Reena Desai: Kill Lady

Chapter 11

It had become my daily ritual to have breakfast with the kids of KGF after making sure Rocky had left for the day and then taking part in their childish games, till their mothers called them home. Their pure, lovable innocence was the only thing that made my desolation and loneliness disappear. My eyes sparkled with furious tears, whenever they recounted how many times they had gone to bed and woken up without food. It was pretty often they did that, because the sight of delicious food on their plates filled them with gratitude for Rocky. How could those bloody monsters starve children? Were there no limits to their cruelty? I also felt a fierce pride, because Rocky too had grown up struggling for food. Now, he filled the stomachs of starving children.

He was their hero. But my villain.

I taught the kids 'Lock and key' - basically a modified version of running and catching people. We were halfway through the game, when a loud blast resounded.

It must've come from the mines.

It was followed by seven more blasts. The workers looked fearfully in the direction of mines.

I heard a man telling another woman, "- more mines. Rocky bhai is talking to his partners. How are we going to work more? He has also stopped the women from working in the mines."

His partners. My father.

I quickly broke into their conversation, "where is Rocky?"

"In a hall, near the control room", he replied, looking at me timidly.

"No one should interfere -", he began warning me, fearful of my actions.

I quelled him with a look.

I started running in the direction of the mines, leaving everyone behind me in a stunned silence.

The control room was easy to locate. It was the only building in a vast stretch of nothingness. I paused, trying to regain my breath and cursing my uncomfortable attire. It was a miracle I didn't trip over anything.

At the same moment, my father, Andrews, Daya and Gurupandian stepped out of the building, clearly angry. Rocky was not with them.

"Papa", I yelled, rushing towards him, with delight.

"Reena", he said, shocked. Tears in his eyes, he started limping to meet me. My father was never an emotional person. Seeing tears in his eyes, triggered mine too.

I threw my arms around him and clinged to him, for dear life.

We simply wept, holding each other, for seconds, before I was pulled away roughly.

Rocky.

He never left an opportunity to make me miserable.

We were completely surrounded by gunmen.

"Sasur ji, are you missing your daughter? Don't worry! I'll send her after I'm done. Deal ok, Sona?", he said, mockingly.

I gritted my teeth. Veins were popping out on my father's forehead.

"You're still my entertainment, Sona. I'll personally drop you in Bangalore, when I get bored", he said, like all of this was a huge joke. A cruel joke.

I did what I should've done a week ago.

I slapped him hard. On his stupid, smug face.

The guns pointed at me and my father, again.

"You've raised quite a firecracker, you know?", he asked my father, chucking and pulling me with him.

Turning to me, "is this fine or do you want me to carry you?", he asked with a chilling casualness.