Chapter 7

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He stood there still for a minute.

"Please sit ....", Riddhima walked up to him . Making him sit on the couch  , she signalled Pihu and she walked into the room.

He turned his head in an attempt to avoid her eyes and looking at the fire to dry his tears.

Riddhima looked at him while Pihu entered with the Medical kit.

Taking out the bandage , she held his wrist and put it on the pillow. He turned his head to her. Slowly wiping off the blood from his wrist she applied the bandage.

She looked up and he turned away. The man who was sitting in front her was finally visible, in the light of the fire , every feature of him cleared ,be it his messed hair or unmanaged beard , his blue bruises or his red cuts. There was lot more about him more to what he had shown to them till now.

His clenched fist symbolized that there is something in his heart which was killing him .The blood marks on shirt and his tored pullover hidden in the overcoat , finally the man was visible.

Pihu sat and looked at Riddhima.

"Let's start from the start what's your name........." Riddhima tried to cheer him up.

The man looked up at them and then the fire which was burning in front of them.

"Vansh..............".

He whispered.

Pihu took out a notepad to start writing the details but Riddhima  signalled her no and she kept it aside . Here notes won't work and Riddhima knew it, things weren't that simple that it could be solved on papers.

"And from where are you?", Pihu spoke.

"Mumbai ",he said bluntly without even looking at them.

" Ohh....... and since when you are here.....".

"I don't know." He said with frustration. They were too fast in there question but he was answering and thus they didn't stop or probably didn't noted his anxiety.

"It's ok............ so are you comfortable in telling us why you are here?", Riddhima spoke sensing something.

And ....... He blanked out.

His growing anxiousness , his entalgeled fist forcing the blood out of his wounds .

"....................It's ok , a lot of questioning for today you should rest now , you need it."

Pihu looked at Riddhima.

"Where will he go let him rest here only.", Riddhima couldn't let him go in this situation , probably he won't let let anyone go in that situation.

"...... Yes you may go and rest in that room ......we would be here.", Pihu was destined to be defeated by Riddhima and her emotional blackmailing.

He didn't said anything , he quietly stood up , opened the door and went inside.

"Riddhima he can't stay here."

"Pihu we don't have option."

"What is the point of not having an option...... he can go where he was."

" In that abandoned building....... we have to help him not throw him again ........."

"what if he is dangerous........... He gives me dangerous vibes and he will stay with us.

He is a stranger.......... How"

"Can you stop watching all those thriller films , you are getting dangerous vibes from a traumatized person........... come on man ..........he is just not well."

"If he is not well he must have been in some hospital not in an abandoned building like a psycho  ."

"You you are impossible now......  I am to sleep going". Riddhima stood up , why in the world she can't understand there point of view match don't match. If Pihu is sure she is unsure and if she is sure Pihu is unsure.............

" I won't sleep alone here......... With him in the next room ....."

"Let me close the door at least." Riddhima stood up , ok she was no more angry , she can't be it's not in her character probably.

"ok go and and close it nicely he should not come out of the room at any cost.", Pihu said looking at the door.

"Ok." Riddhima smiled at this stupid request.

She went to the bedroom and looked at the sleeping figure, she walked up to the window and drew the curtains;  holding the blanket to escape the reality, Riddhima felt after how many days he was finally asleep,  he needed it. She smiled that they were able to give him a little comfort . Closing the door, she returned to the hall and dozed off by Pihu side.

It was morning and Riddhima was still sleeping when she felt something , she woke up with a jerk and he was sitting at the end of mattress.

"You...........", She calmed herself.

Pihu woke up and then screamed even louder than her.

"You...................".

Vansh got up and looked at both of them, they were breathing heavily  in shock and he was somewhere sorry that he frightened them.

"What .......what are you doing here...", Pihu questioned, standing off from the bed and walking up to him.

"Riddhi i told you this Man.............. why why are you out at night." She shouted.

Vansh looked at the clock, it was 7:00 a.m. in the morning and then looked again at Pihu.

Pihu turned her head to the clock .

" What do you mean by looking at the clock........ OK............ it is morning but still why are sitting here....... what type of behaviour is this......... go to your room sleep over there , can't you see two girls are sleeping ............  ".

She was nowhere to stop, ok she has to prove to Riddhima that she was right last night.

Riddhima came up and held pihu's shoulder .

"Pihu .............. Calm down.....

............You want something  ", she said in a humble tone.

" Yes.....", He quietly wispered.

"What do you want" , Pihu shouted.

Riddhima looked at her , ok she was worried for them but shouting won't help and looked again at Vansh.

"What you want ",she asked him forcing a smile.

" I....... I feel very ,very ............in that room , I couldn't.....", He said in broken words , he looked at her in hope .

Would she understand?

"Ok I understand...... you sit on the couch it's already morning and then nothing to be anxious, you are not alone, ok." , She smiled.

Pihu looked at Riddhima  then at Vansh

She quietly wispered in her ears , hope not to be heard by him and his dangerous looks.

" He is covering up I tell you.".

Riddhima looked at her in disinterest and signalled her to the kitchen.

"What I am not going to make anything for him.", She said with a raised eyebrow.

"Pihu...."

Pihu looked at her  and then went to the kitchen banging her feets. No one understands her.

Riddhima looked as she went off. Pihu or he , she closed her eyes in stress , shaking off this morning chaos, she went up to Vansh.

"So what's all for today.", She asked in a cheerful tone. He

looked at her and downed his head.

Pihu entered with the coffee and kept it on the table and got seated she looked at Vansh.

"I don't know about the plan but he certainly need some makeover.... just look at him ."

Riddhima looked at Pihu and then at  Vansh.

"No actually it's a good idea .........".

Pihu was shocked , did she just agreed with her.

"Vansh you freshen up and in the while, I will bring your stuffs .......ok and Pihu you go and on the geyser a warmth bath will work on his wounds too".

Pihu looked at Riddhima with a broad eye.

" I will come with you too " Pihu stood up.

" And he will stay here alone...." .

" So...... I will stay here alone with him........ take me with you please......." , she begged with a puppy face.

"And how will you know his size let me come with you....", Pihu proved her reason.

" So how would you know his size, you are not at all his size and what is the point of both of us going to same place, to buy something for someone else."

" Riddhima you will me alone...... this is your friendship.", She said in a sad tone..

" Vansh bear her drama till I return....." she said ignoring her.

Riddhima clenched her coat and took up the phone, waving a bye to Pihu she walked out.

Pihu looked as she walked away and then at him , sitting quietly.

He looked nowhere . The slowly burning fire gave him warmth but he could feel an unknown cold , he felt his heart wanting to scream out the fear but how.......

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P.S.-

So people where is your heart.....

In you or just within you ?