Chapter 19: The Familiar Stranger.

The sky covered with darkness as ABHIJEET and TARIKA drive through the town following the tracker connected to each other via Bluetooth.

Other side RAJAT and PURVI stuck in the truck waited for the destiny where it takes them.

PURVI eyes were still on the woods and she said: It feels so familiar.'

RAJAT: What? You were stuck in a truck before also?'

PURVI: No. I am just having a déjà vu. As if it happened before also.'

RAJAT asked: Waise itni bhi kya jaldi thi? Chor ke pichhe bhaag rahi thi ya ghar chhodke bhaag rahi thi?'

PURVI looked at him to realize his gaze on her bare feets.

She pulled her leg to her chest hugging it and said: Chor ke pichhe ghar chhodke bhaag rahi thi. Khush!'

RAJAT smiled looking away and started to untie his shoe lace taking them off.

PURVI noticing it asked: What are you doing?'

RAJAT kept his shoe in front of her: Wear it.'

PURVI gave him a look: Why would I wear your shoe.'

RAJAT: I am having a feeling that we have to run long way and you can't run bare footed. You will get hurt.'

PURVI looked him asked: What about you then?'

RAJAT: I am a boy. So it won't look that bad.'

PURVI: Kyu tumhe chot lagegi to dard nahi hoga.'

RAJAT: Hoga par... Mere liye tum ho na...'

PURVI looked up at him in surprise and RAJAT completed: Doctor!'

He continued: Mujhe chot lagegi to chalega par tumhe chot lagi to mujhe achha nahi lagega.'

PURVI looking in his eyes: Tumhe kyu achha nahi lagega?'

RAJAT: I have told you before, the moment I held your hand, you are my responsibility and I can't let you get hurt under my protection.'

PURVI couldn't help but smiled as RAJAT smiled back and motioned her to wear the shoe. PURVI slipped into his shoe to see RAJAT tying the shoelaces for her.

She stared him with full of admiration as he tied the shoe laces looking down.

Har Baar Yu Samne Aata Hai,

Jaise Aaspaas Apne Hone Ka Ehsaas Dilata Hai.

Jab Meri Nazre Dhundhe Tujhe,

To Kahi Chhup Sa Jata Hai.

Jab Chhod Du Saari Ummide,

To Achanak Samne Aakar Khada Ho Jata Hai.

Na Pyar Hai Tujhse,

Na Hi Mera Dil Chahta Hai Tujhe.

Phir Kyu Tujhe Dekhkar,

Ye Dil Dhadak Hi Jata Hai.

Roku Mai Jitna Khudko,

Ye Teri Hi Orr Chala Jata Hai.

After tying both the shoe laces RAJAT asked: Waise aisa kya chura liya tha chor ne?'

PURVI looking in his eyes said: Mera dil!'

RAJAT looked up at her and smiled taking his seat back beside her leaning to the truck door.

RAJAT: Are you joking with me now?'

PURVI: You know we don't joke in a situation like this.'

RAJAT smiled: Yeah. To chor mila?'

PURVI turned to him with her head leaned to the door saying: Tum mil gaye.'

RAJAT again smiled: Sorry, because of me you lost the thief. Whenever I am around people it only causes trouble.'

PURVI: I am glad I found you and I am not an exception to this. If you think carefully, whenever I was around you, you get in trouble.'

RAJAT: Everything happens for a reason and it happens for good.'

PURVI: What is good being in trouble?'

RAJAT: Last time when I was in trouble, I come close to my sister and now we live together. So, I believe it was a good thing.'

PURVI thought about it and realized if she wouldn't get kidnapped that day, then she wouldn't have met RAJAT either. Even if she had met him other way then would have she fell for him the same way?

PURVI said loud: No.'

RAJAT looked at her: Why?'

PURVI realized and smiled: I mean you are right. I had learned and gain many things from it. It really meant for something good.'

On the Road:

Sitting on the bonnet of his car ABHIJEET complained like a teenager: What is good about this? First PURVI went missing, car ran out of fuel, phone's battery got dead and now we are here in the middle of nowhere.'

They were on a isolated road in the only light of TARIKA's jeep and there were no traces of any human as far as they could see.

TARIKA silently listened to his rant leaning to the car and when ABHIJEET completed, TARIKA extending a water bottle to him said: A bad day in life teaches you a lesson to live through the hardship and a good day is just to feel how good it feels after a bad day. So, a bad day is worth living.'

ABHIJEET looked up at her and she said: After RAJAT got kidnapped, I got to know the truth and a lot of misunderstandings I have been living with got cleared. So I believe everything happens for a good reason.'

ABHIJEET gave a thought to her words and realized after that kidnapping even PURVI become braver and more opened to him. He made time for her and their relation got much stronger than before. And he found someone who always shows up in his hard times making it easier for him.

TARIKA gestured him towards the water bottle and he took it as she said: Don't worry about your sister. RAJAT is with her.'

ABHIJEET drinking water from the bottle, said: That's the only relief I have but what if...'

TARIKA: Don't worry! Even if he has to die, first he will make sure the safety of the girl with him.'

ABHIJEET looked at her speechless.

TARIKA: Trust me, I don't know what kind of brother he is but he is a man of man. He will protect your sister with his life.'

TARIKA then in an authoritative voice: Shift your luggage to the jeep. You have to leave your car here. We can't wait here more.'

Showing his phone she said: We have to switch it on back to track them.'

She gave her hand to him saying: Let's go!'

ABHIJEET looked at her hand and remembered PURVI's words "If you have even one person to hold your hand then don't think about the world, just think about that person and trust them."

He took her hand and get down the bonnet and followed her to the jeep with his luggage taking the passenger seat beside her.

TARIKA put his phone on charge and drove the jeep.

ABHIJEET asked her: RAJAT told me, you are not someone to easily share your feelings with anyone then why you are not like that to me?'

TARIKA glanced at him and after a silence answered: I don't why... You remind me of someone I don't remember.'

Confused ABHIJEET: Strange?'

TARIKA chirped: yeah, you feel like a familiar stranger.'

ABHIJEET thought so I am not the only one who feel like that.

After half an hour they reach to a truck stop with Dhaba and refuel facility, where no customers have been seen as it was the very less used route.

ABHIJEET waited while TARIKA refuels her jeep tank and talked to the people there.

TARIKA returns to ABHIJEET with a food parcel in her hand. She gave it ABHIJEET saying: They have only this at this time.'

ABHIJEET looked at the food parcel and then her as she continued: I have talked to them. As per the tracker timing, only two trucks passed from here and they were just normal villagers who transports goods from the village to city. So it is confirmed that they aren't kidnapped.'

ABHIJEET: Are you sure?'

TARIKA nodded: yes, but still we have to get to them soon. They must have caused some trouble to themselves otherwise PURVI won't send the message for no reason.' ABHIJEET nodded.

Next Day: Early Morning -

In the Truck -

RAJAT opens his eyes to find PURVI was comfortably sleeping, clinging to his shoulder. Sometime later PURVI stirred and open her eyes to see RAJAT's eyes on her.

RAJAT seeing her awake instantly kept his finger on his lips: Sshhh...'

PURVI followed his gazed to see a snake staring them sitting on the woods. PURVI's eye widens and before she could scream, RAJAT pressed her mouth with his palm whispering: He won't do anything if you stay still.'

PURVI barely manage to whisper: How can I stay still when he is right in front of me?'

They heard some voices behind them and both of their eyes went wide.

A man opened the door of the truck to see the snake right in front of him and he called his brothers: Anna! Bala! Guru!'

RAJAT and PURVI quietly leaned at the either corner of the truck holding their breaths.

The men talked something in their local language. The man who opened the door kept the scythe in his hand near the truck door and all of them bowed with closed eyes folding their hands giving respect to the snake regarding it as god Subhramanya.

When they open their eyes they saw RAJAT and PURVI standing in front of them who just got down the truck.

RAJAT quickly picked the scythe and wielded it towards them making way for themselves as the men stare them.

As they moved aside RAJAT dropped the scythe and ran holding PURVI's hand. The men stare them for a while and then ran after them.

The two ran to the unknown streets of the town only to bump with a man.

The man who was talking in the phone was about to shout at them but stopped looking at their faces and asked in shock: RAJAT-PURVI?'

RAJAT and PURVI looked at the man and kept running not before giving a warning to the man 'BHAAGO!'

The man didn't understand anything as he looked their direction confused but after a moment he saw 5 dangerous looking men from the other end were following them and the only words come out of his mouth: Durgeshwar ke gunde!'

Instinctively his hand went to his jeans to realize, he don't have his gun with him as he is on holiday and seeing scythe in their hand he ran behind the two shouting: Mammi Bachao!'

The man took a turn while RAJAT and PURVI ran straight entering into an abandoned railway station.

While running the two had a strange feeling as they left their hands staring each other weirdly.

They saw the men still chasing them. PURVI ran but RAJAT didn't. PURVI turned around to see RAJAT is still standing there.

RAJAT heard a voice calling 'Raksh!' as he turned at PURVI.

He saw PURVI calling his name but couldn't hear her voice. As if time got slowed and everything went numb around him. He blurrily looked back at the goons to see them running towards PURVI and one of the men stabbed her.

RAJAT stood breathless as tears drop from his eyes. He slowly approached his feet towards her and before PURVI could understand he took her in a hug whispering repeatedly: I am sorry.'

PURVI realized something was wrong with him as she called aloud his name in a fearful tone: RAJAT!' bringing him out of his trance as he looked at PURVI to see her fine.

They heard a voice to see the 6 men standing at a distance as one of them said: Wo ri ludka ludki.'

The two remained to their places with their senses off but before the goons move towards them, a man came from nowhere running into the two dragging them along with him. He was the same man they bumped earlier at the street.

The three ran directionless to an empty yard and were almost caught by the 6 goons as one of the men moved towards them only to hear a screeching sound.

TARIKA stopped the jeep with a skid with ABHIJEET beside her and took out her gun and handcuff shocking ABHIJEET once more.

ABHIJEET: Why do you have gun and handcuff on vacation?'

TARIKA jumped down the jeep: For an emergency situation like this.'

PURVI felt relieved seeing them but RAJAT looked scared of his sister than those 6 men.

None of the men said anything seeing the gun in TARIKA's hand as she went straight to RAJAT glaring him deadly and pointed her gun at him.

RAJAT closed his eyes out of fear as she said: I told you not to go anywhere without telling me.'

RAJAT opened his eyes to see handcuffs in his hand as he looked at his sister in disbelief who now turned towards those men.

One of the man asked TARIKA something in their local language and TARIKA replied the same way.

Then the man angrily said something to her and TARIKA seemed to explain something. After a little talking the man smiled at her.

The men bowed a little with a smile to TARIKA. TARIKA too smiled at the man saying something.

ABHIJEET didn't like the fact she was smiling and talking so sweetly with them.

TARIKA said looking at ABHIJEET: It was a misunderstanding and got cleared now!'

ABHIJEET asked: What was it?'

TARIKA: They are woodcutters and transport it from village to the city. They didn't know the two were in the truck. They didn't intend to harm them but...'

ABHIJEET asked: But what?'

TARIKA turning at PURVI asked: Did you really say them all that?'

PURVI embarrassingly nodded and TARIKA tried to hide her smile leaving ABHIJEET more confused.

ABHIJEET: Why they were chasing the two?'

TARIKA: They wanted to ask them why they were running from them. I told them they have been kidnapped recently and misunderstood them as kidnappers because of their appearances. So, they understood the situation. It's all settle now.'

Right then a taxi rushed in full speed stopping in front of them followed by a car, two bikes, a police van from different directions and finally a helicopter above them.

All at the ground watched the present scenario in surprise as RAJAT asked PURVI: Did you really call SWAT to our rescue?'

PURVI looked at him with the same surprise: Anio! I mean No.'

RAJAT: What is it then?'

Note:

Poem Name: 'Ajnabee' by Tulipbeauty, that's me.

Anio: korean word for 'No'. I just felt it will sound good. So I added it.

Thank you all the readers and reviewers.