cross my heart | ONGOING

twenty-four | cut the strings

[trigger warnings: blood, mild gore, gun violence, stabbing, implications of self harm]

[a/n: listen to game of survival by ruelle while reading]

Anushka's Pov

A gunshot rings through the air first.

Then we hear the scream.

The doors creak open and I can hear heavy footsteps. My captor removes my blindfold and releases me. As my vision adjusts to the very faint lights they have on, I see Vaish di bleeding and Abhi bhai carrying her.

“What happened to her?” I ask him with the most gentle voice I can speak in without panicking.

Abhi bhai doesn't respond as he kneels down slowly and lays Vaish di down, still holding her by the waist. Her eyes are closed and she isn't responding to anything Bhai tries to do.

“Ms. Shergill- hey- open your eyes.” He whispered to her. His hands were bloody and shaking as he pushed the hair out of her face, getting blood on her face.

“What happened, bhai?” I asked again.

“Open your eyes. Why are you doing this?” He continued to whisper, his words slurring together.

“Bhai, please.” I tell him, trying to pull him out of his trance.

“Ms. Shergill. Open your eyes. Vaishnavi, please. Open your eyes. Look at me.” He continues to whisper to her.

“Bhai.” I yell at him, my voice echoes in the room.

He looks at me, his eyes are teary and red. I hold him at an awkward angle trying to offer any comfort I can. He sobs on my shoulder and it is the most heartbreaking sound I've heard. He is gasping and struggling to breathe and at the same time he is weeping like he never has. His voice isn't loud enough but his pain is screaming.

He lets go in a minute and wipes his face. The blood got on his face too. He tries to speak in his normal voice but it doesn't come out. He pulls his phone out and types something.

“I can't speak for some reason, it's been like this since some time. We were thinking of something to get you all out but then Ms. Shergill got shot somehow and then I came in with her. I don't know what to do.” I read out.

“The captors know sign language so we can't use that. Our phones are taken away. Hide your phone before they take it.” I type again for him to read.

He nods as he puts it in his jacket again.

I put pressure on Di's wound and I take her head from bhai's lap onto my own, ignoring his silent protests. My captors drags him away and I don't move, silently gesturing for bhai to stay calm. He doesn't get my signal and he goes kicking and moving his arms trying to get a good hit.

My captor hits him on the side of his head with the back of his gun. I shut my eyes close not being able to see anymore. When I open my eyes bhai is blindfolded, and my captor points a gun at his unconscious form.

I look at the captors and I see their creepy masks and still keep looking. I stare until my eyes burn. Di was bleeding too much and I had to do something and I had to do it right now. I tear my sleeve off and try to make the best tourniquet I can. Everyone was blindfolded and the captors were so fucking unresponsive I would think they were dead if it weren't for their guns pointed firmly at everyone's heads.

Enough is enough. I stare straight into my captor's eyes and smile.

Their hand trembles the tiniest bit and I know what I'm doing has an effect on him. My smile widens as I remove a blade from my heel and hold it at my wrist. They drop their gun on the ground as they realise what I'm about to do.

I'm about to cut the strings off of their golden puppet.

Anushka's Pov Ends

Riyaz's Pov

I hear the sound of guns being put down.

Then we hear a body fall.

My captor removes my blindfold and kicks me in the back. I fall on my face yet my hands are tied. I look up to find Nushki holding a blade at her wrist, smiling as she looks at Abhishek bhai's captor, who has a trail of blood ahead of him. Vaishnavi Di is unconscious and bleeding in her lap, blood pooling around them.

Our captors kick their guns away seeing Nushki holding the blade. I slide towards her trying to undo the ropes binding my hands. She looks absolutely terrifying. She smiles even wider and it's not a smile at this point it is a grin and it is terrifying.

She brings the blade closer to her vein still not breaking eye contact with Abhishek bhai's captor. And I scream like I never have. Her head snaps in my direction as her smile is replaced with an expression of terror.

She's staring at my shoulder without blinking. I follow her line of vision and see red.

I've been stabbed.

Riyaz's Pov Ends

Anushka's Pov

I hear Riyaz scream like he never has.

Then I see the blood.

I crawl to him and I untie the ropes binding his hands. He is bleeding. There is a bloody knife in his shoulder.

“What were you doing- with that blade?” Riyaz asks, coughing between his words.

“When were you stabbed?” I ask him, ignoring his question.

“I don't- know. Answer my ques- question- Nushki.” He says as firmly as he can.

“I was just trying to scare them. Why did you come to me?” I whisper to him.

“My captor removes- my blindfold and- I see my- girlfriend holding a- blade to her wrist- fucking- smiling. I was terrified, Nushki.” He says looking at me with tears.

“Okay don't waste your energy talking to me. You're already losing a lot of blood. Whatever I do, just play along.” I try to convince him the best I can.

“Promise me you won't put yourself in danger.” He asks and I can't say no.

“Pinky Promise.” I reassure him and link our pinky fingers. I kiss his forehead and I want to kill everyone who hurt him.

I want to watch their blood dry on my hands.

//

that's it for the chapter! i hope you liked it! even bigger things are about to go down in the next chapter, i hope y'all are ready!

this track turned a bit bloodier than i planned, i hope y'all are fine with it!

also this chapter is a part of nanowrimo (national novel writing month). im planning to write a big chunk of this story, within this challenge so y'all can get regular updates!

for the update schedule, this book will be updated on sundays!

any new updates will be on my message board. come chat in the comments if you want to. love you guys <3

i hope you like it.

vote and comment.

stay tuned for the next chapter! now bye!