Nandini's POV
Manik and I were in a lift, with heavy silence enveloping us. I had never been so nervous, but around him, I was always. He was staring me from the corner of his eyes and I couldn't stop blushing. My cheeks heated like a rose petal and I looked down. My breaths were getting uneven, by each passing second.
"His eyes are so intense and captivating", I mulled.
I was getting drowned, when suddenly I felt myself being pushed against a hard structure. It was just the next moment, when I realized I'd fallen to his hard chest, deep. The lift started shaking and I wobbled there. Suddenly, there were weird voices and before, we could realize, the lift halted.
We stared for long, until eyes became the only mode of communication. We stared until there was another collapse in the lift, and we fell apart. Awkwardly, we stood at a distance.
Shit, the lift stopped.
I feebled there and clenched my fist. Manik was stunned too.
"Shit. Nandini, I think we are trapped. Lemme call someone", he said.
I nodded shaking my head, though I showed a strong facade, I knew I was falling apart. He tried it, but I thought there was no signal. He moved in the every corner of the lift, but couldn't find it.
"Umm.. Nandini mind giving me your phone. I've to check for signals", he asked and without saying a word, I tried giving my phone. He took it and thankfully, there was signal, as he said. He dialed a number.
"Hello..Hello Cabir..Cabir I'm stuck in a lift", he went on explaining, but I didn't hear a word.
My breaths were getting heavy.
It felt like the walls of the lift were closing in on me as I forced myself to take a step. And another. And another. I felt like I couldn't breathe--what if I run out of oxygen? My heart rate began to speed up, and so did my breathing.
"Jai Hanuman Gyaan gun Sagar", I involuntarily started reciting those lines, hoping it would help.
I breathed as if no air would ever be enough, as if I were a drowning victim suddenly brought up from the depths. It was getting difficult. I felt like dying. My claustrophobia, had hit me again.
"Mann...Maniikk", I squeaked.
He was on his phone, but hearing me shouting, made him turned. He was rooted, when he saw me devastated. I was on the floor, huddled up until my knees and hugging them. I was constantly uttering prayers, hoping that the lift won't swallow me.
I hoped.
"Nandiniii", he was horrified. He came on his knees and said, "kya hua? What happened?"
I could sense worry in his voice, but I was not coherent and stable. I just shouted, "This is killing me. Mujhee... Bachaoo. I'll die"
I felt my breaths being choked. My throat was burning and tears started trickling down.
"Nandini, tell me. What's happening. Tell me, please", he cupped my face in concern. I could see real gesture of affection and he wasn't pretending to care.
"Manikkk", he rubbed my forehead "I'm.. Ummm.. Claustrophobic"
He was stunned. His eyes showed something different. But I couldn't focus that.
"I'm dying... These walls..these walls are coming closer to trap me. It's choking me", I whimpered.
His face was helpless, just like I saw. There were slight tears too. I couldn't believe it. I was at my vulnerable worst. I was dying.
"Nandini, listen there's nothing. It's just in your heart. You're strong. You're strong enough to come out of this", his words didn't help me. I was crying.
I couldn't help. Suddenly, I felt suffocated. I felt thar blackness come over me. Like a blanket, but not a blanket of warmth but a blanket of coldness making me shiver. But somehow it's making my eyes feel heavier and heavier.
"I'm dying", my words were hollow.
"Nandiniiiii", he shouted "kuch nahi hua hai tumhe"
I couldn't hear him. Just when I thought I was falling down, he grabbed me. Before I could collapse, his hands hold me, as one of it rested on my waist
"I'm alone", I muttered
"You're not", his voice echoed in my ears, before I'd closed my eyes. "Nandini...Nandiniiiii", he patted on my cheeks, but I was too weak to open my eyes.
He started sobbing, I could hear it. He immediately took me in his arms. The warmth of his chest enveloped me. His arms held me in my place and I winced. They felt like the metal bars that could hold me down as I tumbled down a roller coaster or an anaconda that could squeeze my spirit out of my nostrils. His arms were my tragic hero.
He hugged me.
"Nandini, please open your eyes. Pleaseeee", he squealed and his voice touched the strings of my heart.
My eyesight blurred, but not because tears were welling up. Everything became fuzzy; then I saw nothing at all. My consciousness was floating through an empty space filled with a thick static.
"Hold me", my heart said, and as if he heard it.
His hug tightened around. My breaths were erratic now.
"You're fine", he said sweet whispers in my ears, and I felt myself alive.
He cares for me. He does.
~~~~~~~~
Narrator's POV
A huge hustle bustle created and before they cook knew, the car leaped with blood. It was hers. She had lost considerable amount of it. The sight was terrible, unwanted for eyes to perceive. People came there to see, and as one of them went, he checked her veins. His eyes showed it. He came and vented, "She is no more"
"We need to call and inform her family members"
"That's such a brutal death"
"She seemed young"
"Aajkal ke bache humesha jaldbaazi mein drive karte hai. Yeh Toh hona hi tha"
People were talking about her. But she couldn't hear so. She never thought she would die before even grabbing the sight of him. She loved him, but she became an ash.
"Bhaiyaji, check about some ID Proof. So that we can know about her", people around them suggested.
One man went up and found her purse, lying near the steering. It was a brutal sight to perceive. Her face was shrouded with blood. Her body smelt of it, and it felt nauseous.
He rummaged through her person, and just found her club membership card. He checked it and showed it, "Shanaya Malhotra"
~~~~~~~
Hello, I updated again. Just make sure you drop reviews.
If you want the next part, kindly motivate me. Thank you.
