Deceiving Veils

Chapter-20{She has to}

She closed her eyes.

Extracting her from ash and blood beneath; grabbing her closer away from the corpse lying beside, he clutched her petite body in his arms. She didn't move even when he held her so tight. He demanded her to flinch but she didn't. She didn't move a finger. 

It all was a nightmare, that's what he kept chanting in his mind. He closed his eyes one more time, but nothing changed. She was still lying unmoved in his arms. He looked back and saw everything burning in ashes. Everything was motile except for her. Looking everywhere with this helplessness in eyes, he again looked at her. Her face was covered in this red and black. Her head was bleeding. A wheeze escaped his throat as he tried to gulp the reality. 

"Someone help," He yelled in middle of gunshots. 

He looked back again only to find army and civilians having climax of that battle. 

"Wake up," He besought looking at her. Tapping her cheeks constantly, calling her name urgently, wakening the sleeping she; he sat there with her in arms in middle of a war. 

"Somebody help," He yelled yet again chocking almost as he cradled her in arms. Picking her up in next go, he looked around. Corpses were lying as far as he could see. He looked at her and then around. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't think. He wasn't able to believe. He didn't want to. One last gunshot and everything came to a halt. Smoke sustained in air for a minute or two and then it started to die. There were faces standing right in front of him. They all were looking at them as he stood there holding her. Those eyes had condemnation and he knew for whom it was. He started to walk and they all were still standing contrary. He pierced through the horde and they all glared her as she laid unconscious in his arms. He kept walking till someone he didn't pay heed to stood unmoved, not giving him a way. He looked up and saw chief standing with this illegible face. Behind him was a crowd standing as blank as he was. 

"Save her," Manik said in controlled tone looking down. 

No one spoke. Nobody answered.

"She needs help," He added almost begging.

Harshad stormed towards him but his father stopped him in his way showing his palm.

"One finger on her, Nobody would stand here on feet," Manik warned a fuming Harshad as he tried to reach Nandini.

Harshit held Harshad tightly as Harshad tried to reach Manik.

"She is harmless," Manik continued and looked at chief. 

"She needs medical attention urgently, Please," He said in a subdued tone. 

Chief looked at blood covered girl in his arms and his eyes did soften a bit. He looked at another elder beside him and then back at Manik. 

That moment was toughest of all. He waited there, helpless. He for the first time was this helpless. His fate was in his arms whether he acknowledged it or not. And her fate was in hands of those hurt civilians who had reasons not to help her, even thought when she was faultless.  

Chief nodded and Manik sighed in relief. Chief looked back at someone and that man from horde walked quickly to Nandini. Manik flinched away, not letting him touch her. 

"I am a doctor. We need to treat her immediately," He said and Manik gasped. 

"Make a way," Doctor cut the angry crowd and Manik followed him, avoiding all the raged eyes around. At end of horde, he saw Aryan standing with a guilty face. He didn't meet Manik's eyes and just stole a glance of dying Nandini. 

Door to bunker opened and sighs were the first thing they heard. Women and children inside hovered the door but then backed off seeing a tiny girl bleeding so profusely entering the bunker in a man's arm. Manik put Nandini down on a table and Doctor shouted telling everyone to make some space. He immediately checked Nandini's pulse and then sank in his thoughts. A girl pierced the huddle around Nandini and reached the middle. Her shriek touched Manik's ears as she gasped in fear. He looked around and saw Aashi palming her mouth trying not to cry. She was looking at bleeding Nandini and tears from her eyes were already cascading down.