessness on his face was twisting his heart from inside.

He saw Aniruddha's eyes shifting to the lying figure of Mrinalini once again. There she was lying without a single worry, with hardly any inch of her body unbruised. There is almost no space left that hadn't been slit or slashed. Her busted lips were bloody, her right eye was purplish and swelling. Her hair, her long.. beautiful hair, was cut too short, too roughly. It pained Ashok to look at her more than just a glance. He couldn't. This wasn't her. He didn't recognize this woman.

He turned away and ran out, standing at the porch, looking at the vast sky, waiting for Tashi's return.

"Can you keep her here for the rest of the day? We are practically fugitives now Bhuban. The Mahipal and his men will be turning our houses upside down. You are the safest for us. You are close to the palace enough for any suspicion to arise and you have been the palace doctor for a few years now. They won't suspect you." Aniruddha looks at Bhuban who hesitates and fumbles with his fingers. Aniruddha's stare becomes cold, stern even.

"I have been fighting for all of you for so many years. Never thinking about my well being or my family's. You, the villagers, have been my everything. I never needed any help before, never wanted it either. I think I have done enough to earn a little favour from you."  He says with a finality.