Next morning,

"ama bata ke toh jaaya jaata hai agar jaa rahi hain toh... aapko pata hai lalla bhi nahi hai ghar par aur saari saari raat ghar se bahar rehti hain aap... kahan thi aap raat bhar... hum jaan'na chahte hain" Pushpa Singh asked getting mad on Karishma.

"aapse matlb...?" Karishma replied irritated

"saas hain hum aapki..." Pushpa Singh said proudly

"saas hongi ghar par... yaha par senior hain hum aapke... samjhi aap...aur hum maddam sir ke ghar par the... khush ab amma..." She answered.

"haan haan thik hai... kaam karne dijiye hume... waqt mat barbad kijiye hamara..." PS said getting back to her desk.

"jai hind maddam sir...!" Santosh said alerting everyone.

"jai hind... Santosh Sharma... any updates?" Haseena asked

"maddam sir mere quarter ki chhat tapakni band ho gayi..." Santosh answered

"uff ye masumiyat Santu ji... santu ji maddam sir case related update pooch rahi hain..."

"nahi nahi... hum Santosh ke quarter ki updates hi pooch rahe the..." She replied smiling at Santosh and everyone chuckled.

"okay get back to work." She commanded and left to her cabin.

Billu came near Karishma and whispered, "Karishma madam, kaam ho gaya hai... actors bula liye hn maine... aate hi honge.."

"bhakkk...!! kisne kaha tha tumse..." She said

"aapne hi toh bola thi... aapka hi toh plan hai... " he said

"plan mein change hai billa... Karishma Singh kahi nahi jaa rahi hai..." She said

"kyaaa!!!!!!.... arre waah...! lekin aise chamatkaar kaise hua??" he said excited

"vo hum tumko baad mein batayenge... jaao abhi badnam ko chai bol do..." Karishma said getting back to work

"thik hai madam.!" he said and left.

Haseena Malik was searching for some files in her cabin. But when she didn't find it, she was about to call Santosh but suddenly her eyes fell on a tiny packet of white powder behind the files. She took it out suspiciously and smelled it. Not having any specific smell she thought to call Karishma inside, but did otherwise. Upon finding the file she needed, she kept the packet aside and went back to work but her eyes again fell on that packet after some time. At the same time Santosh entered.

"maddam sir.. jai hind" She saluted

"Santosh sharma... jai hind.. boliye..." Santosh looked at the packet on Haseena's hand, "maddam sir ye kya hai?" She asked curiously

"pata nahi Santu... hume vaha se mila...files ke peeche..." she said

"Laaiye mai dekhti hoon..." Haseena handed her the packet and she too smelled.

"maddam sir... kuch khaas smell toh nahi aa rahi... aap boliye toh mai ise testing ke liye bhej doon?" she asked

"thik hai bhej do.." Haseena said least interested.

In the evening, Santosh entered Haseena's cabin with the reports in her hands."maddam sir... ye lijiye..reports.." She said handing her an envelope. Haseena opened it and was shocked to read, what was written on it....

"d..drugs.." she uttered

"kyaa.. maddam sir... drugs... aap drugs leti hain... maddam sir aapko kis cheez ka stress hai... maana k aapki shaadi nahi ho rahi hai... aur aapki ammi aapke peeche padi hain... lekin iska ye matlb nahi ki...." Santosh stopped after having a sharp glare from Haseena.

"Santosh Sharma isme boht hi strong drug ka naam likha hai... aapko kuch Idea hai is baare mein??" Haseena asked

"No maddam sir..."

"thik hai jaaiye aur sabko yaha bulaiye.." She ordered

"okay" she left.

In a minute, they all gathered in Haseena's cabin including billu.

"Jai hind maddam sir.... aapne bulaya?" Pushpa ji asked.

"Ji..." Haseena said and threw the packet on the table in front of everyone. Karishma and billu were shocked and looked at each other. They started sweating and their heart started beating rapidly.

"e ka cheez hai maddam sir?" Cheetah asked

"Drug..!! Drug hai ye.!!!!!!!.." She thundered

"kyaaa" They all reacted shockingly including Billu and Karishma...

"Ji haan! ye drug hamare cabin mein kya kar raha hai!!!!" She asked loudly making each of them shiver.

"hame koi jaan kaari nahi hai maddam sir..." PS replied and Cheetah seconded her. Her eyes fell on Billu and Karishma, who were constantly stealing glances of each other.

"Karishma Singh!! aap kuch kehna chahengi??" She roared

"j..ji...ji maddam sir... vo..vo..vo...vo..." She fumbled wiping her sweat.

"Ye drug yaha kaise aaya!!!!" She yelled making her shiver.

"haan yaad aaya... ek drug racket pakde the hum ek baar... to jab vaha se vapas aaye toh humne dekha ke ek packet hamare pocket mein daal diya hai kisi ne... humne use yahi table par rakha tha magar gayab ho gaya...aur aaj mila" She lied expertly.

"achha aisi baat hai toh ye files ke peeche kya kar rha tha??" Haseena asked doubtfully

"shyad kisi file ke beech mein chala gaya hoga... laaiye hum fek dete hain..." She said

"lekin Karishma Ji... jaha tak hume yaad hai... us drug ke racket ko toh aapne lag bhag 8 mahine pehle pakda tha..." Pushpa Singh said.

"haan haan... haan tab ki hi baat hai ye..." She said

"Thik hai aap sab jaaiye... aur Karishma Singh... aap yahi rukiye aapse kuch baat karni hai..." Haseena said and they all left except Karishma. Haseena walked towards her and held her upper arm tightly.

"aap sach bol rahi hain na...?" She asked looking into her eyes but Karishma turned her gaze away..

"ji... ji... sach bol rahe hain..." She replied

"aaj aapki baaton par bharosa nahi ho raha hai Karishma Singh... dua kijiye ki kuch bura na ho..." Haseena warned her and Karishma gulped in fear.

"Ji maddam sir... jai hind..." She said and ran outside the cabin immediately. Haseena sat down on her chair closing her eyes pushing away all the negative thoughts that were clouded in her brain.

After the duty hours, everyone was leaving the thana. Haseena came out of her cabin and found Karishma sitting at her table.

"Karishma Singh..." She called

"ji maddam sir..." replied Karishma getting up.

"aap ghar nahi jaa rahi?"

"nahi vo... night duty kar rahe hum..."

"aap jaaiye... hum kar lenge night duty..."

"aap kaahe maddam sir... hum karte hain na..."

"kyun? humse koi problem?"

"nahi vo... thik hai hum chalte hain... jai hind..!" She replied and walked away leaving a suspicious Haseena near her desk.

After an hour, Haseena was standing in front of billu, crossing her hands close to her chest and glaring at him who was already gulping in fear. "Billu... kya chupa rahe ho!" She asked strictly.

"ma..maddam sir... mai...mai kya chupaunga...mai toh bas..." he fumbled

"sach sunna hai hume...jhooth bolne ki koshish ki toh nikaal denge tumhe lockup se...!!" Haseena coldly said calming herself down.

"maddam sir... mujhe kuch bhi nahi pata hai... sach mein... mujhe toh bass Karishma madam ne kaha tha ki vo yaha se transfer lena chahti hain toh usme unki madad kr do..." he stammered

"isliye tumne vo drug ka packet vha par rakha tha?" "n..nahi...nahi maddam sir... drug vrug apna kaam nahi hai... haa agar daaru hoti toh bhi thik tha..."

"Billu... agar meri Karishma galat raaste par chal rahi hui...aur agar tum bhi unka saath de rahe huye... toh tumhe humse koi nahi bacha payega... samjh gaye...!!!!" She roared making him gulp in fear and he immediately ran away from her sweating.

Meanwhile, Karishma was in her room, feeling restless and breathing heavily, sweating profusely and constantly rubbing her palm and face harshly. Her anxiety and heart rate was increasing and was taking deep breathes to control her urge but nothing seems to work. In a few minutes, her brain took over control and she rushed out of her room.

Pushpa ji was sitting on the sofa, watching the T.V. when she saw her coming out of the room in an extremely restless state.

"Bahurani... kya hua?" She asked extremely worried but Karishma wasn't listening to her. She grabbed her bike keys and was about to storm out of the house when she held her wrist.

"kahan jaa rahi ho...bata ke toh jao kam se kam"

"hume jaane dijiye..." She said glaring at her. Pushpa Ji got scared by her red eyes and swollen face.

"kya hua hai tumhe... tabiyat kharab hai? tum room mein chalo hum doctor ko bula dete hain..." She asked checking her temperature.

"tumhe toh boht tez bukhar hai... kahi nahi jaaogi tum... chalo apne room mein fauran..." She ordered her strictly but Karishma was getting more and more restless and was continuously trying to get out of her hold.

Unable to control herself, she pushed her away and left the house leaving a shocked as well as concerned Pushpa ji..."kya karein hum inka... sunti kyu nahi hai kisi ki.... haan maddam sir... maddam sir ki sunengi... hum unhe batate hain..." thought Pushpa ji..

Billu was sitting at the bench outside the thana drowned in his own thoughts. "agar maddam sir ko sab pata chal gaya to... nahi nahi... karishma madam ne bola tha vo chhod dengi... toh kisi ko pata b nahi chalega..."

Karishma was pacing her bike at speed more more than the speed limit and reached a deserted place. A man was already standing there holding a bag in his hand.

"madam... bade din ke baad aayi.... aap toh hamari regular customer hain... khair vo chhodiye... dekhiye ekdum naya maal aaya hai... aapko pasand aayega..." he said handing her something.

"ama jo bhi hai laao..." She said and he left after the payment. Karishma straighten her arm and injected something on it and calmed herself down a little. She smiled weakly and ignited her bike.

"hello... maddam sir..."

"Pushpa ji... kya hua... aap itni pareshan kyu lag rahi hain...." said Haseena getting worried because of panic in Pushpa Singh's voice.

"maddam sir.. Karishma... vo pata nahi ghar se kahan nikal gayi hai achanak se... boht ajeeb bartav kar rahi thi... aur tez bukhaar bhi tha..." She said worriedly in a cracking voice.

"kyaa...aap...aap chinta mat kijiye... hum dekhte hain... relax..." Haseena said and hung the call. Haseena tried to call Karishma many times but she wasn't picking up. She hurried to the control room to track her location.

Karishma started hallucinating and wasn't able to ride further. She parked her bike at the highway and sat down with the support of the bike. Her phone was beeping continuously. Irritated she took out her phone from her pocket and a smile came on her face seeing the caller ID, though blur. "Haseena.." she said and kissed the screen and picked up the call. Haseena sighed finding the call received and bombarded her with her question.

"Karishma... kahan hain aap!?"

"hum... hum

.kahan ...par ..hain... vo toh... humko...humko... bhi nahi pata Haseena... hum na... hume... boht accha ..lag

.raha hai... aap bhi.... aa jaiye..." She said not in her senses.

"Highway...!" Haseena said shocked looking at her location on the laptop... "highway par kya kar rahi hain aap... aur ye kaise baat kar rahi hain... aap thik hain na..." She asked in a scared tone

"hum... hum thik hain... hum filhaal sone ...jaa ...rahe hain... aap bhi araam kijiye..." She said.

Haseena had already settled herself in the jeep and was driving as fast as she could.

"hum... aa rahe hain aapke paas... aap phone mat rakhiyega..." She said panicked

"Lekin humko...humko... abhi koi baat...nai...nai karna... hai... aap... hume...disturb...disturb mat...kijiye...bye"

"baccha... aap... aapne kuch galat khaaya hai kya... hume bataiye..."

"arre khaaya.... kuch... nahi hai... bass liya hai..."

"kya liya hai...?." She shouted "jannat... " she smiled

"kya jannat... karishma... kya bole jaa rahi hain aap....thik se bataiye hume..."

"humne... humne bola na... abi baat nahi... karna... kyun...irritate ...kar.... rahi ....hain...jaaiye...kaam...kijiye...apna..." she said and hung the call.

Haseena was getting more panicked and was holding the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles had turned white. Upon finding Karishma's bike, she stopped the jeep and got down. Karishma was lying on the floor unconscious. Her heart skipped a beat looking at her terrible condition and she shouted "Karishma!!!!" and rushed towards her.

"Karishma... aap...yaha kyu..." She said taking her head on her lap and tapping her cheeks...

"Haseena... aap... aa... gayi...kyu...kyu gayi thi... humko... akele...chhod...k..." she was mumbling.

"baccha kya hua hai... kya hua hai aapko... kuch boliye..." Haseena said crying

"kuch... kuch bhi... kuch bhi nahi... hum... thik hain... aap... aap jaiye... good... night..." Haseena picked her up in her arms and placed her on the passenger seat beside her, tied the seatbelt, and started the jeep. Her heart was palpitating looking at her condition and tears were constantly rolling down from her eyes. She took her to her home and called a doctor.

Until the doctor arrives she was frantically rubbing her hand and kissing her forehead and was sobbing continuously.

"Karishma koi problem hai toh aap humse share kijiye na... kya kiya hai aapne..." She was still not able to understand the reason behind her condition.

The doctor was examining her.... "Doctor... inhe kya hua hai...ye aise kyun..." she asked between her sobs.

"overdose ho gaya hai..." the doctor replied making Haseena shocked

"kis...kiska...kiska overdose..." she asked with a shaking voice

"Drug ka... aapko nhi maloom hai kya? mai janti hoon inhe... inhe ek aadmi aksar mere hospital leke aata hai jab bhi overdose ho jaata hai... maine boht baar samjhaya hai inko... lekin ye maanti hi nhi hain... pata nahi kyun itna drug consume karti hain..."

Earth slipped beneath Haseena's feet and her heart refused to beat.She was numb. No...! She can't... She can't take such harsh step... She was constantly shaking her head sideways..."n...nhi...nahi... Karishma... Karishma drugs kyun lengi... kyun lengi vo drugs... aap...aapne...kisi aur ko dekha hoga... ye...ye toh bacchi hain abhi...nahi... ye possible hi nahi hai... jhooth.. bol rahe hain aap... meri Karishma ko defame karne ke liye..." She shouted not in her senses.

"dekhiye mai ek doctor hoon... aap chahein toh us aadmi se confirm kar lein... moreover, CCTV footage bhi dikha sakta hoon mai aapko...."

The world seems to be shrunk in front of her. She kicked the doctor out of her house and came back to her unable to believe that her little baby had started consuming 'Drugs'. What was the need for that? What was the need to give herself such horrible pain? How could she be so weak that she started consuming drugs? How dare she! Her eyes had turned red and her anger was increasing and increasing.

Feeling weak on her knees, she fell down on the floor with a thud and her anger had turned into loud hysteric cries. Everything had come to an end and her heart was aching as someone had twisted it. She was angry at herself for not being there with her when she'd started all this. She was angry at herself for leaving her alone and making her so weak that she had reached this condition. She was angry on herself, hating herself and was steeping in the pool of guilt. She was crying more and more banging her fist on the floor.

"Karishma.... nahi kar sakti aap aisa..." she murmured and started crying more hysterically.

.

.

.

Waiting eagerly for your response..!

Take care.