A Thousand Encounters

Chapter-15

Chasing her jeep for minutes, Manik was feeling irked as she was taking unknown routes. It was dead dark and snowing. Speeding was anyway her favorite sport so jeep was skiing on frosty roads. He had kept himself a little far as she was granny of witches when it came to being alert. He didn't want her to get idea. He followed her and cursed himself for nth time in past few minutes. He had deserted his duty and was chasing cat woman in this hour of terror. 

She took a turn and her car entered the forest. She was on raw path. Her jeep trembled as she accelerated the jeep on a wooden log trying to cross it. 

"Mad woman," He mumbled as he saw her doing stunt in mid of night. 

He too brought his jeep on flimsy paths still keeping it away. He turned off the headlights so she doesn't get alerted. She slowly drove car between forest and now they were far away from highway. Manik wondered how come she knew so remote paths. Then he remembered how it was she after all. Her jeep stopped moving. Manik furrowed his eyes trying to know the reason. She came out of car after a minute or two. She looked frustrated as she hit the Tyre. Manik smirked as he assumed she had punctured the tyre of her car by that hell of driving. She looked his way and his smug got wiped away. He got down hiding behind steering, then lying on seat, then hitting his foot somewhere and hissing. He forgot his jeep would still be wide visible. 

She looked keenly towards the dark end and something flashed. Some sort of glass, maybe. She brought out an iron rod from her jeep and started to walk towards that flash. As she walked closer, she saw an army jeep. She knew who it was. She sighed aloud and then dropped other end of rod with thud on rock. She heard something move and next moment, her 'once upon a time favorite' clown jumped out of jeep with his machine gun. Running towards her and then passing her, he looked everywhere like a hawk eye. Nandini pursed her lips trying not laugh at his antics. He had all the might to make her laugh in gravest of situations. 

"What was that?" He asked covering her behind him. 

Nandini again hit the rod on ground and he jumped in his place. He turned around and saw her standing with rod in hand. 

"What are you doing with a rod?" He asked furrowing his brows. 

"Trying to smash my stalker," She answered looking away. 

"Do I look like a stalker?" He asked putting hands on his waist. 

"Following a girl and then hiding in jeep, what we call this act, officer?" She asked glaring him. 

"Officer?" He asked all bewildered. 

"Army officer," She corrected herself. 

"What's wrong with you, Nandini?" He asked perplexed. 

"See officer, It's not crime to be in a jungle so you don't need to be concerned. I am sure you have better business to take care of," She said gritting her teeth. 

"What's even wrong with you? Why are you talking like this?" He asked a bit frustrated now. 

"People who want to have nothing to do with me, I talk to them this way only," She said indifferently and folded her arms near her chest. 

 "Huh?" He exclaimed and then held his head in frustration. 

"What are you talking about?" He asked and added, "Whatever. It's not allowed to trespass and you cannot be here."

She exhaled in disbelief and murmured something which he couldn't get. 

"What did you just say?" He asked as if she had just called him a name. 

"Stay away from me," She yelled and pushed him aside. Walking back to her broken jeep, she threw the rod somewhere. 

Manik clenched his jaw in anger and followed her. Reaching her,  he grabbed her from elbow and turned her around.