The room was suffocatingly silent, save for the faint hum of the flickering light above. Neha sat slumped in her chair, the ropes cutting into her wrists, her body trembling from the aftershocks of the stun device.
Across from her, Zuree watched helplessly, tears streaking her face. "Neha, please don't say anything," she whispered.
Neha's head lifted slightly, her bloodied face defiant. "I won't," she rasped. "No matter what they do."
The door creaked open again, and Dr. Mark entered, flanked by two guards. His calm demeanor was more chilling than fury. He walked to Neha, crouching before her, his sharp eyes meeting hers.
"You're stubborn," he said, almost admiringly. "But everyone has a breaking point. Shall we find yours?"
One of the guards moved forward, holding a heavier device, its ominous hum filling the air.
"No," Zuree begged, her voice breaking. "Leave her alone!"
Dr. Mark raised a hand to silence her. His gaze remained fixed on Neha. "You think you're strong because of your pain. But pain is nothing compared to fear."
The guard pressed the device to Neha's side, sending a violent current through her body. She gasped, her muscles convulsing as she struggled against the restraints.
Zuree sobbed uncontrollably, pulling against her own bindings in desperation.
Through the haze of pain, Neha's mind drifted, her consciousness pulling her to a memory she thought she'd buried.
She saw Arham. His smile, warm and unwavering, filled her mind. His voice echoed softly in her thoughts.
"Love isn't just a feeling, Neha. It's strength. It's power. And it's eternal."
Her breathing steadied as the memory washed over her. Even in her broken state, she felt his presence like a comforting hand on her shoulder.
The air around her began to shift. A faint glow emerged, flickering like embers before growing brighter.
The room shook violently. The guards stumbled, looking around in confusion as a strange energy filled the space.
"What's happening?" one of them yelled.
Dr. Mark's calm demeanor cracked, his expression darkening. "What is this?"
Behind Neha, a rift began to form, swirling with colors and shapes that seemed otherworldly. The glow intensified, bathing the room in an ethereal light.
Zuree stared in awe and terror as the rift widened. From within, faint figures began to emerge, their outlines hazy but becoming clearer with each passing second.
The first to step through were the girls, young, disoriented, and trembling. Their presence added to the chaos as they stumbled into the room, glancing around with wide, fearful eyes.
"Who are they?" one guard muttered, his voice shaking.
But the portal wasn't done. The light grew brighter, and another figure emerged... A man.
He stepped through with a calm, steady presence that contrasted sharply with the chaos around him. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on Neha, slumped in the chair, unconscious. His expression softened immediately, and he rushed toward her.
"Hayati," he called out, his voice filled with warmth and urgency. He knelt beside her, gently cupping her face as though afraid she might vanish. "Neha, wake up. I'm here."
Zuree, still bound and barely comprehending the events unfolding, whispered to herself, "Who is he? And why is he calling her Hayati?"
Neha stirred faintly at his touch, her head turning toward the sound of his voice. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open. For a moment, confusion clouded her gaze before recognition set in.
"Arham?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
He smiled down at her, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Yes, my love. I'm here."
On the other side of the room, the girls huddled together, their bodies shaking as they took in the unfamiliar surroundings. Their wide, fearful eyes darted from the glowing portal to the strangers and the chaos around them. One of them whispered, "Where are we? What's happening?"
The scene teetered between raw emotion and unrelenting tension, the air thick with confusion, fear, and the faint glow of the still-pulsating portal.
The guards raised their weapons, but before they could act, the room erupted into chaos. The energy from the portal sent shockwaves, knocking over tables and scattering equipment.
Dr. Mark backed away, his composure replaced with visible unease. "Shut it down!" he barked, but there was no one to obey his orders.
Arham moved quickly, untying Neha first and then Zuree.
"We have to go," he urged, his hand steady on Neha's shoulder.
Zuree, still in shock, stumbled to her feet. "What about them?" she asked, gesturing to the disoriented girls.
"We'll take them," Neha said firmly, her strength returning as she clung to Arham's presence.
The group rushed toward the door, dodging falling debris and the stunned guards.
As they fled into the night, the portal's glow continued to pulsate in the distance, illuminating the dark sky. Neha glanced back once, her heart heavy with a mixture of grief and resolve.
Arham squeezed her hand gently. "You're stronger than you know," he said, his voice steady.
The group pressed on, disappearing into the shadows, their fates forever intertwined by the events of this night. For Zuree and Neha, the nightmare was far from over, but they had taken the first step toward reclaiming their lives.