Scarred Love - Chapter 8

Slipping between the unconscious and semiconscious worlds, Rudra tried to wake up but his eyes refused to budge. Finally, as his mind gave up the struggle, sleep crept inside the deep recesses of his brain and he was again back on the steps of that ill-fated place.

He closed his eyes but still, the vision did not disappear. It kept lurking in front willing him to enter but all Rudra wanted to do was run. Run as far as he could.

“Bhaisa!”

Rudra jerked from his sleep and sat up on the bed. Wide awake, he breathed hard trying to stop the voice screaming in his ears.

“Bhaisa!”

He shook his head but still nothing. The voice kept screaming calling out to him.

“Bhaisa?”

Rudra clutched the sheets hard as he shut his eyes to block everything around him.

“Bhaisa!”

“Stop it!” he screamed with all his might.

And, the voice stopped.

Breathing hard, Rudra slumped back against the bed post and switched on the lamp.

The clock said 4 am but for him, it was a morning that he had been waiting for. As he closed his eyes, he tried to remember what had happened but couldn’t recall anything. The last thing he remembered was him opening the bedroom door.

Irritated, he got up and opened the balcony door, which opened outside rather than sliding sideways.

Something was not right here.

He picked up the watch from the bedside table and looked at the date. It showed 12th, which meant 5 days had passed.

But why didn’t he remember anything?

Suddenly his eyes caught something white on his left hand. As he recognised the bandage, everything became clear.

The nightmares!

Rudra’s eyes narrowed with anger and he opened the drawer and picked up the scissors. Slicing the bandages, he ripped them off his hand. For a minute his eyes widened as he saw the cut marks on his wrist, but then his jaw hardened as hostility flooded his brain.

Eyes shining with determination, he walked towards the door of the indoor swimming pool and pressed the button hard. As the door opened, he stepped forward. Shedding his clothes, he dived in.

Rudra dipped his head in the water and relaxed a bit but somehow it was not enough. Slowly he pushed himself deep and stopped breathing. His heartbeat started to accelerate as his body adjusted to the water pressure. Most of all, his lungs heaved with the lack of oxygen but he still held on.

Initially, he had started swimming just to let the steam out but now it had become a part of him. And, going underwater and constricting his lungs of air was like a game for him. He loved it when the pressure in his veins increased and his heart hammered against his chest. But he knew when to stop as he did now.

Pushing his body up, Rudra surfaced and breathed in letting his lungs relax a bit but not for long. In a matter of seconds, he started to swim.

Originally, this pool was not part of the cottage design. But some years later after the initial construction, he had got this 50 feet pool installed especially in his bedroom. 10 feet deep, this pool was his perfect playground, where he could dive as deep as he could.

Now, after so many years of practice, Rudra had perfected the art of surviving underwater more than 1 minute without breathing. It gave him the much-needed power and control over his body and senses.

After an hour and so, he pulled himself out of the pool and slipped into a towel. He came into the bedroom and was greeted by a happy bark.

Scar came near him and nuzzled her nose on his thigh.

Although Rudra did not believe in emotions, but when it came to Scar, his instincts kicked in. Even though he couldn’t point out what he felt for the dog but still, she held a special place.

Rudra placed his hand on her head and caressed it, and instantly, Scar jumped on the bed and started licking his face.

Petting her, stroking her coat, he managed to pull away from her. Scar wagged her tail joyously as she rested her head in his lap and sat down silently beside him.

As he stroked her throat, Rudra’s mind wandered on the task at hand. He had already lost 5 days, which meant everything that he had planned has to go into action now. He picked up the phone and dialled Mayank’s number but he did not answer the call. Irritated, he sent him a message and got up from the bed followed by Scar.

The moment he reached downstairs, he straightway headed towards the gym.

Time to let out the steam!

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

It was almost 7 am when Rudra finally hit the swimming pool again. Somehow the notion that he couldn’t remember his last 5 days bothered him like hell. After doing 3-4 laps in the pool, he came out and saw Amar waiting for him.

Amar smiled at him but got an intense stare back. Squirming a little in his chair, he looked away knowing well why Rudra was looking at him like this.

However, Rudra didn’t say anything. He just sat down on the bed and stretched his hand towards Amar.

After 30 minutes, Amar was done with the examination and quickly picked up his things before his friend asked him anything.

“Firozi, coffee,” Rudra said in the intercom and entered the bathroom.

Amar silently thanked God and picked up the pace down the stairs and reached the dining room in no time.

Everybody on the table looked at him with concern as he sat down with a thud in one of the chairs.

“Don’t worry, he is fine,” he said, his voice still shaking.

An hour later, Rudra briskly strode inside the dining room and sat down in his usual chair. As he took a sip from the coffee cup, he realised that everybody was looking at him. He kept the cup back on the table and raised his eyes. Instantly everyone looked away.

He was about to pick up the toast from his plate when he saw Mayank enter through the main door.

“Sir, Umesh Verma has agreed to the deal.”

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