Part 52
The contryside was deserted and appeared all the more frightening as Prachi ran blindly through the expansive corn fields surrounding Shashank's farmhouse. He had brought her to this wilderness to make sure no living soul ever came to know of the inflictions he had prepared to bestow upon Prachi that black night. The soggy ground trapped Prachi's feet in it's hold hindering her flight she had fallen countless times, her clothes were soiled, muddy and wet. Her body throbbed with pain as the fresh wounds Shashank had engraved on it were washed in the drowning rain but Prachi pushed all thoughts aside. She did not register anything neither the icy cold wind that rushed through the aphotic isolation, nor the stinging rain drops as they fell hard and fast like little lead balls attacking her viciously. Her mind chanted one slogan "RUN.... RUN" and that was all that she was doing or capable of thinking at the moment. Her limbs ached from over exhertion but she did not care as she slogged on thrashing through the damp vegetation waving in the winds that lashed furiously manouvering the downpour. It had been hours now or so it seemed to Prachi who had reached a dirt road, morning was still far away and no traces of light or sound were picked up by her. She felt as if she was trapped in limbo no matter what way she took or what course she tread she was ensnared in a desolate jungle. She had left Shashank and his atrocities far back but to her it seemed they stood right behind her waiting to snap her back in that nightmare. Exhausted, breathless and drained she had felt herself fall in welcoming oblivion in the middle of the road. She had not known then that Shashank had been hot on her heels but a stroke of luck on Prachi's part had made him wander far away from her in her search. She had not known too how Mr Mishra had chanced to see her lie on the road in that frazzled form her ragged and torn appearance telling her tale of woes. Mr Mishra had been on his way to Mumbaii where his daughter awaited his arrival at her wedding. He had been in a hurry returning from an important errand from Chandigarh where Bua lay sick and had opted for a short cut he knew through the fields. Little had he known two years later the exact same maid would turn out to be the daughter in law he prized and loved similar to his own daughter. Extremely taken aback by her decrepit condition Mishra jii had asked the driver to make her lie on the back seat of his car and had driven her to City hospital. He had asked the doctor there to provide her with immediate medical attention claiming her to be his own flesh and blood on being interrogated about her basics.
And so Prachi had reached the hospital miles away from Shashank who hunted the grounds like a hyena on rampage seeking fresh blood. Had it not been Sukriti's wedding that same night Mr Mishra would never have left her but he was required at his house at that very moment to bid farewell to his daughter who awaited him to give her away. Instructing the driver to keep an eye on the young lady he had hailed a cab and left for home promising himself to come back the moment he finished his duties as a father. All Prachi remembered after gaining consciousness was lying in the hospital room with a clear beeping sound reaching her ears continually. She had roved her eyes to make sense of the unfamiliar surroundings the stark white plastered walls, the soft blue of her gown made it all feel surreal as if she were still in a dream. She realized soon that she lay bedridden at a hospital her body aching in retaliation to the extremes she had pushed it to . Her pulse was being monitored by a machine not far off while a drip steadily administered her with a fresh supply of medication. Images of the horrific events raced through her mind and she broke down completely, crying wretchedly the worst had been over but she was going to remember it with vivid clarity for the rest of her life. She had been shattered and her body mishandled as she examined the numerous scars on her bosom her heart wept in tribulation. Was it her fault that she did not allow Shashank to win her over in his first attempt, not let him own her like numerous other girls before her. Was it a sin to believe that her thoughts and love were a sacred douceur for the one she married, became wife to. She had never done any wrong nor wished ill for anyone then why did this tragedy befall her, she was scarred now for life and nothing she did or said would ever make it right. Hiding her lacerated face in her hands she sobbed bitterly she was ruined forever damned to the deepest pits of hell with no source of redemption in sight. She had remained unconcious for two days running a high temperature slipping in and out of the narcotic numbness that etched over her mind body and soul. Baba's driver had been sent home by the doctor and he had left asking the concerned personnel to inform him the minute Prachi gained conciousness. Unfortunately for Prachi Baba had suffered from a stroke of elevated blood pressure the night Sukriti was wed, he loved his daughter tremendously her departure had certainly not been taken lightly by him. It had been a week before Baba's fluctuating pressure had stabilized but by then Prachi had already been discharged and had managed to reach home only to find it black and mourning, Inder Shah remained no more.
The aftermath of that night was far from pleasant Alaap had fled the city and could not be traced, Shashank in a mad fury had withdrawn all cash he had paid in Alaap's stead causing the creditors to knock their doors. Very soon Shah Industries had been split up and the spoils feasted on by the creditors who awaited the asset ripping like sharks awaiting a kill. Premlata had thought it best to abandon everything and find refuge in a chawl she deemed Prachi's honour far more important than the monetary loss they had suffered. They had lived off the gold ornaments Premlata and Daadi had been wise enough to bring along with them till Bobby secured a menial job as a waiter in a restaurant. Soumya too had pitched in working as an assisstant at a boutique they had taken care to lay low knowing full well how Shashank would leave no stone unturned to find Prachi. Prachi had understood now why Shashank had been on her case for so long he sought revenge for her public admonishment of his act and had blamed herself entirely for her family's ruin. Life had not been easy those were dark and dreary days with Daadi's illness it had become worse, Prachi had mourned fate's injustice for six long months but then one day as she sat poring over her diary she came across something. Something that blessed her hope and courage to live and to push her past behind her, it was a notion Inder had penned in it for his daughter in some carefree moment. "Zindagi jeeney key liye hoti hai phir yeh tum per hai keh issey kaisey jiya jaaye har ghum ko seh ker muskuratey huey apney liye or apnon keyliye ya yeh maan ker keh jeeney laiq kuch bacha hii nahin. Hum aksar duusri baat per ghor kertey hain or yeh bhool jaatey hain keh eik hadsey per zindagi nahin tham sakti kyunki zindagi rukti nahin, kabhi nahin kisi key liye nahin. Phir ussey mutthi main band kerna bewaqufi hii hogi, yeh to azaad hai waqt ki tarah jis ka koi sira nahin hota. Is liye jiyo kyunki zindagi jeeney key liye hii to hai!" Little had she known then those were the exact same words Inder had spoken to Milind confined in the grey walls of his prison cell and he had found the reason to live just like Prachi had at that moment. From then on Prachi had not looked back she realized she had been living in a time warp after that fateful night. She could not spend the rest of her life that way and so she had started her search for a job ending up as assisstant to Sonia. Her family had been her constant support through her trying times often she would sit up screaming in the middle of the night haunted by Shashank fearing his appearance beside her. Premlata would rock her gently patting her while she wept in silence clinging on to her mother like an ant to a leaf in the midst of a rushing torrent. She knew now the nightmares would be a part of her life for how long was not a question but they would stay, clear at times and vague at others but they always came.
It had been a matter of minutes and Prachi had relived each and every agonizing moment in a flash it was all before her very eyes. She had tried so hard to bury it all in her mind but Shashank had pulled off the cover she had laid on her wounds heartlessly. Now they lay bleeding as they did back then, she was the same Prachi Shah tormented and repressed wishing for a swift demise. She had slowly opened her wet eyes to see Shashank sit regally opposite her enjoying her anguish savouring it wishing there was more to it. "Kaha tha na Prachi bhula nahin paaogi mujhey" he had hissed neurotically catching her wrist imprisoning it in his bony hands. "Haan Shashank bhula to main nahin paayi tumhain tum jaisey nasoor aasani sey nahin bhulaye jaatey, per ab main tumsey nahin darti. Kyunki merey pati ab merey saath hain or woh tumhain mujhey chuuney bhi nahin deingey" saying so she had wrested her hand free. "Pati!!!" Shashank had howled in merriment "Kon woh Milind Mishra....... bataya nahin ussney tumhain woh to tumhari shaadi kerwaney waala hai mujh sey." Shashank simply could not get enough of it his face had turned bright crimson as he tried his best to smother his screeching laughter that threatened to attract attention. "Arey tum dono sey barey paagal mainey nahin dekhey eik saal sey saath hotey huey bhi eik dusrey sey anjaan ho.....waisey bhi tumharey so called rishtey ki sachai main achi tarah jaanta huun koi shaadi nahin kii uss ney tum sey or eik baar ussey pata chal jaye keh tum uss raat merey saath thi to dobara mur ker nahin dekheyga tumhari taraf" straightening up he had cast an impassive look at a shocked Prachi who sat as if stoned. "Tum ney Milind sey kiya kaha?" Prachi had whispered still in a state of disbelief, Milind had known about Shashank and he never breathed a word to her. Why... why did he of all people do this to her, could he not have asked her about him once before setting her up to receive the biggest blow of her life. "Yehi keh tum meri fiance ho tumharey Papa humari shaadi kerwana chahtey they per beycharey uper shift ho gaye... tsk tsk tsk...." Shashank had mocked sympathy with the sorry figure that sat opposite him "Ab tayyar ho jao umer bhar ki jahannum key liye." Shashank had smiled holding her hand tightening his grip to see the blood stop circulating in it "Jab tak meri beyizzati ka badla nahin ley leta chain sey nahin jeeney duunga tumhain Prachi Shah!" he had vowed solemnly. Prachi had read somewhere history repeats itself but she had not anticipated repitition of events in such a short lapse of time gaining back her senses Prachi had pushed his hand away. "Khabardar jo mujhey chua to Shashank Milind ko main sab sach sach bata duungi phir dekhti huun kaisey kertey ho mujh sey shaadi" she had snapped angrily standing up to leave. "Buhut pyaar kerti ho na Milind sey...." Shashank had inquired causing her to stop in mid step as he fiddled with a fork testing it's prongs for sharpness. "Mainey suna hai uskey Delhi hotel ka inaugaration hai agley haftey" Shashank had teased Prachi menacingly winking at her slyly. "Kiya kehti ho chala duun tumhari tasveerain inaugaration per, sab hongey wahaan press, delegates, colleagues, friends, media.... buhut achi coverage hogi tumhari..... Mrs Prachi Milind Mishra free of cost" he had snarled like a wild beast. Prachi had gaped at him in horror, the pictures ... she had forgotten about that ofcourse he would've kept them safe for such a moment to blackmail her into fulfilling his whims. "Tum... tum... aisa nahin ker saktey..." she had stammered flabbergasted full aware of the fact that Shashank did indeed intend on pulling off this neat little trick. Pulling her obstinately to him he had cradled her in his lap "Hmm.... ab jaanti to ho mujhey achi tarah tum, ofcourse main yeh sab ker sakta huun..." pushing her hair away from her shoulder he had pressed his lips against her bare skin and Prachi had sprung up as if pricked with sharp needles. "Yeh ghatia khwab dekhna band kero Shashank main tumhari kabhi nahin hongi kabhi nahin.... suna tum ney!!" Prachi had screamed vehemently when Shashank had stabbed her with the fork in his hand. "Chup chaap yahaan beth jao or tamasha mat kero warna abhi key abhi press main bhijwa duunga tumharey pyaarey photos" he had threatened her pushing the fork deeper in her palm causing it to puncture her flesh. She stifled a scream as Shashank drove it in further "Ab bolo Prachi kiya kerna chahti ho Milind ka sapna pura hotey huey dekhna chahti ho ya uski barbaadi?" he had questioned her. "Shashank mujhey dard ho raha hai" Prachi had pleaded trying to free her hand from under the fork that dug in her soft hand. "Mujhey bhi aisey hii dard hua tha Prachi jab thappar maara tha tum ney mujhey" he had replied mercilessly twisting the silverware between his fingers watching her face contort in pain. Did she expect him to let her off the hook so easy, no atleast not in this lifetime "Tum meri ho Prachi koi Milind tumko mujhsey duur nahin ley jaa sakta.... aisa honey nahin duunga main" he had clarified somberly his eyes glinting indicating his pleasure to see Prachi at her wits end.
Edited by blind horizon - 16 years ago
CID
