Prithvi... [Vol 1] (Ongoing) (Winner of Wattpad India Awards 2019)

Chapter 15

Nandini squeezed her eyes shut in pain. Her left ankle was hurting very badly, and her hands felt battered with the force of the fall. Her whole body felt a little bruised.

What had just happened? She had been standing with Prithvi and then a car had come towards them at great speed and Prithvi had pushed her out of the way…and the car had –

Nandini scrambled to her feet rapidly and once again felt excruciating pain in her left leg. She looked down and saw blood flowing out of a slash near her ankle. Disregarding the sting from the cut and the ache all over her body, she limped her way to the road and looked around hysterically for Prithvi. But she couldn’t see anything…everything was blurred…then she realized it was because of the tears in her eyes and she hastily rubbed them away.

And then she saw him. Lying motionless on the road, his shirt covered in blood.

Nandini’s scream of pain and fear resounded in the tranquil surroundings. She ran towards him, and gasping and trembling, she dropped to her knees near his head. Petrified, she kept the side of her head on his chest, and whimpered in relief when she heard the reassuring thuds of heartbeats.

But the blood…there was so much of it.  

“Prithvi…Prithvi…” Nandini cried out his name again and again, but he showed no signs of life.

She would never let anything happen to him…never... She needed help, but how would she get it. The road was deserted. She could run back to college, but she couldn’t leave him alone here on this road. What if those people came back, she thought in horror.

And then, as though in answer to her heartrending prayers, a phone began to ring somewhere.

Nandini stood up slowly, her arms and legs shaking uncontrollably, and her stomach churning with panic. Where was it…where was the phone…she rush around the arena in a frenzy, tears streaming down her face, trying to locate it. And then she saw it, lying a few feet away. She ran to the mobile, picked it up.

“Hello. Hello. Is it Prithvi?”

Sumer Singh’s voice.

“Sumer uncle…its Nandini,” she sobbed into the phone. “Prithvi is hurt….very badly…please…help”

“Nandini, I am on my way,” Sumer Singh said at once. I’ll be there in a few minutes. Just -”

The phone line got cut. She tried to dial the same number again but her hands were shaking so badly that the phone slipped from her hands. She picked it up and wiped the blood off it with her dupatta and made another attempt, but couldn’t get across. But he was coming soon….Prithvi would be safe.
 
Phone in hand, she rushed back to Prithvi, and sat down, keeping the handset near her. Then she raised his head with great care and placed it on her lap. With the edge of her dupatta, she gently began wiping away the blood from his face. Once she had removed most of it, Nandini stroked his head tenderly, and she did so, a few teardrops fell on his forehead.

“Save your tears. I am not dead yet.”

Startled, Nandini drew back and looked at his face.  Prithvi’s eyes opened slowly, focusing on her troubled face. He gazed at her quietly for some time, and then his eyes flickered. Stiffly, painfully, he began to raise his head from her lap, apparently trying to sit up.

“Please don’t try and get up,” she pleaded in a softly coaxing voice. “You’ve been hurt seriously. Sumer uncle is coming, just wait until then.”

But he only persisted with his attempts, and realizing that he was not going to listen, Nandini resignedly held his shoulders to help. But he had hardly sat up, when blinding pain pushed him back and he collapsed onto her lap again, breathing deeply.

Unable to bear his discomfort, Nandini started to weep again and this time a tear dropped onto his cheek.

“Are you trying to cause a flood,” he murmured, even as the sounds an approaching car rang through the serene area.
 
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Nandini hurried along the hospital corridor with a bandaged ankle towards Prithvi’s room. Sumer Singh had seen her injury a long time after they had admitted Prithvi, and he had forced her to go and get it treated. She had protested fervently that she was fine, and that she wanted to wait outside the room to know Prithvi’s condition but he had refused to let her stay in that condition.

Now he was standing outside the room, chatting with a round-faced, amiable looking doctor.

Nandini almost ran the last couple of steps towards them. “How is he?” she asked fearfully, looking from one to the other.

“There is no major or permanent damage,” the doctor said reassuringly. “He doesn’t have any broken bones, but there is a hairline fracture on his right leg. That will take many days to heal. And the other injuries are a little serious. The laceration on his chest is very bad, and he also has countless small cuts caused by glass pieces all over his chest and arms.  We had to take out pieces that had got embedded in some of the wounds.”

“He is not showing any discomfort, and I have to say I’m impressed with his pain tolerance,” the doctor said ponderingly, almost talking to himself. “Anyone else in his place would have been crying in agony. Because each and every one of those cuts is extremely painful. He must feeling like his whole body is on fire. Oh my, please don’t cry, young lady. I did not mean to distress you,” he said, alarmed at the sight of the weeping girl.

Nandini struggled to compose herself. Sumer Singh understood and patted her head comfortingly, while doctor stood watching with a very guilty face. “It’s alright, Nandini,” he said soothingly, “He is ok now.”
 
 “I still say he must stay in the hospital for at least two days,” the doctor told Sumer Singh. “He can leave first thing in the morning after that.”

“You heard him inside, doctor,” Sumer Singh said dejectedly. “He won’t stay for more than a night, and honestly, that itself is surprising.”

“He wants to go home tomorrow? Nandini asked, horrified.

Sumer Singh sighed and nodded. “He has made up his mind, Nandini. And now he will not listen to anyone. That boy is more stubborn than his -”

“Doctor, the specialist is here.”

All three looked around to see a nurse hurrying up to them.

“He is in room 16 with the patient. They are waiting for you.”

“All right, I’ll be there right away,” the doctor said and then turned to Sumer Singh. “The painkillers I have prescribed are very strong, but he’ll need them. And I’ll come by the house once a day and change the bandages.”

“Yes, thank you,” Sumer Singh said and the doctor left.

“Have they treated your leg, Nandini?”

She nodded, and then asked anxiously, “Is he conscious now, uncle.”

“Yes, but they’ve administered very strong medicines. He’ll be asleep very soon. Nandini, before you go in, could you tell me everything that happened?”

In a halting voice, she told him everything that had happened from the time she had arrived.

“Indrajit was unconscious and the men carried him to the car. Then Prithvi and me, we were – we were walking…” she said, looking down at her feet in embarrassment at the lie. “And suddenly the car was coming at full speed towards us...and he pushed me away out of the way….he saved me…and it hit him,” she concluded in a choked whisper.

With every word she said, Sumer Singh’s face darkened more and more. And when she had finished, he looked angry enough to kill someone.

“So that’s what happened…but how do you know Indrajit, Nandini?” he asked, puzzled.

“I had seen him in Ayodhya a few days back, when I had come to give prasad from the pooja held in our temple.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that,” Sumer Singh said slowly. “I need to make a few calls, could you stay with Prithvi till I come back?”

She agreed and Sumer Singh left. She moved towards the door, and knocked lightly. When there was no response from inside, she turned the handle and went in. It was a big, airy room. Apart from the patient’s bed, there was another bed for whosoever would be staying at night with the patient. The evening sun’s rays poured into the room through a large window.

Prithvi was lying with his eyes closed. There was a bandage around his forehead, a big plaster on a cheek, and a cast on his right leg. Saline was being injected through his left hand. The outline of the huge bandage on his torso around the wound from the sword was visible through his kurta. His bloodied shirt was lying bundled in one corner of the room.

When she walked inside, his eyes opened and fell on her.

“What are you still doing here?” he asked irritably, “The show is over for today....so you don’t need to wait around.”

But when Nandini continued to walk towards him, he shut his eyes again with an air of annoyance.

When she reached him, her hand automatically reached out to stroke his hair. But she caught herself in time, and flushing, she withdrew her hand.

He had been hurt so badly…how could he return home tomorrow. She knew she was inviting his anger, but she had to try.

“Don’t you think the doctor is right…can’t you remain here for at least two days,” she asked timidly.

“Shut up and mind your own business.”

“Prithvi…please…stay in the hospital for as long as they say,” she beseeched, “then you can….” She suddenly stopped as a frightening thought struck her.
“But what if they come again…what if they come here,” she wondered distraughtly. “We should inform the police…I’ll tell Sumer uncle.”

She started to leave, when Prithvi’s hand suddenly snaked out and caught hold of her arm near the elbow. He had raised himself on the bed and was looking at her with downright fury.

“Which language do you understand, Nandini,” he questioned angrily. “Just shut up and stop interfering in my life.”

The rage in his eyes frightened her, but ignoring her instincts, she tried yet again. “But what if they try to harm you again?” she asked in desperation. “We should lodge a complaint with the police. You have to tell them what they did.”

Prithvi tightened his grip on her hand, and roughly yanked her closer. Stunned, Nandini winced in pain and bit back a cry.

“Is there no end to your stupidity,” he said fiercely through gritted teeth. “What must I do to make you understand? Stop – interfering – in my life”. And with a sudden movement, he let go of her with force, almost pushing her away. Nandini reeled backwards and collided painfully with the bedside table.

"Get out of the room. The pain is bad enough without having to see your face too," he said brutally and then leaned back against the pillows, eyes closed and white-faced with pain caused by the exertion.

Shaken at the viciousness in his tone, and unbelievably hurt by his cruel rejection Nandini stood stock-still for a minute. Then before the tears came, she slowly turned and walked out of the room. She was about to close the door when she realized she wouldn’t hear him if he needed something, so she left the door a little ajar and stood leaning against the adjoining wall, and only then did the tears finally begin to flow.

“Nandini, what’s wrong?”

Nandini looked up to see Sumer Singh walking towards her, looking very concerned. “Nothing,” she said quickly, wiping away the tears, “It’s just…everything that happened today…”

The elderly man gazed at her with a very kind and repentant expression. “I am such a selfish man. With everything that happened to Prithvi, I did not think at all of what you must have gone through. I put your life in danger by asking you to stop him.”

When Nandini started to protest, he held up his hand to stop her. “No, let me say it. Please forgive me, Nandini, and thank you for staying with Prithvi. I will never forget what you’ve done for my boy. I know you have a lot of questions,” he continued, “but I cannot answer them, Nandini. Pardon me for that, because I am helpless. If it were in my hands, you would know everything this very day. But it is not my story to tell.”

“That’s alright, uncle. Please don’t feel bad about anything,” Nandini said hastily. Then after a pause, she hesitantly said, “Uncle, can I just go and make a call. I haven’t phoned mother and grandfather yet.”

“I’ve already informed them, Nandini. They will be here any minute now. And about what happened today afternoon…I told them it was an accident and a car lost control and came towards you both. The truth…please let it remain between the three of us…I would be very grateful if you don’t tell…anyone,” he said awkwardly, not meeting her eyes.

Nandini understood that he was talking about her mother and grandfather.  “I will not tell them, uncle.” Sumer Singh looked very relieved.

“Nandini!”

Nandini turned around to see her mother and grandfather almost running along the hospital corridor towards them, both of their faces terrified and anxious.

The minute they reached her, Sarojini hugged her daughter tightly, while her grandfather stared at her blood-stained dupatta with horror writ all over his face.

“I’m ok, ma. And that blood is not mine, grandpa.”
Grandpa closed his eyes, and joined his hands in prayer, evidently thanking god heartily. Sarojini finally released her and looked at her with teary eyes.

 “Ma, Prithvi is hurt critically. He saved my life today. When the car came at us, he pushed me out of the way and the car hit him.”

“Oh no! How is he now?”

Sumer Singh told them what the doctor had said.
“He saved my Nandini,” grandpa said in a choked voice. “We will forever remain indebted to him. He is our saviour. The gods will bless your nephew with a thousand years of healthy life.” Sarojini agreed tearfully.

“Can we see him?”

“Of course,” Sumer Singh said. He opened the door and Nandini’s mother and grandfather followed him into the room. Nandini remained standing outside, and thankfully, they did not notice it.

She was feeling very tired and drained, like she had absolutely no energy left. There was an empty bench on the opposite side of the corridor. She walked over to it and sat down, resting her head against the wall. She was so worn-out…she would just close her eyes for a minute…

10 minutes later her family came out with Sumer Singh. Prithvi had been sound asleep when they had gone inside. The strong medicines had finally shown effect. He wouldn’t wake for many hours now.

Sarojini saw her daughter sleeping on the bench. She went up to her and tried to wake her gently. But when she touched her face, she drew back alarmed. Nandini’s skin was burning hot.
          

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

Sumer Singh came inside the room and walked over to the table which had a flask of tea. Prithvi was still sleeping, and the saline drip had been removed some time ago.

He took a glass and started pouring out a cup of the hot beverage for himself.

“What time is it, Baba?”

Sumer Singh swung around and saw that Prithvi was awake and was trying to sitting up. “Don’t try to sit up. You’ll open the wound. Wait, I’ll raise the head of the bed.” He quickly strode to the lever at the foot of the bed.

“What time is it?” Prithvi asked again when he was comfortable.

“9:30. Time to eat some dinner.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“You have to eat something. Don’t worry, its not hospital food.”

“Have you eaten something, Baba?”

“I’ll eat after you have. And anyway I had some biscuits a little while ago with Bhoothnathji in the hospital canteen.”

“What is he doing here?”

“He and Nandini’s mother had come to see you. And then Nandini also had to be admitted, so - ”

Prithvi sat up with a abruptness that shocked Sumer Singh. “Nandini has been admitted? But why? What’s wrong with her?” Prithvi demanded with uncharacteristic urgency.

“Didn’t I tell you not to sit up? And that too like this?” Sumer Singh reprimanded, trying to push him smoothly back onto the pillows. “The cut will start bleeding again.”

“Forget that,” Prithvi said tersely, “Answer my question first.”

Knowing that he wouldn’t listen to anything before getting a reply, Sumer Singh relented. “She has high – very high - fever. She was shivering by the time the doctor came. They’ve conducted tests…everything is ok, but she’ll have to stay here tonight. Sarojiniji will be staying with her.”

Still sitting upright, Prithvi closed his eyes for a minute. Assuming from his expression that it was because his injuries were giving him a lot of pain, Sumer Singh went on.

“The doctor said it’s the shock of what happened today. They all think it’s just because of the accident. But what she saw before that must have really affected her. Nandini is so innocent and sweet, she must not have seen something as terrible as this before. It must have frightened her so badly. The poor girl,” he said heavily, “she has had such a sheltered and secure life till now. And this is my fault entirely. If only I had not asked her to stop you from leaving the campus. All this would not have -”

Prithvi’s eyes snapped open. “You actually asked her to -” he cut in furiously. “How could you, Baba. Didn’t you know of the danger you were putting her in.”

Sumer Singh hung his head in shame. “I was so afraid when I got the phone call. I tried calling you but I couldn’t get through. This was the only way I could think of at that time to inform you. I cannot explain how much I regret it now.”

Prithvi didn’t say anything and it was evident that he was trying to control his wrath at the old man.

After a while, Sumer Singh said, “I’ve called up the old guards. I am not going to spare Indrajit and Kundan Singh this time.”

“There is no need for that, Baba. They’ve been punished enough.”

“No, my lord. They have not. They tried to kill you again when you were walking away. Cowards like them do not deserve to live. I almost filed a police complaint today. The doctor wanted us to lodge a FIR, and I was tempted to go ahead.  But I restrained myself with great difficulty thinking about…….and if I had not gotten this doctor to speak to Dr. Singhvi, he was all set to inform the police on his own. Anyway, I don’t need any help from the authorities. I will go after them with my friends,” Sumer Singh said vehemently.

“Baba, Indrajit has got what he deserves,” Prithvi said calmly. “You will not take this any further.”

His tone was no longer casual, it was autocratic. He wasn’t making a request of Sumer Singh, he was giving him an order….
 
And it had the desired effect.

All the fight seemed to go out of Sumer Singh. He stood silently for some moments, then bowed his head a little and dejectedly said, “As you wish, my lord.”
  
“So when are you leaving, Baba?”

“Leaving? For where, my lord?”

“For the ashram, of course. Have you forgotten?”

“I am not going anywhere when you are in this condition,” Sumer Singh said in astonishment. “They can take care of themselves for a change.”

“I think this is the hundredth time I am saying this today,” Prithvi said irately. “I am fine and can take care of myself.”

“You have some serious wounds and a fracture, my lord.”

“It’s just a hairline fracture,” Prithvi said dismissively. “And the other injuries are nothing.”

“The cuts are quite deep. You’ll need constant care for the next few days, so I am not going to leave for the ashram.”

 “One of us has to go within the next 24 hours.” Prithvi snapped, “And if you won’t, then I will.”

“No, my lord!” Sumer Singh exclaimed, aware that this was no empty threat. “Alright, I will go,” he conceded despairingly. “But you will not stay alone in Ayodhya. You will have to move to Vrindavan for the duration that I am away,” he added grimly.

There was pin drop silence in the room.

“Is this your idea of a joke, Baba?” Prithvi asked coldly.

“I’m afraid not, my lord. That is the only circumstance under which I will go to the ashram.”

“There is no way in hell that I am going to stay in that house. So you can forget about it, Baba. I will stay alone in Ayodhya and you will go to the ashram.”

“I had thought you assigned some value to what I feel and say,” Sumer Singh said quietly. “But now I know better.  You can do as you wish.”

“What you want me to do is impossible, Baba,” Prithvi said, clearly frustrated.

“So is what you are asking me to do, my lord.”

Once again, there was absolute silence for some time.

“Very well, you win,” Prithvi said angrily. “I’ll go to Vrindavan. But don’t you think you should ask its residents their permission before forcing me to go there?”

“They already volunteered to do so before I had even thought of it, because I had told Bhoothnathji two days back that it was extremely urgent that I go. So he himself said I should not keep aside my important work and that they will only be happy to take care of you. But knowing you, you’ll make your way back to Ayodhya the minute I am out of Shamli. You must remain there till I come back.”

“Fine,” Prithvi said crossly.

“Do you swear by Her Majesty?”

Prithvi gaped at him for a few moments, astounded. Then he gave a curt nod and Sumer Singh sighed in relief.

Now he could depart in peace. This was one promise Prithvi would never break.

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