Read Online Nine: Vengeance of the Warrior by Shobha Nihalani - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Shobha Nihalani
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onlookers didn’t even notice him. Their eyes were peeled on the horrific scene. He pulled down the emergency ladder and climbed up a few steps towards the top of the burning building. The fire hadn’t reached the upper levels of the four-storey structure. There was a ten-foot distance between rooftops. He could scale it easily to get to the school.
Akash took a deep breath and jumped. Making a perfect landing on the roof of the school, he stayed low. Shit, it was bloody hot! He was wearing a long sleeved T-shirt, jeans and a blazer. Besides the harsh bristling sounds of the fire, crackling sounds of breaking glass caught his attention. He hurried towards the door that would lead him inside the building. He removed his blazer, used it to clutch the door handle, and pulled. It was stuck. Akash cursed and used all his strength to pull harder. The door was burning hot. Akash tried again with all his might; it gave. He pulled the door wide open. A blast of hot air hit him first. He moved inside and felt like he was in an oven. It was hotter than hell! Akash gritted his teeth and descended cautiously. Holding his blazer to his nose and mouth, Akash found it increasingly hard to breathe. His eyes began to water as he walked further inside.
If Tara were connected with him right then, she would be cursing him for being so disorganized and putting his life at risk. Instinctively, he touched his left ear. The chakra implant was buzzing. He knew why—he was connecting with the power of the Nine. He had moved out of the sensory input and was now connecting with the collective. Abruptly he stopped. He closed his eyes to channel his energies. He, like his buddies, was capable of tapping into the powers of the others. He moved faster. The blazing fire was now moving upwards. He heard the cries for help. He was on a landing. It was coming from the left. Akash hurried forward, keeping his arms up, head bowed. The fire on the lower levels was visible from the corridor. It was a small cafeteria, now it looked like a furnace in hell. He knew the layout of the building—he and his friends had sometimes played basketball in one of the sports halls. But soon his throat started to burn, he was feeling the effects of the toxic fumes released from melting plastic and concrete. Akash knew that despite his discomfort, he would have to get the others out fast. He searched frantically. The halls and art rooms were empty. Smoke was seeping into every corner, the paint on the walls bubbled as the fire crept up from all sides. Despite the crackling, crushing sounds of the fire, the voices were still faintly audible. Damn it! He didn’t have much time. He hurried towards the rest rooms. He checked the ladies’ ones first. No one. Suddenly, a large beam fell from above, crashing into Akash’s shoulder and pushing him to the floor. His right arm bore the brunt. The pain was intense and he felt the fire singe his right side. Scrabbling out from under the burning log, he managed to slap the fire out. Parts of his bare arm and neck were wounded. He dismissed the throbbing pain and, with his left hand, managed to push open the men’s rest rooms. He dashed inside, calling out. Through the swirls of smoke a young boy reached out for him. ‘We are trapped here!’ Akash followed him towards a storeroom, it was furthest from the licks of the spreading fire. Inside, huddled in the corner were five children aged between ten and twelve. ‘You know a way out of here?’ one of the girls sobbed. ‘I don’t want to die.’
‘Calm down, no one’s going to die.’ Akash grabbed a sheet of cloth and wrapped it around his aching arm. Wincing as he tried to move it, he looked determinedly at them. ‘Don’t worry, we’ll make it out of here.’ He kneeled down. ‘Now tell me, are there any other people around here? Any adults?’
One of the taller boys replied, ‘It’s just us. I checked some of the rooms and found these kids in the activity centre. I got
Akash took a deep breath and jumped. Making a perfect landing on the roof of the school, he stayed low. Shit, it was bloody hot! He was wearing a long sleeved T-shirt, jeans and a blazer. Besides the harsh bristling sounds of the fire, crackling sounds of breaking glass caught his attention. He hurried towards the door that would lead him inside the building. He removed his blazer, used it to clutch the door handle, and pulled. It was stuck. Akash cursed and used all his strength to pull harder. The door was burning hot. Akash tried again with all his might; it gave. He pulled the door wide open. A blast of hot air hit him first. He moved inside and felt like he was in an oven. It was hotter than hell! Akash gritted his teeth and descended cautiously. Holding his blazer to his nose and mouth, Akash found it increasingly hard to breathe. His eyes began to water as he walked further inside.
If Tara were connected with him right then, she would be cursing him for being so disorganized and putting his life at risk. Instinctively, he touched his left ear. The chakra implant was buzzing. He knew why—he was connecting with the power of the Nine. He had moved out of the sensory input and was now connecting with the collective. Abruptly he stopped. He closed his eyes to channel his energies. He, like his buddies, was capable of tapping into the powers of the others. He moved faster. The blazing fire was now moving upwards. He heard the cries for help. He was on a landing. It was coming from the left. Akash hurried forward, keeping his arms up, head bowed. The fire on the lower levels was visible from the corridor. It was a small cafeteria, now it looked like a furnace in hell. He knew the layout of the building—he and his friends had sometimes played basketball in one of the sports halls. But soon his throat started to burn, he was feeling the effects of the toxic fumes released from melting plastic and concrete. Akash knew that despite his discomfort, he would have to get the others out fast. He searched frantically. The halls and art rooms were empty. Smoke was seeping into every corner, the paint on the walls bubbled as the fire crept up from all sides. Despite the crackling, crushing sounds of the fire, the voices were still faintly audible. Damn it! He didn’t have much time. He hurried towards the rest rooms. He checked the ladies’ ones first. No one. Suddenly, a large beam fell from above, crashing into Akash’s shoulder and pushing him to the floor. His right arm bore the brunt. The pain was intense and he felt the fire singe his right side. Scrabbling out from under the burning log, he managed to slap the fire out. Parts of his bare arm and neck were wounded. He dismissed the throbbing pain and, with his left hand, managed to push open the men’s rest rooms. He dashed inside, calling out. Through the swirls of smoke a young boy reached out for him. ‘We are trapped here!’ Akash followed him towards a storeroom, it was furthest from the licks of the spreading fire. Inside, huddled in the corner were five children aged between ten and twelve. ‘You know a way out of here?’ one of the girls sobbed. ‘I don’t want to die.’
‘Calm down, no one’s going to die.’ Akash grabbed a sheet of cloth and wrapped it around his aching arm. Wincing as he tried to move it, he looked determinedly at them. ‘Don’t worry, we’ll make it out of here.’ He kneeled down. ‘Now tell me, are there any other people around here? Any adults?’
One of the taller boys replied, ‘It’s just us. I checked some of the rooms and found these kids in the activity centre. I got
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