The Unventured Passions

I Trust You?

"Shona, that devil will get his due punishment, I've ensured that he does."

Anirudh had pushed the door open, slowly, to enter into Bondita's room. Koeli had sat by her bedside, caressing her head as Bondita lay shivering on her side, facing her back to Koeli, burning with fever.

"Bondita, Shona... How are you feeling now?"
Anirudh had approached her slowly as he noticed the young girl clutching the bedsheet and curling her toes at his words. She was shivering violently and the sight had made his heart wretch in agony and anger.
How could that man even think of doing something like this? How could he even think of touching Bondita inappropriately... his Bondita!

He sighed deeply letting his anger subside, this was not the time to be angry but to be compassionate, supportive. He gestured Koeli with his eyes, as she slowly got up and prepared to leave the room.

"Shona..."
Anirudh called again, a little more softly this time as he replaced Koeli's seat on her bed.
Bondita was crying in silence as Anirudh too felt a jolt of emotion trying to escape his eyes effortlessly. His hands automatically moved up to her long flowing hair as she instinctively turned towards him and buried her face in his lap.
Koeli was standing afar, she quickly wiped a tear and walked out of the door, shutting it close behind her.
Anirudh took the cotton cloth dipped in the bowl of water beside the bed and squeezed it.
"Bondita?" He called her again, gently, before placing the cloth on her forehead.
"I'm here Shona... I won't let anything happen to you... Shotti!"

His words had made the little girl open her eyes slowly and look at him. Her face was flushed, her large eyelashes were wet with tears as her full red lips quivered slowly.
Anirudh couldn't help but pull her closer to his chest.
How could someone even think of hurting such an angel!!

Bondita had turned twelve a week ago, and Zamindar Trilochan Roy Chowdhury had organised a sacrificial ceremony along with a grand feast in honour of his little daughter-in-law. But, black clouds of evil intension had shrouded the piousness of the festivity as one of the attending 'sadhoo' had casted his evil eyes on the radiating pristine beauty of the little girl.
Bondita was indeed a beauty to be beheld... her creamy white complexion, her long dark traces reaching upto her knees, her large brown intelligent eyes, her seraphic demeanor, everything about her was ethereal... radiating a constant cherubic beauty that had illuminated Anirudh's mundane existence with it's enriching newness.

"Shona... Would you like to talk to me?" Anirudh spoke slowly, changing the damp cloth from her forehead.
"Would you like to tell me what's in your mind?"
He sighed.

"Ba- Barrister Ba- Babu... I- I'm scared. Wha- What if he..."
Bondita couldn't complete her sentence as she buried her face in his lap again, clutching his linen white kurta with all her might.

"He won't do anything evil anymore Bondita... Never, ever... I promise you that." Anirudh had tightened his grip around her shoulder.

"Ouch... Ba- Barrister Ba- Babu... It... It hurts."
Bondita had jolted in pain as Anirudh slowly removed the cotton saree from her left shoulder, revealing the scarlet bruised wound on her perfect white skin.

"Bondita!!" Anirudh had almost jumped up as he felt nauseous at the sight.

"His na- nails." Bondita stammered.
"He tri- tried to pu- pull me towards him." She paused to take her much needed staggered breath.
"But- but I escaped."

Anirudh's eyes were flowing uncontrollably as he pulled her laying frame closer to him, as if to ensheath her from the rest of the world, forever.
Her place was in his arms, only his arms... for, she was his precious!