MY CRAZIEST ADVENTURE

Veer made it back to the spot where Sonia and the children were huddled together. He crouched next to Sonia and pulled out the phone, handing it to her. Sonia immediately suggested, "We should call the police. Dial 100." 

Veer shook his head firmly. "No, not the police. They'll take too long to figure out what's going on, and it'll alert the traffickers too soon. Call your family directly. They need to know what's happening first."

Sonia nodded, though her hands trembled as she tried to remember her home phone number. After a moment, she dialed, and the phone began to ring. The few seconds felt like hours, and just as Sonia was about to panic, the call connected. Veer had already coached her to stay calm, to be brave and not cry. He had specifically told her to say that she was safe, to tell the truth about the traffickers' plans to sell her and the other children for ransom, but to stay strong.

As Sonia began speaking to her mother, her voice cracked but remained steady. She explained how they were planning to sell her and the other children in two days and that they'd overheard a conversation suggesting they might sell her even sooner.

After a few moments, Sonia's face grew pale as she handed the phone to Veer. "They want to talk to you," she whispered, visibly shaken. 

Veer took the phone, and a calm, measured voice greeted him on the other side. "This is Vikram," the voice said. "I'm part of a rescue team trying to get Sonia back safely. I need details. How many of them are there? How many weapons do they have? Any idea where exactly you are?"

Veer quickly gave Vikram everything he had observed: the number of thugs, the types of guns they were carrying, how they moved around the camp, and the fact that they were on high alert due to the recent attacks from wild animals. He also mentioned the white tiger they had encountered. 

There was a brief pause, and Vikram responded, "That's good. We've got an idea of where you are now. The white tiger confirms it. We're coming, but it's going to take some time. You need to be very careful in the meantime."

"I understand," Veer said, his voice low but determined.

"One last thing," Vikram added, "put the phone back where you found it. If the boss suspects anything, it'll be trouble for you all. They're watching Sonia's parents, so they might already be getting suspicious."

Veer agreed, his stomach tightening at the realization that they were running out of time. Just then, a small voice shouted from across the room, "Someone's coming!" One of the kids had been peeking through a crack in the door and had spotted movement outside.

Veer reacted instantly, hiding the phone in his pocket. He quickly tied his hands and slipped a blindfold over his eyes just as one of the thugs entered the room to check on the children. The thug circled them, suspicious but not noticing anything out of the ordinary. After a tense few moments, he left.

Once the coast was clear, Veer hurried back to the boss's room, slipping the phone back into its place. On his way back, he narrowly avoided being caught by a guard but managed to hide in the shadows just in time. He returned to the children, his heart pounding, but he knew he had succeeded for now.

The next morning, tension filled the air as the boss announced they would be leaving tomorrow. Veer's frustration mounted. How had they found out so quickly? Someone was watching Sonia's family—likely an insider—tipping them off. He watched as the boss and Raka prepared supplies for the journey. They seemed agitated, their nerves on edge as they discussed the plan to travel through the jungle.

Veer's mind raced. The window to escape was closing. If they left the camp and entered the jungle, it would be nearly impossible to save the children. For a moment, a dark thought crept into his mind: Should he save himself and forget the others? He was just one person, unarmed, with no real power to fight back.

Sonia's voice broke through his thoughts. "Veer, we'll get out of this, right?" she asked, her eyes filled with the hope only a child could carry. "I miss my mom."

Veer looked at her, torn between his head and his heart. Two voices warred inside him. One urged him to do the right thing: *"Veer, they're just children. You can't leave them. You have to save them."* The other was cold, logical: *"What are you thinking? You're just a kid yourself. You're not strong enough to take on all these men. You'll get yourself killed, and them too."*

His heart ached as he wrestled with the decision. But after hours of inner turmoil, Veer came to a painful conclusion: he would create a distraction in the jungle and escape. He couldn't take all the children with him. But as much as his mind tried to be practical, his heart wasn't ready to give up entirely.

The next day came quickly, and they began their journey through the dense jungle. The children were tied at the hands, walking in a single file, closely guarded by the thugs. Veer observed everything—the guards' routines, their movements, and any potential weaknesses. He knew he had to act fast.

The jungle grew denser as they moved forward, with the men at the front hacking through the thick vegetation. They encountered palm-sized spiders and venomous snakes, one of which bit a thug, causing momentary chaos. Veer saw his chance.

Suddenly, a group of elephants stormed through the undergrowth, their trumpeting echoing through the jungle. The thugs scrambled, shouting orders and trying to regain control. Veer loosened the ropes around his wrists—he had stolen a knife during his night raid—and, in the chaos, made a run for it.

But as he sprinted into the dense forest, a sound caught his attention. He turned to see Sonia following him, her small figure darting through the trees. She had been watching him, waiting for her moment to escape too.

"Sonia!" Veer whispered harshly, panic rising in his chest. He hadn't planned for this, but now they were in it together. There was no turning back.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the jungle came alive with the sounds of nature. Veer and Sonia moved quickly through the dense foliage, their breathing heavy as they tried to keep pace with Vikram's directions. Earlier, Sonia had managed to snatch the boss's phone, sneaking it into her pocket. Now, it was their only lifeline.

Veer glanced at her as they ran, "You still have the phone?"

Sonia nodded, pulling it from her pocket. "Yeah, I can try to dial my house again."

"No," Veer said quickly, "We can't waste any more time. Give it to me."

Veer punched in the number Vikram's men had given them. The phone rang twice before it connected.

"Vikram?" Veer whispered breathlessly into the receiver, his eyes scanning the trees. "We've escaped, but they're close. Tell us how to get to you."

A calm, steady voice answered, "Veer, listen carefully. You'll need to head northeast. Find the tallest tree and follow the direction of the wind—it will lead you toward the river. Once you reach the riverbank, we'll find you."

Veer tried to calm his racing mind, trying to figure out the directions amidst the chaos of their escape. "Got it. We'll meet you there."

Sonia tugged at his arm. "Veer, they're coming."

He snapped the phone shut and grabbed her hand. "Stay close, and whatever happens, don't stop running."

They darted deeper into the jungle, weaving through trees and ducking under branches. But soon enough, the unmistakable sound of footsteps pounded behind them. The thugs were catching up.

Night had fallen, making it harder to see. The thugs weren't far off, their flashlights flickering in the distance. Veer's heart raced, and his breathing was ragged as the adrenaline coursed through his veins.

Suddenly, a shout rang out from behind them, and a thug came barreling toward Veer, tackling him to the ground. Veer struggled, trying to fight back, but the thug was bigger and stronger, pinning him down. Veer's arms flailed, struggling to push the man off, but it was no use.

The thug grinned down at him, "You think you can run from us?"

With a swift move, Veer scooped up a handful of dirt from the ground and flung it into the thug's eyes. The man let out a yell, staggering back and rubbing at his eyes in pain. Veer rolled away and scrambled to his feet, but another thug was already closing in on him.

This time, Veer was ready. The thug expected another dirt attack and reflexively shielded his eyes, but Veer's other hand shot out, clutching the knife he had taken from the cottage. He thrust it forward with all his strength. The blade sank into the thug's side, and he collapsed with a groan.

Sonia, tears streaking her face, rushed to Veer's side. "Are you okay?" she sobbed.

Veer wiped the blood off his hands and tried to steady his breath. "We have to go, now."

As they started to move again, a loud roar echoed through the jungle, freezing them both in place. Veer turned slowly, his stomach twisting in fear. Emerging from the darkness, the same white tiger they had seen before was stalking toward them, its glowing eyes reflecting the moonlight, looking more furious than ever.

"Sonia," Veer whispered, moving to shield her behind him, "stay behind me."

The tiger stepped closer, its growl rumbling in the air, sending shivers down Veer's spine. His mind raced for a solution, but there was none. He was unarmed, weakened, and outmatched by this beast. Fear gripped him, and for the first time, he felt truly helpless.

The tiger's muscles tensed as it prepared to pounce, and Veer shut his eyes, waiting for the end. But suddenly, a gunshot rang out, followed by a series of quick bursts. The tiger stumbled, letting out a final growl before collapsing onto the ground.

Veer's eyes shot open, and standing in front of him was Vikram, holding a rifle loaded with tranquilizer darts.

Vikram looked over at him with a surprise written all over his face "Kamal Hasan," he said referring to a popular action movie star.

Veer let out a shaky breath, his body giving in to the exhaustion. The jungle around him spun as his knees buckled beneath him. He barely registered Sonia's panicked voice calling his name before he collapsed to the ground.

Before everything went dark, he whispered, "I'm so tired…"