Deceiving Veils

Chapter-8{Whys}

Walking to the sun; yes, it did seem like that. It rose like a warm ball of fur and he stretched his arms.
They had been walking for minutes now. Silently, of course.
She didn't bother him with questions, he had his own set of them anyway. Questions, there were many. But he had stopped listening to them a long back. He looked back at her. She was walking all engulfed in surroundings. She looked carefree, off guard. An unknown weight got added to his heart.

She didn't know where he was heading her. She didn't know why she was trusting him. All she knew was that she didn't want to return, not at least that time. She realized how she was walking in forbidden territories. She knew where all this could lead her and him. She hadn't any intention to walk off or escape, she was capable to face what her parents had done. It's just she needed a space where she could think, a period where she could feel what her heart says.

Sound of water drew her attention. She looked around but he was nowhere to be seen. She hurriedly walked on track she was following.
There stood a magnificent waterfall in front of her. Sound of it was sweet yet intense. Admiring it for a few seconds, she again looked for him.

Was he gone?
No, he couldn't be.
How would it matter if he was gone even?
No, it won't matter at all.

A sound of splash alerted her. She walked beyond giant rock and saw him rinsing his wounds in stream.

A guilt took over as soon as that slight relief of finding him subsided. She had almost forgotten in her anger to ask about his wounds.

"Are they still bleeding?" She asked Manik.

He looked at her instantly as if he didn't realize when she reached there.

"They are fine," he replied while undoing the Satan grip on his forehead.
It was her handkerchief. Blood red mixed in milky peach of it, he washed it thoroughly with water.

"Leave it," she said, "Let me help you with wound on head."

She tried to reach him carefully. He was sitting between rocks and water was mild.

He stopped her showing his palm and said, "I am better alone. You are not needed."

Rude, again that blunt rude, she stiffened listening him. She reminded herself how any of her help was not appreciated, especially by him.

She turned around and sat on a rock. Her back was facing him.

_________________________________

Entire military was on alert. It was dawn and they all were about to leave for search mission. Though, finding Nandini wasn't any of state concerns but they needed minister and his wife's support. Deputy was instructing troops about sensitivity of issue.

"I don't care about that boy. But we need Ms Murthy back at any cost," he said.

Aryan was standing beside him, listening to all.

"If we don't find Ms Murthy in next 6 hours, news would spread like fire," he added.

Though, they had the statement ready in case news got leaked but still, they needed to be careful.

Those who had hit Manik and had seen Nandini discharging him, were suspended and grounded.
Common word had been fed to everyone else how a local boy had kidnapped daughter of minister in order to ensure a safe escape.
___________________________

"Why did you agree to help me?" She asked him while still not facing him.

As expected, there wasn't any answer. She sighed and cursed her again for trying to talk to that non social animal.