Author: Animesh K. Mishra
Author intro: Animesh is a software professional, but that is the last thing in the world that he wants to do. He is passionate about writing; and music is his first love. He has been writing since his school days when he wrote dramas for school functions. He carries a Graduation in Indian Classical Music and has won many state and district level prizes in Instrumental Classical (Hawaiian Guitar). He blog s at Towers and Shadows and Story in pieces. Recordings of his Guitar can be heard at Stringplay.
Story:
“I was totally shattered, Rochak.” Sheela said while caressing Rochak’s hairs. They were lying in their bedroom and talking about events of last few days which have completely changed their lives. Sheela said again, this time in a low voice, “I felt cheated and devastated. I had become hysterical. I don’t know how many times I banged my head against the wall of the garden. I had cut almost every nerve of mine. With every cut, I cried out only one name, ‘Rochak’!” Rochak was silently listening to her, cursing himself for he was the one who was responsible for all this. Sheela, unaware of Rochak’s state of mind, continued, “You know Rochak, I was sure that I would die any moment now. Only thing I wanted at that moment was to see you once. I wanted you to know that I truly love you. I wanted you to arrange for my funeral and not the Police who would have come here only after a complaint from neighborhood about the stinking corpse.”
Rochak could not take it anymore and tears started rolling out from his eyes. He looked at Sheela as if asking for forgiveness and said, “Sheela, my love! Please forgive me. I did not know how evil my sisters are. I fell for their false tears and thought a delay of few hours would hardly make any difference” He was sobbing uncontrollably, “While I was busy watching that stupid Cricket IPL match between Kolkata Knight Rider and Mumbai Indians, I felt a sudden uneasiness. I don’t know what it was, but there was a strong indication that something is not good.” Sheela was listening to him intently when he narrated his tale, “Now I understood that it was only your love which travelled all the way from Mumbai to Pune to tell me about you. I could not sit for a moment after that. As if being pulled by an invisible tope, I immediately took out the car and came here. I cannot imagine what would have happened had I been late by five more minutes.”
There was a long silence in the room. Both of them caressed each other while immersed in their own thoughts. Suddenly Sheela started saying, “You know what Rochak, I fell in love with you the moment I saw you. To me you seemed to be one who would fill my empty life with love. All these years, I’ve been trying to win your heart. Though you never realized it, or even if you did, you did not express it, there was something which kept me telling that you would be mine someday. Every morning, I came to your room carrying the morning tea so that first thing I see in the morning is your lovely face. Before retiring to bed, I brought the glass of milk for you just to steal a chance to see you before sleeping. Every night, I expressed my love; and every night you did not say anything, just smiled.”
“I always liked you Sheela. But, I think it was your reputation which stopped me from pursuing any emotional attachment.” Rochak said weighing his words cautiously, “I, however, over the period understood that all this is perceived notion and there is something about you which people don’t know. They call this place ‘Beast’s Mansion’. They talk about your illicit businesses. They also talk about your high-profile linkages with politicians. There is so much of talk about you in this city that I could never think of associating myself with you. Had it not been the question of my father’s reputation, I’d have escaped from this place long ago,” Rochak paused for a moment and said again, “only to return back in a few days. Now I have known it, I’d not be able to live without you Sheela. Sheela, I love you.”
They kissed passionately and caressed each other with love. Today was so special for them that they wanted to steal each and every moment out of it. They were talking of everything which had happened between them. “Do you remember the date when I first came here?” Asked Rochak.
“Yes, very clearly! It was 12th of January 2008.” Sheela said.
“Exactly! When I first entered here, the only thing which was going on in my mind was the reputation of my father. For a moment, I even thought of revenge,” Rochak had gone back to the day when they had met for the first time, “but that was just a passing thought given your reputation in the society. What a fool I was to believe him then! Had I not seen the recording of that day, I would have never known that it was He who was the culprit, and not you.”
“These CCTV cameras are very useful sometimes and I’m glad that I got them installed here.” Sheela was quick to respond.
“When dad told me that you had falsely implicated him of Rape, I could not believe it. And when he said that you wanted Me in bargain, I had felt a chilling in my spine. I was sure that you’ll give me the most painful death. What I didn’t know was that I was going to meet one of the most amazing women of the world.”
“Mr. Srivastava came here as a broken man. He had lost everything. There was a time when he was known as the wealthiest and most influential person of Mumbai. But thanks to his addictions to Gambling, he lost everything he had.” Sheela was talking about Rochak’s father. “He needed a place to hide himself from his creditors who were now threatening to kill him. I gave him the shelter; money and assurance that no one would dare to touch him till the time he was with me. And, what did he do? He thought that I’m alone and weak, and molested me when all my servants were on their annual leave.”
“When dad left the house on that dark night, he had asked all of us what we wanted when he returns. Both my sisters gave him a big list of items ranging from lipsticks to fancy clothes. I just wanted him to come back safely and told him so. He promised to come back soon and safe. Little did I know then that his safety will come for a cost; cost of my life.”, Rochak was talking of the day when Mr. Srivastava had to leave his house on a dark night because of tip-off that his creditors were planning to shoot him next morning. He continued, “I was disgusted with an idea of being slave of a woman for the rest of my life. And I was not even sure, how long my life would be now. This is another story that that woman fell for me and became my slave for rest of the life.” Rochak looked at Sheela, smiled and took her in his arms. They were lost in each other and were not to be disturbed.
