Chapter-49

Hrida raced towards him, Shashi withdrew from Divit and darted towards Soma, but he couldn't as Divit trapped him from behind and spoke something in whispers, in an unknown language, then released him, and Shashi fell straight on his face.

He raised his head up and then tried to stand up but he couldn't, his eyes widened in panic, his whole body defied against him, and he couldn't feel a single part of his body except his head. Observing Shashi's state, his mom rushes to him pushing Divit away from her son. 

Soma's mom didn't rest, she kept wrestling against the barrier, her arms were fully sore, and she felt current every time she tried to break through but when she witnessed her son, Shashi, and Hrida being tormented badly, she couldn't handle it anymore. She roared a final cry and collided against the barrier causing it to break, making a loud booming sound, everyone's ears became deaf for a moment. 

All looked at Soma's mom with shocked gazes, but she only cared about taking these innocent children out of this shady game, she picked her son, laid his head on her lap, and held him tight against her, covering her son from the Shawmy's greedy souls.

Soma's mom took notice of How Hrida's mother had a wide sadistic smile on her face as if she was watching some opera for entertainment, she couldn't believe her eyes were watching a heartless mother enjoying her child's suffering, she took out the dart gun and shot her in the torso twice, shutting her out, since she was busy in enjoying the fun too much that she forgot to guard herself up. 

Hrida felt a pang of relief seeing Soma being rescued by Soma, Navya immediately took Soma's family under the protection of police officers. She also took Shashi's mom first to safety, and since Shashi was completely immovable, she needed to carry him on his shoulder but since Shashi's mom was hurt in the stomach, she needed full body support to lean on and she could carry only one at a time.

On the other hand, Lakshman battled against both Divit and Vanya's husband, the police groups were taking care of the Shawmys popping around them, meanwhile, the civilians gathered opposite Hrida's house behind the shield of Police protection, scanning the situation around.

Panic, anxiety, fear, helplessness, hope, and despair were written on their faces, they wanted to help and act according to the police's strategy but they couldn't, their voices were afraid to become vocal in front of these shady, murky Shadow puppets.

In the meantime, Kritak, and Dhansi ji dropped at the location and rushed to help their sir, who was manhandling both devious creatures hanging on him. Tapish was nowhere to be seen, Hrida hadn't forgotten about Tapish, her eyes were searching for him each second.                   

She was relieved and tensed at the same time as she assumed that Tapish hid somewhere safe or the other situation might be bad, being kidnapped by Kali or those Shadow puppets.

She couldn't help but pray countless times about Tapish being safe, she wanted to ask about Tapish but she didn't want to direct the attention of Shawmys, especially Kali's attention towards Tapish. She kept quiet despite her urge to search for Tapish, but currently, Shashi needed to be taken out of the danger zone first, then she would look for Tapish.

Hrida almost neared Shashi but before she could hold him, a new player entered the game, the barricade of layers reformed stronger than ever, creating a wall again between them and those trapped within the walls.

Lakshman, Kritak, Hrida, and Shashi were forcefully trapped again with Vanya's husband, Hrida's mom, Divit, and another wildcard special Shawmy. Shashi's mom begs Kali to let those innocent children out.

Soma's eyes turn icy cold, and he recklessly bangs his hands over the layer and shouts with a cold tone, " Kali or whatever you are, don't even think about causing a single damage to any of my dear ones. I won't spare you, I swear.

Let me in, I will throw your shadows out of this earth. You don't belong here, your place is in the black hole. "

Soma's mom once again started doing her bumping thing, Navya held both Shashi's mom and Soma's mom from banging themselves down and Dhansi ji held Soma from hurting himself over and over.

Dhansi ji's gaze was of father, worriedly looking over the innocent people trapped within the bubble, he felt the same right now as he felt when he watched Vidyut sir falling into a coma, a helpless state, not being able to do anything even though he wants to badly help.

Someone gripped Hrida's shoulder and turned her around, bent to her level, and loomed closer to her face. Hrida tried to push his face away but he caught her hands in his hands and snickered observing Hrida's face closely.

He muttered with a sloppy tone," Pretty doll, remember me, you outright refused to help me.

That day we met, you were in the garbage area, I had told you to ask our master to join in my celebration, but you didn't. how rude!

However, I caught you, now you can't run, dear doll."

Hrida pushes him hard, causing him to stumble and fall over the thorny grass, he laughs wickedly, and, Lakshman throws punch after punch at Ojas' face. Still, he doesn't stop laughing, his laughter is horrifying to everyone's ears. Kritak was barely managing to hold Divit from reaching out to Hrida. 

Here, Lakshman held Oja's collar and questioned him with a demanding tone, " How did you escape from tight security jail confinement, how did that Shadow master reach out to you and what did you do to jailers?

If I found that jailers have caused a single damage, then you would be in big trouble, young man.

And, where is he, your so-called King of Inner Demons? Where is he, hiding in the shadows, is it? Pfft.."

Hrida was about to hold Shashi's hand but again she was interrupted by an arm snaked around her waist, her body paralyzed. She felt disgusted by the touch, and she tried to free her waist from that ink-shady arm.

As harder she tries to loosen the grip, the more stubborn it gets, she turns back but another arm snaked around her shoulder pressing her back against his chest, she poked her elbow on his belly, causing him to hiss, and kick him again on the leg but his grip didn't weaken a bit. 

The Shawmy reminds her with a disgustingly sugary tone," Dear Hrida, won't you say 'Hi' to handsome, Manan, Hmm?

Say! Say my name, my pretty doll.

SAY, I SAID !!! " Her heart froze hearing his voice gain, the memories resurfaced of that day when this all started.

Hrida shook her head violently, a deep scowl on her face, she uttered out loud, " No, I won't, you, stupid Bhaiya." Manan increases the grip on her waist, and she groans in pain, Shashi crawls with all his might, he raises his body upward but immediately falls back, he crawls as fast as he can toward Hrida. 

Lakshman is handling Ojas, and Kritak trying to handle both Divit and Vanya's husband, however, he couldn't tolerate Hrida being mistreated by such a shameless person.

He throws Vanya's husband violently against the pipe, and he grunts in pain. Since Divit is a child, Kritak doesn't want to hurt him, so he pushes him away with slightly less force.

But, Divit's strong and huge muscles weren't allowing him to move out of his grasp, his pain worsened, and his shoulder felt heavy like being crushed under the mountain, Kritak realized how painful it might have been for Lakshman sir when he experienced the critical level of pain when they first visited the jail chamber.

Lakshman ran towards Hrida but Ojas smashed an empty glass bottle on his head, his vision blurred, and his head pained like the worst, he fell on his knees, and he could see blurred spots of red on the blurry grass background, then he fell unconscious on the ground.

Kritak pushes Divit out of his way, holds Lakshman sir, takes him to the house garden, and makes him sit on the bench. He then took out his handkerchief, wrapped it around his head, and returned to the ground to rescue those children.

Soma's mom took out her bullet gun and pointed it at Manan's head, she threatened him with a vengeful tone," Mr. creepy, I warn you to release Hrida, right now as I order you.

If you laid a single finger on Hrida, then my bullet will talk with your head, silencing your voice for once and all.

Release Hrida!"

Navya makes her understand with a concerned tone, " Kimaya mam, you are exposing dangerous weapons in front of them, these are not just mere humans right now, rather they are the mixture of cryptic and threatening beings.

You are putting them in a critical danger zone by revealing this weapon to them. Please put it back, please do it immediately, I request you, mam."

Soma's mom understood her hint and realized the biggest mistake she was about to make, she was going to put it back in her belt but someone stole her gun from her and pressed it against her forehead.

She looked at her side and discovered the teen thief with the widest maddening smirk on his face, He declared with a prideful tone, " Hmm. What an achievement I have received.

I was able to steal the gun from the sub-inspector itself. Not bad! But, my victory would be enhanced by the paint of red stains spread everywhere, don't you think, Kimaya ji? Tcch..Hehh..ehehhee."

Hrida shouts with a sassy tone despite being tortured by Manan's useless talks, " Jivan, the one who sent you to the special cage was me, not her, so if you have a problem, then confront me and not her.

Well, To be honest, you should be glad that I sent you to a better place than letting you wander through homes in search of stealing something of theirs.

If you want to paint someone red, then paint me, not her."

Jivan was annoyed and frustrated by the fact that he was the one responsible for his condition, he pointed the gun in her direction.                                                     Her heartbeat skipped for a second when she saw the gun raised in her direction, she was afraid although she acted like she was not bothered by him but in reality, she was scared to death.

Shashi almost reached her feet, and Jivan's fingers were ready to stain her all red, a loud thud sound was heard, and everyone gasped in horror, her loved ones screamed her name, and she stood still trapped by Manan, pale-faced, her ears went deaf, her eyes blurred.

Manan gets disgusted by looking at her state, he released her, and she fell on her knees, gathering every air of breath in her lungs, Shashi held her hand and asked her to hold on and not leave them. 

Her hands shivered like a leaf on stormy weather, and her fingers traced her torso searching for a red spot, but fortunately, she didn't find any, her head and her whole body were in one piece.

She gasps in relief and announces with a shaky tone, " I-I AM FINE, I am still in one piece from head to toe. Don't worry, I am okay, physically at least."

 Hrida moved out of his way before Manan could trap her again, she growled, looking at him,     " Don't move even an inch towards me, otherwise, the consequences might be fatal for you, and I am not joking this time."

Jivan is baffled and before he can process, he falls unconscious, crashing on the ground, Soma's mom stands there with a dart gun pointed at Jivan, who now is unavailable for a short period.

Navya and other police officers were staring at Soma's mom with admiration and respect for her spontaneous thinking, which saved Hrida and others as well. Soma noticed now that Tapish is nowhere to be seen, he is worried for him but he can't voice out his worry because he doesn't want to divert the shadow's attention towards Tapish.

Shashi raises his body and sits with the utmost difficulty and shields Hrida from the greedy gaze of Manan, Hrida whispers with a broken tone," Shashi! * Sniff* I feel my heart being squeezed hard watching you being tormented and tortured, just because you are the one I most deeply care about although I care about my remaining loved ones too.

I just can't see you in pain, it hurts me badly.

I will never leave you and I won't let you suffer, no matter what I need to do. Now stay still, and let me help you to the bench. And, since you lost the red thread, Kritak bhaiya will protect you, and, I will handle these inhuman beings.

Remember, I always liked to be a warrior princess in every game that we used to play. " Saying this, she hugged him tightly from behind. Shashi felt a boost of courage and warmth rising in his body, he could feel his arms slightly moving, but then their peace was dismissed when Manan bent to their level and tried to catch a glimpse of Hrida.                                        Shashi blocks his view, Manan looms closer to Hrida but Shashi doesn't let it happen.