Dusky Moonlight

Chapter- 17(2)

For the entire day, Rathi spends her time in Mithran's house and looked after his daughter while he went to do the cooking and clean the place which was all messy from yesterday's final rituals of Sumaya.

She looked after the sleeping child. How unfortunate that you're here! Rathi thought holding the baby's hand. She got from the bed when Mithran returned back. He asked her to leave if she wants to and Rathi came out nodding her head.

She doesn't want to go back to her house and stood on the doorstep. Her eyes gazed at the next door where Sumaya gave birth and died, her legs dragged her inside with no other thought that she will remind the incident again and again.

The room was clean and no traces of the horror that happened yesterday. Eventually, Rathi's eyes welled in tears to think about Sumaya. Why she has to die at a very young age and not even looked at her baby's face.

Death is something easy for everyone here but for Rathi, it's too depressing to see the people dying one by one. It's fearing her about her own life. But right now she wants a way to stop this. She wants to save these sick headed people or at least herself out of this place. Maybe she will add Aadhiyan in this but she knows he will never say yes to leave this place

There are unsolved mysteries lying around him and this place, she has no intention to solve it but if it dangers her life then she has to do something to save herself and this life that grows inside.

That time she remembered the black figure that she saw yesterday, it was there not to fear her but for something else. Rathi can understand that and came out of the house and made her way to the shore.

She was the only one standing there, the sun is shining brightly above her head. The crystal blue water was twinkling like a diamond and the hot breeze blowing hard making her eyes to squint. The sound of sea birds and tides filled in that place. She couldn't stand there in that roasting sad.

Rathi looked around everywhere but she couldn't find it anywhere and sat in the small shelter made for them to sit hoping that it will come.

Her squinted eyes looked at the shining ocean, the warm and soft sand under her feet is pleasing to feel, she buried her feet inside and watched how the birds flying high in the sky. At least it knows a way to escape from this place but she felt like she's been caged and will die here without seeing the outside world.

The figure didn't appear in that bright daylight. She is disappointed and silently sat without having any other thought. The silence made her think about her life which is been ruled by Aadhiyan and that also told her that she's not going to be happy if she decides to stay with him.

Minutes turned to hours, Rathi felt uncomfortable sitting there with those thoughts in her head and walked inside the house. She decided to come tomorrow.

While on her way, she saw Das and her father in law were standing and conversing near the kitchen. They were having a deep discussion. She looked at them and they stared at her back.

"Are you hungry?" Her father in law questioned like he is too concerned about her.

Rathi nodded as no and continued to walk to her house.

Strangely she is not properly feeling hungry these days and she couldn't eat more as well. She cuts down her sleep rapidly to not get nightmares and thus she is under depression without even realizing what she is going through inside. She has no knowledge about her mental health and her constant search for these mysteries making her weak too.

While crossing her grandparent's room, Rathi was surprised to see Aadhiyan coming out of it. He is equally surprised to see her. Strangely he didn't search for her like how he used to be before a month. He's not giving her private space, he's afraid to stir up her anger so just listen to her mind and acting according to that. He is playing safe to get what he wants.

"What you are doing?" She asked.

"I cleaned the room" he replied showing the broomstick and metal dustpan.

"Oh," she nodded noticing that.

"Where have you been?" He questioned placing that aside on the ground and looked at her eyes. She felt something strange to look at his eyes which has fooled her for all these days.

"I was in Mithran Anna's home" she replied not meeting his face.

"How is the child? Is she sleeping?"

"Yes she is," she answered and suddenly he placed his hand under her chin and then held her hand.
Rathi was taken aback by his touch on her skin.

"Don't you think it's foolish to sit there in that salty breeze, it's hot there and you haven't drink anything and ate anything? Are you out of your mind?" he hissed still holding her hand and his eyes reflected a pure affection on Rathi.

She just stared at him without knowing what to say. "For what you're waiting there?" He pressed her hand hard.

"Don't you wanna live with me? Why you are always thinking about escape? What makes you think that way? Answer me?" He roared in anger.

Rathi was stunned to see how he changed from an affectionate person to a complete arrogant freak.

"I was keeping calm and I am not letting out my emotions on you but you are just testing my patience. What I said this morning, I told you that I will protect you but you're not hearing what I am saying and my promises. Don't you trust me? You have to or else I will lose my power and will be taken by the guardian. If he comes to my place, he won't let you be free and you will be beaten up and tortured. I can't help you there and will be watching it standing beside you."

"No one is going to come and save you, because you're already safe here, Rathi. When are you going to embrace this place?" he asked and became calm.

For how long he can see her hate about this place and he even heard what she has advised to Mithran. If she kept doing it he can't keep her alive at the end.

"I am afraid to die, and I no longer want to live in this place,"
Rathi answered showing fear on her face.

Aadhiyan left a sigh in frustration, "You're kept thinking about Sumaya, she died because it is fate, Rathi."
"We can't stop that, we don't have that power but our gods have that and he will give a long life if we give him a proper offering. I will save you Rathi, no matter what! I will save you. Trust me. If everything goes well we can leave this place too." He at last said.

Rathi was happy to hear that and she had a small smile at the corner of her lips.

"Are you saying it for real?"

"Yes," Aadhiyan encircled his hand around her hip and gave his charming smile.

"We can stay in a big house in the city and you can live a life that you are wishing," he told and hugged her tightly.

Rathi felt like something odd but that faded when Aadhiyan's hand trailed on her frame.

Like every time he lures her promising the things she needed in her life. At the start Rathi wanted an escape from Shankari so for coming to this Island he used that and told her that she will be free here and she believed that, for marrying him he showed his love which she yearned in her life, and now for getting her trust he simply promised her wish to get out of this Island. But sadly nothing will happen in the end.

"Come, let's eat something, and first I will get some cool lime juice for you," he told after cruelly deceiving her.

"You didn't have lunch?" She asked.

"How could I eat without you," he smiled and she melted by those words.

They headed inside holding hands and the day starts to become dull.