I walked through the familiar patio, looking around at the numerous plants that I had planted and tended to with my mother. The sweet smell of freesia made me feel heady and multi- colored petunias swished gently to the wind as if welcoming me.
It felt so beautiful, the most serene place in the entire world- my home! Suddenly a scream broke through my reverie and with growing horror,I realized what was happening! It wasn't a sweet dream, but the worst of nightmares!
I ran to the huge french window and peeped in.The tall, ugly man dragged the whimpering, bruised woman by her hair and laughed rancorously along with his accomplices.
"See, what I told you Rajveer!Just look where your insanity of being honest has landed you!I'll kill your entire family and you couldn't do anything about it you bigheaded fool!"The man laughed, his cadaverous face contorted in a cruel sneer.
"You bastard!Just leave my wife!" Dad yelled, even as blood sprouted from his mouth.
Men holding on to him, again punched him in the gut and banged his head on the nearby pillar. Fresh blood poured out and dripped over his eyes,making him lose consciousness.
"Dad!"I screamed,but no one could hear my voice.
"Kill this pig!" The chief ordered his men, ignoring my Mom's pleas for mercy.
A man placed the muzzle of the gun on my dad's head and the next moment a loud bang echoed, followed by an equally loud and ominous silence as my father slumped lifelessly on the floor, his forehead nearly blown apart, being shot point blank.
"No! Dad!....please,Oh God!No!" I wailed seeing my father's mangled body, unable to move a single inch.
"Now, its your turn sweetums!" The chief fluttered coyly, spinning my numb mother around by her hair.
For a second her kind, almond eyes bore into mine with a debilitating force as she shed endless tears.
"Look after yourself khushi! I love you!...We both love you!" She whispered, but it sounded so clear as if she had shouted out loud.
"Mamma!"I moaned,stretching my hand as if to touch her,but the glass stopped me.
The man raised the gun once again and I struggled violently to move, but my muscles didn't budge even to blink.
"No!Not her!Please don't kill my mom!...please!"I shrieked, but nobody heeded me. I tried to run, to save her anyhow, but I was frozen, my limbs turning trecherous. I looked up through the haze of tears that filled my eyes as another bang echoed, marking the end of my world...my childhood,my innocence.
"NO!"I yelled,till blood came from my mouth as my mother slumped like a broken twig, beside my father, in that grisly pool of blood.
"I'll come for you khushi!"That familiar,loathsome voice whispered in my ears.It seemed to emanate from everywhere, as if the wind itself carried it.
"You don't have long to live....I'll kill you...crush you like a cockroach,like I killed your worthless parents!I'll come...."
"Khushi, wake up!"
"Khushi!"Several voices called me.
I woke with a start, my heart pounding against my ribcage fir to burst and my cheeks and pillow wet with my unending tears. My duvet was wrapped around my legs and my T-shirt was clinging to me uncomfortably, being absolutely clammy.
"Wh...where am I?"I rasped and my throat felt as if it had been slashed. I couldn't comprehend what was going on.
"Oh God,what's wrong with her?"Someone gasped fearfully.
"Nikki go and call her di!" I heard the familiar voice of my friend and it awakened me a bit from my abstraction, helping me to catch up with my bearing.
Suddenly I had a queer feeling in my gut and nausea, which was threatening to overtake for quite sometime gripped me. I jumped up and bolted for bathroom, clamping my hand firmly on my mouth.
"Khushi!" Divya and Qurratual followed me in.
"Easy!" They rubbed my back soothingly as I puked my guts out, my eyes watering.
They gently helped me to wash my mouth and dragged me to bed, feeding chocolate.
"Here, you'll feel alright." Divya popped some more chocolates in my mouth. I felt someone wipe my clammy forehead.
"There, are you alright?" Ritu asked concernedly, looking fearful, but I never got to answer as my di came running in.
"Khushi, what happened?Are you ok? She said that you were screaming in your sleep.What..."Payal di was berserk with anxiety.
"Hold on di! It was just a nightmare!" I assured her, not wanting to share the heinous episode that I had witnessed once again.
Hi guys,
ReplyDeleteNuts4arshi di, thanks for your kind words. You got me blushing. Your appreciation really means a lot to me.Thanks!
I hope you'll like this part too!
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U deserve it girl..!! Nw on to the story..first I thought it was Arnav who was having the nightmare. But the nightmare was awful and Khushi's condition, oh god..!! I hope Arnav is able to take away her pain and vice-versa :)
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