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~~~~Ehd-e-Wafa~~~~
…he is walking swiftly down that lonely path in the darkness of the night. Surrounded by deep forest the quiet road has no other houses or habitation around except that one bungalow at the end of the road. The dimming light inside that rundown bungalow has attracted his attention and he is walking towards that house as fast as he can. The owner of a small tin-shed 5'x5' roadside shop is closing when he notices the lonely passer..nodding his head from right to left with disapproval from his behalf he lets him pass by quietly.
He walks the uphill track to reach the ruins of the bungalow and knocks on the door. After couple of knocks, she opens the door slightly. The squeaky noise of the door opening has awakened the living creatures around the house..a dog has begun to howl and suddenly the night seems darker than before. As she brings the lamp in her hand forward, he sees her…she is in her usual white attire, her face covered in veil.
N: agaye aap?
M: ji..
N: ayye..ander ayye
She moves away to make room for him to enter the house. As usual, he takes his seat in the living room which is lit with the only lamp that Nupur is holding. There is darkness around the vicinity including the bungalow itself.
M: kaisi ho Nupur?
N: bas hain…aur aap?
M: aapke saamne hain..kaafi nahi kya..(he smiles)
N: kyun..?
M: ji..?
N: kyun saamne hai aap? kitne baar kahe aap se mat aaya karein yahan per…kyun nahi sunntay aap baat hamari?
M: ghar me aate hi shuru hogaye? mehmaan ko aajkaal chaaye paani bhi nahi poocha jaata …as he picks up that many years' old newspaper
With a sigh, she goes inside and after few minutes comes back with a cup of tea. He is still lost in that newspaper and just out of habit he picks the cup without moving his eyes from the newspaper.
N: ek hi akhbar…saalon purana..kitnay daffa parhenge aap?
M: kya karein...aadat se majboor hain
N: kisnay kaha purana akhbar parhne ki aadat daalo. chale kyun nahi jaate yahan se? ek baat keh kehke thak gaye hum…kyun nahi sunntay hamari baat?
M: kaha na..aadat se majboor hai
N: kaunsi aadat?
M: aapke baaton ko ansuna kar dene ki aadat ..(he smiles)
N: kyun kar rahe hai aisa aap? aakhir kyun? (her voice is heavy)
M: mohabbat se majboor hai
N: yeh kaisi mohabbat hai aapki…yeh kya deewangi hai!
M: jab aapko hoga aap samajh jayengi
N: aisa kabhi nahi hosakta aap jaantay hai na!
M: jaantay hai..per shayed maantay nahi. abhi bhi umeed hai…abhi bhi yaqeen hai k kabhi na kabhi aap iqraar karengi
Suddenly there is sound of movement from the other rooms…sheer chill runs down her veins
N: thik hai…phir aaj…abhi..(she says in a rushed tone)
M: matlab?
N: hum izhar karte hai…humain aap se mohabbat hai. hogaya na…bas ab aap jayye
M: (with a grin on his face) saalon se intezar tha yeh sunnay ko…
He comes close to her and brushes his finger with hers but she moves her hand away..
N: aap ne vaada kiya tha aap chale jayenge..jayye ab
M: chale jayenge...iss naqab ko bas ek baar hatayye…saalon se aapko dekhne ki tamanna liye deewanon ki tarah bhatak rahe hai. ek baar deedar-e-yaar hojaaye phir maut bhi manzoor hai.
N: aisa na kahein…aapko Khuda ka waasta. (suddenly the grandfather clock in the corner starts ringing. Nupur starts panting…) agar yeh parda hum hataa dete hai to vaada kijiye aap yahan se abhi issi waqt chale jayenge aur wapas kabhi nahi lautenge. vaada kijiye…
Before Mayank can say anything, there is a muffled voice that gets sharper. The voice calls Nupur..
V: kahan hai aap? kab se awaaz laga rahe hai…
..suddenly he walks into the the living room and as soon as he sees Mayank there, he screams out in rage
V: accha! to yeh sab horaha hai hamare pith piche!! aur hum bhi soche k yeh mohtarma itnay dair tak kahan ghum phir rahi hai... to apne aashiq ke saath mauj ura rahi ho yahan per..itni majaal aap ki..
He grabs Nupur's hair and throws her on the floor. Mayank takes few steps forward to protest but Nupur holds him by his leg…
N: aap ko hamari kasam…chale jayye yahan se. aaj to baat maaniye hamari..jayye yahan se
Mayank pulls her up and looks into her eyes..
M: kahan jaaye hum…bolo!! iss zaalim insaan k saath aapko akele rakh ke chale jaayen? kaise jaayen???
Suddenly the man comes from behind and pulls them apart and he starts beating Nupur fiercely.
V: yeh himmat! shaadi hui hum se aur ishq kisi paraye mard k saath! hamare khandan ki izzat ko doobonay pe tulay hai aap!! aap ko andaza nahi hai k aap jaison k saath hum kya karte hai. bataye kya aapko…haan! bataye…?
And he grabs his whip and continues to beat her. Mayank protests by snatching the whip from him..
M: bass…aur nahi
V: accha ab tu mujhe sikhayega k hum apne biwi k saath kaise paish aayen!!! tujhe to hum zinda deewar me chunwa dengay...
He calls out for his guards who grab him instantly and as per his instructions they take him down to the dungeons underground. Along with his guards, he beats Mayank black and blue until he takes his last breath. The guards throw his body out in the jungle…
Next morning, as the shop owner comes in and opens his shop, he finds the dead body nearby. He goes to Mayank and placing his head on his lap, he cries..
S: kyun? kyun karte hai aap aisa? saalon se har roz yehi hota hai…har raat aap wahan jaate hai aur woh zammidar aapko iss qadar ghayel karta hai..tarpa tarpa k aapki jaan leta hai aur aap hai k phir se wahin pe chale jaate hai. aapko dard nahi hota? taqleef nahi hoti...
M: (opens his eyes and with a painful smile on his face) aap bhi to saalon se yahin pe hai…har raat humain roktay hai aur har subhe hamara ilaaj karte hai. kyun karte hai?
S: kya karoon! mukti nahi milegi iss rooh ko…jab tak aap ho hum bhi hai...aur ab to aadat hogayi hai
M: humain bhi mukti nahi milegi aise. agar hum wahan nahi jayenge to woh zammidar unhe jaan se maar dalega…hum hazaron maut unke liye marr sakte hai per unnko marnay k liye ekbaar bhi aise chhor ke nahi aasakte
In severe pain and bleeding wounds, he stands up and looks at that bungalow..
M: mohabbat me nahi hai farq jeenay aur marnay ka…usi ko dekh ker jeetay hai jis kaafir pe damm nikle
With a body full of wounds and injury and a soul filled with love and hope, he walks away waiting to meet his beloved later that night again.
~~~~The End~~~~
Writer's note
Needless to say, all the characters in this story are dead. Many many years ago, this incident happened where a girl named Nupur was about to be killed by her torturous husband who was the 'zammidaar' of that time and era. It is known that Nupur was the epitome of beauty but her husband was very possessive of her. It was his strict orders that she remains under cover all the time yet he was always suspicious about her affairs which were only rumors. That day, Mayank was just a passer-by and was only trying to save the poor soul from her husband when he was beaten to death. Its been years since Nupur and her husband passed away and this area has become unsuitable for any human to live but Mayank returns to that bungalow every night….every night he tries to save her from her husband's ruthless acts and every night he dies a painful and horrific death in an attempt to save her. Over the years..he has now fallen in love with Nupur and now he dies everyday with a hope that someday his soul will be free when she too will fall in love with him and agree to leave that house with him.
This story is dedicated to two of my readers Divz (.Divya) and Nivi (Nivrithi) as I promised them long time ago that someday I will write a horror story. So here it is..a horror love story 😆
Divz and Nivi…miss you guys on my thread…hope you read this.
-Neela-
Anupamaa
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
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