Chasing Death

Chapter 38

"True love is about caring and not controlling. The moment love starts to control, toxicity starts to creep into a bond which should be pure."

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"What had happened to you?" Mrithun screamed from the other side, making the device vibrate. Mrithun's pet imp shuddered but still held on to the device while hanging mid-air.

"Look, I don't know. It was just that I got carried away," I defended myself.

"How do I leave you alone there if you get carried away so easily? I'm thankful that Holika let me know the entire thing," he burst out.

"I said, I'm sorry. Just that these thoughts were too much, and the captivity was beginning to affect me and..."

"And you decided to step out. How can you be so foolish, Tora," he bellowed, cutting me off.

"Listen, there was someone or something that..."

"I don't want to listen to anything that triggered you to go outside in this situation. I just know you aren't allowed to step out anymore, you get that?" Mrithun's eyes were wild and unsettling. And for a second, I had a flashback of Nikhit screaming at me, drowning out my voice with his. Surely Mrithun wasn't like that, I told myself.

"No, I meant to say..."

"You are in big trouble young lady," he cut me off again.

"Mrithun calm down. You are losing control," Mani chided from somewhere.

"You don't teach me how to keep someone under my protection safe," he barked.

And that was it. That was the precise moment that I lost my patience. Nobody had the right to order me around. I had not obeyed him once, and he was already shouting at me, instead of trying to listen. If that wasn't a red flag, nothing was.

I clamped my mouth shut on whatever I was going to say. I would not grovel before another man, not anymore.

"I'll remember from the next time," I said coldly, handing over the device to the imp.

Then I turned around abruptly, not waiting to hear what he had to say. I heard my name being called, but I didn't look back even once as I reached my room and slammed the door shut. Enough was enough. At this moment, I knew I didn't care whatever happened to me. I would pay the price of freedom with my life, if I had to. Last night was an impulsive mistake, but tonight I'd deliberately go away, away to somewhere he would never find me, ever.

Time seemed to crawl at a snail's pace. I wondered if Holika made dinner or if she slept. A small knock on my door jolted me out of my reverie. I didn't answer right away. The knock didn't come again.

After a few minutes, I finally got up from my position and opened the door a little. There was a bowl full of thick curry with a folded piece of paper beneath it. I picked up the bowl and carried it inside. The paper was embossed with gold motifs. Curvy glossy black letters on it made it a pretty sight to look at. For someone like me, whose handwriting looked like ants dipped in ink walking on paper, beautiful calligraphy was a sight to see.

It was no doubt who the letter was from. There were two lines of text which I read and re-read.

Don't let anyone cage you in love. Fly away to your freedom. I won't lock the door tonight.

P.S Go left wherever you're stuck and you'll find a way.

I didn't know why I was being told to go left, but I was no doubt thankful for the dinner and for the fact that she wasn't caging me in, risking Mrithun's wrath. I was glad to see someone who didn't play by Death's rules.

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The passage was dark as the darkest of the nights. I looked back at the warmth of Holika's home, as opposed to the bleak passages. The rocks had cooled, and the temperatures had dropped considerably. And for the first time in all these decisions, I hesitated. Mrithun's words rushed back into my memory.

You're a human in a sea of monsters in here. Please show your bravery after assessing the situation.

If I got attacked, it would be entirely because of my foolishness and impatience. But waiting out here with my hands tied wasn't my nature. I had always been the bold and reckless girl. I was used to speaking up instead of staying quiet, and I didn't take shit from anyone. The only place where I had kept quiet was the place I had been abused- my failed marriage.

I closed the door to comfort behind me and took a deep breath, finding myself in inky darkness.

Turn left Holika had said.

I followed.

My feet made no sound as I padded softly in the dark. I steered towards the wall, dragging my hands on the cool wet rocks. Clumped salts scattered like powder on my hands from where they hit my fingers. But I kept on running, running without a sense of direction. My ears were high on alert, but the sound of trickling water was the only noise in the deathly silence. Ahead of me, a hint of bluish light glimmered like a tiny ray of hope. My legs picked up speed, dragging me as if in a trance.

The passage split into a wide circular space with rock-cut walls surrounding it. It seemed like a dead end. The walls were bathed in a cerulean hue, gleaming with specks of white. Instinctively I looked up towards the ceiling and my jaws dropped open. This arena had no ceiling, and the stars twinkled like fireflies in the midnight blue sky. It wasn't exactly night, but the earliest hours of dawn. Beautiful white clouds were gathering around the edges of the crescent moon, which was glowing a pristine white. The shadows of the clouds danced on the towering rocks.

I hadn't seen the sky in days. I had forgotten how it felt like to stand on the terrace and just gaze at those beauties, without a worry in this world. I was no poet, but this sight was enough to stir some exquisite verses out of anyone. Taking in a deep breath, I kept on walking in a hypnotized daze. The air smelt fresh and clean, like a forest.

I was so drowned in the unreal beauty of the place that I didn't notice another person had entered the same circular area as me. In the dark night, the stranger was just a silhouette - broad shoulders and a narrow waist.

"What a magnificent sight," the newcomer said in a raspy voice.

I froze. The tone was too sweet, too alluring.

"Y...yes, beautiful stars indeed," I mumbled, quickly scanning the space for a route of escape.

There were only towering walls on either side. Why did I stop here? I should've searched for a route of escape before I allowed myself to get carried away.

"I meant you," the figure chuckled.

"I don't think I'm that beautiful," I whispered, slowly edging towards the walls.

The shadow seemed at ease and in no hurry. "I'm sorry. I used the wrong adjective. I meant delicious."

Ice cold water rolled down my spine. I had jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire. Rocks crunched under my feet as I backed away further, knowing very well that I was letting myself get cornered in the process.

The figure took a few steps forward, silent like a predator who knows the prey is his. The clouds parted just then and bright moonlight hit his skin. It looked beefy red in the dark with dark veins pumping blood.

A Pisacha!

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Author's Note : Is Tora overreacting or did she do right by disobeying Mrithun? What will she do now?