A Victory which Matters (Dedicated to 27 and 45)

Part 11

The sudden silence stuck Rohit like physical force. He opened his eyes and saw that the field was completely empty again.

What was happening here? wondered Rohit uneasily. Was he dreaming? Didn't seem so.

Rohit looked down at Jinks, and his heart sank again as he saw that he was still unconscious.

"Jinks?" he said, bending down. "Jinks--can you hear me?"

No answer.

Rohit felt Rahane's chest tentatively. But by now he was in such a state of panic that he couldn't have felt any heartbeat, whether it was there or not.

"Open you eyes, Jinks--don't keep me hanging any longer," cried Rohit, tears coming to his eyes. "I'm awfully sorry for the way I behaved for the last two weeks. I'll never, never do it again. You deserved to play--you really did--I'm sorry..." Finally Rohit's voice choked.

He kept grasping Jinks' arm hard, praying hard--and not knowing what to do.

"Hand him over to me. You'll be free to go."

Rohit looked up sharply.

A man on a horse was leering down at him.

Rohit stood up. "What d'you want him for?"

"That ain't any of your business. You want to escape this place, don't you? Hand him over--will do."

Rohit moved so that he was standing between Jinks and the stranger, glaring fiercely.

"You're not taking him anywhere."

The man raised his whip. "Move."

"No." Rohit did not even flinch. He was not letting Jinks come into any furthur harm--no matter what happened.

Maybe the stranger saw the determination in Rohit's demeanor. He took out a whistle and blew into it sharply.

The sound of hooves approached from the west. Rohit turned, wondering what bizarre thing was going to happen here now. Another man was coming in a horse, his gun positioned.

"If we can't take one of them, we'll take both," said the first man coolly.

The second man took aim and fired.

It hit Rohit squarely on the chest. He collapsed at Rahane's feet.