The chaff cart hurtled off the edge of the cliff, spinning wildly as it plunged towards the river below. Bright golden chaff flew into the air, shining with the sun's rays.
The camel had already been freed from the cart when its harness broke off, while Arjun had already jumped off the cart with the lady, holding her near him tightly.
The shining chaff flew around both of them, like a flower's petal or shining stars in thin air, complimenting the sun's yellow light with theirs.
The saliva from the camel's moth followed slowly from its mouth into the air, as if there were no gravity present.
This captivating scene seems like a Prince with his princes in his arms slowly descending from heaven.
Or so it just seemed to the lady until a sudden
A little while earlier, Arjun saw the coming debris of the cart towards the lady, instinctively he twisted his body mid-fall shielding her from the debris and the impending impact.
"Hold tight" Arjun muttered, despite the chilling fear inside, he tightened his arms around her, bracing himself for the impact.
The blood gushed out from his back, but soon it blended in with the muddy water around them, they sank deep into the river, with debris following them behind.
The lady's vision blurred, all she was able to see was the muddy water, the trail of blood in it, and the debris falling and all this covered with bubbles and silence.
She was still in shock about how Arjun just saved her from the debris and the fall, shielding her over his, and before she could speak in response they fell into the river.
She could feel the bone-chilling water of the river, but soon the silence surfaced as they plunged further deeper into the river, her body became numb her mind went blank and she fainted.
Arjun however was still awake somehow, trying hard to keep himself awake, he knew that if he went blank then it would be over for him.
Soon the sinking came to a halt, and as the force of plunging faded, they hung suspended in the stillness.
His heart was on fire as if it would finish all the pumping for his lifetime today only, a deep chilling fear ran through his spine when he looked at the quiet darkness below.
He summoned every ounce of strength he could, bent his knees, and thrust his feet, propelling them fast, slicing the current, and slowly chasing the light coming from the surface.
His injury from the debris has become numb due to the cold chilly water, preventing from him feeling any pain.
Slowly and steadily he chased the surface but soon his breath grew heavier, it was his limit of holding his breath and now he could feel his heart slowly come to a stop.
His lungs screamed the least bit of air they could find in any corner of his mouth, while his leg took a final lunge and soon he broke through the surface.
"Gasp..Ahhh..hooo....ahhh..hooo" His head burst into the open air, and with a sharpening pain, he gasped sucking in a deep breath which today seems very sweet.
"Cough...cough..." He threw out water, holding onto his stomach which was throbbing in pain.
But it's still not the time to relax, he had to check on the lady quickly about her condition.
Arjun pressed onto her stomach repeatedly.
"Miss...miss...wake up...Oh god...please..." he repeatedly pressed but there was no response.
"No....no...no..." Sweat ran down his forehead, as he was vigorously pressing down onto her stomach.
"It seems this Is the last option I have, please don't blame me" Arjun's face grew red together his ears as he slowly moved towards the lady's lips.
Slowly the distance grew closer and closer, by now his face had become tomato red, his hands were trembling more than when he was inside the river, and the thumbing of his heart could be heard out loud.
The distance between their lips only had about an inch left, he closed his eyes.
"Cough...cough" A sudden spurt of water shot onto Arjun's face leaving him dumbfounded for a second.
"Oh...oh...Yes, that's it breathe in" After a second of awkwardness Arjun moved to help out rubbing her back.
His face went extra red in embracement.
"You what were you doing just now?" She asked, intimidating with suspicion.
"Not...nothing I was just---" Just when Arjun was about to answer a cry interrupted him.
Arjun turned around towards the direction of the cry and saw that the camel was stuck in the middle of the river, crying for help.
Till now all of his focus was on saving himself and the lady with him. Saving a mad frightened camel was the least of his worries.
But now it's not, now both of them are safe at the bank of the river, while an animal was crying for help for his life, which of course neither of them could bear to see.
When the lady saw the condition of the camel, a fire ignited in her cold body, determined to save the camel.
Even if the boy beside her didn't move forward, she was sure to jump into the river again.
"I.." but before she could stand up.
Arjun jumped into the river, hesitating for only a second he shouted "Hold on" diving back into the icy water.
The sun went down the horizon as the darkness surfaced in the sky, and the current of the river became stronger.
Somehow he managed to reach the poor camel.
"Easy, boy. I've got you".
The camel stood still, holding tight onto the currents as if it knew that this man was there to save him.
Arjun quickly grabbed his harness which was stuck into the tattered debris of the cart, he had to be quick but gentle, not to disturb the debris or sacks of chaff over it.
His fingers fumbled against the wet leather many times, but finally, the knot gave way.
The camel got freed and tried to swim towards the shore, but the sudden loss of the harness on the debris created a vibration.
The debris got unstuck with the chaff on top and
"Nooo...." The lady screamed as she saw Arjun get struck and flown away into the river.