The Stigma Called Love - Chapter 69

Dhruv was pacing up and down in the guest house drawing room when Siraj walked in with a dejected face. 

“What?”

“They won’t let us go.”

“They can’t stop us,” Dhruv replied irritated. 

Nishant’s whole family along with him and Siraj had arrived in Tosh couple of hours ago. And, since then, he and Siraj had been requesting the authorities to allow them to go to the landslide site so they could look for Nishant but failing continuously. 

Dhruv finally lost his patience and strode angrily out of the room towards the army camp followed by Siraj. 

The Army Major was standing near the camp talking on the walkie when Dhruv tapped him on the shoulder. 

The Major turned and frowned. 

“Mr Goel, I have told your man that it is not possible. There’s no point coming here again and again. Please,” he said looking irritated. 

“I assure you nothing will happen to us. We are trekkers and we know this area well. Please try and understand.”

“Sorry! Other than the army nobody is allowed to go there,” the Major said and walked off towards an army truck, which had just entered the area. 

Dhruv and Siraj watched the truck with hope. As the last man climbed down, they turned away dejected.

Dhruv slumped against the wall of one of the buildings nearby not knowing what to do. He was still in his thoughts when a familiar voice interrupted it. 

“Please, you can allow one person at least,” he heard the voice requesting the Major. 

“Sid!”

Siddharth Singh Rajput turned and came rushing towards him. 

“They are not letting anybody go there. I have tried my best,” Dhruv said to him. 

Both of them again went to the army Major who looked at them scowling. 

“I have told you guys I can’t let any civilian go there.”

“But we are trekkers and we know the area well. Nothing will happen to us,” reiterated Sid. 

“Mr Rajput, I know. But try and understand that the earth is pretty loose there after the continuous rain. It’s slippery and muddy. Without proper equipment, it’s not possible at all. So, for the last time, I can’t let you go there. If you don’t listen and then I’ll have the police remove you from here.”

Sid and Dhruv looked at each other and walked off. There was no other way but to wait for the other trucks to arrive.

They were discussing Nishant when one the trekkers who had just got down the army truck came near them and put a shaking hand on Sid’s shoulder. 

“Do you guys know Nishant Naik?”

“Yes, we are friends of his. Do you know where he is?” Dhruv asked, a sudden hope springing inside him. 

The man shook his head looking sad. 

“If it wasn’t for him, all of us would be dead by now. It was he who warned us about the landslide.”

Another trekker joined them and explained about the entire incident. Sid, Dhruv, and Siraj shivered as the words poured out. 

“We saw him slide down the gorge with the debris,” the first trekker said. 

Shaking his head, the second trekker opined, “Nobody could have survived that fall. Just hope he did.”

Sid, Dhruv, and Siraj slowly stumbled back, everything clouding around them. 

*********************

Aparna kept her eyes on the television to get some news about Nishant but, every other channel showed the same thing. Irritated, she muted the sound and picked up her phone, and dialled Madhu’s number but she also was clueless about the whole thing.

Hopeful, Aparna again un-muted the TV and watched intently. 

********************

The 3rd and last truck entered the clearing near the community building in Tosh and Dhruv and Sid rushed towards it followed by Siraj. 

Their hope rose every time someone stepped down. As the last person came out of the truck, they rushed towards the army Major who was tallying the names of the survivors. 

He finished his tallying and came towards them. 

“I am really sorry. No news of Nishant Naik. That was the last truck. We have even cleared the debris from the gorge area also where he had fallen but still nothing.”

Saying this, he turned around and said to his assistant, “4 dead. Hyder Ali Beg, Shivangi Prakash, Govind Natkarni and Nishant Naik.”

“He is not dead,” Dhruv shouted at the top of his voice.

“Officially he is. I am sorry,” the Major said and left. 

******************

Naresh Naik was standing near the door trying his best not to look panicked. He had to be strong for his wife. 

Suddenly he saw Dhruv, Sid and Siraj returning and his hopes went sky high. But it plummeted to his toes as Sid shook his head when he looked at him questioningly. 

Dhruv sat down on the sofa and clutched his head between his palms. 

How can this be? 

He can’t be dead.

Vikrant Naik was about to ask him about Nishant when an Army Major walked in the room. 

“Mr Goel, on your insistence, we asked the guys there to search again but nothing. I am really sorry.”

He paused and then said in a grave voice, “We will inform you in case we find the body.”

For a minute everything went standstill and the whole room erupted with anguished shouts and cries. 

Suddenly Meera Naik collapsed on the floor and everybody rushed to her. Naresh Naik held her as she howled crazily. 

Dhruv looked on as tears rolled down his eyes and felt Sid’s arm going around him. 

“We have lost him, Sid.”

Sid rested his head against Dhruv’s shoulder and gave in to his tears. 

********************

In Darjeeling, the remote fell from Aparna’s hand as she screamed the moment she saw the news flash. Her whole world had collapsed and vanished within a matter of seconds. She rocked back and forth as her body convulsed with pain and agony. The more she rocked, the more her being shook with the truth. Finally, when it completely took her over, she slid sideways to the floor and cried out. 

“Nishant, Nishant, Nishant…..” her speech becoming incoherent every passing second. 

Suddenly she felt familiar arms engulfing her and she looked up. 

“Shhhh! I am here,” he said wiping her tears. 

She placed her hand against his cheek and he turned his head to kiss it. 

He placed his hand against her heart and whispered, “I’ll always be here.”

And then, his loving embrace vanished.

Aparna cried out with misery as the torment inside her bubbled up. 

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