BEWITCHED

Chapter 17th

"Nothing was good, everything was getting worse."

I shivered at his cold voice. It was like the temperature of the room suddenly decreased.

"It was a normal day for me when I returned from school. The housekeeper and workers were absent when I reached.
Suddenly I heard a commotion coming from upstairs. The past experience had made me quick enough to run towards the noise.

When I reached upstairs all the workers were gathered there trying to get a look inside.
Seeing me most of them excused themselves but a few were still enjoying whatever was going on inside.

That's when I heard the most heart wrenching scream I've ever heard.
My feet automatically moved me towards the room, it was Mrs. Ahuja's office.

And.... and Aarav was there standing in a table, his thighs were almost about to bleed.
Till my mind processed what was going on, another scream left from Dhriti.
She was in the corner trying to hide his small frame from her.

My mind took control and I ran towards Aarav. His thighs were bleeding now. The next was on my forearm, making me wince at the pain.
My head snapped towards the cause of the pain and there she was looking as if we were the problems.

'What are you doing?'
My mind had many questions and this was not one of them.
Thinking that she didn't heard me I raised my voice asking the same question again.

But what I get wasn't the answer it was a slap. I turned my face towards her and her eyes held no regret of slapping neither beating her five years old.

That was the first time violence happened with us and this wasn't going be the last time."

My hands shivered just thinking about it. I wanted nothing more than to give her the same slap.
How can a mother beat their children like this.

" 'Know your place.' "
It was the first thing she said after abusing her children.
When I asked Aarav and Dhriti about the incident they told me all of it.

From her small yelling to punishing them in smallest misbehavior.
And this was going on since a week and... and I didn't even noticed that. "

The pause was heavy, it was like he was gathering his emotions afraid to show them.

"I wasn't able to protect them. I failed them precious, I failed the very first promise I did to myself. "

His voice break and my heart shattered into million pieces.
I felt my kurti sticking to my skin.
He was crying. The man that was known as rude and full of himself was crying.

He was crying remembering his past trauma and I wasn't sure to do anything but to hold him closely.

I wanted to gather his broken soul in my hands and to heal his wounds.
My blood was boiling just thinking of his eleven year old self trying to protect his twins.

"I told Mr. Ahuja about her anger issues and depression thinking he might calm her anger but he just ignored my words as if his own fucking children were not being abused by his wife, as if two five years old were nothing to him.
He told me to face my problems myself...

I started doing homeschooling. The wounds were getting serious and because Mrs. Ahuja still had a little moral left in her brain she started punishing me instead of twins but never failed to remind them that they were jinx and didn't deserved happiness.
She tortured me physically and them mentally.

Grandparents were not visiting because of dadi's decreasing health and maa papa was busy settling Athrav. So there was no way out. It was just me and my siblings holding to each other.

Months were passing and it was nearly Diwali.
Knowing that people will notice my wounds Mr. Ahuja didn't allow it to celebrate publicly but family dinner was obvious.

Everyone gathered at our family mansion. Mrs. Ahuja has already told us to behave properly or the consequences will be worst.
It was after the Diwali celebration when dadi asked them to stay for a few more days.

After living a normal life for two days we were back in hell.
But, two days after Dada and papa paid a visit again for some business related issue.

Dhriti's health was not very good at that time. And of course she fainted that day but Mrs. Ahuja didn't took any action to call doctor.
The workers gossips were fast enough to reach papa's ear and after a quarrel between her and papa, a doctor was called.

My recent punishment was also causing me trouble to walk and Dada's keen eyes did notice it.
The quarrel was enough for them to guess that something was indeed wrong.
He ordered me to show him my leg. Me being afraid was hesitant. When I showed him my legs the freshly beaten wounds took his attention and again a heated quarrel started between papa and Mrs. Ahuja.

Now I've had enough, I knew that they will not leave me like Mr. Ahuja did so I told them each and everything.

We were sent outside the room but I clearly heard her saying that she was just disciplining us. That we needed it all because we-we deserved- deserved that. "

His grip on the sheet was so much forced that it might be tore any second.
My hands reached out for his and I rubbed circles, soothing his muscles causing him to loose his grip.

His tight voice was once again back to normal as he continued, snuggling more into my neck now.

"We were bought to the family mansion. After being caution for days my mind started to take the environment I was in.
Maa and papa tried all they could to make us happy. They tried all they could to give us the parental love we deserved. Athrav was becoming the friend I didn't had.

From getting on picnics to parks for fun we were getting it all. Dhriti was happy Aarav was smiling once again. And I was relieved that we didn't have to see their faces again."

Instead to getting happy at the old memories he was getting sad. His voice was getting low with sadness not high with happiness.
My mind wandered at all the possibilities that could happen.

"But after two weeks Mrs. and Mr. Ahuja returned again, saying that they just wanted Aarav because he was their most lovable and capable child.
Papa was not having their shit anymore. He denied and said that he were going to adopt us along with maa.

Suddenly Mrs. Ahuja's IED triggered again she to-took the flower pot near her, ... smaching it down on...... papa's head."

My whole body shivered. His hands were shaking, no his whole body was shaking. And I knew that I don't have the time of being weak.
My hands hug him tightly giving him all the warmth and comfort I could muster at that time.

"He wasn't dead but she didn't stopped she-she slit his t-throat open by the broken glass."

He choked on a sob as he completed. The fat tears rolled down his checks wetting  my neck. His hands gripped my body tightly as if he was clinging to me.

"And Mr. Ahuja bailed her giving half of his fortune because, just because of his damn reputation!!! "

He was full on cry now. His words were heavy with emotions.
I didn't knew what to do or to say to him cause I still malfunctioning the information I just got. I thought of possibilities but murder was not one of them.

"It's all my fault, precious. All my fault... only if I've act a little mature.
It's all my fault, he died because of me."

Now I getting why they all hated both of them that much.
But then again, why would Dada ji call them, knowing everyone hatred towards them.

I was again stuck with question, this time with broken heart for my husband and fire of revenge for my family.
I wanted to make them loose the reputation he dies for and not to forgot getting my sasu maa jail for her karma.

~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡~

Umm .... look I'm not evil, this is the evilest thing I could think of.

And to those who think IED can't kill people. There are cases related to this.
I searched it and then mentioned it in the story.

Anyways.... mummyo ke phone k brightness itne high q hote h yarr?