Hunt for Survival

Near death experience

Prashant

I looked at him and sighed. I couldn’t tell what I was feeling in those few minutes. It was like at first I was anything but normal, but the next moment I was someone else. Though everything which had happened had put me in a great dilemma, but none of this really bothers me as much as Shaurya's health is making me bothered.

Flashback

We were both still there and I was reaching out for him because I felt that he is one of the careless people whom I don’t like to meet at all, but I see that my fate played a game and made a careless person my survival partner, but I also know that he is one of the good guys who knows how to fight and when not to and can be relied on.

I tried to reach out for him but wherever I tried to touch him, I only got the fog. For a moment, I felt that he was far away from me and I had to speed up, but seeing the fog so dense, it was a wrong move.

I heard a shrill yet dim voice and that made me worried because that was his voice. I tried to remember from where I heard his voice. When I recall, I went in that direction. I was walking slowly yet wanted to move fast because I didn’t know what would happen in the next moment and I wanted to chase fast because I was hell worried about him. Though I am not familiar with him, but I also can't shake off the feeling of uneasiness from my heart.

While I was walking, something cold touched my leg. For a moment, I was unable to think, because the probability was that it was some weapon. With some courage, I squatted down to touch it. I found that it was a chain and it was heavy. I tried to pull it and it was somewhat difficult for me and that made me think about the purpose of the chain and they were strong enough to hold someone and then something clicked.

What if these chains are holding Shaurya? I followed them and I felt that they were living as if they were being controlled by someone, but surprisingly, they weren’t attacking me at all, as if I didn’t exist for them at all, even if I would touch them from time to time to know my path.

I heard a few whimpers and that made my heart shrink. I couldn’t see much, so this time, too, I tried to reach them and this time I did't feel a single chain but a whole bunch of them and all of them were running in that direction only. I have also heard his voice coming from that direction. So what I had thought could be a possibility. They must be trying to choke him to death. But why?

Then soon enough I got my answer as well. This deity knife is really one of the curses that he had taken upon himself unknowingly. I heard his voice, which was shriller than before. I looked for the source but I wasn’t able to see it. I tried to pull them together but I know that I was fooling, because I know that a normal person like me can’t do this at all.

But I had to save him.

This thought was inside my mind. Just like any miracle, I felt enormous power running inside me and I pulled those chains until he was on the land and then I pulled all the chains away from his body and threw them away.

He landed on the land safely but wasn’t in a good state. He was all tired and I knew that he couldn’t hold on to his consciousness longer. I started to walk towards him but I was a bit late because he walked backward and made the land disappear beneath back of his back, but thanks to God that I reached there on time and held him. Even at this serious time, he was joking around.

I looked at his hand and he was still holding the knife even though on his hand there was a dark crimson red mark. I sighed even though I know one thing, that even though he is careless, he is also one of the people who could risk his life if he is given was responsibility. He won’t loosen his shoulder if a responsibility is given to him.

I wasn’t able to hold his hand for long. Slowly I was feeling that I couldn’t hold him and that would make him go into the deep hole which was covered by fog. I just can’t let him lose his life like that. He had to make it to the end.

And just like the miracle before I had experienced, it happened again and I was able to pull him like a feather was in my hand. He was so much light to me. After I pulled him upwards, I took him away and this time, when I followed the same path, there was no fog at all and I found a place to stand and sit. He laid on the stack of leaves.

Flashback over.

I couldn’t understand till now what had happened in those moments, but it is all so unreal to me. But that is not the time for me to think. He had lost blood and I guess he would need some time before he recovered well.

I went towards him and saw his wrist, which was still of the same colour. I think it was one of the traps of the king. If one day I meet him, then I will make him pay for it. I checked his pulse and my eyes widened. His pulse has been getting weaker since the last time I sensed it. I looked at him and he was motionless.

Shaurya, in what trouble have you put yourself in?

I checked his body and it was also getting cold. He is either losing hope to live or, either, this injury is so bad that it is making it hard to survive. I can’t do anything which could make him survive. I don’t know how I can make his injury heal. Can I find something which can improve his injury well?

My eyes suddenly fell on his waist and his t-shirt was untidy and I reached to tidy when I saw the same crimson mark on it and that kicked my curiosity in it and I lifted his shirt and again my eyes widened because they were deeper red than those on the wrist. I have to do something fast before he really loses his life. But what can I do for him?

“God, please help me. I want to save this man, but I don’t know any way. If I could trade my life, then I am willing to do that.” I didn’t know at that moment what I was saying, but I wanted Shaurya to be alive. He must have people who must be waiting for his return and if he doesn’t return, then they will be sad, but behind me I don’t have anyone to worry about. Then, even if my life is traded with him, then I won’t regret it.

“Who…. knew that…. this man…. can worry……about…. someone like me?” I heard a tired voice and I looked in his way and saw him opening his eyes and I smiled but soon looked away and I heard him chuckling. “You look awful when you blush Prashant.” He said to me and I glared at him but that didn’t work on him. “If you don’t mind then please leave my hand.” I looked at his hand and was in awkward situation. I didn’t realize that I was holding his hand.

“How are you feeling?” I asked him while looking away.

“I am feeling much better and more energetic than before.” He told me, and I looked at him. He was already sitting.

“You should sleep; you need to sleep for more energy. Get some rest and I will find something to eat and maybe some herbs to cure your wound.” I stood up and started to make my way outside.

“Do you have knowledge of herbs too?” He asked me and that made me stop in my way and look at him.

“I must not be a doctor, but I have little knowledge about them.”

“From where do you get so much knowledge?” I rolled my eyes.

“There is a thing called books from where you can grab so much knowledge.”

“I have heard about these a lot and my mother forces me to have a look at them again and again, but they are kind of heavy things for my mind. My mind can only fill with the games.” I shook my head.

“Just like before, I would say the same thing…”

“I am impossible.” He completed my sentence and I nodded and he chuckled. I am really not able to understand him at all. The moment I think that I am getting to know him, the next moment he surprises me with his action or words. He can laugh in any situation of his life without worrying if death is near him or not.

I can still clearly imagine that scene where he knew that there was a very thin line to survive, yet he didn’t worry so much about his life but joked around as if it was nothing but a small matter. He doesn’t really care what kind of trouble will stir the next moment, but at any moment of his life, he can never lose the person he is. He is so much different from me. We both contrast with each other.

“Are herbs and fruit here only?” I heard a voice which brought me back to reality and I looked at him and he wasn’t looking at me but at the ground.

“I was only going away.” He chuckled and looked at me.

“Yeah, yeah I am just imagining that you are over here and thinking about something and that you weren’t so aware of your surroundings.” I looked at him confused. He pointed outside and I saw that the rain had begun. I sighed. I should have left earlier. “Don’t worry, if we go hungry for one day then we won’t die because of the starvation.” He said to me and I looked inside the cave and found some dry twigs and leaves which must be from the outside trees. I collected them and lit a fire. It will keep us warm for a while. I sat near the fire while he was quite far away.

“How were you able to save me, Prashant?” He asked me.

“What do you think?”

“I am unable to understand. That is why I am asking. I know that those chains were removed by you and when you were as tired as I was when you were holding me, you pulled me up. It was like a powerful soul getting injected inside you.” He said, remaining silent for a few moments.

“I myself can’t understand. When I saw you struggling, there was something inside me that wanted to help you. Maybe that has helped me save you,” I said.

“That is really an odd explanation.”

“ The same goes for me too. I am feeling odd after that incident.” I said to him and I looked at him and he laid down and in feel a few moments he slept. It is better that he is sleeping rather than talking more. After all, he had gone through a near death experience which many people can’t go through, but he was lucky enough that he survived and maybe God was merciful and his life was saved.

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