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Hey all!
I'm so sorry for not updating forever now... I had created a post earlier saying why I couldn't. The reason being that my board results came out, and I had to go and search for a university for myself, do all the needy, so wasn't active on the forum. Thank you all for being so patient...love you guys!😳 Anyway, the chapter.😛
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Chapter 8 - My Guilt List
Astha hurriedly made her way to the cottage, took her little belongings and was going to leave but the only problem she was facing was that she did not know the way out of that place. She thought she would return back to Shlok and ask for the way out, so she made her way to where she came back from.
On her way, she saw someone on the road. Laying on the ground, surrounded by a pool of blood, she recognized who that body belonged to. Shlok opened his eyes halfway. He could see something coming his way ... Or someone, someone in white, a girl, an angel? Was I dead already? He thought. "Shlok! Are you alright! Speak to me!" She said crying. Astha? He thought. He recognized the owner of that voice. "Leave...now...danger...go..home. Your parents...waiting for you..." he said slowly, in a mere whisper. "But you..." She said . "Leave me..go now...I'm not going to stay for long...your parents... Go." And he slowly pushed her "Go.." And he saw her walking away...looking at him, at least 10 times before she vanished out of his site.
Astha didn't know what to do. She was depressed... Depressed and sad at the fact that everything had to happen to her all at once. Aakash cheated on her and left her, her parents left her, and now even Shlok was going to leave soon. She just wanted to die. Go and drown into some sea, but she knew she doesn't have the courage to do so. She was crying at her fate, her helplessness.
She had many things to do right now, and the first on the list was to reach her dead parents. She looked around to ask someone for help, and she found this middle aged couple going in their car, she asked them for a lift, and left for her parents.
When she had reached her house, she didn't find anyone. It was deserted. She was confused, since there were so many people at her house couple hours ago. She walked into her house, only to face more horror.
Her parents were tied to a chair, alive, but at gunpoint. There were 2 men, who had their face covered. She couldn't hear much as to what they were talking about, but the very next moment, they both were shot dead. She was numb. She couldn't believe her eyes. Her parents were shot dead in front of her, and she couldn't do a thing about it? She couldn't save them? She felt like going up to the goons, snatching the gun from their hand and shoot herself so her soul could rest in peace!
She wanted to cry out loud, but she remained quiet since she knew those men would take her along with them since she had seen the encounter. The goons had ran out of there quickly, and Astha in no time had reached where the bodies of her parents lay. She felt she was greedy, selfish, and can never forgive herself for what she had done. She hugged them tight, very tight, and made a promise to herself, that she would find those people who had made her as well as the life of her family, a living hell.
She carried out the last rituals, along with her best friend present with her, who had supported her always. She would never be able to so this alone, if her friend hadn't forced her to do so. Astha , once again had cried herself, this time at her fate, all night, and then had gone into an uneasy slumber. The next few days had passed by very quickly as she had to sign some papers since the house was now on her name, since her parents had passed away, and according to her fathers will.
She did not want to live in that house anymore, all the memories of her growing up with her parents, every little thing related to them... She didn't want to live with any of those. She wanted to go away from there, far away for a few days. But she didn't know where to go... She had no one whom she knew, since the people who she knew had betrayed her (Aakash) and she did not want to disturb her best friend and her family since she always noticed that they did not have a liking towards her, since she was an orphan. And the only person, who she could actually trust was Shlok.
She wouldn't be disturbing his family since he didn't live with one, and she knew he wouldn't let anyone harm her, and she would be safe. But she wondered was he safe? Forget save, was he even alive? "I'm not going to stay for long" his words echoed in her mind, and a chill ran down her spine.No! She couldn't afford to lose another person who she was close to. It was only her best friend , her parents, and Shlok who she could've trusted, and now since 2 are out of the list,she thought sadly, and she did not want to disturb the other ones family for the above stated reason.
So she packed a little and left for his cottage...with hopes to see him once again.
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"How are you feeling now Shlok?" His master asked him, smiling." All is better now sir, just a little pain and bleeding but I'll be fine. Thank you for finding and taking me in and taking care of me, or else I would've been dead for sure!" He giggled while his master laughed and proudly said "You are Shlok, the only man who can survive from all these encounters. I'm proud of you!". "Thank you sir, but if you don't mind can I take my leave? I'll return to my cottage now." Said Shlok and left.
After returning to his cottage, he felt home. He felt something was different, but couldn't put his finger on it. It smelled different... Perfume?
Astha had reached his cottage, but didn't find anyone. She thought he had left her too. He died too? She was so helpless that she couldn't stop herself from crying. She was depressed. Her whole life was flashing in front of her eyes. She was extremely tired as well. She didn't remember when what's the last time she ate. And she was in no mood to eat at all. She didn't even know why was she living. She had no one with her, and she hated herself, the guilt she carried, were not giving her good feelings. She felt shame, guilt, and hatred, towards her own self.
She looked all around the cottage, in and out, but didn't find anyone. The last place she went into was the washroom. She didn't even find him there... She just fell to the ground and cried. How cruel it was.
Suddenly she heard someone open the main door. She got scared at first thinking it were those men. But gathering courage, she tip toed in the washroom to the door, and peeped out. She expected a few men, but she only saw one. And he was familiar. He turned around and looked at her.
Shlok heard a small click of a door in his house, and was alerted whether it were those people who shot him, whom he was still unaware of, but still looked behind and found...Astha? What the hell was she doing here?
"Astha?" Shlok asked surprised. It took no time for Astha to run and hug him after recognizing who it was. She started crying out loud, holding Shlok tightly and very close to herself. Shlok put his arms around him and pulled her into a tight, comforting hug. He realized what had happened. Her parents were no more...or else why would she be here? But the question was why is she here? And the pain..ouch...his chest and back were still sore after the shot..but little did Astha know. "Oh, the smell was from her..her perfume" he thought to himself.
"Shlok..they killed...them... They...died...in front...I saw them die...my fault...I didn't save them!" And she cried louder."I could've saved them...If... I had..the courage...they..would be...with me... Now..!". "Shhh...it's not your fault..please don't blame yourself...". 'For how long she must've kept all that grief to herself...and the blame..' He thought to himself.should I ask her what happened?... No, I'll ask all that later, she still must be in shock. "Astha...come sit...and have some water first" Shlok said. Astha realized she had been choking the air out of him, and unwantingly broke their hug, mumbled a sorry, wiped her tears, and sat down drinking some water. "Did you eat anything?" He asked, where she nodded a no. "I'll get you something.." And when he got up to leave, she held his hand "please come back soon..." He simply nodded and left.
Shlok returned with Vada Pav and some ice cream. "Have this..all of it...and I don't want to hear anything.. I know you didn't eat anything" he ordered, and she quietly listened.
Astha then remembered that he was hurt too, and here she was going on and on with her problems. Great! Another thing added to "Astha is Guilty" list!
"Shlok...I'm sorry for not saving you that night" she said in a small voice. "I thought I wouldn't be alive myself, that's why I let you go". "Are you hurt?" She questioned."Does it look like..from any angle?" He faked it and showed her he was completely "fine". But for Astha, Imagining him die, was a very disturbing thought.
Astha brushed away her thoughts and continued to eat. She asked him whether he ate, and he replied a no. But by then she had finished her Vada Pav, and was only left with her half melted ice cream. Whywas he making her feel so guilty today?! She thought to herself, and thought of being decent enough and asked him whether he wanted ice cream, but he politely nodded no. She was forcing him to have but his reply shocked her. "I can't have anything sweet... I'm diabetic." He said sadly. "All the tension I was carrying and going through causing me to take a lot of stress got me diabetic. But thank god I wasn't obese" he laughed at his own lame joke, which Astha was really shocked at. "And you never bothered to tell me?" To which he simply replied "Eat your ice cream, it's melting". He came close to her, touched her cheek, causing her to shiver at his touch 'But why?' She asked herself , but then he said "Sleep tonight...please... I know you haven't done that for long" and gave her a sincere smile, he stood up, called it a night and went off to sleep. Astha was still shocked with ALL the events happening around her. "Too much for a day... I'll go mad..why all this to me? And why is he behaving..like..like that?" She was confused... Very confused...But she wanted to shut the world for her for sometime and so she also found a small place in the corner of the house and decided to sleep... If she could she told herself. Nowadays sleep is something not familiar to her.
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Precap- "why is the back of your shirt red?" She asked him which sent Shlok into panic mode. "Huh? Oh..uh..this is nothing. Must be the shirt from that night" he said creating a million questions in her mind. She faintly remembered that he hadn't worn that shirt that night. She wanted to know what it really was so she simply, casually asked him to take his shirt off and give it to her, and she would wash it. She carefully read his expressions, and who can forget his eyes, since they said everything."OMG, I'm so smart" Astha praised herself, seeing Shlok in this condition. She knew something was wrong.
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I know I'm mean for killing the parents... Sorry! But that's the part of the story, just to bring them closer. So all the lovey Dovey chapters are on their way!
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