Chapter 52

Kukki was standing in the middle of the washroom with Sneha trying to get her cleaned up when the light flickered the first time. Kukki let it go thinking it to be a power cut or something similar. But then it flickered again only for all the lights to go off; they both were left standing in complete darkness. Suddenly Sneha started shouting

“Yayyyyyy yayyyyy balloooooo cake mumma budddddaaaaaaa” Sneha said clapping her hands and then suddenly went silent putting a finger on her lips just like Kukki had done last night while planning Prerna's surprise. This made Kukki laugh hysterically.

“Snehu haan yeh ek aur surprise hain hamara. Abhi se practice karlo. Or Maybe mumma and papa are trying to surprise us instead.” Kukki said, thinking and smiling to herself.

“Lekin woh nahin jante that I am their daughter. Snehu meri baat dhyan se suno tum yahin pe rehna ok. Statue!!!!. Kukki di abhi wapis aayegi. Darogi to nahin?” Kukki said quietly and Sneha smiled and nodded her head. 

“Sneha yeh kukki di gayi bathroom se bahar'' Kukki kept giving little details of all her actions on top of her voice as she didnt want Sneha to get scared being all alone in the bathtub and was instead going to surprise her parents who were thinking that they would surprise her. She very carefully watched her steps while moving towards her study table. She was sure there was a power bank with a torch. “They must be in the hall or maybe just outside our room waiting for us hoping that we will shout being scared and come out running and then they will get to surprise us.” Thought Kukki as she giggled to herself. On her way she accidentally hit her legs on some small legos of Sneha and got angry on herself.

“Ab Samajh main aaya mumma hamesha kyun chilati thi ki clean your room!!!!! clean your room!!!!” Kukki said irritatingly

Finally she reached her table and was able to find the power bank. She quickly switched it on and pointed it towards Sneha, who shouted in excitement finally being able to see her sister. Kukki quickly placed a finger on her mouth and asked her to come towards her. The little girl happily giggled and complied.

“Ab meri baat dhyan se suno humlog room se bahar jayenge and then we will shout “Surprise!!!!!!! Okay!!!!” Kukki said, giving a thumbs up and Sneha clapped happily. Kukki went towards the door holding Sneha’s hands. She hid the power bank in her pocket so the light would get dim. 

“1…….2……...3…………….” kukki shouted opening the door but suddenly she heard a big blast and was thrown back with Sneha. They both fell to the ground because of an unknown impact. It felt as if someone had pushed them with all their might. Kukki who was shivering and shaking badly was extremely shocked. Yet she got up to check on Sneha.

“Snehu!!!! Snehu!!!!! Aap theek ho!!!???? Aapko chot to nahin aayi” Kukki asked, checking her from head to toe.

“Kudi Mumma buddddaaaaa buuuuummmmmmmm  patakheeeee” Sneha said and started clapping her hands. For once Kukki was relieved that Sneha didn't know what had just happened. For her the loud bang was their mother’s birthday crackers. But Kukki knew that it was no such thing and was getting scared minute by minute thinking of what had just happened.  

“Kukki phir se statue…. statue….. khele???? Haan??? Statue banke yahin khadi rehna …..main…… main……. dekh ke aati hoon….. aur…..aur….. Kitne pa….. patakhe hain… Okay????” Kukki asked and Sneha nodded. Kukki left the power bank in the room so that Sneha did not get scared. Kukki with her shaking legs opened the door and tried going outside but she was shocked to see that the complete ground floor was suddenly blazing with fire. The monstrous fire was everywhere; the kitchen, the hall everywhere and it was swallowing everything like a wildfire. Kukki put a hand on her mouth suppressing her tears and cried loudly for Saba. 

“Saba Maasi !!!!!! Saba Maasi !!!!!!Saba Maasi !!!!!!Saba Maasi !!!!!!Saba Maasi !!!!!!” Kukki Shouted

“Chandu…. Chandu bhaiya Haan !!!!! Chandu Bhaiya!!!!!!!Chandu Bhaiya!!!!!!!Chandu Bhaiya!!!!!!!Chandu Bhaiya!!!!!!!” Kukki shouted at the top of her voice hoping desperately that someone would come to help them but none came.

“PAPA!!!!!!PAPA!!!!!!PAPA!!!!!!PAPA!!!!!! MUMMA!!!!!MUMMA!!!!!MUMMA!!!!!” Kukki kept on shouting. She didn't know what to do. Wailing she knelt on the ground. Just then she heard Sneha’s voice and realised that she was just coming out of her room and Kukki couldn't let that happen. No Kukki couldn't because Sneha would get extremely scared and might hurt herself. That scared Kukki more. She quickly wiped her tears before Sneha could come out of the room. She quickly went inside the room and shut the door.

“Kyun aayi tum bahar??? Haan statue banne ko bola thana maine.” Kukki shouted at Sneha

“Kudi!!! Dada!!!!” Sneha said as if asking where her parents were.

Then Kukki realised her parents might not know what had happened. She needed to inform them and she started searching for her IPAD in the room like a mad person.

“Kudii !!! Kudi !!!!!” Sneha started shouting because she was irritated. 

“Sneha please !!!! Chup Karo ek minute !!! Chup !!!! bilkul Chup karke betho!!!” Kukki shouted back and tried calling her father frantically through the IPAD. First time - not connected, second time - not connected, third time - not connected.

“What is going on???” Kukki shouted bewildered and shook the IPAD vigorously.

“Kudii !!! Kudi!!!!! ” Sneha started shouting once again.

“CHUP KARO SNEHA CHUP KARO EK BAAR KAHI HUI BAAT TUMHE SAMAJH MAIN NAHIN AATI HAIN KYA. CHUP KARO” Kukki literally snapped back at her. Sneha got very angry and sat on the bed. Suddenly Kukki saw the network sign and realised that there was no wifi. 

“UGHHHHHHHH!!!! Why???? Why hadn't I bought an IPAD with a calling facility????” Kukki said, throwing the IPAD on the bed getting extremely angry.

“Main!!!! Main !!!! Kya karu?????Main !!!! Kya karu?????”  Kukki cried helplessly. Tossing and turning from there to there thinking what she could do. 

“Kahan hain aap papa!!! Kahan hain Mumma !!!! where are you???” Kukki cried helplessly.

“Kudi !!!!!! Ouch!!!!!!” Sneha said, looking concerned at Kukki. Kukki started laughing and hugged her tightly. 

“Kudi???” Sneha said

“Hmm” Kukki said and Sneha showed her muscles. “Dada!!!!!!” Sneha said, flexing her muscles. “Kudi!!!!” Sneha said flexing her muscles again. And Kukki smiled between her tears remembering something that had happened at Kukki’s school one day.

“Nahin….. meri samajh main nahin aa raha hain…. aap….. aap….. the kaha. Maine aapse kaha tha ki I will need you there.” Kukki said outside the school gate. It was the inter school basketball championship. Prerna gave a knowing look to Mr Bajaj and tried to diffuse the situation between them.

“Kukki meri samajh mein yeh nahi aa raha hain ki aap kis baat pe naraaz hain. You have not lost the competition because of me it was because of you” Mr BAjaj said 

“We are not talking about me. We are talking about the fact that why was my father not there at my match?” Kukki said

“You wanted me to be there yes!!!!! but you didn't need me there for you.  Tell me all the points you noticed in the other team and that could have helped you win???” Mr BAjaj said. Kukki recited them and Mr Bajaj asked “ then why didn't you use them??” 

“Because I don't know if it was right or wrong. I thought I thought you could have helped me, Kya ho jata agar aap thodi jaldi aa jate???” Kukki said irritatingly.

“Main rahunga aapke saath har bar??? Aapke har exam main bethunga aapke saath??? Agar strategy kaam nahin karti to change kar leti it's as simple as that. Exam tumhare hain match tumhara hain mera nahin marks tumhare hain mere nahin lose or win it's yours not mine. Learn to fight your own battles. Now chin up and go and shakes hands with the winning team” Mr Bajaj said 

Kukki wiped her tears and hugged Sneha more tightly. She won't let anything happen to Sneha. She just wont. She took the power bank and put it inside her pocket. She quickly started analyzing what she could do and what she couldn't. She needed to get out of the house anyhow along with Sneha. If only they could somehow reach the main gate they would be safe. She was sure that people must have started noticing the fire and some people might be standing at the door for help. But there was fire everywhere. How she was supposed to get down? But then she remembered something and went quickly to her cupboard and took out a large quilt. She engulfed Sneha and herself inside them. She had read about such fire in school and the precautions that you should take. She took a deep breath; held Sneha’s hand tightly and made sure they were covered properly.  As soon as she came out of the room Sneha got scared and hid herself in Kukki. 

"Snehu kuch nahin hoga kuch nahin. Kudi hain na. Kuch nahin hoga. Main hoon na Sneha ke saath kuch nahin hoga."Kuki tried to calm down Sneha and hide the fact that she was actually more scared than her. Sneha was just as cold as the statue.

“Snehu please kuch nahn hoga. I promise. Snehu!!!!” Kukki said but Sneha was terribly scared. Kukki composed herself and thought of something. 

“Snehu aap aankhen band karlo. Kudi hain na. She will take you. Aur…. aur…. dada wait kar rahe hain niche apni Snehu ke liye. Hain na!!!!” Kukki said and it seemed to do the trick. Sneha closed her eyes and  Kukki started moving towards the stairs.  Kukki may have been small but she was quick to realise that the fire was everywhere. She mustered all her strength and started moving towards the stairs but before she could reach the stairs even they were on fire from both the sides. There was no way that they could move through the stairs  alone. 

“This is not the way!!! This is not the way. Snehu Snehu room main chalo jaldi!!!” Kukki said and ran inside the room dropping the quilt then and there.

Just then Saba started gaining her consciousness in the study room. She slowly opened her heavy eyes and held her head in pain. As she quickly turned around she saw that there was fire everywhere. Saba got scared. It meant that the mad Mr Bose had actually gone ahead with his plan. She growled in frustration. Saba ran out of the room dodging the flames here and there when a huge log broke from the gate and fell in  front of the door. Saba, scared, retreated back. She started watching here and there trying to find a way out but she didn't know what to do. Saba remembered the girls might still be in their room and she couldn’t let anything happen to them. With much strength Saba jumped over the line of fire and she was outside the room. She got up with much strength and started moving towards the stairs where she bumped into an unconscious Mr Bose. 

“Mr Bose !!!! Mr Bose!!!!!” Saba shouted but he regained no consciousness. Every instinct of Saba told her that she should just let the man die then and there but she was not like him.There was some difference between the monstrous Mr Bose and her. She supported him over her shoulder and with much strength dragged him towards the main gate. The threshold was almost on fire. She could see some people standing outside the door shouting. Help was on its way but the fire was very bad.  She took time, almost moved near to the gate and some of the people came towards her and she was able to handover Mr Bose to them before they could stop her from going inside. Without wasting her time she started moving towards the stairs and somehow she managed to reach the girls room. She knew that they would not be able to come down from this dangerous path that she had taken. But there was no way that she was leaving the girls alone in their room. 

There Kukki entered the room scared and deciding what to do. She calculated that in sometime the fire would almost be in their room. It had already engulfed their parents room. Suddenly she saw the balcony gate and realized that if they could go out to the balcony maybe she can call someone for help. She went near the door but it had a latch at the top. Kukki dragged a stool and tried to unlock it but it was too far. She put another stool on the first one and was trying to reach through it when the stool wobbled and she fell down breaking her leg and screamed in pain.

“Mumma !!!!! Mummaa!!! Kaha hain aap log??? Kaha hain???” Kukki cried in frustration and helplessness. Saba just then entered the room. 

“Kukki!!!!!!” Saba shouted while running to the little girl 

“Saba maasi aap kaha rah gaye the?? Kaha the aap ??? Main kab se chila rahin hoon??Main kab se chila rahin hoon??” Kukki shouted at her not knowing what to do. Saba just hugged Kukki while relaxing knowing well that Kukki was really scared.  

“Main …..Woh….. Meri baat chodo aap kya kar rahin hoon ? Aap theek hoon na??” Saba asked again “Aur Sneha kaha hain???” Saba asked to check the room and found her in a corner standing scared. 

“Sneha aa jao beta kuch nahin hua hain. Main aa gayi hoon na!!!” Saba said hugging both the girls in a tight hug. 

“Main woh !!!! Balcony main jane ke liye!!” Kukki showed Saba the door. Saba quickly removed the stools and tried to unlock the door but suddenly she heard another blast and the girls started crying scared. Saba realised it was a matter of seconds before the room would be filled with fire. She had to open the gate she just had to. She tried opening the latch but it had turned too hot and she retreated with her burned hands. She took a small towel lying on the bed and tried to open the latch. It opened in an instant and all three of them smiled relieved but it was short lived as they saw another gate next to it that was locked. Saba cursed herself for not remembering that Mr Bajaj had set up an extra grill in front of the door in the balcony for the girls safety and it usually remained closed after 7 o'clock. On top of it She didn't have the keys. Saba started inspecting the room thinking where else they could get out from the room when she saw the window. She quickly got some bedsheets and tried to open the window but damned even they had grills and saw that kukki and sneha won't be able to slip out of it. She tried to find something that she can maybe use to open the lock at the gate but nothing worked. She thought and thought. What was she supposed to do and how was she supposed to save these two girls. What the hell was she supposed to do?????

As Mr Bajaj and Prerna entered the alleyway the first thing they noticed was the huge fire and their heart stopped. There was a huge gathering of people. They left the car then and there and ran towards Bajaj mansion. As soon as they entered the guards told them what had happened.

“Sir blast ho gaya shaab. Kitchen main pata nahin kaise short circuit or phir!!!!!” One of the guards said and Mr Bajaj ran towards the house followed by Prerna. 

“Fire brigade ko call kiya kisine” Mr Bajaj shouted

“Haan sir call kar diya hain bas aati hogi” The guard shouted

“Kab aayegi pura ghar jal jayega uske baad” prerna shouted and was about to run inside the house when Mr Bajaj stopped her and threw her back,

“Kaha ja rahin hain aap??? Prerna hosh main aaiye.” Mr Bajaj shouted

“Meri bachiyaan hain andar. Jane dijiye mujhe???” Prerna shouted, struggling to run inside the house. 

“Main jaanta hoon aur unko kuch nahin hoga. Lekin unke liye main aur teen life khatre main nahin dalunga. Aap yahin rahengi!!!!! Aap yahin raheng!!!!! Prerna suna aapne kuch nahin hoga bachiyon ko”   Mr Bajaj said and with that ran inside the house

“Mr BAjaj !!!!! Mr BAjaj!!!!!!!” Prerna started shouting. Mr Bajaj tried to enter the house but it was completely damaged and there was fire everywhere. But he didnt care, he just didn't care and he was just about to enter the house when the main door completely fell down and with a huge blast he was thrown back into the ground. 

“Mr Bajaj!!!!! Mr Bajaj!!!! Prerna said and ran towards him. “Are you okay??? Are you okay???” Prerna shouted. Mr Bajaj composed himself and kept looking at the fire thinking what he could do. Suddenly he remembered the girls balcony. How could he forget? Mr Bajaj quickly got up and ran towards the back of the house. They both reached the girls room and were standing below the balcony looking here and there trying to think how they could go up. Prerna ran towards the garden shed and started taking out the ladder. Mr Bajaj picked it up in one swift motion and placed it under the balcony. He reached up followed by Prerna and they found the gates of the balcony closed. They banged on the gates shouting 

“Kukki!!!! Sneha!!!!!!!”

Saba was standing inside the room holding Kukki and Sneha while the flames were erupting everywhere in the room. They were coughing very badly. They could even see burn injuries on Kukki and Saba. Suddenly they heard the voice and they all ran towards the gate. 

“Sir!!!! “” Saba said

“Papa!!!!! Mumma!!!!!” Kukki shouted.

“Aaap log theek hoon na??? Papa aa gaye hain aap log chinta mat karna!! Haan !!!! Darna nahin !!!! Papa…. Mummmaa…. aa gaye hain na !!!!! Aa gaye hain!!!!!” Mr Bajaj said trying to open the gate but it was not budging. The fire was moving inside the room and all of them were getting scared. Saba again started searching around the room trying to find something to break the lock with. She and Kukki kept hitting the locks with anything they could find and break it. Mr Bajaj and Prerna tried to use as much force as possible to open the door. Mr Bajaj realised that it was not working and suddenly went down the stairs to pick up one of the stones that they could use. He passed it to Prerna and then jumped on the balcony. Prerna somehow slipped it into the gate.  Saba tried breaking the lock with all her might. While Mr Bajaj and Prerna kept on trying to move the gates hoping that they could open it. 

1…….2….3……..4……….5……..and then finally it broke and saba took it out and Mr Bajaj opened the grill gate in one swift motion. All three of them came out on the balcony coughing very badly and looking disheveled. Mr Bajaj and Prerna hugged both their  daughters and cried in relief. Prerna started kissing them everywhere and making sure they were okay. Kukki and Sneha too held them even more tightly while all of them started crying.

“Aap log kaha rah gaye the??? Kaha rah gaye the. Maine bahut koshish ki papa I tried my best to fight it out and help us both” Kukki said crying.

“It's OK, it's ok we are okay. We are okay and aap to world ki sabse brave bachi hoon. Mujhse mumma se papa se bhi strong.” Mr BAjaj said hugging kukki and consoling her. 

“Saba!!!! Saba !!!!! Aap theek hain. Are you okay?” Mr Bajaj asked Saba. Saba just nodded while coughing. 

“Chalo chalo aap log yahan se!!!!” Mr Bajaj said. Mr Bajaj asked Kukki to go down but she refused on point blank insisting that first Prerna and Sneha will go down.  Seeing they had no time to fight they complied. Mr Bajaj hosted Kukki on his shoulders and helped her down the ladder. Then he went up to help Saba. Prerna quickly took both the girls away from the burning building and placed them near a tree. Some of the guards had already followed them there. Prerna left Kukki and Sneha with them and she returned to help Mr Bajaj with Saba.  

“Mr Bajaj… yeh sab….  Mr Bose….. Mr Bose…..” Saba tried to form words.

“I know…. I know….. I heard the messages. Aap fikar mat kijiye. Okay. Saba!!!! Are you listening to me???” Mr Bajaj shouted, trying to keep her awake. With drooping eyes Saba saw that the fire had already engulfed the balcony. The terrace roof was already showing cracks and was about to fall.Everything happened in a split second before Mr Bajaj only heard Saba shouting 

“Mr Bajaj!!!! Move!!!!!!” Saba shouted, pushing Mr Bajaj off the balcony while the whole building collapsed on Saba with a huge blast throwing off Mr Bajaj to an even greater distance covered in ash, debris and blood. Mr Bajaj tried hard to grasp what had just happened. With blood inching in his eyes he kept looking at the house crumbling under fire. He tried to run but he couldn't. He tried to walk but he couldn't. He tried to get up but he couldn't. How !!!! How!!!! Did this happen? No this didn't happen this cannot happen. Saba might still be alive and remembering Vishaka’s face the last time he had met her Mr Bajaj woke up with all his might and ran towards the house. But then he was stuck. He was suddenly stuck and something was not allowing him to move forward. He fought and fought hard with it but it was not budging. It was almost as if he was in a state of maddening madness. He kept fighting and finally he was able to move the thing stopping him and barged ahead. But then again it was there and it was not allowing him to move when he suddenly felt a warm hand near his face that he recognized in a fraction of a nano second. A voice that he would know even in death.

“Mr Bajaj!!!! Mr Bajaj !!!!!! please hosh mein aaiye. She is gone, she is gone hum kuch nahin kar sakte hain. Hum kuch nahin kar sakte Mr Bajaj, Please!!!!!” Prena shouted and Mr Bajaj realised that the thing stopping him was the large herd of people along with Prerna who were trying to stop him from moving ahead in the burned building. Mr Bajaj helplessly kneeled down in the ground and was engulfed by Prerna in her arms who was herself crying. 

“I …. I can…… still …… I….. can …… try……. She might be…….” Mr Bajaj kept on saying while Prerna shook her head and kept consoling him. 

The next few hours went in a frenzy as the fire trucks arrived trying to salvage the situation. The Bajaj family was taken to the hospital. Sneha was not ready to leave Kukki even for a second and would start crying hysterically whenever she was pulled apart from her. The doctor had no option but to sedate Sneha so that they could start the treatment of Kukki. Currently Kukki had a plaster in her leg and Sneha was lying next to her in the same bed. Prerna was also asked to rest but she couldn't because she knew if she slept…. She didn't know what Mr bajaj would do to himself. He had not moved an inch since he had come to the hospital and sat on the chair. He had some injuries himself but he had flat out refused to be looked at. No he didn't say those words but the one look he gave the nurses and doctors when they tried to clean him up made them so scared that no one had approached him. Mr Mehra asked them to leave. Suddenly she heard a commotion outside.

“Meri poti kaha hain???? Maine pucha meri poti kaha hain???? Who the hell you are to tell me that I cannot go inside and see her” Mr Bose shouted

Mr Mehra knowing the family conditions had made special arrangements in an exclusive floor of the hospital where no one was allowed. But Knowing Mr Bose he had got the niff somehow. But that was not all. He was then followed by Anurag who had found out about the fire and came to meet Sneha. 

“Andar meri bachi hain, Mujhe milna hain usse. Mr and Mrs Bajaj ko bolo allow kare mujhe abhi'' Anurag shouted. Mr Mehra turned around to look at Mr Bajaj who looked straight at him and Mr Mehra nodded. 

Mr Mehra gestured to the guards to allow them.

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