Bairi Sanam: The hate of a lover

Chapter VIII: Aag

Ketaki

His grey eyes stared right into mine and I felt all the courage that I came here with leaving my body. Somehow, I gathered enough strength to answer him back and ask for the land back. I tried all the tactics I could possibly use to get him to agree. I didn't care if I had to plead him as he was the one in power right now and I didn't want to sever my chance of getting the land back.

"Deal," he replied, and I finally breathed when he moved away. His intimidated gaze was enough to scare away anyone.

I left from there, looking back at him in annoyance as he stood there watching me.

"What does he think of himself? Let me get my land back then I'll show him that Ketaki isn't afraid of anyone. He's sarpanch's son so he thinks he can do anything he wants huh?" I kept muttering to myself. "Meri jutti," I said stomping my feet on the ground and glaring at him for the last time from a distance before walking away.

(My foot)

By the time I reached home, it was already night and I found that everyone was sleeping. Without disturbing them, I picked up laalten from the table and lit it.

(Lantern)

I reached the field and decided to sit outside the jhopdi made from wood and hay. It was somewhat windy, and I shivered due to the cold. I spread some dry hay on the soil and sat there idly placing the lantern by my side.

(Hut)

Placing my hand underneath my chin, I gazed upon the night sky. I sighed remembering the series of events that took place today and how I ended up here. The crickets chirped in the background breaking the silence of this serene night. Brining my knees closer to my chest I rested my head on it and began complaining to my parents.

"Bauji, how could I just let him take this land away? I'd do anything in my power to protect it," I uttered looking at the two stars that shined the brightest in the dark sky. "And did you see how he talked to me?" I kept my rant going about how he treated me, getting some weight off my chest and didn't realise when I dozed off in the same position.

I woke up feeling some heat around me and it took some time for my eyes to adjust to my surroundings. The hay around me had caught fire, spreading onto the hut and crops in the field. I found the lantern tilted on the ground and realised that it had fallen in my sleep, causing the dry hay to catch fire. I began shaking looking at the fire around me and the visuals of that day created a havoc inside me.

"Amma, bauji," I began shouting as if they were standing in front of me getting burned in the fire. I looked around and the fire was slowly spreading in the entire field. I couldn't even step away as I felt frightened and my feet froze at their place. Tears began flowing out of my eyes as my lips were quivering in fear. I covered my ears to stop myself from hearing my parent's screams, but it didn't help. The roof of the hut collapsed, getting completely burned and I shouted looking at the scene in front of me. My throat had turned dry from crying and shouting constantly, and I wasn't able to do anything.

Tejasvin

I sat in the garden for some time after she left as I didn't feel like sleeping. I kept thinking that I was too harsh on her for such a minor mistake. It was late at night when I heard someone knock on the gate and I got up from the chair to find out who it is.

"Ram Ram chhote sarkaar," Hari kaka spoke, and I narrowed my eyebrows wondering why he was here at this hour. I opened the gate to come out and stood in front of him.

"Why are you here at this hour kaka? Is everything alright?" I questioned and he adjoined his hands.

"My child hasn't returned home yet chhote sarkaar. I saw her leave with your kurta some time ago, so I thought she might've come to you to talk about the land. I don't know why but I feel like she might be in some trouble," he said and was on the verge of crying. 

"Kaka, she came here, and I sent her to the—" I began replying when I saw Jabaaz shrieking in the sky, indicating some sort of problem. Whenever there is any mishap, he'd linger in the sky making high pitched sounds until I'd respond. My heart skipped a beat realising what it could mean, and I looked at kaka whose face had turned pale at the realisation. Without a second thought, I ran towards the same filed. Kaka began following me but couldn't match up my pace due to his old age.

Jabaaz flew above my head as his shrieking intensified. Within minutes I reached there and stopped at some distance when I saw the blaze that was spread in the entire field. I scanned the field for some time before my eyes fell on her unconscious figure in the middle of this catastrophe.

I ran towards her from the side of the field that was still safe from the effects of fire. Nearing her, I jumped into the pool of fire and put my arm in front of my face as the flames rose towards it. The sweat beads had formed on my forehead due to the heat it was emitting.  I neared her, who was lying on the ground with no awareness of her surroundings and her white outfit was covered in ash now. Picking her up in my arms, my eyes fell on her face that had some soot marks on it. We were surrounded by fire on all sides and in order to protect her from getting burned, I rolled her against my chest, completely hiding her face.

I lifted my eyes from her face to find kaka standing at some distance from us sobbing. Few of the other villagers had accumulated on the outside of the field seeing the fire. I immediately tried to rush outside when a flame made its way towards us that made me turn around and face my back towards it, preventing it from burning her.

"Chhote sarkaar," I heard many voices yelling altogether when that happened. I took quick steps to get out of the area that was surrounded by fire and neared Hari kaka.

"I'll take her home kaka, you and the rest of people take care of the fire," I commanded, and he nodded between his sobs. One of the women came running towards me, who appeared tensed looking at her fainted figure in my arms.

"Chhote sarkaar you can follow me, I'll show you the way to her house," she said, and I began walking behind her on the streets of the village in the dark. I was walking as fast as I could.

"This one," she pointed towards a house, and I quickly went inside, placing her on the mat that was spread in the middle of it. I kneeled by her head and patted her cheek gently to get her to wake up, but she didn't respond.

My eyes fell on her hand that had turned red. As I scanned the room, I saw a matka in the corner of the room and went towards it. Pouring some water in a mug that was sitting next to it, I brought it near her and placed her hand in it to soothe the pain from the burn.

She squinted and hissed with her eyes closed as soon as her hand touched the water and my gaze stopped on her face for a moment, making me realise what could've happened if I didn't reach there on time.

"Amm—" she was trying to say something but couldn't form proper words. She opened her eyes slowly and I looked away.

She immediately sat up, pulling her hand back from my grip as soon as she came back to her senses. I placed the mug down to help her sit up properly and tried to put my hands around her shoulders, but she pushed me away.