Muddat

2. The wait

Aadrika arrived home from college feeling a sense of dread that she couldn't shake off. It wasn't the first time she had felt this way coming back to the house she shared with her mother, but today, something was different. The air was thick with an eerie stillness as she stepped inside.

She closed the door behind her, looking around for her mother but there was no one at sight. She walked through the narrow hallway and entered the living room, where her breath caught in her throat.

Her mother lay sprawled on the floor, her eyes wide open, staring blankly at the ceiling. A glass of milk lay spilled beside her, the white liquid pooling on the floor, mixed with a strange, dark substance.

Aadrika's heart raced. She rushed forward, her knees hitting the hard floor as she shook her mother's body.

But there was no response. Her mother's skin was cold. Aadrika's stomach twisted, and before she could stop herself, she vomited on the floor. She stumbled to the side, gasping for air.

What if she's actually gone? Does that mean I'm free?

As Aadrika anxiously waited for the ambulance to arrive, conflicting emotions flooded her mind. The sudden realization that her mother might be gone brought a mixture of relief and guilt. Relief, because her mother had been a constant source of fear and control in her life. Guilt, because despite everything, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow for the loss of her only parent.

As the paramedics rushed into the house, Aadrika stepped back, allowing them to take charge. They began administering emergency procedures, trying to revive her mother, while Aadrika stood there, feeling a strange detachment from the situation unfolding before her.

Minutes felt like hours as the paramedics worked diligently. Finally, one of the paramedics shook his head, a somber expression on his face. "I'm sorry," he said softly, "it was poisoning, we did everything we could, but we couldn't revive her. It's a police case, they'll be here soon we're taking the body for postmortem".

Aadrika's heart sank. She was now faced with the reality of her mother's passing. Mixed emotions continued to surge within her-freedom and grief entangled together. It was a complex whirlwind that would take time to unravel.

As the paramedics completed their procedures and prepared to leave, Aadrika thanked them for their efforts. Once they were gone, she found herself alone in the silent house, surrounded by memories both painful and bittersweet.

She went towards the landline and called dheeraj's number, the phone was coming invalid. It was dheeraj who killed her, but why? He loved her mother.

There was a knock at the front door, the police rushed inside. The assistant superintendent came towards her, he asked his colleague to go get some water. They interrogated her, asked her questions about the events leading up to her mother's death and any potential suspects. Aadrika's mind was still reeling from the shock of her mother's passing, and now the realization that Dheeraj, someone who had seemed to love her mother, did this.

Through tear-filled eyes, Aadrika recounted the events as she knew them, struggling to find answers herself. She spoke of Dheeraj's relationship with her mother, how they seemed happy together, and how she couldn't understand why he would do something so horrific. The police officer listened attentively, jotting down notes and asking for more details.

As Aadrika finished her account, the assistant superintendent looked at her sympathetically. He assured her that they would do everything in their power to uncover the truth and bring justice to her mother. He explained that they would investigate Dheeraj and any other potential leads to determine the motive behind the poisoning.