I can't see where I'm going or what am I doing, but my body moves on its own accord. The last sight of Ritika is still shaking me. How can the woman who has been with me since the time I landed myself in this mess, die, leaving me alone to save myself and her baby? What am I gonna do now?

The sound of the footsteps behind me starts to sound closer, then suddenly fades away. But I dare myself to not look back. Maybe they have left, I try to make myself calm. Though this only worsens my state.

I don't want to run now, but my body doesn't wish to stop. The adrenaline rush is working in its best efficiency. My body continues to be in motion, even if the men have stopped chasing me and Kiana.

"THERE'S A WOMAN!"

I hear a voice, directed towards someone who's in the north of me. My body paces up my speed. My mind can't even think anything else, only concentrating on running. I command my eyes to not glance at this direction, knowing well I'll be horrified again.

Yet, my eyes defy my order and glances towards the north of me, only to find a group of almost 20 men with rifles in their hands, which is easy to figure out because of the clicking noises the heavy rifles are making. Certainly, my ears are still working fine. Though because of the darkness I can't make out anything else, not even their faces or clothes.

Have they seen me? Are they gonna kill me too? Of course they will, just like they have killed Ritika. But I don't want this thought to overpower my will.

I'm not going to give up so easily, and thus don't let my pace slow down. It's my only chance to ensure my and Kiana's freedom by reaching the army camp.

I run, as fast as I can manage. My vision is blurry, and my legs have started to tremble. The sound of the gunshots and Ritika's scream ringing in my ears, the horrifying scene still shaking me.

Yet, I have to run. Not for myself, but for the child, who is clutching me with the firmest hold possible. Her cries haven't stopped, and why would it? Though just one-year-old, she can feel the danger that's lurking around us, as well. And the only way to get us out of it, is by continuing to run in this dark forest, without halting even with the group of twenty men who are now chasing us!

"STOP! OR WE'LL SHOOT YOU!"

Despite hearing the warning, my legs don't stop moving. A gripping fear engulfs my heart. Will these people manage to catch me again? What will I do now?
But, I can't stop running, it's my only chance of saving Kiana's and my life.

"STOP RIGHT NOW! OR BE READY TO FACE THE DIRE CONSEQUENCES!"

One more warning, yet I don't halt. I continue my run, much faster than before. Not only my speed, but my baby's cries are louder as well. She's terrified, and digs her nails in my shoulder, which she's been clinging for so long. She doesn't wish to let go of me, and I won't leave her either.

Barefoot, I'm now in the deepest part of forest and my feet have begun to bleed. My body wants to stop, and I slow down. Certainly, boycotting food for last 11 days is now taking its toll on me. But just then I hear the footsteps, it's sound coming from somewhere very near to me. I unwillingly turn back to find the same group of men almost behind me, their rifles targeting me.

I increase my pace and try to change the direction of my escape, but everything seems same in this part of the forest with only darkness prevailing in every corner. Where should I go now?

Suddenly, I hear a distinct sound just a few centimetres away from me. It seems like a popping sound or maybe cracking. Well, I never have heard or seen live rifle firing, so I can't be sure.

My ears again hear the same sound, someone has fired, and has missed their aim. I was the aim! My body freezes this time, not following my order to keep moving. Instead, it keeps becoming rigid with the sound of continual firing. I can't move!

"STOP FIRING! THERE'S A CHILD! DON'T FIRE!"

A child; the child I'm carrying in my arms! I seem to have forgotten about Kiana, my tactile and auditory senses haven't felt or heard the voice of the child, whose cries are at their loudest.

And her cries are the only source of noise. The firing has stopped, along with the movement of the men, because of her cries. The men aren't chasing us, they have come to absolute standstill. No one's moving, but why?

A question pops in my head. The goons know I have a child with me, then why did the voice sound surprised when they heard the cries of the child in my arms? Are these men not goons? I can't decide without getting an answer of my mind's crucial question.

But knowing it's my last shot to escape, I again resume my run, slower then getting to my initial pace. But instead, I collide with something, a man to be specific. And I again freeze on my spot, hearing what he wants to say.

"Don't look for escapes, you'll be dead in no time, otherwise."

I stumble, unable to understand from where has he come here. Have the men divided to catch me up? Maybe. That's why, he's here, standing in front of me.

I can't look up, scared. He's gonna kill me, kill Kiana. What wrong have we done?

But then a thought again pops in my head. His voice is similar to the man who ordered to stop firing. If he can ask his men to don't fire because of Kiana, I can at least try to request him to spare her life, and maybe mine too. I have to keep my promise to Ritika of safeguarding her daughter's future, even if I get killed.

"Please, don't kill us! Please! I'm ready to go back with you wherever you've taken the other girls! But please don't kill my Kiana, please. Kill me instead, but don't harm her!" I cry, folding my hands. Kiana cries too, frightened. But she doesn't loosen her grip on me.

"Girls? Which gir--?" I hear him speak before someone interrupts him.

"Sir, there were some other men here too. Maybe they were trying to trespass our region. Our men have checked the forest, but there's no one now, except this woman who trespassed into our region." informs a man, who's standing just few feet behind me. I keep mum.

"She must be part of that group." suggests another. "Who knows, she was helping them trespass this forest and enter our base."

And this gets followed by similar theories for my presence here. I wish to speak, to prove my innocence but the lump in my throat doesn't allow me to utter a single word. Strangely enough, even the man I collided with, doesn't speak a word throughout the guessing game. Only when he has enough, does he speak finally.

"Enough! Stop jumping to any conclusion without hearing her side of story." he shuts all of his group members. Something is very authoritative in his voice. But I can't see his face clearly, the tears in my eyes have already blinded my vision.

"But, Sir? You know the rules, anyone who tries to trespass this region of ours is to get shot after defying the warnings. We warned her to stop, she didn't. And now--" his junior tries to argue.

"Lieutenant Jay, do you know rules more than me? Don't forget I'm your senior." the man reprimands his junior.

"Sorry, Major Sahni." the junior apologises to his senior.

A Lieutenant, a Major; are these people from army and not the goons? I feel a sense of exhilaration rush in my veins. Yet I keep my peace.

"She has a child with her, let's give her a chance to keep her case. Before we take any action against her." he says, directed to his juniors.

"Yes, Sir!" the men replies, a certain amount of respect in their voices.

"Will you please tell us what has made you to trespass this forest, which comes under the authority of the Indian Army? What has made you run here with this child of yours and what were you saying about the other girls and killing? Please speak up." he speaks to me, slightly gentle in his tone.

I take a deep breath. Kiana is still crying, I rub her back to quiet her. I have to answer his questions, maybe it'll save our lives, if these people are really from army.

I again take a deep breath and explain to them about my situation, why I ran into this forest, who were the men following and everything else that led upto this situation of mine.

They hear me silently, giving me time to narrate my side of story. I do glance around twice to see whether they are believing me or not, but the darkness doesn't help me. So I keep my gaze on my Kiana.

"But what proof you have to prove the authenticity of this story, apart from this chit with that guy's number? What about the other woman, where's her dead body if she's been killed while you both were on run?" the man in front of me asks, holding the chit I gave him. Others keep silent.

I cringe a little on the mention of dead body, but I don't show it and give an answer.
"I don't know exactly how far I have come here, but she was shot when we were running towards this part of the forest. Her body must be there, if the goons haven't d-disposed i-it already."

The silent prevails once I quieten. He doesn't speak anything for a moment, nor does his juniors. I stay mum again. I don't know why, but even though I'm not sure how convinced these guys are of my innocence, I feel safe amongst them. Maybe that's something peculiar about the army.

"Fine." he says, "Lieutenant Jay, Subedar Jha, take your platoon and search for the woman's body. If you find the dead body, then bring it to the unit for identification by this woman."

"And what about her?" one of his juniors questions, supposedly pointing at me.

"I'm taking her to the base along with her daughter." he answers, and starts walking. But I don't move, which makes him turn back and he orders me to follow him.

I do silently. I follow him through the forest, though it gets difficult for me to walk in this completely blackened out forest with Kiana in my arms. The exhaustion I feel now, obstructs my movement. But I can't complain and continue to walk.

We walk for some distance, before finally I start to see a lighted area, something like a camp or maybe that's a military unit base. I haven't seen something like this ever before.

My eyes get blinded with the sudden exposure to light. But slowly they adjust and I look around to see quite a number of men, walking around, doing work. All in army camouflage uniform, I guess that's what its called.

"This is our base here, and I'm taking you to my Commanding Officer. Whatever you have narrated to me, you have to explain it to him, as well. Only after his permission, will we be able to help you out." he informs me, standing beside me.

I nod my head and finally have a glimpse of his face, which seems astonishingly familiar, but I don't know where I saw him. Ved Sahni, as the name on his uniform reads.

A/N: Do vote and comment! :)