Redamancy

Presentiment

Arnav and Khushi had finally reached the little house in the middle of the wood where Shyam had kept Anjali and Khushi's bauji hostage...in the pitch dark of the woods all that could be heard was the ruffling of the leaves in the slight wind...the air was laden heavy with moisture. Arnav parked the car a little distance away from the dilapidated little shanty...

Khushi and Arnav got out of the car and started towards the house which was lit dimly by one amber light. Her hands were enclasped in his tight hold. She felt relieved because she knew Arnav would always be there...

As they made their way slowly, the trees seemed to sussurate ominously..Khushi looked around..There was not one living soul that could be seen in the thick darkness other than them. The next time she looked at the front they had already reached the entrance. She realised Arnav's hand was no longer holding her. She frantically searched around.

"Khushiji!!" That sickly sweet voice greeted her...She turned around to find the spectral face of Shyam smiling,  holding Anjali with one arm, his pistol aimed at his temple.

"Noooo!!!!" She screamed....

The sound of a gunshot pierced the eerie silence of the night and Khushi stared at the ground to find the limp lifeless body at her feet, blood gushing out from the chest. The body of her father....

"They left you Khushiji!! Arnav saved Anjali!" And his face morphed into a smile that was more of a grimace and Khushi choked, unable to speak....

She woke up with a start and looked at her surroundings...She was in Arnav's room...

She rested her back against the recliner, pulling her hair back...she had fallen into a slight slumber...

What a nightmare!!!

Khushi walked to the washroom, her steps heavy and tired,  splashed water on her face repeatedly and calmed her heartbeats...

She heard the screeching of tyres outside and knew Arnav was here...

The remnants of the dream kept on  lingering in her conscious...the sight of her bloodied father sending a shiver down her spine...

She knew it was nothing but her fear and lack of trust manifesting in the form of that dream..Arnav would never do that...He would never abandon her when she needed him...

Even when she pacified herself with these words her brain refused to comply with that thought...she clenched her jaws hard and came out of the washroom...

"Khushi??" Arnav came in hastily closing the door behind him...

"What happened? Tell me everything from the very beginning!"

Khushi eyed him nervously the dream and her reality duelling with one another....

She told him everything that Shyam had said and beseeched him not to involve tell the police directly...

"He will go after Bauji first!" She told him imploring him to listen to her this time...

Arnav listened to everything she said with rapt attention, asked her some things again and again to have clarity...

"Khushi everything is going to be fine...I am sure he doesn't expect you to confide in me...I know...and that will be his greatest mistake...."

He made a phone call Abhinav telling him everything just as Khushi had said...

Khushi saw the lines of worry etched on his face and for the first time in so many days she felt like reaching out and smoothing those creases...

She was having it difficult to endure but he was experiencing nothing less...

"I know one thing Abhinav....he can't get away this time... I'll do everything I can...and Abhi, Di has to come out absolutely unscathed......she has gone through a lot because of that man ... don't do anything without my consent...Abhi...is that okay?"

A chill ran down Khushi's body as she heard those words...

What did he mean by those words??...it was as if he had erased the fact that her father was a hostage too out of his memory....

She stared at him wide eyes horrified that her nightmare or premonition, she no longer knew might come true...

He hung up and came to her gently holding her arm...

"Khushi, Abhi is a very competent man...I am sure we will nab that b****** this time...We just have yo wait for his next call..."

"What about my father?" She asked so softly he tilted his head down to hear her...

"What??"

"What about my father? You never mentioned him to your friend...its not just Anjali Ji who is in danger...my father is too!!" She almost screamed, her eyes taking on a panicked appearance....

"Khushi!! Shhh...." He rubbed his hand on her arm trying to comfort her...

"I told him everything....i texted him all the details...he knows Khushi... I'd never let anything happen to your father!"

Ahe refused to look at him slowly koving backwards frustrated at hwr own self for being so helpless that she had yo seek help from Arnav...

Arnav saw her staggering back and held her arm in a tight grasp.

"Khushi?!!!" He said loudly so that his voice could penetrate the haze she had surrounded herself in....

She looked up and all that swam in fromt of her eyes was part of the dream where Arnav had left her on her own...

Sensing that she wasn't listening to anything he was saying, in a desperate attempt to bring her a sense of peace he pulled her into a hug, and she collapsed into his chest like a rag doll depleted of any energy....

"Khushi...I promise I am not going to let anything happen to your father...Di and bauji are going to come out of this unharmed....i promise you!" He said close to her ear so that sh could hear him clearly...

The stress took its toll on her and she finally wrapped her arms around him, trying hard to believe him but not entire successful in abating the growing trepidation in her heart...

Hola folks!!! Sorry for the super super delayed update...I had promised to post two parts today...I will post the next part in the evening...

Do comment and let me know how you liked this...

Will be waiting to read your feedback on the chapter...

Lots of love
Hazeltrance