Chapter 15

[MEMBERSONLY] [NOCOPY] Part 15 updated on 14/04/21

"Ma" Samrat replied, "Bharat Ma".

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Everyone who stood outside felt a strange pride in their hearts and smiled through their tears.

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"Kya kar sakte ho apni Bharat Ma ke liye?"

"Kuch bhi"

"Mar sakte ho?"

"Ha"

"Waqt mein thoda aage badho. Us jagah, us waqt jab ye naubat aayi ho"

He sensed a little movement on Samrat's face.

"Tell me what's happening."

"There are a few people around. They are laughing over something. I want to move but there's not much I can do. I can taste blood in my mouth." Said Samrat licking his lips.

"A man is coming here through the door."

"Who is he?"

"I don't know" 

"Then?"

"He's coming from a door. The room I'm kept in is dark. There's light behind him. And my vision is blurry. So I cannot make out much apart from his body structure. I am disgusted. He's coming closer. He asks me if I want food. I'm spitting at his face but blood comes out instead. He  punches me in the gut making me spit some more blood."

"Then?"

"He leaves. But one of the guys comes closer with a burning cloth and lets it's melting droplets fall on my abdomen.

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Everyone's eyes widened in horror as they heard him.

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"Then what?"

"I'm feeling an indescribable pain but I refuse to scream. I won't give them any satisfaction."

"Move ahead a bit. What's happening?"

"I'm feeling thirsty. But my tongue refuses to ask for water from them. But I guess they have guessed it. A man among them brings water for me. He brings the glass of water towards my mouth. I open my mouth and he takes it back. I don't move ahead again for water and he drops the water on the floor making my clothes wet. Everyone's laughing. I cannot tolerate this laughter. It reeks of victory, an unfounded victory."

"What do you do then?"

"I gather enough courage to show they're not going to win. I sing my nation to them. I'm weak and words are not coherent. But they have guessed the song."

"What is that song?"

"Dil Diya hai Jaan bhi denge aye watan tere liye, my childhood favourite song."

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Mansi cried outside the room.

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"What do they do?"

"They are hitting me. Just then the guy comes inside the room. He asks me if I can take it any more? Or would I like to comply?"

"What do you do?"

"I nod and smile at him and slowly gesture him to come inside. He comes inside and sit in front of me with a strange victorious smile on his face. I grab his neck intending to choke him to death. I need to tell him. I need to tell him."

"Kya? Kya Samrat?"

"Ki main apne desh ko. Dhokha...Nahiii..." Samrat couldn't utter further as his anger overpowered him and he gritted his teeth with each word.

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