Her Choice

Chapter 18

MANIK

My head throbbed and I recoiled back to suppress it. I barely opened my eyes and the blast of darkness engulfed me. I searched for my hands and at first I couldn't feel them making me think I may have lost them altogether, all four but gradually the pain subsided and my brain was able to reattach it's connection. I pulled out my hands but they strained against something cold and my wrists cut into the metal. I am handcuffed. I moved my legs and thankfully they were free. I turned my head to the left to find Nandini still unconscious with her hands tied up in the same away as mine.

And images of the attack resurfaced and I realised we were kidnapped and I had now idea as to why.

We were in a small room which appeared more like a cell. I concentrated on Nandini. Her face was dirty and there was a slit at the corner of her forehead. The blood had dried up leaving a clot at her wound. Her hairs were all flying around and untamed. And yet she looked beautiful to me. My princess in the rags.

I got alarmed as she stirred and her eyes fluttered open. Immediately worry and fear plastered on her face as an involuntary gasp escaped her mouth.

"Nandini", I called hoping that a familiar face may help. She turned and looked at me.

"Manik...."

"Where are we Manik. How are we here...oh god what's going to happen. Manik how did we land here", and she kept babbling all along as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Nandini calm down..... Relax...", but she hardly paid any heed to my talks.

"NANDINI!", and this time it caught her attention as she stopped and stared at me.

"You're not alone here okay.. I am with you and I promise that I won't let anything happen to you. I am going to get us out of here and for that I need you help. Okay....?", the words sank as she nodded her head in a yes.

"I need you to be calm. I can't figure a way out unless I think."

"Okay..", she replied inaudibly and I sighed turning my gaze through the room searching for escapes. The iron door appeared the only way out until my gaze shifted up and I noticed the ventilation hole guarded by a thin net. Bingo. That's our way out.

But it was on the roof and it was too high to reach. We would be needing a ladder or something but before that I need to open my hands. Nandini had stayed silent all throughout and she kept staring at the floor.

"Got a pin?", I asked.

My sudden request startled her but then she responded after a few seconds.

"Yes, I have", and then she struggled to get one pin out of her hairs. I shifted towards her to take the pin from her fingers to mine.

I turned and shifted my body to rest on my right knee so that I could get the pin into the lock. It was uncomfortable but I tried to focus in the job.

"You can pick locks?", Nandini asked astonished and I smirked at her.

"My cousin taught it to me when I was nine.", I replied proudly.

"What's your age now?"

"Nineteen why?", I asked knitting my brows to concentrate further.

"And in this ten long years you had any history of lock picking?", she asked.

"Nope", I replied truthfully.

"Then you may settle back as I hardly believe you remember anything about picking locks", she chuckled and I found myself rolling my eyes at her.

After what seemed hours finally I heard a small click and Bammmm my cuffs fell apart freeing my hands