The Gospel Truth

IX. THE DARK NIGHT

As the villagers left the police station, the police went in action searching for Sheena and Neeraj.

Neeraj was the prime suspect. But he didn't return that night.

Everyone was gone now after consolation.

Luxmi and Raman both were thinking about Neeraj, and about their daughter. "How that beast could do such a heinous act with their child, the sweet child, the cute child, the caring child, the child wiser than her age. She was the apple of everyone's eye in the village. She had played in the lap of Neeraj and Neeraj... !!!!! Oh God! How... how can Neeraj stoop so low... How can anybody stoop so low?" Raman was thinking and talking to himself and so was his wife.

His friend Arun, five feet ten inches tall, brown-eyed, fair colored young man with strong built and wide shoulders was in his mid-twenties. Although he was shy and a bit reserved, he was the right hand of his boss in his real estate business and had a number of good contacts too.

"Arun's presence could have played a vital role here in finding Sheena or Neeraj. Yet I'm hopeful, his impression might work in the police station and the police would search Neeraj out sooner than I think." Raman thought.

The couple couldn't think of anything else. They passed the whole night sitting with the support of a wall and thinking about Sheena.

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Each of them was unable to sleep that night. Om, who would take hardly five minutes to get into slumber, was thinking about all the possible outcomes again. Soma had never expected of the situation that was to befall. She had tried her very best to hide her feelings from her daughter but... for how many days could she...? And the daughter! ...She was quite capable to sense their feelings and she sensed.

Amy passed two hours tossing and turning in her bed but at last, surrendered to her uneasiness. She actually was trying to smell the air of upcoming days. They were going to be hot despite the cold knocking at the door. Restless Amy came out in the corridor. Everything was silent. Even then the noise of silence was frightening. A zero watt LED was trying to enlighten the corridor but it wasn't capable of lighting itself.

She walked to the bedroom of her parents. Assuming that they would also be insomniac, she knocked lightly at their door... got no response.

'I was wrong. They might be sleeping.' She thought and instantly turned back.

As Amy turned back, Om opened the door and called her, "Amy, my child, you are still awake? This is 2 a.m."

"Yes, Papa! I am feeling sleepless tonight. I hence thought to be with you instead of tossing and turning all night, if you were not sleeping."

"I guess your mother is on the verge of it but I am still miles away. Come, sweetheart, why are you going? We should sit together for some time." He whispered and put his hand on her shoulder soothingly and they moved to the roof. They sat there watching the clear sky. The stars blinking at them were trying their best to make them smile.

"Papa, why is he coming now? He himself broke all the relations with us, as far as I know, when I was born. The very thought of his presence before me is appalling me. Why Papa, why? ...He shouldn't be coming" Amy uttered.

"Relax my child."

"I am sorry! I can't. I am out of my mind. All of my senses are out of my control. From the day I was born to the date, he never tried to visit us nor raised his hands to bless us, not even in dreams. And after damn seventeen years, all of sudden, he is visiting us, that too on my birthday....." Amy had a strong perception that the visit of her Tauji was a well-planned event and that would definitely invite a storm.

"Don't get touchy Amy. This might be the effect of rigorous pursuance of your cousin Sanju, his only son, or his brotherhood might have awakened now.

Amy put her head on the shoulder of her father and said, "Papa, I am trying the see him with your eyes but the things are not that simple you think like. What I think is, this might be a calculated move and he would have some ulterior motive behind this move but at the same time, I pray to God that I would be proven wrong."

Om found a look of apprehension on Amy's face which was never seen before.

The disaster was knocking at the door and there was no escape.