As the hours crawled on, the house continued to deteriorate. Small chunks of plaster had started falling from the ceiling, and the wooden beams groaned under the weight of the waterlogged walls. Aditya constantly glanced at his grandfather, the thought of his inability to swim gnawing at him. They had to hold on; they had no other choice.
Then, just when Aditya was beginning to lose hope, he heard the sound of a boat engine. He scrambled to the terrace, waving the red cloth and shouting until his throat was raw. A small boat carrying army personnel spotted him, and relief flooded through his body. The soldiers anchored and called up to him, assessing the situation.