~Entering Into The Danger Zone~
Before Arohi could say anything, the leader of the group stated in his coarse voice,
"Kaha hai woh dono?"
Arohi was dumbfounded; she had never seen these men before.
"Kaun dono?"
"Woi dono...jo apki dawaikhana mei aye the"
And it dawned on her - they are asking about the couple & that means they are Bhagwant Ishwarsena's people. A subtle fear crawled through her spines & scattered into her veins.
"Woh dono yahaan nahi hai"
Arohi said, while trying to compose herself.
"Dekhiye, doctor madam, hum sharif log hai...isliye achhe se puch rahe hai...bata dijiye..." He said again, his cold stare gave her a jitter.
"Woh dono mere pass aye the lekin phir chale gaye...kahan gaye mujhe nahi pata..."
"Hum nahi mante..."
He said, this time more firmly.
"Woh apka problem hai...waise bhi ap log aise kisike ghar mei nahi aa sakte...woh dono yahan nahi hai, ap please jaiye warna mei police bulayungi..."
Saying this Arohi looked at them to check their responses, as it was a ridiculous threat - there was no telephone in her room. They all laughed a movie laugh & a man from the group pointed his gun at her.
"Bata woh dono kaha hai...warna yehi goli mar denge...police ki dhamki deti hai?!" He looked more ferocious, scarier. The leader snapped at him at once.
"Kya kar raha hai, doctor hai...tameez se baat kar..."
The previous boy puts his gun down & the leader asked them to search her room. Arohi tried to protest but they have already started surveying the room - scattering all the things on the floor & the room turned into a mess in a minute. Arohi was shaking from within, while the leader was staring at her sitting on the same chair where Arohi was sitting a moment earlier.
"Kuch nahi mila bhaiya" A man commented.
"Thik hai..." He stood up, "Toh ap nahi batayengi..." He said & in an instant grabbed her hand. Fear hit up her face as she yelled,
"Haath chodiye mera"
The man didn't say anything, he dragged her to outside without pay any heed to her protest & yelling. Taking her towards their car he let go of her hand.
"Apko hamare saath jana hai..." He stated & rather than a statement it came out like an order.
"Kahan jana hai? main kahi nahi janewali...ap log samaj kyun nahi rahe hai..." Arohi tried to do a vain protest by making them understand that, she has nothing to do with them. But the leader interrupted her,
"Ap ek doctor hai aur hum apki izzat bhi karte hai...isliye achhe se bol rahe hai ki chaliye hamare saath warna hume zabardasti karna padega...jo hume bilkul pasand nahi hai..."
Arohi was looking at his steady gaze where a cold threat was lying underneath.
"Pliz"
At once Arohi opened the car door & sat inside it. The man closed the door before anyone from the group could sit there. He yelled looking at the group,
"Iss gadi mei doctor madam baithegi...tum log dusri gadi mei aao" He smiled looking at Arohi & she turned her face. He sat on the front seat beside the driver & said,
"Chal re...baba hamara intezaar kar rahe hai"
And the car moved on tearing away the dark, foggy cloak of the night.
For how long she was riding the car; she has no idea, when it stopped making her bumped with the front seat. She looked at outside - this area was totally new for her; it was more green than the rest of the Rajasthan. The leader got down from the car & opened the door for her, Arohi took a moment to gather her courage & then stepped down.
"Aiyee" He said. He leads her through a narrow lane & then she realized it was a forest - not dense, but it is far far away from the locality. The greasy, muddy road was covered with pebbles, plants & shrouds.
"Apko takliq ho rahi hai nah? woh iss taraf kal se bahot baarish ho rahi hai...isliye" The leader said, Arohi said nothing. The chirping of the bird, the cool breeze & the beauty of the morning seems a weird accompaniment to the situation. After some more walk, Arohi saw a little hut there; two men were standing on each side of the door. In front of the open area some burned woods & ashes were giving the signs that a bonfire must have taken place here. The man opened the door & asked Arohi to in; she frowned at him, confused.
"ap hume sach nahi batayi toh hume ye karna hi padega...jab tak hamara ye mamla sulaj nah jaye apko yehi rehna padega..." The man stated & before Arohi could protest, he locked the door from outside. Arohi banged on the door hard.
"Open the door...ye jo bhi tum kar rahe ho...bilkul thik nahi kar rahe ho..." She yelled. But there was no one to listen to her - the man has already left. Irritated, frustrated & exhausted she sat on the cold floor & her eyes couldn't hold back the tears anymore. It trickled down from her eyes like a stream - she sobbed taking Arjun's name - all alone before she drifted into a fitful, tired sleep.
Chotu opened his eyes & couldn't find Arjun there. Rubbing his eyes he got up. He knew deep down that Arjun can't leave him like this - he has the trust in him. Stood up, he came towards the main road & saw that Arjun is standing leaning over his bike. Chotu thought for a moment - whether he should disturb him or not. But, the stern look of Arjun made him do that.
"Sahib...kya huya hai?" Chotu asked as gently as possible. Arjun looked at him with a confused face & then said,
"Pata nahi Chotu...subah achanak neend khul gayi...aur tabse kuch ajeeb lag raha hai..."
"Apko didi ki fikar ho rahi hai nah?" Chotu asked.
Arjun nodded, "Bahot...bahot fikar ho raha hai Chotu...pata nahi kyun aisa lag raha hai ki woh koi musibaat mei hai...bahot badi musibaat..." Arjun said.
"Woh toh hoga hi nah Sahib...kitne din ho gaye na ap didi se mile nahi...baat nahi ki..." Chotu said.
"Hume jaldi jana hoga Daudsar...Chotu agar hum abhi start karenge toh kab tak pohchenge?" Arjun said. Chotu tried to calculate the time & said,
"Shaam tak toh pahoch hi jayenge..."
"Thik hai...chalo...nikalte hai ab..." Arjun said while sitting on the bike, Chotu sat behind him.
Arohi's eyes flickered open as the sound of the footsteps came from outside. Standing up, she came towards the door hurriedly,
"Koi hai please darwaja kholo..."
She screamed while banging on the door.
The door got open & the same leader of the group stood in front of her with a smiling face.
"Dekhiye apne kaha aur humne kiya..."
"Please mujhe jane dijiye..." Arohi said again, but the man smiled,
"Rukiye nah...itni bhi kya jaldi...aur waise bhi apke liye kuch khaas mehmaan bhi laye hai..."
Arohi frowned, & the man shoved Rani & Suraj inside. Suraj fell on the ground while Arohi hold Rani before she fell down.
"Tum dono..." Arohi's voice cracked. Rani didn't utter a word.
"Kitna achha laga raha hai...hai nah? sare purane dost ek saath..." He smirked, "Aaj raat baba aa rahe hai tum dono se milne..." He said. Rani's face covered with fear.
"Bhaiyaa aap toh unhe samjhaiye...hum apka khudka chota bhai hai..." Suraj spoke for the first time.
"Bhai-behen parivar ke izzat ke samne kuch mayne nahi rakhta ye baat toh tujhe pata hi tha nah...khair, hum tum logon keliye khana bhejwa dete hai..." Saying this, he left the hut locking the door from outside.
After a moment, two men came with three plates of food. he put the plates on the floor while looking at them. Suraj spoke - it seems he knows him.
"Kaka...ap...ap toh mujhe bachpan se pala hai nah...phir aaj ap aise kaise..."
The man kept his head down,
"Hum majboor hai beta...hum kuch nahi kar sakte..."
As he left Rani fumed with anger,
"Janwar hai iss ganv ke log...kaha ke niyam mei ye likha hai ki pyaar karna matlab parivaar ke izzat kho dena? Akhir aisa kya burai hai pyaar mein..."
Arohi put her hand around her shoulder, trying to soothe her, but Rani went on saying,
"Ye log hume daraya tha...kya kya nahi kiya ta ki hum alag ho jaye...lekin hum pyaar ko adhe raste pe chod ke janewalo me se nahi hai didi..."
Arohi looked at her, awed - she couldn't believe in this situation, she has the ability to speak in such a thing. "Hume pata hai...aaj raat ko kya honewala hai...lekin mei nahi darti...hum nahi darte..." Rani said this looking at Suraj, he squeezed her hand gently. Arohi suddenly was feeling convicted. All the time she has been trying to teach Arjun a real lesson on love & life, but today she felt that she has failed everything - or else how could she leave her love on the midway?!
The food remained as it is - nobody touched it. Arohi was scared more than herself for them.
"Achha yahan se bahar jane ka koi dusra rasta hai?" She asked Suraj, he shook his head.
"Nahi didi...bas ye ek hi rasta hai..."
Arohi got up & peeped through the window, outside was getting dark gradually. The sun has set already, a fear crawled into her. She didn't know what will happen to them, to her, will she ever be able to see Arjun again in her life?!
At evening, it started raining. Arjun & Chotu were almost drenched, they were trying to find a shelter, but there was nothing beside the road except wild expand field. Suddenly they saw a small tea shop at a side of the road.
"Sahib...yehi rukte hai..." Chotu said from behind Arjun.
"Haan...waise bhi bheeg hi chuke hai..." Arjun said as he stopped his bike in front of the shop. Entering, they sat on the wooden bench. Arjun ordered for two cups of tea. As Arjun tried to wipe the waters from his hair Chotu took the kerchief from his hand,
"Aree Sahib...mujhe do...mai kar deta hun"
Arjun smiled,
"Aree nahi nahi...thik hai"
"Nahi Sahib...kaise thik hai...Bade Sahab ne kaha hai nah apka dhyan rakhne keliye..."
Before Arjun could protest Chotu started dry his hair.
"Achha achha thik hai...baitho tum yahan pe..."
Arjun made Chotu sat there beside him. And suddenly 2 other cars stopped there, Arjun & Chotu both frowned as they looked at each other. Devendra & Bhavani got down from the first car.
"Aree ap?" Arjun stood up as Devendra entered into the shop. "Ap logon ko aise yahan dekha toh..." Devendra thought for a moment & then said, "Ja kaha rahe hai aap dono?" He asked.
"Daudsar ja rahe hai...achanak...barish aa gayi toh rukna pada..." Arjun said.
"Woh dono mile?" Chotu asked.
Devendra shook his head.
"Nahi aur usi baat ki hi dar hai..." Arjun frowned, Devendra went on saying, "Kal Bhagwant Ishwarsena ke admi kisi doctor ko utha ko leke gaye hai...ab toh Rani aur Suraj ke saath saath kisi aur ki bhi jaan ki khatra hai..."
"Kya?!" Arjun couldn't believe that they can do this to someone innocent & who has nothing to do with all this.
"Ye woi doctor hogi...jinke pass mei woh dono ko leke gaya tha...yaad hai Sahib...woh dawaikhana..." Chotu said looking at Arjun. Arjun remained silent for a moment & then asked,
"Lekin Bhagwant Ishwarsena toh Luna mei rehta hai nah...toh yahaan..." Before he could complete Bhavani said,
"Yahan se 1 ghante ki duri par unlogon ka ek chipne ki jagah hai...aur hume shaqk hai...bhagwant ke admi woh teeno ko ek saath woi kahi rakha hai...hume jitni jaldi ho sake wahan pahochna hai..."
Arjun nodded,
"Agar mei ap logon ke saath jana chahu toh ap log izazzat denge?"
As Arjun asked this, Chotu looked at him with a curious stare.
"Izzazat kya bol rahe hai...isse achha kuch ho hi nahi sakta..." Devendra said.
"Sahib hum Didi ko wapas lane ja rahe the ab tum un dono ki madat karne jaoge?" Chotu asked, he was not happy with this decision of him.
"Kyun ki iss waqt yehi sahi hai..." Arjun said. Chotu made an angry irritated face to him as he followed Devendra & Bhavani to the outside.
"Arohi, tumne mujhe kaha tha ki mujhe zindagi mei priorities dena nahi ata...shayed Arohi ab mei samaj gaya hun ki tum kya bolna chahti thi..." Arjun thought & heaved a sigh.
"Chaliye" Devendra's voice came from outside. Nodding Arjun went towards his bike.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Edited by M_Nira - 7 years ago
Indian Idol 15
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