WAR IN THE CURSED LAND✔️

11

Dev : what happened amma ? You can trust us. 

Gopi's mother : he is kalavathi's soon-to-be husband's father. He came to our house and warned my son. My son challenged him to do whatever he wants. He trashed my son along with few constables. 

Dev : can you identify those constables ?

Gopi's mother : yes sir ! 

Dev : can you please come to the police station tomorrow morning ? 

Gopi's mother : station ? Why sir ?

Dev : to identify them. I will talk with them about this.

Gopi's mother : ok sir ! But our chieftain won't appreciate it. He will boycott me from this flock.

Amukta : I myself will come and pick you up amma.

Gopi's mother nodded.

Gopi's mother : will you find my son amma ? Everyone is saying that he is dead. I already made up my mind according to those words. At least find my son's body amma.

She started crying. Amukta consoled her and assured her that they will do their best.

.........

Amukta and Dev went to the station and dev interrogated mythri and few other employees of the school. The principal told that gopi resigned the job saying that he got a job in city. Dev recorded everyone's statements and dismissed them. That is when he heard a knock in his cabin's door. It's amukta.

Dev : yes amukta ! 

Amukta : we have to meet your grandmother now. 

Dev : yes ! I remembered. Give me few minutes. Did you see vinod anywhere ?

Amukta : no ! 

Dev : tell him to come to my cabin if you find him outside.

Amukta : ok dev !

As soon as amukta walked outside she saw vinod who is talking with someone on phone. He saw her. She signalled him that dev is calling him. He nodded and cut the call. He went inside.

Vinod : yes dev !

Dev : keep an eye on that chieftain and also on that kalavathi.

Vinod : ok dev ! 

Dev : I got some important work. Here's the keys. Go home and make yourself comfortable. We will be back in few hours.

Vinod : ok dev ! It's fine. I'll stay in the quarters. They allotted one for me.

Dev : are you sure ? At least take some food and blankets. We have an extra key. 

Vinod : ok ! 

Vinod took the key from dev. Dev went outside and saw amukta . She is talking with someone with a tensed face. She cut the call after saying that person to take care about health.

Dev : ammu ! What happened ? 

Amukta : nothing ! My father's sugar level increased.

Dev : what ? I am sure he is nit following the diet properly. I told him many times.

Amukta : talk to him after coming back.

Dev : I will . Or else I will tell athamma ( mother-in-law ) to lock the kitchen and refrigerator.

Amukta : come let's go ! It is getting dark.

Dev nodded. They started their journey to dev's grandparents house. It is around 15 kms away from their place. They stopped at a fruits store and brought some fruits. Amukta bought some sweets and chocolates too. They reached in 35-40 minutes. It was a huge old fashioned medium sized haveli. Amukta always knew that dev have relatives but she didn't ask about them to him. When she asked about them once he reacted angrily. She understood that he will get disturbed if she speaks about them .

Dev was feeling nervous. Amukta observed that his hand is slightly shivering. She held his hand.

Amukta : come ! Let's go inside.

Dev : ammu ! I am feeling nervous. 

Amukta : you can do this dear. I won't leave your hand even for  a second. Please !

Amukta opened the main gate and stepped inside along with dev. He looked at the surroundings . He reminisced the bad memories he had at this house. His mother used to visit this house every year but they never spoke to her but kicked her out every single time. But all of sudden they came to him when his parents died.

A young girl who seems to be around 14-15 years old ran inside by looking at them . Within a minute a crowd rushed towards the door. It includes Raghava Raju and 2 other men who are resembling him to an extent. She also found some similarities between them and dev. She saw 4 woman standing there. There are around 10-12 other people who must be their children and grandchildren.

Raghava Raju : Janaki ! 

The lady named Janaki came forward with a smile. She is holding a thali with kumkum water. She removed the evil eyes from dev and held his face in her hand. She gave the thali to a worker. She hugged him and started crying. Dev was taken aback. He managed to place his hand on her head and he lightly brushed her hair . She left him after a minute.

Janaki : son ! Please forgive this aunt of yours. I'm sorry for not looking after you.

Dev didn't say anything.

Raghava Raju : let him come inside Janaki. Let's introduce his family to him.

Dev and Amukta went inside. 

Raghava Raju : Dev ! This is your Lakshman Raju uncle and she is your aunt sathya. She is your aunt mahalakshmi and her husband Vishnu. She is your mother's twin sister. I guess Sreelakshmi might have told you about us.

Dev nodded. 

Raghava Raju : she is kirthi . She is my elder daughter and he is manoj. He is her husband. These two are your mahalakshmi aunt's sons. Murali and mohan. They are jyothi and nila. Their wives. Those li'll munchkins are their children. She is mythili. She is your lakshman uncle's daughter. My son lives in Hyderabad. His name is Dheeraj. He is married to tanushree. They have a son.

Dev gave a smile to everyone.

Raghava Raju : mythili ! Go and tell grandmother that dev is here.

Mythili ran upstairs over enthusiastically. Amukta found this girl weird. She observed that girl from the time they came. She is not moving her eyes from dev. She is frequently even glancing at amukta. Amukta found her familiar. She saw her soomewhere. But she is unable to recall where she saw her.

Raghava Raju : She is Dev's wife. She is a doctor.  I forgot to ask your name child !

Amukta : namasthey ! My name is Amukta Malyada. 

Janaki : such a beautiful name. You guys are made for each other . Vidharth dev and amukta malyada. Lord vishnu and goddess lakshmi.

Janaki hugged amukta.

.........

How's the chapter ? 

What do you think about the family ?