CHAPTER 1
NEW DELHI
NIGHT TIME
A girl is in a deep sleep in her room. Some flashes are coming in her sleep and she started to breath heavily. She wakes up from her sleep and screams loudly.
Girl: (screams) No!!!
Her scream wakes up another two girls who are sleeping on the sofa. They rush towards her but she pushes them and runs out of the room. She runs towards downstairs. Her legs tripped and she rolls down on the stairs. The girls who are running behind her shocked to see her falling down from the stairs.
Girls: (screams) Ishu!!!!
Ishana doesn’t bother their scream. She gets up and runs outside the house. They too run behind her. Two guys just reached the house and shocked to see Ishana running out of the house hysterically. Two girls run out and cry looking at them.
Guy1: Don’t cry. We will get her back.
Guy2: Both of you go inside and lock the door. We will come in a while with her. (Leaves from there. The girls hug each other and cries)
Both of the guys running like mad behind Ishana.
Guy: Ishu!! Stop!! (Ishana continue running without listening to him)
Guy2: (while running) Gautham, you follow her from behind. I’ll use this short cut to reach her.
Gau: Ok. Be careful, Neil. (Neil used the short cut while Gautham runs behind Ishana)
Ishana runs and stops halfway looking at Neil who is standing in front of her. She screams and collapsed on the road. NeilGau rush towards her. Gautham pulls down her night gown which went above from her knee while Neil opens his coat and covers her. He lifts her in his arms and walk towards their house.
The girls are pacing at the living room waiting for three of them. Gautham called and informed them that they found Ishana. They are relieved after listening to him. The house bell rang. They rush towards the door and open it. They see Ishana unconscious on Neil’s arms. Neil walks inside the house and goes to their room. He placed Ishana on the bed.
Gau: I called the doctor. She will be coming in a while.
Neil: (nods) Avni, what happened?? Why she behaved like that??
Avni: We don’t know, Neil. She was sleeping just now and suddenly she screamed. I and Pooja tried to calm her but she pushed us with full force and ran away from here.
Pooja: I don’t know where she got that much of strength. She fell down from the stairs but still she managed to get up and ran away.
Gau: Yeah. In fact, we too can’t catch up the speed she ran just now. It was too fast. Neil took a short route. She fainted after seeing him.
Neil: Avni, Pooja, change her dress. It was torn when she fell just now. We both will freshen up ourselves first. (NeilGau leave from there)
The doctor came and checks Ishana.
Neil: Doctor, is she alright??
Doc: I have threaten her wounds. Luckily, there wounds are not deep. I gave her anesthesia for her to have a good sleep. (Neil is caressing Ishana’s hair by sitting beside her) I think she is very much depressed. That’s why she behaved like that. Have she done like this before??
Avni: No, doctor. She will scream in her sleep but she will calm after a while. This is the first time she ran like this.
Doc: I think she faced something terrible in her life. That incident is haunting her till now. Do you know anything about that??
Gau: No, doctor. We don’t know anything about it.
Doc: (thinks a while) I suggest you to take her to a psychiatrist. You might be can find a solution for her problem.
Pooja: (sits beside Ishana and hugs her) No, doctor. My Ishu is not mad that we have to take her to the psychiatrist. She is normal. She is just disturbed a little. We will take care of her.
Doc: You are mistaken, Mrs Gautham. It doesn’t mean your Ishu is mad because she has to meet a psychiatrist. A person who is in depression also will need a psychiatrist consultation. Your Ishu too needs that.
Gau: We will do as you said, doctor. Thank you very much for coming here at this time.
Doc: No problem, Mr Gautham. It’s my duty to help my patients. Just give her these medicines after she get conscious. I’ll leave now.
Neil: Come, doctor. We will send you downstairs. (NeilGau leaves with the doctor)
Doc: Don’t mistaken me for asking you to take her to a psychiatrist. I told for her betterment only.
Gau: We can understand, doctor. We need some time to think about it.
Doc: (nods) If you don’t mind, may I know who is that girl to you??
Neil: She is our friend, doctor. Friend.
Doc: Her family??
Neil: She is having a brother and a bhabhi but they are not here.
Doc: Ok, Mr Neil. Just take care of her. You can call me anytime if you need any help.
NeilGau: Thanks, doctor. (The doctor smiles and leaves from there. They too leaves to Ishana’s room)
Ishana’s room
NeilGau enter the room after sending the doctor. They look at their wives who are sitting worriedly holding Ishana’s hand. They go towards their partners.
Avni: (realised his presence) I’m sorry, Neil. I failed to take care of her.
Neil: What are you saying, Avni?? You failed to take care of Ishu??
Pooja: Not only Avni. Me too failed to look at Ishu.
Gautham: Will you both keep quiet?? Listen. You don’t failed at all. Whatever happened today, no one thought of that. So, stop blaming yourself.
Neil: Gautham is right. After Ishu, you both are the best thing happened to us.(hugs Avni and looks at Pooja) Both of you don’t break down like this. We have to be Ishu’s support in this situation.
Gau: (hugs Pooja) He is right. How we want to save our Ishu if both of you become weak?? Ishu needs us now. She have no one than us right now. (AvJa nod their heads and lie on their husbands arms)
Pooja: (thinks something and look at NeilGau) Both of you haven’t eat yet, right?? I’ll go and make food for you.
Neil: It’s ok, Pooja. We are not hungry anymore.
Avni: (cups Neil’s face) Just only you said that we have to be Ishu’s support. For that, our husbands have to be strong. Because…..
Pooja: Our husbands are our strength. (Avni smiles agreeing with Pooja. Pooja leaves to the kitchen)
Gau: Both of you learn to speak well. Not bad. (Avni smiles at him. Neil hugs her and kisses her forehead)
Pooja came bringing some food.
Pooja: Sorry. I only can make this. Please adjust.
Neil: This is enough for us, Pooja. It’s really sweet of you to make this at this time.
Pooja: It’s my responsibility, bhaiya. You both eat first. I and Avni will take care of Ishu. (NeilGau smile and eat their food)
AvJa apply blanket on Ishana and go and sit on the couch. NeilGau came to the room after washing their hands. They go and sit beside their wives who are trying to control their sleep. But, they can’t control longer and dozed off on their husbands chests. NeilGau too sleep hugging their wives…
Precap: Neil, Gautham, Avni, Pooja point of view…