THE 8 SAVIOURS

A New Friend

I can see the sun rising from behind the buildings and beside me is Arjun walking towards the housing colony, within the span of just 7 hours, he has turned from kidnapper, to a person I dislike, to accomplice, to tourist and finally a friend. My first friend in this big city. We climb back inside the colony, as I move towards my window he walks towards the door, “you are not gonna be yelled at, walking right through the door” I ask

“NAHHHH, it doesn’t matter, I am out most nights”

I am intrigued, where does he go to all night and why, but I don’t ask much, I climb back to my room and lie on my bed, recalling the past 7 hours.

We slept like a log on the plane, now that I have travelled with a guy on a plane, I have realised its not at all like what we see in movies, we slept facing in opposite direction, but when we woke up, I was practically sleeping on his chest and his face was hanging downward in my hair, yeah it was not romantic because my drool was all over his shirt, his drool in my hair and when he woke up my hair tickled his nose and then my hair was also covered with booger. Then we got off the plane and had almost 3 hours to kill, so he said he wanted to see my most favourite place of the town and I took him to the rose garden (we may have sneaked inside through the broken fence) I started pointing at the places where Akash and I used to sit to solve maths and play games, as dorky as it sounds this place solved all the problems, whether it be maths problems, problems in defeating gaming bosses or problems of life. In these 3 hours, I narrated almost my every visit to this garden to Arjun, interesting times with Akash, family reunion, school picnic, late-night camping. In small towns there are not many gardens, so every family in the town had picnics in this garden, every school outing was in this garden. Arjun didn’t say a word he just kept listening, smiling and frowning at required occasion, when I finally stopped talking, he just said, you love Akash. It didn’t seem like a question, still I answered it, “love I am not sure, but I definitely like him…………...a lot”

“I don’t think a girl travels this far alone, without telling their parents, spending all her savings to be with a person in his hard time…...for just mere liking……. but how would I know”

I look at him, but he seems to be lost in his own thoughts, he gets up suddenly

“let’s go, it’s 15 min to 4”

We walk to the graveyard and as soon as I spot Akash, near the tombstone of his father, Arjun whispers in my ear

“I am going to wait near the gate”

I told him to stay, but for the first time he lightly pushed my bag and I moved forward in Akash’s direction, he smiled and walked away.

I went to Akash and held his hand, he looked shocked as if it were a dream. Then suddenly he hugged me and cried. I wiped his tears and we sat there in silence. At 4.30 we walked out of the graveyard and I introduced him to Arjun, we took an auto to the airport and decided to drop off Akash on the way, I told Akash, all about how I met Arjun. When we finally reach his home, I say goodbye to Akash and he walks towards his door, Arjun suddenly asks to confirm if the house opposite to Akash’s house was mine, I quickly say yes and point him towards my room. I turn back to get a last look at Akash and I see him………. kissing a girl?

I was more confused than feeling heartbroken, when did this happen, there was no girlfriend when I left, it has not even been a day.

My legs moved towards him; they had stopped kissing by then.

Akash looked awkwardly at me, he asked that girl to go his room. I was feeling sick, just imagining her in his room.

“Sorry we kind of hooked up last night, she came to give me my notes and things happened……...I was going to tell you that I am dating, but……...it slipped my mind”

“what was she doing here so early in the morning”

Yeah, I know, out of everything that’s what’s important, but now that he is dating, making my feeling obvious would just make me an object of pity.

“oh, we had a fight so she came to say sorry”

Within few hours, he hooked up, started dating, fought and patched up.

My tears were threatening to flow, but I contain them as I force a smile, somehow manage to speak

“good I am happy for you. I came to return this handkerchief I don’t think I will be able to keep my promise anymore and plus you got your girl now”

I said all of it in single breath, I was scared that one puff of air and tears will spring free.

“But she doesn’t know and you are…”

I held my hand up, motioning him to stop. I turned around to see Arjun with pity in his eyes. I hated it, I quietly sat in the auto and Arjun accompanied me, we had almost missed the flight.

When we finally sat at our seats, he held my hand, I took a deep breath and slipped my hand out of his, smiled at him and whispered I am okay.

I didn’t cry.

I suddenly wake up, its 9 a.m., I didn’t realise when my thoughts started completing themselves in my dream. My face is wet, I guess I had been crying in my dreams.

All the day goes by in blur, I am kind of numb today. It’s evening by now and it’s weirdly peaceful to see slum kids playing with each other.

Suddenly I get message from…...I don’t know who, the message says, “come to place where you were kept when you were kidnapped. Make sure you are not seen.”

It could be any of the people who were there yesterday, but how do they have my number?

“I am going for a walk” I say as I walk out of the door, I hear a faint okay and I shut the door.

When I reach the hidden room, I see everyone standing there looking………...confused.

I look at Arjun and his eyes flash a little concern and confusion at the same time.

“which one of you texted me?”

“you texted us, how did you get our numbers”

What the hell!!!

What’s happening

Before I am able to say anything more, a man walks in and says,

“I am Aditya and you all have been summoned here by me. Plz follow me and I will explain the rest.”

Suddenly one of the walls of the old room opens into a passage.

We all step back in alarm

“Follow me”

We all look at each other with uncertainty in our eyes, I see a few of them eyeing the door probably plotting escape.

“You can’t escape anyway and room is sound proof. I thought you guys where always up for a challenge” he says his eyes daring us to take up his offer.

I step forward and walk inside the passage, I am not gonna back out now, it might look stupid but we have no other option, I look at Arjun and he comes behind me.

Slowly everybody joins and we walk inside the passage.

I think I hear the man Aditya say, “As I would expect from the leader”

But I ignore it, it might be possible that by taking the first initiative to step inside I have actually risked their lives.