Chhutku

Chapter 1 – The Encounter

The jungle of Madhya Pradesh was heavy with silence, broken only by the crackle of gunfire. Smoke drifted between the sal trees, and the air carried the acrid scent of gunpowder. A task force had launched an attack at the naxalite base.The soldier a.k.a Commander Sharat pressed his back against a rock, his rifle steady, eyes scanning the shadows. His heartbeat thudded in his ears, louder than the bullets whizzing past. Suddenly, pain seared through his arm—a bullet had grazed him, tearing flesh but sparing bone. He gritted his teeth, refusing to falter. “Cover the flank!” his comrade shouted. Ignoring the blood dripping down his sleeve, the soldier raised his weapon. Now, he could see a face, just few feet away from him, One shot rang out, precise and final. The man (naxalite leader) collapsed in the undergrowth—the enemy silenced. But fate was merciless. As he shifted to shield his comrade, his boot slipped on loose gravel. The ground gave way beneath him. He tumbled down the rocky slope, branches clawing at his uniform, stones bruising his body. The world spun, and then—darkness. Above, the gunfire faded. His unit searched, calling his name, combing the ridge. But the jungle swallowed him whole. “He’s gone,” one voice whispered. The search party left, their footsteps fading into silence.History was ready to mark him as "missing", darkness had swallowed him and the dense forest was going to claim him.........to be continued.