Rising from the ashes

Chapter 16-Karma comes back

Razia freezed and did not turn to look towards the direction of the voice.

'You! I thought you are gone. I was scared.' And she knelt to the ground with her trembling palms covering her face.

A very familiar pair of hands took her into arms and she broke down.

'No Razia, You are my brave girl, don't cry like this, we are Ok and I am Ok.' She said wiping her tears and hugging her hard.

'Asha tai, What has happened to this place? How, and why didn't you told me? And that person over there who-'
And suddenly something clicked to her mind and her eyes widened.
'Is he him? How? 'She felt a bit nauseous.

'You are Asha tai?' Aayan broke his silence and his eyes fixed to the man lying there. 'Let's go outside and talk.'
He added.

Razia and Asha tai nodded and they headed towards the exit door.

Asha tai's POV:
Razia had gone and we were back home. We could easily hear the noise from outside and knew that what was it all about.
Suddenly, some heavy footsteps approached us and there he was with his eyes red with fury. Along with him were two very hungry eyes, frantically searching for the hunt, Our Razia. Madhav bhaiya came in front of me and asked about her and I told him that I don't know what was he talking about, but it did not made him feel any better and he clenched my throat and told me that he will kill me if I don't tell him and I could sense that he was going to do what he is saying but suddenly someone pushed him and yelled.

'I helped her, She ran away and will never come back. What did you think? That I am like you? Oh I will  die before becoming such monster. How can you be so cruel to your own daughter?'
Madhav bhaiya stared at him with a look that clearly said that Razia was going to pay for this. For days,he searched for her and asked us where she was. But we always told him that we don't know and it was the truth.
One day the old landline of our house rang. It was afternoon and Madhav bhaiya was not at home, he was still searching for her even after two weeks of her escape. I attended the phone and It was her,Razia and we got to know that she has found a home to live and also she is working in an NGO. I called Ruhaan and told him that Razia was at line and he talked to her but when Razia was going to tell him where she is staying, he told her not to do that as he said it is better to be unknown to the fact.
After that we talked to her about 3-4 times only, because Madhav bhaiya got the hint of it and hit me to get the thing spat out from my mouth but it was good that we didn't knew.
Razia got to know about the problems that we, especially I was facing because of those calls and she stopped calling.
Raghav and his son, Jai was becoming mad and were torturing Madhav bhaiya to find her. One day they came to our house with some men with 'laathis' in their hands and grabbed Madhav bhaiya's collar and threatened him which made Madhav bhaiya furious and he pushed Raghav and smacked him but that incident changed everything, they put fire to the house.
Somehow we came out of the house but unfortunately, we were not able to save the mother of Ruhaan. Madhav also got hurt with it and was screaming of pain lying on the road.
Ruhaan's eyes were blank and he was silently watching the house burning, and suddenly a gamut of pain and fury came into his eyes and he ran towards the well and took out a bucket of water.
I could imagine that he will try to get his mother out of there,but I knew that it was not of any use now because it was too late. He carried the water and headed towards....Madhav bhaiya?
He threw the water hard on him. It relieved him a bit and he opened his eyes slowly to see his son.
Ruhaan screamed and said, 'You killed my mother too? Who are you? You can't be my father? You can't be even a human. This all is because of you. You destroyed so many lives and I am ashamed to call you my father. In fact I am not going to call you my father, I am going away. I hate you!'
Those were the last words he said to him and he never came back to see him. Right now he is working in a bank, and sends me money regularly for my living.
Madhav bhaiya could not tackle the sudden shock of the incident and got paralyzed. The store room that was outside the house was cleaned and repaired and I am living there now,but did not took Madhav bhaiya there and left him there only. I only go there to feed him now and things are going simple and straight.

Back to the meeting of Razia, Asha tai and Aayan:

'And this is how it all happened.' Asha tai said taking a deep breath.

'I didn't knew that you are suffering so much and my brother, he must be broken. And why are you here? Why didn't you went with him?' Razia asked worriedly.

'He told me to go with him but you see when I was widowed, Madhav bhaiya fed me, even if he didn't treat me good and made me work hard or anything but he gave me food and clothes and a place to live and I am just paying him back. And if it's about Ruhaan,we talk on regular basis and he have also visited to meet me several times but not here in this village, but the temple of nearby village.'

'Oh! I should not say this and am sorry for it, but karma comes back.' She said.
'You shouldn't be sorry for being honest.' Aayan said rolling his eyes.

'True son.' Asha tai said giving a warm smile to him.

They chatted for some time and then Aayan and Razia headed towards the place where they were staying.
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Laathis- Bamboo stick

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