Change Ahead

Chapter-16

I woke up to a loud crash of a vehicle. It was a hard blow that woke me up. I was sedated, I could hardly get up. I could see a few other girls lying on the floor just like me. May be they were kidnapped or betrayed by their love, like how I was.

I felt sorry for them as much as I felt for me. I saw a girl sitting in the truck, who was fully conscious. I did not want to look at her. But she gave a sturdy look at me. She kept gawking at me. I could barely recognize her. Oh wait!! It looks like a well-known person. It was Swathi. Swathi..?! What is she doing here? I thought she was innocent just like me. I did not realize that they both played me well enough. I have been so naïve. But why is she here in the truck if she is willingly participating in such things.

I tried to get up and fell again. She did not care to help me. She took her mobile and called someone.

"I'm here near the bridge, there is some accident here. Hurry up here and open the door. I will come with you. I don't want to travel in this." She mentioned as if she was sitting with a bunch of dirt. She did see me like that. She did not want to wait for the reply before disconnecting the call. She ordered someone to pick her up. She turned to me.

"Finally Gaz.. you were really hard for us. It wasn't an easy deal. You were our best bet. You don't know how much you are worth. Now we both can live happily. Varun would buy me whatever I want now. Aaawwwwww!!!" she folded her hands as if she was praying and held it close to her chest and Awed at me.

I did not want to say anything. She then took a glance at her mobile as it beeped for a message. She hit the wall of the truck hard saying, "Shit..!! shit!! Can you never leave him? It is your entire fault. Are you really prettier than me? I don't know what better thing you have than me? Did you sleep with him already? Oh..?! You so wanted the so called pleasure from him? Even in this younger age, you want it? Already?! You are definitely fit for this. I will see to that you face real hell in here."

I did not understand a single word from what she said. I only understood that she hated me a lot.

"He doesn't want to come here to get me out because you are here. Damn! He is still in love with you."

She hurried to me and shook my shoulders to ask me, "What the hell did you give him? He doesn't want to leave you. He feels so guilty for bringing you here. He saved you for almost 4 years now. It was hard to convince him to let go of you. He has never felt like this for any girl. We have done this for over 100 girls and suddenly he feels this way for you? What did you do to him?"

I did not open my mouth. I felt ashamed for being so immature. I did not care to listen to what she said. I remembered my father's words, "Life is not an easy thing." I could picture my dad saying it. I thought about my family, my mom.. Poor mom! I have failed her. How much she would have prayed for my good life? I have failed her. Completely! I felt devastating.

"All these girls lying down here are all Varun's girlfriends, but he says he can't face you. Just YOU!! What did you do? Because of you I am rotting in this hell now." She gave me a good blow on my nose. My nose started to bleed.

I was so weak to resist all her actions. I was battling for my life and she appeared to be a small crab in a big ocean that I had to cross.

I heard cracking sound of the big latch being opened. I saw the 2 men standing out and scanned at all of us to check if we were hurt.

Swathi asked, "What happened?"

"Accident!" came a chores reply.

"You know that we have to deliver by tomorrow right? Can't you control yourself? You want to drink, drink and only drink; Jobless fools! Blah! Blah! Blah!" She expressed her thoughts in the most local slang.

She walked past me to get out of the truck. She angrily pushed them off to the sides and got down and walked away. They closed the door shut after she left.

I thought, 'I have no way to escape. I should get out of it somehow. Find a way Gaz!!' I then saw Swathi's phone. She had left it behind. I took it quickly and typed a message to Varun as that was the only trustable, known number saying, 'Please save me. Please. I beg you.'

I then deleted the message and kept it back in its place. Mobile blinked with message saying, 'waiting for the right time.' I felt relieved but I was still unsure if I should trust him after what he did to me. My inner conscious trusted him. It behaved as if it knew him well. I deleted the message and restored the phone back in its place. In a while, the door was opened again and both the men started shifting the girls to another truck.

"Hey you..." one of them called me. I looked up.

"Come on. Get down. We are leaving." He said murmuring something to himself.

I got down and paused for a minute to turn around and take a look at what had happened.

Swathi, came to me from behind and pushed me to the other truck. One of the guys helped me get into it. I went in and sat leaning towards the wall of the truck. Before closing the door, they looked at Swathi seeking some permission words from her mouth

"I will sit in the front with you guys. Now, close the door." She hurried to front.

In a while, the truck started hitting the roads. I was waiting for Varun to come. Will he really come to my rescue or did he send it to stop me from contacting anyone else?

I was in a great confusion. I could not do anything. I was so weak.

Another loud thud...!! There was so much confusion and sound I could hear. But nobody opened the door. I could hear some gun shots in distance. I was curious to know what was happening.

But nothing happened for a long time. I then saw a small window which could connect to the driver seat of the truck.

I opened it and saw a few police officers. I felt relaxed. I actually felt safe. Then to my surprise, I saw Trisha standing near one of the police cars. How did she know about this? May be Varun informed her? Is this what he mentioned as right time? My heart searched for him without my knowledge. I then saw the most awful thing.. Swathi, holding the gun against Varun. Is it even Varun or am I being paranoid? May be it is someone else. I'm being paranoid. I should surely be paranoid. Why would she hold custody of Varun, after all, they work together.