PHIR SE

My daughter!

Chapter 37

My daughter!

"Daddy, what place is this? Where have you brought me? This doesn't look like home... You said you will take me to your home and then we will call Ma also there." Aashi said looking around the old warehouse where Shyam had brought her.

"Aasi, the house is nearby. Right now, I am waiting for someone." He said impatiently looking at his watch, there were only ten minutes left to complete an hour. He was irritated by aashi's questions.

"Daddy, where is ma? I am hungry!"she shook his shirt.
"I wanted to see cake in La's marriage. You know it is her marriage with niall uncle today."

"Stop talking! I am waiting for your kusi aunty. When will se(she) come, so that I can send your blabbering mouth back!" Shyam scoffed.

"Mum! Mum is coming here! Good! Because elephants are playing football in my tummy." she said patting her stomach making Shyam roll his eyes.

"For god's sake will you stop talking, you irritating girl!"he said in a very loud voice scaring her. She was a very sweet child so no one had ever shouted on her.

She started sobbing " You! You are bad! You are not my daddy! You are bad uncle you shout on me!"

"Yes! Yes, I am bad! You want to see how bad I am?"he said angrily and slapped Aashi making her fall to the ground. She hurt her knee and started crying.

He took out his belt to whip her. "Like mother, like daughter! You are so irritating, crying for no reason!"

"Aashi...!" Khushi shrieked from the entrance of the warehouse . She ran towards Aashi and held her crying self in her arms.

"Are you fine baby? Don't worry, mum is here."she patted her back.

"Aah Kusi! I am so glad you are here, just on time. This piece of shit was ransacking my brains, just like her mother had." Said Shyam in a menacing tone.

She looked at him angrily and rose up to his height.

"How dare you try to do something to that little girl?"she slapped him hard.

Shyam held his cheek and looked vengefully at Khushi. He held khushi's wrists and dragged her to the wall.

" That day ASR had saved you! Today who shall save you from me?" he said tightening his grip on her wrists making the beads from her bracelet fall to the ground.

Arnav came from behind and caught hold of Shyam's collar and banged him to a nearby desk. Niall held Syam after slapping him as Arnav punched into Shyam's stomach.

Lavanya went to Khushi and held her asking if she was fine. Anjali went and held a scared Aashi kissing her all over her face. Khushi and Lavanya also joined her and all four of them had a group hug.

Shyam had fallen unconscious by then. Arnav and Niall joined them to check if they were fine.

Arnav had called for the police to arrest Shyam. They had already arrested his mother as Anjali had given her statement against her.

They all were walking back happily towards the exit. Anjali was walking holding Aashi's hand when suddenly a huge rod came and banged her head. She fell down to the ground and in one swift movement Shyam caught hold of aashi.

Khushi at first screamed and bent to her but then she saw him taking away Aashi. She ran towards him but she tripped over her gown. Lavanya held Anjali in her lap who seemed to have gone unconscious.

"Stop ! If you take one step even ahead towards me, I will kill this girl!" he said pointing a gun towards Aashi's head.

Arnav and Niall were helpless now as they didn't want him to hurt Aashi.

The warehouse shook with the echo of two gun shots through the room. The bullet had pierced directly through Shyam's forehead killing him. Everyone watched agape towards the direction from where the gun shot had come.

Anjali had stood up, her head bleeding vigorously. Her whole body was swaying, her pink flowered gown covered with her own blood while she was taking shallow breaths. Yet her arms were straight and her aim went perfect.

" Nobody gets to harm my daughter! Nobody!" She said in a hoarse voice and immediately fell to the ground.

Everybody rushed to Anjali to bring her to conscious. Niall called for an ambulance as Khushi and Arnav consoled a crying Aashi.

Police sirens rang through the place. They took away Shyam's dead body and came with them to the hospital.

****************

Khushi slightly patted Aashi on her back, who was sleeping keeping her head on Arnav's chest. Aashi had been crying for more than two hours before she got tired and fell asleep. She had not even eaten anything since morning.

Shyam had been officially declared dead and the police had taken everybody's statements except Anjali who was inside the operation theatre.

"Where did she get the gun from?"the inspector enquired.

"I think it was Shyam's gun. It was just lying there and she caught hold of it." Niall answered.
"Sir, are there going to be any charges on Anjali? Is there any way we can free her from these charges?"

"Do not worry, Mr. Kennedy.  There shall be minimum or no charges put on miss Anjali as this was a pure case of self defence. Moreover Shyam jha and his mother are soughted criminals. So there are chances she might even win prize money or compensation." The police officer said, putting a hand over niall's shoulder.

Lavanya was sitting beside Khushi and Arnav, holding her head thinking what an ugly day the most beautiful day of her life had turned. Thank god that villain shyam was dead and Aashi was safe but what about Anjali?

"That would be if she would stay alive, sir!"

Everybody turned towards the doctor who was coming from the operation theatre, removing his blood clad gloves.

" What ...What do you mean, doctor?" Khushi asked in a hesitating voice.

" I am sorry. We won't be able to save her." The doctor sighed.

"How can you be so cold? What do you mean by you couldn't save her? What type of doctor are you that you can't save her! Who gave you your degree?" Lavanya screamed in frustration.

Niall came and held her shoulders while she hid her face in the crook of his neck. Niall made an apologizing expression towards the doctor.

"It's alright. I understand it must be difficult for you guys. The head injury was too severe to be heale. The rod cracked her cranium( the top of the head) and directly hit her brain. It is a surprise that even after the hit she stood up and had the power to aim and shoot. I don't think she shall survive now for more than an hour or so and all of her cerebrospinal fluid has drained and half of her organs have stopped working . Yet you can go and meet her. She is on oxygen and shows some motor movements."