Deceiving Veils

Chapter-40{A fire shall be woken}

Invincible beasts standing in front of his eyes mocked him again and again over his failure. As Manik caught his breath looking at the giant mountain, he could feel sweat beads sliding down his temple. Sun was harsh and his eyes ached as white of snow met with golden of sun. It was blinding. He looked back at his tired convoy. It was a day since they had started their quest. He wanted to walk away alone but then those people back there didn't have any reason to stay back either. 

So there they were. In middle of nowhere heading towards somewhere. 

"They will catch up," Aabid bhai said reaching him. 

"Every group has capable men," He added looking at thoughtful Manik. 

"I am not leading anyone," Manik replied roughly, "They are on their own."

As he reached on top of that impassable mountain, he looked down. Other side narrated tale of his failure. He realized how it would take days to get out of those insurmountable mountains. He could see a steep valley and a dense forest. His heart ached thinking about where would she be. He still wasn't able to believe that he had lost her. It all was still sounding rubbish. 

He looked back at tired faces who were still trying to reach the rooftop of that mountain. His blood boiled looking at that tail. He didn't want to drag anyone along. It was beyond his understanding why those people were following him blindly. 

In fit of anger, Manik took a huge leap in steep slope and slid down the snow to reach the mouth of forest. He looked up to see few people gaping him in hope. 

"Do not follow me," He shouted to those faces. 

"I will lead you to your deaths," Manik uttered bitterly and strode inside the forest. He was more than frustrated. All what concerned him was Aashi and he had sorted that out. Aabid had promised to look after her and he had no heart to worry about others. He could offer nothing. All he knew that He could not let anyone slow him down. 

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White.

That's how it looked till the end of where her eyes could see. Sunshine loved her flesh as she walked in alley of white flowers. She twirled wearing that lacy skirt. It had to be a dream, she blinked her eyes for a few times. Then that scent touched her nostrils making her anxious than ever. She knew that scent. Turning around, she saw him standing there. He still smelt like a pine tree. He still looked as rouge as uphill. Only difference was she knew him now. She smiled broadly and leaped towards him. He smiled slightly and she knew he meant world by that little curve on his lips. Gush of warmth ran through her veins as she ascended that slope to reach him. He stood there waiting for her. It had to be reality, she murmured as he came closer with each step she took. She kept striding but distance seemed never-ending. She frowned a bit as her vision started to blur and he started to look like abstract. She struggled. She could feel it in her body while she tried to hold on. That dream was slipping out of her grip. 

Truck screeched as it halted. Nandini's head collided with hardboard once again and she hissed. Nausea hit her like a tornado and she emptied the water she had a few minutes back. Coughing for a minute, she tried to come at term with her reality. It wasn't the first time she had dreamed of him in last few hours. She had hovered between dream and reality, and every time reality had slapped her hard for being a divergent. 

Door of trailer finally opened and light punished her eyes so harshly that she yelped. Her eyes seemed to be on fire as fresh air invaded them. Before she could even dare to open them again, two pairs of hands lifted her from forearms and she swayed like a corpse. She had no energy left. That missing sensation of moving truck stung her pores.