Strings of love

31. A path unwoven

NOTE: NEW BOOK TO BE PUBLISHED ON 1ST AUGUST 2024.

♡

A R S H I

It was midnight, and my family was asleep while I was starving. According to my abusive chauvinistic uncle, 'a wife shouldn't eat until her husband does.' 
For his patriarchal rules, I have to starve until my dear fucking husband arrives home.

I got an unexpected call from Sidhant.

"Hello?"

"Arshi.. I need help."

"Yes?"

"Since 1st May, people from 'Kailashnagar' village have been missing....." he told me everything.

I listened tentively to every word of Sidhant. I could feel the frustration and agony in his voice.

"This is really ominous, Sidhant." I said, my brows furrowed with worry. "Have you found any leads?"

"I have a small lead. We could have been closer to the lead, but.." Sidhant's voice broke as he sobbed.

I remained silent, giving time to Sidhant. "Kailashnagar burned into ashes... not a single person was left..." he sobbed.

My chest felt like an empty shell. But something struck me.

"Sidhant?"

"Yes?" I heard him whisper.

"Was there anyone present in Kailashnagar village?"

"No.. there were only burned houses and trees."

"And did you smell something unnatural? Like like..smell of petrol or kerosene?" I asked.

"No- wait...I did get a little smell of kerosene."

"No dead bodies, smell of kerosene..hmm," I mumbled to myself.

"Arshi?"

"Sidhant! This is not an accident, neither a murder."

"What? Then..what is it?"

"Ek chaal." I said while walking near my window.

"Chaal? Kesi chaal?"

"Jo bhi yeh kar raha hai usse pehle se hi Pata tha ki tumlog ko Pata chal Gaya hai uske pattern ke bare mein..isliye..wo yeh chaal chala..ek Naya tarikha

[Whoever is doing this knew that you got to know about their pattern, so he changed his gait and played a new gait]

"To tum keh rahi ho ki usne sirf aag lagai darane ke liye? Matlab gaaonwalo ko kahi.."

[So you are saying that they just burned the village to scare us? That means villagers are ..]

"Chupake rakha hai,"
[He has hidden them]

"Par kaha?"
[But where?]

"Wo to -"

I saw Rune's car. He has arrived, and if he sees me talking to Sidhant, another man at this time, then he will kill me.

Without informing Sidhant, I disconnected the call and put my phone on silent. I walked down to open the door. I welcomed him with a fake warm smile.

Ab kya karu, iss kharus ke saath hi puri zindagi guzarni hai ab. ( meri phuti kismat aur kya kare)

Rune ignored me and stormed into the house. I sighed and closed the door. He pulled a chair and sat down. He loosened the ties of his boots and wore his home slippers.

"In home, we don't wear slippers." I protested.

"Dont tell me what to do." he got up and walked upstairs in my room.

I picked up his shoes and placed them in the racks. After washing my hands, I prepared the dinner plate for us. I was so hungry, but I had only three rotis, but of course, Rune will eat two rotis, and I have to eat one. I pouted, "Haye ato jore kidhe peyche but still compromise to amakei korte hobe"

[Haye, I am so hungry, but still I have to compromise]

I entered my room and saw Rune drying his hair while looking at the mirror. He turned and gazed at me angrily. [Kharus kahi ka]

I rolled my eyes and placed the plate on my bed, and sat down. "Look, I have already starved a lot, don't glare at me like that..come and eat. We have limited food. " I took a bite of my roti.

He came near the bed and stared at the food. I looked at him. "Do you eat with your eyes?" He glared at me."no no tell me, you are staring as if the food will fly to you,"  I chuckled.

"I don't want to have this," he said angrily.

"But today this is the menu...we don't eat spaghetti in dinner, sorry. This is India, and we eat desi food only."

I tore a piece of his roti and dipped it in daal, I stood up with the plate and took the roti near his mouth. "Just taste it once,"

"I said no!!!" He threw the plate from my hand. I widened my eyes, and my breathing became unstable. My hands shaked, sweat dripped from my forehead. I parted my lips to say something, but nothing came out of my mouth. It dried. Tears gathered in a corner of my eyes and fell on my cheeks.

He grabbed my throat, the single piece of roti in my hand fell and I touched his hand, trying to free myself from his grip, but he was too strong. "When I tell you no, it means no. So just" he tightened his grip, I grasped, tears continuously fell from my eyes. "Obey me,"

He loosened his grip and picked up his phone. Before leaving the room, he glared at me.

As Rune left, I sat on the bed, crying silently.
"Just.. just for once, can't he treat me properly? Not as a wife, but as a person, at least."

Out of blue, I heard my mom's voice calling my name. I wiped my tears and put on a mask of fake smile. I carefully came out of my room, making sure not to hurt myself by stepping on the broken plate pieces.

I closed the door and ma stood behind me. "Arshi." She called my name softly. My grip on the knob tightened, I wiped my tears on the other hand and smiled. I turned facing my ma. "Ma." I walked to her and held her hand softly. "Why are you still awake?"

"Areh jamai babu is here...I saw him...in the hall room. Did you give him food?" She asked in a concerning voice. I stayed silent, my gaze lowered. "Arshi?" Ma called.

I looked up at her. "I..I was going to serve him only. You.. you go and sleep, ma, " I said while escorting her to her room. She went inside. "Sleep fast, hmm?" Ma said and closed the door.

I turned sadly, sobbing silently.

I descended from the stairs and entered the hall room, Rune was sitting quietly while his head rested back on the couch.

I stood in front of him, and he looked at me. "What now?" He growled. "You don't want to have dinner, don't have, but please behave properly in front of my family. My family loves you they respect you. You don't respect me, but at least respect them." I fell on my knees and pleaded him."I beg you... don't make my family suffer. You...you torture me to death, I will accept happily, but please don't do anything to my family. Please.. just do like they say..please"

He grabbed my hair and pulled back. "I am hungry." said. "I..I will order your Italian food from somewhere," I shuttered. He smirked. "My delicious food is right in front of me, on the floor,"

Fear washed over me.

He picked me up in bridal style and carried me to my room. Rune locked the door and walked over the broken pieces of the plate. His evil intentions were clearly plastered on his face. He threw me on the bed and walked near the window. He closed it and pulled the curtains. The room was fully dark, just like my life.

I heard a loud smacking sound. I flinched and crawled back in a corner of the bed. I couldn't see anything. The smacking sound would get louder and louder.

The room suddenly glowed with a yellow light, a candle on the table. I sobbed and looked at Rune, who was looking straight into my eyes with a smirk on his face. He held his Gucci belt on his right hand.

"Now you will be my dinner until this candle melts completely."

TO BE CONTINUED....