Deciphering His Love

79 | The One With The Lightning

Two hours later...

60 kilometers away from Elysium

Shree answers the sixth call from Madhav for the night.

"Chellam, are you alright?" He asks as he drives through the main road, with Shree's call on speaker mode.

"Yes, Madhav." She replies. "I had dinner, took a warm shower and I'll be watching TV with Meow in a bit."

"Good. The watchman Selvam is on full alert. If you need anything, just dial him." Madhav instructs. "I'll call you in another fifteen minutes."

Madhav disconnects the call and sighs as he gets caught in a long queue of vehicles ahead of him.

He scratches his beard and notices his phone ring. He rubs his eyes and notices the name on his phone screen.

"Ma?" He looks puzzled as he stares at the phone. He answers the call in a flash. "Ma? Ma? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm alright! I came out with my friend and her family for dinner." Yashoda says.

"So you weren't taken to the hospital?" Madhav asks puzzled.

"No, Madhav!" Yashoda says. "I'm perfectly alright. Why? What happened, M-"

"I-I-I-I'll call you later Ma." Madhav says and disconnects the call. His hands shake furiously as he dials Shree.

* * * * *

Shree hums as she locks the windows. It was raining outside and she smiled as she inhaled the earthy smell of the soil. There was lightning flashing from the mountains that surrounded their little home.

She groans in annoyance as the electricity goes out.

"Selvam?" She calls out to the watchman who was asked by Madhav to stay guard in the veranda. "Can you go switch on the generator?"

Shree takes her mobile.

"Madam. This is the watchman! Come out please!" She hears a voice.

"Selvam?" She calls out as she walks towards the main door.

"I need you to see this." He calls.

Shree opens the door and walks out. It was pitch black outside, except for whenever there was a lightning flash in the sky. Shree switches on the flashlight in her mobile.

"Selvam?" She calls out nervously. The floor of the veranda had become wet and sticky, she noticed. Her face freezes in horror as she notices the amount of blood flowing on the veranda floor. Her breathing becomes erratic and she starts to panic as she sees the river of blood flowing from the watchman Selvam who was lying on the floor. He was stabbed and his neck was slit open.