Aastha saw the time on the huge clock at one of the stations on the way. She hoped time flew faster and she reached Pune soon. Right now, she could do nothing but wait. She still couldn't believe that Ajinkya could stoop so low... Tears filled her eyes as she remembered all those things...
*Flashback*
A couple of days after Ajju had passed away, a man came to their home. They were in Pune then. He began swearing at Ajju and Avdhoot. Everyone was shocked and surprised. Aastha didn't understand what was going on. She was just 5. She was scared looking at the man's anger and attitude and the way he was talking to Avdhoot. Avdhoot told Kalindi to take Aastha to her bedroom. Aastha just hugged Kalindi and cried to sleep. She had no idea what this was all about.
This continued for years... This man used to come to their home and quarrel every now and then... And every time Aastha was sent to her room whenever these talks went on. Aastha's curiosity to know about this man grew with every visit of his.
Finally one day, Aastha asked Avdhoot and Kalindi who this man was. Aastha was about 8 then. Her parents thought she was old enough to be told. Kalindi told her that the man was Avdhoot's elder brother and Aastha's uncle, Ajinkya, and that he stayed in Mumbai. That's all they told her. She wanted to know more... She wanted to know where he was all these years... She wanted to know why did he suddenly arrive, that too after Ajju's death... She wanted to know what was the reason he kept quarreling with her dad... But Avdhoot and Kalindi chose not to answer these questions as yet. They always used to avoid these questions saying, "You will know when you grow up..."
And then they shifted to Mumbai one day. And things changed suddenly. Ajinkya was very nice to them. He used to visit their home often.
The first time Ajinkya came to their home is Mumbai, it was a sunday. Everyone was at home. The bell rang and Avdhoot opened the door to see Ajinkya in front of him. And surprisingly, this time Ajinkya was in good mood... No complaints, no quarrels... All sweet chats. He saw the 10 year old Aastha standing in the corner. He went near her. She had always been scared of him. She stepped back seeing Ajinkya approaching her. Those reddish drooping eyes, those yellow teeth, that strange smile, the strong odour of alcohol even from a distance... Aastha had a lump in her throat. Avdhoot quickly came towards her for safe side. Ajinkya pulled Aastha's cheeks, saying, "Nothing to be scared bachcha, I am your Ajinkya Kaka..." Aastha could hear her heartbeats in her ears. Avdhoot told Aastha to go and play with her friends in the garden outside and she quickly ran away. She felt as if she had escaped from a big trouble.
Years passed and there was no problem at all. Everything was going fine. And Aastha too began to believe that Ajinkya was actually a nice guy.
_____
As she recalled those days, Aastha thought how wrong she was... How wrong she was that she couldn't recognise this person... "I should have known... I should have known all the time that Ajinkya Kaka was not a man who would change... I should have known!!"
*****
Ajinkya wondered where Aastha might have gone. He asked Aditi about all of Aastha's friends. Ajinkya tried calling each contact he got from Aditi and asked whether Aastha was with them or whether they knew anything about her. But he got a negative reply every time. He was becoming more and more restless now. "You will repent, Aastha! I will make you suffer!" he thought.
Aditi's eyes flickered as Ajinkya banged his hand on the table in anger and frustration. She was scared as Ajinkya walked angrily towards her. He leaned towards her and said in a husky voice, "Find your friend... I don't know how you do it... I-WANT-HER-HERE!"
*****
The TC came to check the tickets. Aastha showed her ticket and the TC went ahead. Aastha stared at the extra ticket she had... It was for Shlok. He was to come with her. She was missing him at the moment. Aastha took out the letter Shlok had sent for her and read through it again...
Aastha,
Sorry, I won't be able to come with you. Can't tell you the reason right now. But don't worry, go to Pune. I will meet you there in a few days.
P.S. Trust me, I am with you
Aastha kept the letter back into the bag. Several questions were flooding her mind. Why didn't Shlok come? Where is he? What is so important that he left me alone when I needed him the most? Aastha couldn't stop thinking about it. And why did he sent me this letter? He could have called me, or sent a message maybe... Why the letter? And who was the guy who gave this letter to me?
*****
Aditi shut her eyes tightly as she felt Ajinkya's breath over her. She was scared as he spoke those words. Just then Karan entered the room. "What's going on here?" he asked seeing Ajinkya mad in anger and Aditi scared.
Ajinkya immediately changed his expression to seem worried and said, "Where did my Aastha go? I am worried for her, Karan. I can understand how you must be feeling right now... Aastha ran away just before she got engaged to you! I am really sorry beta... Please forgive her..." Ajinkya pretended to be crying as he pleaded to Karan.
"There must be some strong reason behind Aastha's act, I am sure..." said Karan, "Don't worry Uncle, we will sort things out once she is found... And we will be together... You please relax, we will find her... I think you should take some rest..."
Ajinkya wiped his fake tears and said, "I will go to my room and rest for a while..." Karan nodded. Ajinkya walked away.
Making sure that Ajinkya was gone, Karan hurried towars Aditi... "Are you alright?" he asked, concerned. "What was going on? What was he saying?"
"He wants Aastha back at any cost" said Aditi, still scared.
"I had not believed in Aastha when she had told me about this man for the first time..." said Karan, "But now I believe every word of hers... This man is a devil... No doubt he can kill people for his advantage!"
*****
The pain was unbearable. He felt as if his head was being torn apart. He just wanted this suffering to end. His eyes filled with tears as he moaned in pain. He could barely see anything through those teary eyes. But he could sense, through his blurred vision, many figures moving around him in hurry. Breathing was difficult. Before he could understand anything, he felt the sting of the syringe that was injected into him.
*****
Anupamaa
