புத்தகம் மூடிய மயில் இறகாய்!

~ Chapter - 6 ~

Lakshmi amma sneered, not letting her have her word, "ammadiyo periya manasu than ma unaku... senja thappa othukura... ithana varushama illatha indha nyanam ippa enga irundhu vandhuchu ethukaaga vandhuchu... unga kudumbame kaariyam illama edhuvum panna maateengale...".

Mullai's heart stung and the pain it evoked in her was no match to any physical injury, why had she never made this effort ever before, now it would only mean that she was doing it for Kathir and for the both of them- the love she holds for this family will only be tarnished more to be perceived as one that had only ulterior motive as its seed.

Her eyes lowered and when she raised it above again it met Kathir's red blazing ones, he immediately shook his head in the negative. Meena and Kanna stood behind Kathir with their eyeballs alternatively moving between the three humans in action.

Jeeva stood the other side behind Mullai and he eyed Meena trying to catch her attention which she hardly noticed, he stood dumb oblivious of what this was all about. The ever-so-intruding Dhanam and the ever-talking Moorthy too were rendered speechless in the drama unfolding in their midst.

Something in Kathir's presence there gave her a kind of confidence that made her speak without much thought, "Kathir ah apram yen athai enkooda natpu vechurukan enga veetuku varaan nu therinjurum oru kelviyum kekala neenga... venaam num sollala... appo enga mela ungaluku paasam iruku...", Lakshmi amma was shaking in fury and she couldn't hear anything Mullai had to say.

Her shrill voice sent chills into everyone, "mannangatti paasam... avan avanoda appa maari... thaguthi illathavanga mela laam alavuku athiga anba vechu yen avungaluku onnuna uyiraiye kodukura periya manasu iruku... aana naan marupadiyum yemarra alavu muttalum illa avalo nallavalum illa...

Kathir en magan avan yellai avanuku theriyum... avan mela neraiya nambikai...", at that moment she peered into Kathir and her words stopped with only silence enclosing the entire atmosphere around them.

She started taking in heavy breaths and her voice turned raspy which made Kathir steel into a statue with dread filling every nook and corner of his heart, "ey... nee... en pullaiya... Kathiru... nee... antha maari... namma kudumbam... marupadiyum...".

Everybody rushed towards her and Kathir tried everything he could to calm her but her state was worsening yet she stood firm on her grounds, "avala kalutha pudichu velila thallu da... ippove... indha amma mukkiyam na...".

Kathir froze for a second and the fit of cough from Lakshmi amma that followed made him utter those words, if he had a choice, he would have buried deep within himself, in a deep low gruffy voice, "thaiva senju po Mulla... aparama pesalaam... amma...".

Mullai with eyes full of tears cut in, "ennala thaan athai ippadi... naan engaiyum poga maaten... inniyoda ella prechanaikum oru mudivu varama... ivalo verupu ooda ya ivalo varusham... ennala thaanga mudiyala... yaaru enna sonnalum indha veeta vittu oru adi...".

A sharp sound made everyone look over to Mullai who held the side of her face and her mouth half-opened giving out a cry in pain, he had slapped her straight on her face. Before she could sink in the fact that her best friend had raised his hand and hit her, a surge of pain streaked from her right wrist as he held it inhumanly harsh, dragging her along with him.

Meena, Kanna and Jeeva followed them, all flustered and shouting to put in some sense into the beast that had emerged from the human called Kathir, "Kathir... enna panreenga... avala vidunga... annae akka va vidu ne... dei andha pullaiya vidu da...".

He had only left her hand as he forcely thrusted her out of the main door that made her fall onto the entrance steps and she was held immediately by the three who had come into action right away. Kathir however walked back into the house not even sparing her a glance.