Helen Goes for Mr. Sunday

The Evening That Changed Everything: Part 3

Helen lay on the ground, her body equally lifeless, and her eyes shut.

Dhanesh tottered unsteadily for a brief moment, turned around, and dashed in the direction of his mother. "She killed Karishma, too! And I'm next!"

There was a commotion on the lawn, followed by the hustle of fast-approaching footsteps. Vidya appeared next to Helen, panting.

From the far end of the mansion, a couple of security guards set off toward the servant quarters.

"Ask them to not leave their posts," Vidya quickly said to Dhanesh. Dhanesh turned toward them, making hand gestures, signaling them to return to their positions. The guards did as indicated.

"Did Helen enter the room?" Vidya asked Dhanesh.

Dhanesh shook his head.

"Are you sure?" asked Vidya carefully, looking deep into Dhanesh's eyes.

Dhanesh nodded.

Vidya entered the room and appeared to inspect it carefully, examining and sifting through everything she could set her eyes on. She returned after around twenty-five minutes, pinching the skin at her throat, appearing lost in thought.

Helen began moving her hands, trying to pick herself up from the tangle her limbs had got into.

"How did this happen?" said Vidya.

Helen slowly got up on her feet, still staring at Karishma's dead body through the open door, her clothes soiled and stained because of her fall.

"How did this happen?!" Vidya repeated in a hushed voice.

Helen maintained her stance, probably not having heard what Vidya said.

"If people get a whiff of this, I will lose my Brahman votes."

Helen slowly moved her gaze toward Vidya.

"Yes?"

In one swift movement, Helen slapped Vidya across the face with such intensity that the sound reverberated, momentarily drowning out all other sounds in the vicinity. The slap left a mark on Vidya's cheek. For a brief moment, the place fell silent. Dhanesh darted toward Helen.

"What did you two do to her?!" screamed Helen.

Dhanesh held Helen by her hair and flung her to the ground. She landed on her right shoulder, followed by her face, forcing dirt and mud to go in through her mouth. She coughed. Dhanesh kicked her in the side. She gave a muted whimper.

"Enough!" said Vidya.

Helen got back on her feet unsteadily. There were stains of blood on her right arm.

"So that's why you didn't call me back, you bitch," said Helen, pain contorting her face.

"Look," said Vidya firmly. "The day you called me asking me to check on her, I was out campaigning. I asked Dhanesh to check on her, but he forgot. He forgets. You know his problem."

Helen slowly transferred her gaze to Dhanesh. Dhanesh's face turned pale.

"I'm going to die. She'll set Ravana loose on me," whispered Dhanesh in a state of terror.

Vidya looked worried.

"We must burn Ravana before he gets to me," Dhanesh gibbered to himself, toddling off in the direction of the mansion. "How do we burn Ravana..."

"Dhanesh!" called out Vidya. Dhanesh showed no response and continued walking toward the mansion in a trance, talking to himself.

Vidya's face turned mottled with fury, and she grabbed Helen by her lower jaw. Helen moaned loudly, squirming in pain.

"Shut up, and listen to me very carefully," said Vidya. "You are an idiot to think we did this. As far as I can see, your sister has either starved herself to death or consumed something she shouldn't have. Either way, we have nothing to do with it."

Helen feebly stomped on Vidya's toes, who grimaced and tightened her grip on Helen's jaw.

"You should have come much earlier and visited her yourself instead ofasking us to check on her."

Helen wriggled in pain, trying to get Vidya's hand off her.

"So here's what's going to happen. You will clear this room right now, taking whatever you need, and that's the last you'll ever be here. I'll arrange for a vehicle. There is a cremation ground two kilometers from here, which I'm sure you know well about. You'll take the body there and get her cremated. There will be no postmortem. I'll get a death certificate with a fake name prepared. If someone asks about her, you will tell them she moved to another country."

Vidya let go of Helen and took out her mobile phone. Helen dropped on her knees, her breathing ragged.

"Send Londhe with a vehicle to the quarters area," Vidya said into her mobile phone, starting to walk along the line of servant quarters.

"She always said she wanted her organs to be donated," said Helen, holding the left side of her head with her left hand, appearing to be in severe pain.

"Don't try to act smart with me," warned Vidya, still walking. "If that body gets anywhere near a hospital, remember that your last family member just died, and if you disappear, no one will miss you enough to file a police report."