Three days.

Three days since Vriha got sick again. Three days since she was hospitalized. Three days since Swara hadn't left her side.

"Please don't go," Kiddo pleaded, holding Swara's hand. "I need you."

"I don't want to go either. But it's been three days and they are saying that they will fire me if I don't go today as well. That's the only job I have right now. I can't afford to lose it."

"Is the job more important than me?" Vriha asked, looking hurt.

Swara had a sad smile on her face hearing her. She caressed Vriha's head with her other hand, not knowing how to explain to kiddo that without the job, she wouldn't be able to pay her hospital bills.

"Misha will be here soon to stay with you. Don't bother her much," Swara said, before removing her hands from Vriha's hold.

"Swara, sorry," Vriha said, stopping Swara who was about to open the door.

She hadn't meant to utter those words. She knew how much her sister was doing for her sake. But for today, she really needed Swara beside her. She didn't want her to go.

"Can't you just write that Swara or Vriha receives a bag full of money in your story. We will instantly become rich and you can stay by my side." Vriha sat up on the bed, looking at Swara hopefully.

Swara sighed, before leaving the door's handle and coming back to Vriha.

"Let's not mix fiction with reality. We are real, they are not. I don't know how they have come alive, and until when they will be alive. For all we know, they can go back to being just characters inside the book tomorrow. Under no circumstances can we risk becoming characters in that story."

"Oh okay." Vriha looked down defeatedly.

"But I can take the risk to stay here today," Swara said at last, making Vriha's head snap up in surprise.

"Really? What about your job?" Vriha asked, before hurriedly adding, "Not that I want you to go."

"I will handle it," Swara said confidently.

A confidence that was only for Vriha's sake.

"Just give me a few minutes to call and inform them."

And those few minutes were spent pleading and requesting profusely. In the end, they finally decided to give her one more day off against cancelling her holiday for five weekends.

A stupid trade off, but anything for Kiddo.

Misha came up running after a while, only skidding to a stop when she saw both the sisters alive and laughing.

"I am so sorry. I totally forgot to inform you that I wasn't-"

Swara's apology was cut off when Misha grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the room. Not before yelling over her shoulders, "Don't worry, it's a best friend's thing," to Vriha.

"What's wrong?" Swara asked as soon as they were out of the room.

Misha thrust her mobile in Swara's hands in response, before uttering a single word, "Naman."

Confused, Swara furrowed her eyebrows, but one look at the news running in Misha's mobile was enough to make her blood run cold.

Drunk author beats up a fan.

A 22 year old fan gets badly beaten up by a famous author. Hospital states- critical condition.

A petition to boycott all authors.

"I didn't know whether to worry about Naman or you. Of course you are my bestie and we just met him once. But still he is pretty hurt and-"

"What happened?" Swara asked, ignoring her blabbering.

"Huh?"

"What exactly happened?"

"Apparently he was pestering the author about something. The author denied at first, but when Naman didn't back down, the author got angry. And in his drunken stupor, he hurted him pretty badly. Since he is a very famous author, the outrage is huge. I don't even want to think what will happen if something happens to Naman."

"Nothing will happen to Naman," Swara said with conviction. "After all, he has to deliver the books tomorrow."

"What...," Misha trailed off, looking at Swara as if she had lost it.

"He cannot die without my permission. I haven't written about his death yet," Swara said, more to herself than to Misha.

"Swara." Misha placed her hands on her shoulders, shaking her out of her trance.

"I need to go," Swara said suddenly, "Please stay with Vriha."

"I don't think you should go to your job in this state."

"No, not the job, I need to hurry towards the library," Swara said, panic rising in her eyes.

"Library? Right now?" Misha clearly was out of loop. In the whole situation, where did the library come from?

"The library won't survive tonight," Swara said ominously, her hand clutching the mobile which showed the new headlines.

All the famous Authors show remorse - Everyone has put down their pens.

Pens down - a new movement.