After a long time.......

As promised we are back with another Behir story.

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Skyhigh building,

Mumbai,

Bela sighed in relief as she saw the lift was on the ground floor only,she quickly got inside and pressed the button for 16th floor.

But before the lift door closed a puppy entered inside and a man ran behind him,but before the man could catch him the puppy ran out of the lift and the lift door closed.

The man froze for a second and then panic hit him.

He began pressing the buttons frantically, his fingers trembling as he hit each one repeatedly.

Bela frowned, a little confused by his behavior

"No..no.. please...please.. stop.....stop...stop"The man continued pressing the buttons,even punching them in the hope that the lift would stop.

Bela grew a lil curious as she saw him trying fervently to make the lift stop,his actions and his constant muttering wasn't helping either.

"Lift beech mein nhi rukti aise,16th floor pr hi rukeg......

Before she could complete the sentence the lift shook and immediately the lights went off.

"No,no,no,no,no,no,no,no.... please open the door,please open the door,please open the door,please please please open"The man kept chanting as he banged on the lift door frantically.

"Hey,hey it's okay,abhi lift chalu ho jayegi"Bela said as she turned on her flashlight and tried to make the man understand.

By the way he was behaving,it was clear that he was panicking.

"No,no,no,no,no,no,no,no,no,open the door,open the door,open the door"He kept on shouting this time as the fear engulfed his senses and there was nothing he could process at this moment.

"Please, please, please ,please,please,please,no,no,no,no,no,no,no,no,no,no"The man started hyperventilating,banging the door like a mad man.

"Hey,listen it's okay,abhi start ho jayegi lift"Bela said as she gently tried to touch the man's shoulder, trying to calm him down.

Bela's hand rested lightly on his shoulder.

He flinched at first, his body stiff, breath coming in sharp, uneven gasps.

"Don't—don't… please…"He whispered, his voice trembling.

"Hey.....it's okay.....kuch nhi hoga"Bela said,her voice soft out of instinct.

"Mu..mujhe..please..please bahar nikalo....please....please....please....please"He pleaded,his voice breaking,almost like a child.

"It's okay,abhi lift start....

"Nhi,nhi,nhi,nhi,nhi, please kholo, please,please,please"The man kept banging the door,the darkness and the closed door making him scared out of his wits.

"It's okay,abhi khul jayega"Bela said and almost gasped as the man turned and hugged her,tightly,holding onto her like his life was dependent on him.

Bela stiffened for a moment,but the way the man was shivering showed her how terrified he was.

His touch wasn't inappropriate.

It was pure desperation.

And her expressions softened.

Her hand raised and hesitantly she placed it over his back.

"Bas,bas,kuch nhi hua h,kuch nhi hua h,sab thik ho jayega,abhi lift start ho jayegi"Bela whispered to him and his hands still tightened around her.

"I....I...ca..can't...brea...breath"He tried to say as he gasped for breathe.

"It's okay, it's okay,just breathe with me"Bela said as her other hand went to caress his back.

"Breathe with me....inhale... exhale"Bela said, trying to make him breathe with her.

There was nothing else she could do except try to help him in any way she can,she had no idea how to calm down a person who goes through panic attacks.

He didn't respond.

"Sun rahe ho? Inhale…" she repeated, a little firmer.

For a moment, nothing changed.

Then— his breath hitched.

"…good," she said softly.

"Now exhale…"She added as he exhaled.

His grip loosened just a little.

"Inhale…"She said.

"…exhale…" She guided him and he tried to follow as he shut his eyes and just tried to listen to her voice.

She kept repeating it, her voice steady, almost rhythmic.

Gradually, his breathing began to follow hers-still shaky, but not as frantic.

The violent tremors in his body started to ease.

"Sab thik ho jayega, don't worry"She whispered.

Those words seemed to reach him.

His hold on her shifted—not as desperate now, but still seeking comfort.

Bela continued to mutter comforting words to him, guiding him to breathe with her, trying to calm him down as much as she could.

Suddenly,the lights turned on,the doors of the lift opening on their own accord and Bela sighed in relief when that happened.

But the man didn't seem to notice that,he continued hugging her,still holding onto her,his eyes still shut as he tried to breathe the way she had taught her.

"Um...excuse me"Bela said as she patted the man's back.

"Lift khul gayi h"She said as she gently pushed the man away from her.

For a second,he didn't react.

As if her words hadn't reached him yet.

Then slowly,very slowly—his grip loosened.

His hands slipped from her shoulders.

His eyes fluttered open.

Confusion.

Then realization.

The light.

The open doors.

Air.

He turned his head sharply towards the lift entrance, staring at it like he couldn't believe it.

It was open.

He was free.

A shaky breath left his lips as he stumbled back a step, almost losing his balance.

Bela instinctively reached out to steady him, but he had already moved,almost rushing out of the lift like it was still about to trap him again.

The moment he stepped out, he inhaled deeply.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

As if filling his lungs after being deprived of air for too long.

Bela walked out behind him, watching him quietly.

The man sighed in relief,breathing freely.

His gaze shifted to his side and he saw Bela.

His gaze immediately turned with one that reflected gratitude.

Gratitude for helping him out in there.

If not for her he would have surely succumbed to his fear.

"I..I...I...I..am so sorry....so so so sorry,I am very sorry,mujhe..mujhse galti hi gayi...mujhe actually claustrophobia h,I panic in closed and dark spaces,I didn't realise what I was doing in there,I am so sorry for clinging onto you like that,sorry,please forgive me"Mahir ranted as he tried to make sense to her.

For a second, Bela just looked at him.

Then she sighed.

"Next time, stairs use karo" she said simply.

And a small smile broke out on his face.

"100%"He said and again thanked her.

Ps- So this is the first update.

Guess who the man is??

Also let us know what you feel about this chapter.

Only 4 chapters are going to be updated on Wattpad,after that we are going to continue this story on stock.me

Do comment please.