Chapter 5: Us In Ocean

Arav:

The sun was sinking beneath the horizon, casting long shadows across the vast, empty ocean. I was alone, my boat adrift in the middle of nowhere. In the distance, Prem lay motionless in another boat, unconscious and bleeding from a wound that had stained the water around him a dark, ominous red. My heart raced with fear and indecision. Despite everything he had done, I couldn't just stand by and watch him die.

Panic surged within me as I searched the boat for something—anything—that could help save him. The minutes felt like hours as I frantically tore through every nook and cranny, my hands trembling. Just as despair began to creep in, my fingers brushed against something cold and metallic in a rack. It was a first aid kit, and next to it, an anchor attached to a long, sturdy rope.

I clutched the kit and anchor tightly, my mind racing with what I needed to do. I rushed to the edge of the boat, the setting sun casting a golden glow over the water. With every ounce of strength I had, I hurled the anchor towards Prem's boat. It took several desperate attempts, each one more frantic than the last, but finally, the anchor caught on the edge of his boat.

Relief flooded through me as I began pulling the rope, inching the two boats closer together. The effort was exhausting, but I refused to give up. When the boats were finally side by side, I tied the rope securely to a steel rod at the edge of my boat, ensuring they wouldn't drift apart.

With the first aid kit in hand, I took a deep breath and leaped across the gap between the boats, landing beside Prem with a thud. His breathing was shallow, his face pale. I knew I had no time to waste.

I rushed to Prem's side, my hands trembling as I cleaned his wound and applied basic first aid. The blood had stained his clothes and pooled beneath him, a stark reminder of how close he was to death. Once I had done what I could, I slipped his arm around my neck, struggling to lift his weight. With effort, I managed to carry him to the bench and lay him down gently.

As I looked around at the aftermath of whatever had happened to him, a wave of horror washed over me. The thought of someone trying to kill him, even if he had done terrible things, was almost too much to comprehend. The question of who—or what—could have driven someone to this lingered in my mind, but there were no answers here, only the endless sea and the darkening sky.

The uncertainty of our situation weighed heavily on me. I had no idea where the boat was heading or where we would eventually land. Feeling a sense of helplessness, I made my way to the engine and shut it off, hoping to conserve what little fuel we had left. The silence that followed was oppressive, broken only by the sound of the water lapping against the hull.

When I turned back to Prem, I saw him slipping off the bench, his body limp and unsteady. I rushed over just in time to catch him, my heart pounding as I held him close. In the dim light, I grabbed a torch from the boat and shone it on his face, searching for any sign of life.

Slowly, his eyelids fluttered, and then, he opened his eyes. Our gazes locked, and in that moment, something shifted. The way he looked at me was different—intense, almost searching. It was as if he was seeing me for the first time, and the depth of that gaze sent a shiver down my spine.

For a brief moment, I felt an unfamiliar connection, something that transcended words. But as quickly as it came, I remembered who he was and what he had done. His past behavior flashed in my mind, and I pulled back, wary and unsure of what to make of this new side of him.

Prem:

When I opened my eyes, the world around me slowly came into focus. The first thing I saw was Nani, sitting right in front of me, his hands gently holding my face. His touch was careful, almost tender, and it jolted me back to the last thing I remembered—a strange, almost surreal experience that seemed to be connected to Nani's feelings. I couldn't help but wonder if what I had felt was real, if such an experience was even possible.

I blinked, trying to clear the fog in my mind, and then, with some effort, pushed myself up from the bench, using my arm for support. A sharp pain shot through me, and I winced, instinctively clutching my side. That's when the memory of being stabbed by Manju (The man Who stabbed me) came rushing back. The sensation of cold steel piercing my flesh, the shock and pain—it all returned in an instant.

I looked down at my arm and saw it was wrapped in a bandage, neatly done. A wave of realization washed over me. Nani had done this—he had given me first aid, saving me from what could have been a far worse fate. The knowledge of his care, despite everything, left me feeling conflicted. I owed him my life, yet the emotions swirling within me were too complex to sort through just now.

I stood up from the bench and looked out over the endless stretch of ocean. The horizon blurred into the sky, and there was no sign of land in sight. The frustration gnawed at me, tightening like a knot in my chest. And then, there was Nani—his face twisted in that infuriating, sarcastic expression. It made my blood boil.

"Hey!" I snapped, my voice sharp with worry. "Do you even know where we are?"

Nani just stood there, saying nothing. His silence grated on my already frayed nerves. Patience was slipping away from me like sand through my fingers. I marched over to him, grabbing his collar with both hands, trying to shake some sense into him. But instead, he shoved me back, his anger flaring.

"Have you lost your mind?" he shouted, his voice ringing in the air. "How would I know? I'm just as new to this place as you!"

I could feel the muscles in my face tighten, my brow furrowing in disbelief. "Seriously? I'm asking why you even followed me here. You could've just stayed back at my place!"

Nani stormed towards me, his eyes blazing with anger. He jabbed his finger into my chest with such force I almost stumbled back. His voice cut through the air, sharp and loud.

"If I hadn't been here, you would've bled out by now! You never think, do you? You always rush into things without a second thought!"

His words stung, and I could feel the anger bubbling inside me, mirroring his. My fists clenched as I tried to keep it together, trying to figure out what exactly was going on inside me—why was I so on edge? Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to calm down, releasing the tension.

"Thanks… for turning off the engine," I said quietly, trying to smooth things over.

But Nani didn't even look like he heard me. His face remained hard, indifferent, as if my words didn't matter at all. I sighed, pulling out my watch to check our bearings. We were still headed north, but home was eastward. I adjusted the boat's direction, the engine rumbling beneath my feet, and handed the watch to Nani.

"Hold this, and keep an eye on the direction," I told him.

He stared at the watch with a puzzled look, like he was trying to make sense of it but didn't want to ask for help. He just held it, saying nothing as we continued on our way. An hour passed in tense silence, the boat cutting through the water. The sun was climbing higher now, beating down on us. I noticed Nani bending down, scooping up water in his hands.

"You can't drink that—it's too salty," I warned.

He turned to me, his face twisted in irritation. "Do you think I'm a child? I know it's salty. I just wanted to rinse my mouth. It's 9:40 a.m. now, and I haven't had a drop of water since yesterday afternoon. I'm practically swallowing my own spit just to stay hydrated."

The exhaustion in his voice hung heavy between us. I felt a pang of guilt—despite everything, we were in this together. The ocean stretched endlessly around us, and for the first time, I realized just how vulnerable we both were.

After hearing Nani's words, a new urgency gripped me—I just wanted to get us home. I glanced over at Nani. He was sitting beside me quietly, his earlier anger gone, replaced by an almost childlike silence. He looked so exhausted, like a puppy who had been scolded too many times.

"Just sleep," I said softly, my voice filled with concern. "Give me the watch. I'll handle it. Once we're home, I'll wake you."

Nani handed me the watch without a word and lay down, drifting off almost instantly. I was alone with my thoughts now, and they swirled around in my mind like the churning ocean beneath us. Would we really make it back home alive? Or would someone find our bodies washed ashore, nothing more than lifeless remnants of a failed journey? My heart clenched at the thought of Leela and Chotu. They must be worried sick.

Hours passed as I steered the boat forward, the sun shifting across the sky. Then, in the distance, I saw it—land. Relief flooded through me, and I pushed the boat faster. The outline of people grew clearer, and I knew with certainty that we had made it. We were home.

"Nani," I said, shaking him awake gently. "We made it. We're home."

He stirred slowly, rubbing his eyes before standing up. Excitement buzzed through me as we reached the shore. We stepped off the boat, and the sight of Leela waiting for us nearly brought tears to my eyes. She sat by the shore, bandages covering her wounds, her face etched with worry. The moment she saw us, she rushed over and threw her arms around both of us, pulling us into a tight hug.

"If you both hadn't come back… I don't know what would've happened to us," she said, her voice trembling with emotion.

We started walking towards the house, but suddenly, I felt Nani's absence behind me. I turned around just in time to see him collapse, crumpling to the ground like a ragdoll.

"Nani............."