7. Decision

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There she was, lying on the cold ground, hands tied behind her back and legs tied together. A piece of cloth covering her eyes and another gagging her. She wasn't moving at all and her hands and ankles were bleeding which filled my heart with dread. I couldn't believe my friend was here, in such a disastrous condition, all because of me.

I really should have stayed at home.

"HUMAA!!!"

I shouted, before going up to her almost lifeless figure, and shook her gently. Tears were falling from my eyes, and I couldn't even imagine the pain that she must have gone through.

"Huma, wake up. Please."

I didn't have anymore energy to speak or do anything. I was already fatigued, and couldn't process any of the events that took place in the course of a few hours. The drastic turn my life took since last night, has taken a huge toll on my life... and it shows.

Akshay was running in the nearby area, hoping to catch the one who made my friend like that, but he couldn't find anyone.

"I think it's someone who knows this area very well. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to escape from here so easily."

He said, as soon as he came back.

"Do you have any sharp object? We need to cut off her ropes and take her to the hospital."

I asked him, not really in the mood to pay attention to anything being said about the culprit. I just couldn't process it.

"I don't really have one, but... wait. There's a stone we can use."

He quickly brought a stone lying on the ground a few spaces away from him. It was pointed and would work just fine. He started to cut the ropes in an agonizingly slow manner while I removed her blindfold and mouth gag.

Luckily, Akshay had a card of the hotel through which we were able to call the front desk for help. The assistant manager and some workers in the hotel came to the said place in minutes, and took charge of the situation.

Everyone was at a loss and couldn't comprehend the reason or origin of such events happening suddenly in the hotel. But one thing was sure, going by the amazing speed with which the hotel workers reached us without getting lost.

The murderer or at least, Huma's attacker, is an insider.

A doctor was called in our room to tend to her wounds, after which he also gave me an ointment to apply on the scars decorating my face. This was the second time I had become bloody, and I didn't like it one bit.

Half an hour later, Huma woke up. Her eyes held immense fear, and her body was writhing in pain. She couldn't register where she was for a few seconds, but soon came to her senses.

But very soon, her eyes widened, and she started to get up when I stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"No... stop. Please stop!!!"

She started screaming and thrashing around wildly, thinking she was still in the vicinity of her attacker.

"HUMA, relax. It's me, Shreya. You're not in any danger."

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