Over the next few days, Mrunali retreated into pensive silence, worrying her poor mother. She floated ghost-like through the motions of normalcy, numbly allowing Meera to fuss over suitable funeral attire or her father to press statements of condolence into her palm to pass along to grieving Rahul at the memorial.
Inside, Mrunali still struggled to process the maelstrom of guilt, grief and perverse relief swirling within ever since chilling insight took hold upon the temple steps.
No matter how she rationalized Ravi's tragic fate, whispers of culpability plagued her sleepy and waking moments alike. Worse yet, curiosity needled whether her perceived karmic deliverance might signify darker destiny at play...that her attempts at forging lasting happiness could prove as fatal as her spiteful curses.
Would the bright souls who dared care for accursed Mrunali all meet similarly grisly ends until she accepted the necessity of lifelong solitude? She shuddered at the thought of gentle Rahul or devoted Meera someday paying the price for daring to love her in spite of inner demons. Surely the gods could not be so cruel?
The evening of Ravi's memorial found Mrunali steeling her nerves along with Rahul's hand in comforting support. She leaned subtly into his sturdy frame, drawing fortitude to face so many painful memories and unanswered questions congregating under one roof. With a shaky exhale, she followed Rahul into the solemn sea of muted voices and too-bright altar lights, praying tonight brought more closure than calamity.
At first, the ritual motions of nibbling sweet meethai and sipping chai with old classmates blurred blessedly by without upset. After paying sombre respects beside Ravi's portrait, Rahul kept close, a grounding reminder of tender new beginnings stirring amidst residual grief and uncertainty.
In fact, Mrunali nearly forgot lingering dread as she listened to Rahul reminiscing fondly about his brother's vibrant spirit when she noticed his stare freeze over her shoulder, cheeks draining of color. Heart seizing, she turned just as Rahul uttered a choked name she hadn't heard in years...and came face to face with her deepest darkness lurking at the ceremony's fringe.
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Uncaged
Mystery / Thriller"Uncaged" follows the tumultuous journey of Mrunali, an 18-year-old girl battling deep insecurities and societal pressures. She starts as an underconfident teenager constantly belittled by her peers, but through a series of harrowing experiences, Mr...
