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She was carried what seemed like a very long time.  The lady was walking along holding Dhatri’s hand. 

“Ok!” A gruff voice stopped them.  She was kept on another platform.  The sheet over her body was removed.  She was unconscious.  The lady checked her and backed away.  A team of four people took over.  Dhatri stirred a bit and moaned in pain.  “Wait until she wakes up…!” the voice ordered and she was again left alone, helpless, miserable, and unconscious!

“Baby… No.. Please… stop wailing…Stop…!” Bijoy, her good boy was wiping her eyes.  “Look…. The more you cry, more he beats you…!” he said pointing at Grumpy. Grumpy was looking at her angrily, raising his hand to slap her again.  “No..! Mamma…!” she clutched Bijoy for her dear life.  He hid her in his arms… Her cries died out when Grumpy waved a big chocolate before her eyes.

“You get it for me..!” she ordered Bijoy to get it from Grumpy.  Grumpy smiled and threw the chocolate at him. He gave it to her, removing the wrapper.  She broke it into pieces and stuffed one in her mouth, one in Bijoy’s open hungry mouth and held one for Grumpy.

“Only one...!” she said looking at Grumpy through her lashes, apprehensively for the feat of getting slapped again.  Grumpy came nearer and touched her cheek.  She turned her face angrily.  Grumpy took the piece from her.  “Good Girl!” he said.  “Bad Boy!” she retorted.  “Stop!” Grumpy raised his hand.  She gaped with shock.  Grumpy went away.  Bijoy grinned patting her.  She had shared her chocolate with her enemy..Grumpy.!

..............

The scene had changed... “Run baby.... Run...!” Grumpy was pushing her. “No..!” she wailed, holding on to him.  He pulled her apart... “Run.... Else I will beat you!” he said groaning in excruciating pain...!

“No!” she sat down.... pulling his bleeding arm, bringing him down on the ground...! “You are not well...! Not well! She murmured.... 

“No..! Stop...!” Grumpy slapped her.  She didn’t care...! Her fingers moved... Grumpy slumped on the ground...! “Go Baby.... Go... save yourself....!” he kept saying... Her fingers dug deep into his wound... She could remove the bullet...! Her warmth filled his heart.... He felt better... his bleeding had stopped... “Baby... Go!” he still pleaded.  She fell on the ground in a heap with a high fever.  Grumpy turned... “Baby...” he got up lifting her in his arms... “Water... Water...!” he shouted his lungs out...! He needed water to save her... 

“Baby... why? I am not worth it...! Why did you save me?” he was running with her on his shoulder...in search of water in that pitch black, dark jungle, in the night....! He must save her... at any cost...!

“Grumpy...!” she screamed and sat up with a jerk.  The lady came rushing in.  She forced her to rest her head on the pillow.  The same team of four people, in long white robes looking like priests,  came in with a trolley of surgical equipment.  Dhatri screamed ...! The Lady held her shoulders tightly.  The pain of the prick blinded her.... 

She was floating in the darkness again... “Run... Baby... Run for your dear life...!” Grumpy’s voice trailed in the darkness.... She must run... she must save her life....! A thought triggered... She should save her life.... she should escape...! .... Escape... escape...! she blurted drifting into nothingness... the darkness engulfed...!  

She was carried to a surgical room... for Electroencephalography.  “Wake her up in two hours...!” came an order and one of the four nodded.  Everything was ready for the procedure! 

*********  *********  *********

“I do not know... but the stories I heard with the help of Bijoy... were unbelievable.” Dr. Maria said.  Ravi nodded in realization.  “She is a goddess for them...” Maria said still in disbelief. 

“They said, she set right everything... A five year old child set right ...! She brought rains.. the harvest was good, she brought peace and prosperity, everything went well for everyone in the settlement...! They worshiped her ...!” She said.  Dr. Koite looked away! He had already heard  this from Muki, the head of the village.

“Why is she wasting time in this...?” he thought opening his mouth.  “Come to the point, Dr.” He said impatiently.  

“Above all, they said she has healing powers...!” Dr. Marai exploded the bomb. 

“I know!” Both Jim and Ravi said at once.  “Umm... yes!” Said Dr. Koite.  Maria gaped at them in disbelief.

“You knew? And  you didn’t discuss it?” she asked aghast.  All three looked at each other...!

“Umm... I mean... She saved me, bringing me out of that crag...!” Jim said guiltily.  Ravi looked at him in surprise.  “Umm... She... she healed my injured bums.... the pain gone... the bleeding stopped...” he said gazing the floor.  “She suffered... healing me...! .. Umm... I decided to keep quiet...” he said looking up.  

“What?” Maria blurted... “I mean... it was a magic...I.. I thought... You wouldn’t believe...! I.. ..! don’t know .. but I didn’t want to tell this to anyone..!” he said looking at Ravi’s face.  Ravi looked away. 

“Ray...!” Maria looked at him expecting him to speak up.

“That Gathiram... I saw her unconscious in that puke and thought she suffered a stroke... But then Nanu... I mean that old lady told me about her powers...!” Ray did not elaborate the other incidence when Dhatri had tried to cure Sanyogita...! 

Dr. Koite didn’t want to tell anyone how he knew about her powers.  She had healed him when he had tried to peel the coconut unsuccessfully in the jungle and had deep cut on his palm.  She was able to manage to stop the bleeding immediately.  He had thought it was some kind of tribal method of healing....  But the wound had healed!  

“Humm....” Maria sighed and kept quiet for a while.

“I think I blundered...” she spoke gravely.  “I think I blurted out about her powers... !” she said and Ravi got up with a jerk.  “When? Where?” he asked clenching his fists.

“I don’t remember exactly... but I think... I told someone about it...May be a group..In the conference.... I mean... I don’t remember.... I am growing old...!” she said dejected.  Ravi gaped at her in disbelief.  Dr. Koite gazed intently...!

“You think, that is the reason for her....!” he didn’t complete his question.  

“I hope not.....!” she said gravely with guilt.  “I mean... I put her in grave danger...!” she said fidgeting. 

“Who else was there?” Jim asked taking out his laptop.  Maria looked lost.  “I ... Don’t remember ..!” she said to others’ dismay.

“Ok!” Ravi said taking out his laptop too.  

“Let us view the recording again... and then may be you will remember...!” he looked at Maria hopefully.  

“I saw it several times....!” she said but Jim and Ravi continued to run the videos.  Maria sat there clutching her head.  

“She has not gone somewhere on her own, there is no naxal connection established yet..!” Koite said gravely looking at Maria’s pale face. 

“Kidnapping is not ruled out... And now... you think, someone abducted her for her healing powers?” he asked in realization.  She gave a nod gravely.  

“But...” Ravi looked up in realization... ! “She needs help.... needs cold water... she... she... will die... if...if!” he looked away swallowing hard, anguished with the thought of Dhatri...! 

“Oh God! Mari mai, mari mai...!” he prayed hard sending back his tears...! He was losing hope.... Everyone was losing hope..!

“Oh God...!” Maria broke down.  Koite looked grave.  “We should not give up...!” he said to himself.

“Do you think that Detective knows about this... her powers?” he asked.  “No I didn’t tell him...” everyone said to each other’s relief.

“You think, we should tell him?” Dr. Koite asked.  They kept looking at each other, not sure what they should do....! They were not sure who was going to believe them...!