Love Me If You Dare

86 - Beneath the Surface

Writer's pov

Lakshmi sank on to the hard bench in the small police holding room with her body trembling. The fluorescent lights flickered above, throwing harsh shadows across the bare walls. Her hands were raw from gripping the thin fabric which she was wearing ,  slightly torn from the struggle during her arrest.

The officer who had brought her in leaned against the wall, arms crossed, a smug smile on his face. "Thought you could slip away again, huh? Just like before," he said.

Lakshmi's lips quivered, but she stayed silent. She had no energy left to argue, no strength to fight. Every joint ached, every step had been a struggle, and her mind felt clouded with fatigue. Her body screamed for rest—but there was none here.

She pressed her hands to her face, trying to calm herself. Her stomach twisted with worry, a constant reminder of how vulnerable she was. Every hour dragged, every breath felt shallow. She had no money, no connections, and the world outside felt impossibly far away.

When the officer returned with a stack of files to check her identity, his eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "They made it easy for me. Thanks to some pressure in the right places, you're not going anywhere this time."

'' Remember ? Because of you how I almost lost my job ? My credibility ? But I am damn sure that, this time there will be none to call me and order to release you .'' He laughed hysterically.

Lakshmi swallowed hard. Tears threatened to spill, but she held them back. Her vision blurred, her muscles shook, yet she refused to cry. Not here. Not in front of anyone who would take pleasure in her pain.

Hours passed. She sat quietly, curled in the corner, trying to find comfort in the small space she had carved for herself. Every sound.......the distant chatter of officers, the clatter of keys, the opening and closing of doors.....felt like thunder in her ears.

Even in that small suffocating room, she scoffed at the officer's accusations, her voice steady despite the fear spreading at her. "I haven't done anything," she said, her eyes burning with defiance.

The officer's face twisted in fury. Her lack of fear enraged him beyond reason and felt like a mockery. Without warning, his hand swung across her face, a hard slap that sent her tumbling to the cold floor. Pain exploded across her cheek, but shock rooted her there for a moment.

Lavanya's instructions echoed in the officer's mind '' Do whatever you want. She's disposable. I'll cover it. '' That twisted permission unleashed the officer's rage fully. He struck her repeatedly, each blow hitting with a cruel precision. Lakshmi cried, her body crumpling under the blows, but even as tears streaked her face, her hands clutched her belly, shielding it with all the strength she could muster.

"Stop... I haven't done anything!" she begged between sobs, but her words fell on deaf ears.

Finally, in a surge of uncontrolled anger, he grabbed her by the neck. His eyes looked  cruel and cold. Lakshmi's breath caught in her throat, terror and pain overwhelming her, but she fought to hold herself upright, protecting the small life she carried.

Just as the situation stumble on the edge of something irreversible, the door burst open. A lady constable rushed in, her voice loud and firm. "Sir ..... please stop it! This is illegal! You can't do this! She is woman..... This is against human rights law and women's protection law.....this is a crime! If this goes out we all will get screwed"

The officer froze, the words cutting through his fury. The constable's hands raised in authority. Behind her, more officers appeared, drawn by the commotion. The officer spat on the floor, rage and frustration boiling, then released Lakshmi and stepped back.