Part 6
Kalpana sat on the bed frustrated.'What did he
mean when he said he's doing everything for my
safety' thought Kalpana.She got up and took a
shower.She changed into a plain white salwar
kameez and lied on the bed.She closed her eyes
and tried connecting the dots.Him coming back
after two years,him kidnapping her,his
possessiveness,him wanting her to call him
Raghav when his real name was Panther,him
being missing two and a half years ago,and him
telling her he was doing everything for he
safety.She sat up on the bed and leaned against
the head board.She covered her face with her
hands.Kalpana was confused.Every clue was
scattered around.Then she realized.Suryesh had
told her,he was missing two and a half years
ago.That meant he was already a criminal before
he met her.But why was he missing then?Kalpana
groaned feeling a headache come.She decided
to call it a night and go to sleep.She was tired
after the day's incidents.She closed the lights
and saw something glowing on the ceiling.There
were little stars stuck on the ceiling glowing
brightly.They gave the room enough light for her
to see anything,considering she was scared of
the dark.She smiled seeing the stars and slept.
*****************************************************************************
The next morning she woke up to loud
noises.They sounded like a gun firing bullets.She
groaned,flipping on her stomach, pulling a pillow
over her head.When the noises didn't
decrease,Kalpana decided to wake up.She sat up
on the bed rubbing her eyes.She heard another
bullet fire.She then widened her eyes.'A bullet'
thought Kalpana 'Are we under some attack'.She
got out of bed and took a quick shower and
changed into a light blue saree.
She scurried outside from where the noise was
coming from.Outside Sam and some other men
were shooting bullets on targets.She thought 'Did
they really have to do this in the early
morning'.She turned to leave but stopped.She
quickly turned around and saw tattoos on each
man's arm.They were all the same.She decided
to ask Sam about it since he seemed nice
enough.She walked up to him and tapped his
shoulder.He turned around and frowned.
"Shouldn't you be sleeping?"
"I was but the noises woke me up"
"Then go and put some ear plugs on and let us
practice"
Kalpana didn't back down.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Fine..what is it?"
"Why does every guy here have this tattoo on
his arm"
"It's a sign and proof that we are a gang and if
you dare to do or say anything we don't
like,then we'll kill you"
Kalpana ignored the threat and continued
"So everyone has this tattoo"
"Yes..it's permanent"
"So even Panther has it?"
"Yes..like I said it's permanent"
"Where's Panther"
"He had his practice last night.I don't think he
needs it since he was perfect aim.He's probably
sleeping right now"
Kalpana nodded and went back inside.She looked
around.She had to see if Raghav had that
tattoo.She couldn't tell since he often wore full
sleeved shirts.She knew he was very possessive
of her so he must have a room somewhere near
her.There was only one room next to hers.She
went up the stairs and stood in front of the
room.She slowly turned the knob.It was
open.She walked in.Raghav was in bed
sleeping.Beside him on the nightstand was a
gun.She rolled her eyes.Obviously he would keep
one with him,even in his sleep.He was again
wearing a full sleeve shirt.Kalpana slowly walked
to him and slowly sat next to him,making no
noise.He was still sleeping.Kalpana looked at his
arm which was lying on the bed beside him.She
slowly began unfolding his sleeve making sure to
check on him every two seconds.Once she had
unfolded his sleeve,she looked at his arm.There
was the tattoo but it looked faded like it would go
away in a few days.'But Sam said the tattoo was
permanent' thought Kalpana letting her fingers
linger on the faded tattoo.She was suddenly
lifted into the air and pushed on the soft bed
with a cold metal touching her forehead.A gun.
"Kalpana?" said Raghav,confusion evident in his
voice.He immediately took the gun away from her
and put it back on the night stand.He stood up
and Kalpana stood up with him "What are you
doing here?"
"N-nothing Raghav.I-I just wanted to see your
room" said Kalpana trying to remain calm.
"I don't believe,you would come for such a
small reason" Kalpana widened her eyes at being
caught. "Why did you really come?" 'Should I
tell him I came to see the tattoo' thought Kalpana.
"Tattoo?" said Raghav.Kalpana realized she said
her thoughts out loud.Raghav looked at his
uncovered arm where his faded tattoo showed.
"Oh tattoo...we go to the tattoo store every
time our tattoo fades..like mine is fading...Now
please excuse me Kalpi but I need to make an
important call" He said nearly pushing her out
and shutting the door immediately.
Kalpana couldn't believe he kicked her out.But
then she went to her thoughts.His tattoo was
faded but Sam said it was permanent.Raghav said
they had to go to get a tattoo every time it
fades.It seems as if Raghav is lying.But why?
Kalpana had seen the other men's tattoos and
they neither seemed fresh or faded.They looked
like they had been there for quite a while.Kalpana
realized she was still standing outside Raghav's
room for a while and so she went back to her
room.A man came with a food of tray.He put it
on the table and left.Kalpana decided to have
some breakfast before looking for more clues.For
breakfast,there was waffles,and three pancakes
with her favourite syrup.Kalpana licked her lips
and reached out for the fork but was stopped
mid way by Raghav who had grabbed her
wrist.She scrunched her eyes as a sign of asking
what the problem was.Kalpana saw that behind
Raghav stood the man who had sent her food and
behind him stood two guards.One had another
tray of food and the other had some plates.Raghav
spoke
"Kalpi...we are going to get this man to eat
some of your food"
Kalpana opened her mouth to a perfect
O. "What...but"
Raghav took a plate from the guard and placed a
small piece of a pancake on it and gave it to the
man.He ate it and just stood there.Raghav took a
small piece of waffle and gave it to him.He ate it
and just stood there.Raghav took some syrup and
put it on a plate and gave it to him.The man
hesitated.
"Drink it" commanded Raghav.The man didn't do
it.Raghav gestured to the guard with the
plates.The guard put the plates down on the
table and held the plate with the syrup on it and
forcefully made him drink it.The man seemed
frightened.Suddenly he held his stomach.There
was white foam coming out of his mouth.He
closed his eyes and fell on the ground.Kalpana
gasped.The syrup has poison in it. "He's
Yadav's man.Send him to Yadav's mansion and
write a note telling him to do something himself
instead of getting someone else to suffer the
deeds" The men nodded and took him away.The
guard with the tray of food put it on the table in
front of Kalpana "Everything has been tested
Kalpi.There is nothing dangerous in the food
so you can eat with peace" Raghav said that and
left with his guards leaving a gaping Kalpana.She
suddenly didn't feel so hungry anymore.
Kalpana took the tray and took it to the kitchen
downstairs.Though it had been about two days
she was there,she had managed to learn all the
rooms since she wandered a lot.She put the tray
on the counter but was stopped by a hand on
her wrist.She turned.It was Raghav...again.'Is he
following me' thought Kalpana.He took Kalpana's
hand and took her to the table.He poured lots of
syrup on the pancakes...just how she liked.He
tore off a piece with the fork and held it to her
mouth.She slowly opened her mouth and he fed
her.By the end of it she was only left with the
thought 'Is he really Panther?'
phew..done! liked it? loved it? do tell ur opinion about the update n do hit the like button n drop ur comments here. :)
Much love khushi.
