Their First Encounter

As her duty time was over, the flash of lightning and roars of thunder could be heard with the black cloud scattered in the sky. The weather in Pliuca was turning unpredictable these days.

"Abha why don't you stay for a moment or call someone to fetch you." the owner of the shop told her before she could leave.

Even though Rick was home, she didn't want to disturb him because she knew, he with others was planning a surprise. She didn't want to spoil their plan.

"No, Boss. I will leave immediately. Maybe before the rain, I could reach home." she replied.

"Okay then, before you go my wife has something for you...Tomorrow is your birthday. So, happy birthday to you in advance and you have a break tomorrow."

The Lady boss handed her a cake wishing her a happy birthday too.

"Thank you both. Bye, I am leaving..." saying that Abha disappeared in the dark.

***

As the rain could pour anytime, Abha decided to walk through the silent alley from where she could reach her home faster than the route she used to walk previously.

If she had known that the walk through the alley would change her life, maybe she would have chosen the other route or stayed in the shop. But some other things have been written in her destiny...

Abha was hurrying her steps in the dark and silence, she saw the movements of some other people nearby. Then the sound of a gunshot was heard.

She was frightened by what she saw from her view. On a nearby playground, men wearing masks shot a bullet at the head and thigh of the man laying down. A large pool of blood gathered in front of the lying man. Besides the shot, the man was badly bruised. He didn't even react to the shot, maybe was unconscious.

Abha hide in the corner and tried hard to control her breathing afraid those masked men would notice her presence. Those masked men immediately left the scene and disappeared.

After those men left, she exhaled the breath she was holding. She tried to ignore the situation and walked a few steps far from the scene. With the few steps she took, her mind was only replaying the bloody scene.

Her sympathy and doctor instinct kicked her. She heard her inner voice asking if the man on the ground was alive, then? So, she returned back to the man, squatting down, and checked the pulse by putting a handkerchief on his wrist.

She was trying to be cautious. If the man was already dead then, without taking precautions she may get herself into trouble.

Abha noticed the man was still alive. But the life was in danger. If she couldn't help him immediately the man won't survive.

But she got a dilemma whether to take him to the hospital and inform the police of the incident or not. If she takes her to the hospital the operation could be delayed too. Plus she had to appear as a witness in the assassination case. Maybe the masked men will notice her later too. She may put herself in danger. It would be a headache.

Rick and the other were waiting for her at home. If she didn't return they will start to worry.

She only had a choice and that was to take the man to her old house and operate on him. But the problem for her was; how is she going to take him home without alerting the people in her home? The elders will be panicked if they saw the injured man. She quickly made a plan in her mind and took the man away.

Before taking the man away she burned the place with fire as no house or things could be destroyed there. She wiped all the evidence that could lead or point out to her or the incident that happened.

Reaching her house she didn't enter through the front door but went towards the back garden. She removed the grass of a certain place and an underground small door came into view. Opening it, she took the man along to the underground room.

The underground was not exactly a room but a lab that her grandparents have build to do some experiments on medicine as well as teach both Rick and Abha. After their grandparent's death, no one had entered there. The room has been locked by Rick,

The lab was dusted and the webs of spiders could be seen. All the equipment has been covered by clothes before it was locked. She removed a cloth and a medical bed came into view. Placing the man, she searched for her phone to send a message to Rick.

The message was like,

'Bro, come down the lab...urgently needed. Tell sister Tia to handle the situation there and let the elder return their home or stay silently, saying I will only return tomorrow morning. You are needed here fast as possible with your medical kits to remove a bullet....'

Within two minutes Rick alone reached there, and Abha was preparing for the operation. He was gasping heavily. Maybe he was afraid of the message he got from Abha, so he hurriedly came over. After he closed the door, before he could see Abha, he spoke,

"ABHA...Abha what has happened to you....how are you-" he stopped after he saw Abha standing fit and fine. He misunderstood the message.

"Oh!! Brother you came. Don't ask me any questions now as life is at risk. He needs treatment. You operate on him and I assist you..."pointing to the man in bed Abha told Rick.

"BUT--"

"Let's talk afterward.

"Okay. Give me two minutes to be ready..."

Abha told a brief about the wounded stranger's condition showing the parts where he got shot. Rick began to operate on him. The bullet on the thigh was pulled out easily but the one on the head was very problematic. If one wasn't fully focused then it could affect the brain and mess up the nerves of the brain.

Rick was trying his best he could, sweats were forming on his forehead. Abha helped to wipe the sweats and took part in the operation. It took more than six-hour to finish.

By the time it was finished, both Rick and Abha were very tired that they couldn't move their muscles. Both sat where they find a place to sit and closed their eyes to rest.

After two hours, Abha opened her eyes. Seeing Rick sleeping uncomfortably she adjusted his seat and slowly walked out of the lab. Maybe it rained during the operation, the ground was wet. The sunrise would be soon. The bloody scene and dried blood on her body were making her nauseous. Before anyone could see her sorry situation she entered her room and took a warm bath.

Then, she brought a blanket and a pillow to the lab and covered Rick. She could have waked up Rick but as he was very tired by the operation she let him be however he was. Checking the situation of the patient, she left both of them and went to sleep.

She hadn't slept for an hour but the sound of a birthday wish woke her up. She rubbed her eyes and acted as if she was surprised.

The elder who she taught exercise, the kids of the community along with Tia were surrounding her bed. They once again wished her a happy birthday and brought her out to give her a surprise.