[TW:- Assault, mention of PTSD, moderate violence.]
Chapter Thirteen
"You're safe."
⧠P R E E T â§
A cold shiver ran across my spine as I pulled my overcoat closer, loosely hugging myself. The dim lights of the street lamps were not helping to portray a sense of comfort in the darkness of the night.
The rain just ended a while ago, I had to wait at a bus stop because of the sudden change in atmosphere. It's officially the time to wish Summer a goodbye now and brace the cold.
The bus I was waiting for for the past hour never showed up and I mentally cursed the app's creator for not making it accurate. The cab is going to take a lot of money which this underpaid aspiring filmmaker and the part-time cashier of Starbucks can't afford.
I wish my engineering degree had some value here. At least I could've earned a little more.
I'll survive there on my own. Just pay for the course. I shouldn't have said that to my parents, because now I'm too embarrassed to ask them for money. It's not even ethically correct for me. My parents would send me money at the instance, a perk of being wealthy, but as an adult, it feels like a crime.
After a certain age, the free child who used to steal some coins whenever Dad used to come back home slowly faded away when responsibilities settled on her shoulder.
How the hell am I supposed to reach home with an empty stomach, a throbbing head and a dying phone? Add the unending anxiety of being all alone in this dark alley with rarely any vehicles passing by.
I could be murdered here and no one would even hear of it.
Impatiently tapping my foot on the ground trying to come up with a decision whether I should wait for the next bus or take the train. Even the station is far away from this place, so finding transport to reach the station is even harder.
I'm stuck in this nightmare.
I sneezed and looked away from the screen of my phone, I could see a dark figure which made me narrow my eyebrows.
As it kept getting closer, I could see it was a tall, masculine man with a buzz cut, a face I hadn't seen in my entire life. I grabbed my handbag and brought it closer to me. I do not mean to be judgy but he looked like a creep, his body language especially.
"Do you need help?" He asked after he was standing at a distance from me. The shady look and the small smirk on his face were for me to shake my head in a no.
"No. Thanks."
I stood up on my feet and decided to walk away further. I saw him scanning me from head to toe while scratching his chin, I could feel the gaze was dirty. Filthy.
I mentally thanked myself for choosing to wear pants and not a skirt and stockings which were my first option. It felt a little safer in this.
Walking on the footpath cluelessly, I had no idea about this place. I was here to collect some information about a real-life documentary we had to shoot. Neava felt sick so I sent her off from the University only. And the guy friend I came here with, stays somewhere nearby so he told me the directions to the bus stop which will get me to my house. Or more like Deven's.
I do not have any idea about what road this is.
I looked over my shoulder to check whether that man was behind me or not. And guess what? He was. Walking with his hands on the pockets of his hoodie and the hood over his head, he was walking at a slow speed.
I'm shit scared now.
I increased my speed and bit on my lower lip while my hands shook from fear. I reached out for my phone which was in the handbag, and dialed Neava's contact. It was directed to voicemail after a few rings.
Pick it up, Neava.
Not every time she'll come to save you.
This reminded me of the incident that happened a few years back, sending a shiver through my spine. Panic struck inside my body as well as all over my face, and I started to feel very cold all of a sudden.
Calm down, Preet.
My phone flashed with someone calling me, glancing at the name which was Deven, I immediately picked it up.
"Preet, where are you? Are you stuck somewhere because of the unexpected rain, you're always home by this time. Are you safe-" I cut him off after gulping the lump formed in my throat.
"Can you please come and pick me up?" I asked him in a low voice trying my best not to break down. Once again I turned back a little, making sure that the unknown stranger didn't know about it and he vanished this time. Thank god.
"Where are you?" I heard him ask and I immediately replied.
"I-I don't know."
"Look at your surroundings, there might be a board or banner or anything." He suggested, his voice sounding and I followed his instructions. There was no banner in the place I was standing so I walked a few more steps. "Or just send me your location on WhatsApp."
"My phone's about to die, I got the name. There's some cafe here named Bella Ciao or something."
"God, What are you doing there?" He said, puzzled.
"Just come here as soon as possible, Deven. I'm scared." I turned around to keep a check on that man, he wasn't there till now.
"I'm on my way. I'll be right there, don't panic and get inside the cafe and order a thing or two. I'll come there directly." He suggested.
"It's closed," I whined.
"Okay then keep walking on that road. Don't stop anywhere." I mumbled to him an 'okay' and started walking again. I would not have been this scared if there wasn't this man in the scenario. The same situation reminds me of something that happened years back and it was scary.
"Don't cut the call." My voice was lower than before right now.
"I have to, what if your phone dies? And just in case I couldn't find you, there'll be no way of contact." He replied and I inhaled a deep breath while my eyes filled with water. You're not supposed to cry.
Why am I always this careless?
"I won't let anything happen to you, Preet." His voice was gentle as if he understood my situation here. "Just let me hang up the call for now."
"Okay." I glanced back and this time I could see a shadow. My speed of walking increased and so did the distance between my steps. A tear or two escaped from my eyes before I could acknowledge it.
"Deven, there's this man-" I sobbed in between and kept glancing behind.
"What man-" now his voice dropped. I removed the phone from my ear only to see that the battery had died already.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
I kept walking while trying to think about some good stuff. I knew self-defence very well but I fear I wasn't in the mental state to do anything about it.
Whenever something like this happens, I freeze. I forget everything I've learnt and...
You were drunk the last time, Preet. Don't think of it.
Fifteen minutes passed away where I just kept wishing that Deven would show up at the right time and the shadow or the man, both weren't seen by me. I halted in a place to finally catch some air and removed the small water bottle from my handbag. About the time when the bottle touched my lips, the bottle fell and water spilled over while I was yanked into a corner with a hand covering my mouth and gripping my waist.
Tears welled up in my eyes as the flashback started to hit me. Everything was so different but just the same. I was harshly pressed on a wall and my head hit it. I opened my eyes to find the same creepy man standing inches away from me.
Canada was supposed to be safe.
"Enough of the games, Now let the fun begin." With this being said, he traced my face slowly, his hand moving from my forehead to my nose and then my lips. My heartbeat increased as he got closer to me and his hand slowly went down. I closed my eyes and the scene of that night played in my head.
"Baby, What are you doing?"
"Trying to have some fun."
Not every time will someone come and rescue you. Do it by yourself. You're stronger now. Way stronger.
I bent my right leg and kicked him between his legs which made him stumble on his place, and in pain, he left his hold on me. Right when I was about to run away, he pulled me back from my hair and pushed me to the wall by pressing my neck with force, almost choking me.
My attention was solely focused on removing his hand from my neck which was creating problems in my breathing. I tried to kick him again but he stomped on my foot and pressed it. I winced in pain as tears continuously brimmed through my eyes.
Deven, where are you?
The smile this man still held on his face was completely freaking me out.
"Do not try to be over-smart. I could eat you alive here and nobody would fucking know. Just take it like a bitch." I was disgusted. And I hate to say but helpless. He was way stronger than me and right now, he had restricted every way I could hit him.
"How about you take it like a bitch." I heard a familiar voice and in no time, the man's hold loosened till it was gone, as he was holding his head while lying on the ground. I coughed and panted as soon as the hand left me. A sound of some metal hitting on the ground was heard and I felt a hand rubbing my back soothingly.
Finally.
I glanced to look at a person, just to confirm and it was Deven. I wrapped my hands around his waist and my head fell on his chest. My sobs and tears weren't ready to stop. I felt one arm around my shoulder and another on my waist, tightening the hug.
"Shh, I'm here." I heard him whisper and his hand previously on my shoulder was rubbing my head softly. Planting a soft kiss on the top of my head he muttered. "You're safe."
"Let me deal with this piece of shit." He said, breaking the hug and making me look at his face. His hand caressed my cheek and wiped off the tears. As soon as he saw the man trying to run away, he stood in front of me like a shield. "Do not interfere, please?"
"You're leaving after you pay for making her cry!" He said, his voice filled with rage. He landed one hard punch on the man's face which made him lose his balance. The guy stood up and tried to revert back the action but instead earned a kick.
"How dare you touch my wife?" He shouted and landed his cheek another punch. And another. I pressed my eyes closed, but just the voices were enough to make me realise that the fight was getting a little too violent.
I want to stop it but seeing this side of him made me even rethink my decision to open my mouth a million times.
And whatever had happened in the span of the past few minutes made me just stand there like a statue and cry. I feel so bad for not being able to fight for myself. Someone had to come and save me, Again.
I hate to be the helpless woman. And I always somehow end up becoming one.
We heard a few sirens and I recognised that it was the cops. Where were they when they were needed?
Two of them pulled Deven back and I noticed the cuts and bruises on his face. Let's not talk about the man whose face was covered in his blood. I turned my head sideways and covered my mouth.
"Were you the one who called us?" One of the cops asked Deven and he nodded. "Then why did you start the fight? We were on the way. This is not your job to do."
"You didn't even reach here when you were supposed to, so I had to do your job," Deven retorted in a rude tone and instead earned a glare from the officer.
"Be in your limits, Loverboy. Don't start something you can't handle." He warned.
"I was totally handling it."
"By going to the prison." The officer's eyes fell on me and he indicated a lady constable to come near me.
"Are you okay?" She asked me and I nodded weakly. We had to go to the police station to fire an FIR against this man. The cops were settled on the fact that Deven would go in their van because what he did comes under a crime as well but even he was adamant enough to let us go there by his car only. The officer was annoyed but he allowed only after threatening Deven that if we don't reach there in ten minutes, he'll make sure Deven goes behind the bar.
Saying this the cops left, and Deven walked towards me and asked, "Did you know him?" I shook my head closed my eyes and bawled another set of tears. He took another step ahead and wrapped his arms around me once again providing a sense of comfort.
"Did he...do anything?" He asked in concern and gulped, I could feel his heart beating rapidly. I shook my head which was buried in his chest and let out a soft "No" only to hear him sigh in relief.
"It was terrifying." I stuttered to say this and a sob left from my lips. I tightened my grip around him.
"I know, but you are so strong." He softly said it in my ear. He had to lean his head a little to understand my muffed words.
"I'm not. I couldn't fight for myself." And I hate myself for it so much. For freezing at the moment.
"You tried. I could feel that he was already in pain when I hit him with the rod." He replied and rubbed my arms.
"It wasn't enough. I-I tried to kick him again but he.." I couldn't complete the sentence but ended up crying. I hate being so weak. So fucking weak that I was about to get molested.
"Don't dwell on it. It has passed. I got here. You're safe and sound. Everything's fine. What more can we wish for?" He said and I snuggled closer to him.
"Thank you for coming at the right time. I don't know what would have happened-" he didn't let me complete the sentence and interrupted.
"But it hasn't. And it won't ever will." I pulled my head away and looked at him. He kept staring back at me intensely and something ignited in me. I went a little closer to him as if just losing my sense for a while and raised myself on my toes. Our lips were just an inch away from each other till he got startled like he just got out of a trance and said.
"Let's go to the cops." I nodded and gulped my saliva, my eyebrows full of confusion. He lovingly kissed my forehead and then pulled away to open the door of the car for me.
I was going to...
What was I about to do?
He went back towards the same corner where all this happened a while ago and picked up my handbag. He kept it inside the car and turned around to look at me.
"You're shivering." He remarked and removed his jacket, keeping over my shoulders he held my hand and I followed him to the car.
After half an hour of going to the cops and filing a complaint against the man. Deven had to pay some fine, basically bribe for his actions. After all this mess, we sat inside his car again.
If he didn't show up just in time...
I was looking out of the window, trying my best to stop the river of tears from flowing. My PTSD had hit me just right in the moment back then. I couldn't even lift my hand the time he choked me.
I was ashamed of myself.
"Are you hungry?" I heard Deven ask and I shook my head. I was but not now.
"Did you eat something?" I decided to stay quiet at this. "Preet, answer me." This time his tone of voice was a little strict.
"I just want to go home first." I gave him a curt reply. The rest of the ride, he didn't bother me much but just turned on some soft music to soothe the atmosphere.
As much as I wanted his trick to work, it didn't.
I just feel so bad about myself.
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Any views on the chapter?
I've noticed that the votes (and comments) are very much going down the hill from the last few chapters, I know they were fillers and stuff but I can't keep posting chapters with only love dovey moments so I'll appreciate it if it doesn't happen in all the serious chapters that's it :(