FF: Lootera ~ Last Chapter on page- 85~ - Page 66

Chapter 17

Bihaan wiped the tears from his cheeks and stood up to see Mirza and Gomez looking at him with concern and worry.

"Raja Bhaiya what happened to bhabi? What did Dhruv do?" They asked in alarm.

"Gomez, I have to leave now, take over my work and finish it. Mirza, come with me."

The first thing he did was he dialled Lalu, he needed to know from where Dhruv kidnapped Thapki and how much Imli was involved in it. Lalu picked up his call on 2^nd ring.

"Lalu?"

"Raja Bhaiya, Pranam. Is Thapki didi with you?" Lalu asked before Bihaan could ask him anything.

"Wasn't she supposed to be with you?"

"We were supposed to go to town today, I went to pick her up, but she was not home. The front door was open. I thought she went somewhere near so I waited but when she didn't come, I called her she didn't pick up my calls. I waited some more and then left."

"WHY DIDN'T YOU CALL ME WHEN YOU DIDN'T FIND HER AT HOME?" Bihaan shouted at Lalu making him the guineapig of his anger.

"Raja Bhaiya, how can I call you? woh..woh...I am scared of you." Lalu replied timidly in a small voice.

"Stupid, tell me what time did you go to my house?"

"About 1 hour ago. Why Raja Bhaiya? Where is Thapki didi? Has something happened?"Lalu asked worriedly.

"Did you see anyone near the house when you went there?" 1 hour is a long time. Dhruv could have taken Thapki anywhere within this time.

"No Raja Bhaiya, I didn't see anyone nearby. Is everything okay? Where is Thapki didi? Do you want me to check the house again to see whether she has returned?"

"Yes go, check and let me know." Bihaan asked Lalu clinging to hope Dhruv was lying, he somehow got hold of Thapki's phone and Thapki was still safe and sound in their home.

After Bihaan was done talking with Lalu, Mirza asked, "Where to start looking for Bhabi, Raja Bhaiya?"

"Imli's house."

"Imli?"

"Yes. I am pretty sure she gave her to Dhruv, no one could find my house or else."

Mirza cursed. "Imli has a dead wish or what? Didn't Durga's punishment teach her anything?"

Bihaan kept quiet stewing in his own worry and anger. Mirza suddenly remembered,

"Raja Bhaiya, I think Imli has been living at the bar as it would be easier for her work. But I am not sure."

"Thik hae, you go check the bar, I am going to her house. If you find her don't let her go, tie her up and call me."

"Raja Bhaiya lets call the guys...we will get more help."

"Not yet Mirza, for all we know Dhruv could be lying, I need to talk to Imli to find out the truth. She is the only lead I have so far. Go quick."

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Imli was singing happily and brushing her hair when Bihaan entered her room in a crash kicking the door open.

"Arey Raja, why are you so hyper? You could have knocked and I would have opened the door. There was no need to kick the door open. You are always welcome in my house." Imli got up and said with a suggestive smile.

"Stop with your drama. Tell me what have you done with my wife? Where is she?"Bihaan charged without wasting time.

"Have you been drinking? How will I know where is she?" She replied flippantly.

"IMLI, DHRUV K SAATH MIL KAR TUNE ACHCHA NEHI KIA. TELL ME WHERE DID HE TAKE THAPKI?"

"Kya? Bhaag Gayi??" Imli feigned surprise "Bhaag gayi teri biwi tere bhai k saath??" Imli started to laugh and Bihaan lost whatever cool he had. He kicked a nearby chair which flew towards the wall and broke in to splinters. Bihaan strode towards Imli menacingly but to give Imli credit instead of cowering she stood her ground.

"Arey if your wife ran away leaving you why are you blaming me?" She gulped and said with false bravedo which was fast slipping.

Bihaan took hold of Imli's arms in death grip and Imli yelped in pain. "BATA KYA KIYA TUNE MERI THAPKI K SAATH? MERI THAPKI KAHA HAI?" he shouted.

Seeing so much fury in Bihaan, Imli got scared but still she held her ground.

"Marna hai to marde mujhe...still won't tell you were she is." Imli sneered stubbornly. For a second it felt like Bihaan would crush Imli's throat right then and now. But instead he threw her away from him with vehemence.

"What kind of woman are you?? Being a woman how can you do this to another woman? Do you have any idea how dangerous Dhruv is? He is mad, he will rape her, he will torture her, he wants to hurt her...He has lost his conscience not understanding right from wrong."

Hearing Thapki's concern in Bihaan's voice Imli became more adamant.

"Toh main kya karu? "

"Kis mitti se bani tu? Don't you have any conscience? Tu insaan hai ya haiwan?" Bihaan said in disgust.

"EK BAAT KAAN KHULKAR SUNLE, AGAR TU MERA NEHI HO SAKA TOH MAIN TUJHE KISI AUR KA BHI NEHI HONE DUNGI. MAIN PYAAR KARTI HUUN TUJHE, TU SIRF MERA HAI." Imli shouted.

Bihaan came closer to Imli as if he was about to strike her but at the last moment he turned away and punch the mirror of the dressing table shattering it into pieces. He turned over the table and kicked the contents making them fly everywhere.

"If even one strand of my Thapki's hair gets harmed I will curve out your black heart from your chest and feed it to the vultures. You don't know what love is. Tu sirf ek khudgarz ladki hai jo sirf apne aap se pyaar karti hai. Tujh jaise ghatiya aurat kisi ki nahi ho sakti, na apne baap ki, na apne pati ki aur na hi apne bachche ki. ...Chi...thu hai thu hai teri jaisi---"

"Think whatever you want but I love you, it is not a lie. And if that woman didn't come here, you would have been mine already. "

"NEVER. I WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN YOURS. You disgust me. You are ugly inside and out. I can never have any kind of romantic feelings towards you because I despise woman like you. You are old, ugly, revolting---"

"BHAR MEIN JA TU AUR TERA THAPKI. I HOPE DHRUV REALLY TORTURES HER, RAPES HER UNTIL SHE DIES SLOWLY BLEEDING FROM HER WO---"

Bihaan picked up a shard of broken mirror and threw at Imli. But she ducked and the mirror shattered in the wall missing her narrowly.

"KEEP LOOKING FOR HER UNTIL YOU DIE, YOU WILL NOT FIND HER, I WILL NEVER TELL YOU WHERE DHRUV TOOK HER. I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THE PAIN YOU CAUSED ME". Imli kept on shouting her venom.

Bihaan came forward and clasped Imli's throat as his anger took over his sense of right and wrong and Imli began to choke. Suddenly she was free and she started to cough trying to drag in air. When she settled a little bit she wondered where Bihaan went, why he let her go?

To her surprise she found the great and arrogant Raja daku who was infallible and cocksure sitting on his knees in front of her clasping his hands all pride and ego forgotten. When he looked up at her she flinched seeing the tears and pain in his eyes.

"Imli I beg you, tell me where Dhruv took my wife? I will die without her. I love her so much. I am nothing without her. Help me. I am begging you. Please help me find her. Dhruv has already hurt her. She is bleeding and needs medical attention. My Thapki will die and I will die with her." Bihaan begged pitifully.

Imli looked at Raja in horror. Never in her wildest dreams she imagined a proud guy like him could fall to his knees and beg her like this.

"Imli main per padti huun tumhari, tell me where my Thapki is. Save her. Please" Bihaan cried miserably begging her without an ounce of shame holding her feet. Can a person really love another person to such extent to reduce himself this much? Imli wondered.

"Imli, please, tell me where she is? I promise I will not tell Durga what you have done. I will take Thapki and go away from here. You will never have to see her or my face again. I promise. Don't make her suffer for my crimes. If you want take your revenge on me but please first let me save her. Just---"

"Old haunted house, he took---" Imli's shaking voice cut Bihaan's begging. Bihaan stood up and gave her a brief nod and ran outside without wasting a single moment. Imli slumped into the floor in a heap. "Oh god what have I done. In my pride and conceit I have broken the person I love most in this world. I reduced him to begging. How much does he love that girl? Can anyone love someone the extent he loves that girl?" Imli began to cry. "Raja said the truth. I am ugly inside and out."

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Old haunted house, so affectionately called because the nearby villagers believe ghosts live in this pathetic heap of remains of what was actually a rest house once upon a time. A terrible fire broke out one night killing 14 people burning them to ashes and people say their spirits still roam in this degenerating pile of rotting house. The rest house was not repaired and soon its blackened walls were covered in moss and mould, weeds growing anywhere and everywhere inside and out. It has now become the dwelling of snakes and birds.

Bihaan tiptoed into the house ignoring the insects and cobwebs, his gun ready at his hand. He tried to listen to any form of life inside the house. He prayed Imli didn't lie to him this once. It was very dark inside the house, weak shards of sunlight was entering through the broken glass windows and broken roof sporadically not really helping the darkness. Bihaan kept walking silently darkness or not it didn't really matter to him, his senses were alert and guiding him. And soon he heard, the pitiful crying.

"Chod do m-m-mujhe, jane do mujhe Dhruv. Please let me g-go." Thapki was sobbing.

"Thapki where would you go? I am here. Your place is with me. We will be together forever from now on." Dhruv said as if placating a 3 year old.

"Nehi, m-m-mujhe jane d-do..Bihaaa...Aaahhh, aoouuu." Thapki's words ended in screams.

"THAPKI AUR KITNI BAAR MAIN BATAU TUMHE USKA NAAM MAT LO...MAT LO TUM US KUTTEY KA NAAM. Mujhe gussa ajata hain and I hit you. I don't like hitting you Thapki. It hurts me more than it hurts you."

Thapki didn't reply but kept crying lying on the floor her hands bound in ropes behind her.

"Bi...Bi...Bi..Bihaa --"Thapki still tried to utter amidst the pain on her face calling out to her knight in shining armour. She knew he would come to save her, he always come to save her but why was he late so much today??

"Bihaan---Bihaa--" Thapki hiccupped sobbing, her face was on the mossy floor; her blood from the cut in her forehead making it sticky.

"SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP" Dhruv took hold of her hair and tugged in brute force lifting her head up from the floor and Thapki screamed in pain. "STOP TAKING HIS F**KING NAME" Dhruv shouted in her ear.

Dhruv took hold of her chin and said in his deadpan singsong voice in frustration, "Why are you forcing me to hurt you Thapki ? I don't want to hurt you. Please don't mention that cursed name again. Please." he started to wipe the blood off her lip that was gushing from the new cut from his recent slap. Thapki recoiled in disgust to which Dhruv gripped her chin harder. Thapki began to twist away when her eyes went behind Dhruv to see Bihaan standing his gun pointed at Dhruv. Bihaan gestured her to remain quiet and he aimed his gun at Dhruv properly. He couldn't quite shoot yet because Dhruv was too close to Thapki which put her in danger if his aim failed.

"He is here, isn't he?" Dhruv suddenly said and pulled Thapki towards him as a shield and Thapki whimpered in more pain.

"BIHAAN WHERE ARE YOU BROTHER? Have you come here to see us finally? Tujhe dekhtay hi Thapki rona bhool gayi." Dhruv called out.

Bihaan almost pressed the trigger when he noticed the dagger Dhruv was pressing against Thapki's throat.

Dhruv had seen him by then, "Tsk tsk tsk, brother come forward, shoot me if you want but if I die I will take my Thapki with me. If not on earth in heaven we will be together." Dhruv laughed digging the knife more into Thapki's throat and a sliver of blood appeared making Thapki whimper in new pain.

"Dhruv I will not shoot you, remove the knife." Bihaan held out his gun in surrender.

"Then drop the gun now and kick it towards me" Dhruv ordered and dug the knife deeper and more blood began to trickle down Thapki's throat. Bihaan dropped his gun instantly and did as he was told.

"Dhruv I dropped it, don't hurt her please"

Dhruv laughed maniacally and threw a pair of handcuffs towards Bihaan. "Now go over there and hand cuff yourself to that pole. Go now." Dhruv barked digging the dagger deeper more.

"Yes, I m doing it...Look... I have handcuffed myself now please stop hurting her. Take away the knife." Bihaan said as he attached the handcuff in one of his hand and attached the other handcuff to the pole as Dhruv instructed.

"Offcourse I won't hurt her, you silly boy. I was just messing with you. I love her." Dhruv pushed Thapki from him who dropped into the floor like a ragdoll and he started to walk towards Bihaan laughing in glee.

"FINALLY! FINALLY MY DAY HAS COME. THANK YOU GOD! TODAY YOU PROVED TRUE LOVE ALWAYS WINS." Dhruv shouted to the invisible god and proceeded to bind Bihaan's both hand securely with a rope tying him to the pole. He took off the handcuff saying he needed it for another better use with her. Once he finished tying Bihaan, he kicked him viscously and mercilessly kept on punching and hitting him.

Throughout his beatings Bihaan kept quiet his gaze fixed on Thapki who was lying on the floor listlessly whimpering seeing him getting beaten. Bihaan held his gaze on hers silently trying to convey strength and courage to her. His gaze was mutely telling her everything would be alright soon just keep fighting a little bit longer.

Thapki's beautiful face was horribly messed up. A deep gash on her temple which was still bleeding, dried blood stuck in her hair and all over the swollen area. That was what made her unconscious Bihaan was sure, she needed stitches for that. It must be still hurting her awfully. Her lower lip was cut and blood clotted there. Left side of her face was totally red because that was where Dhruv kept on slapping her hard again and again for taking Bihaan's name. Her tears mixed with her blood stained her whole face. She looked so pitiful and horrifying Bihaan's heart shattered to thousand pieces and more.

Though Dhruv tried his damnedest to fork up a reaction from Bihaan , he remained quiet and didn't show any reaction of pain. after a while, Dhruv stopped when his hands were stinging and hurting. "I think that's enough for now, because Bihaan I need you conscious and functioning to digest what you will be seeing now." He massaged his hand smiling sinisterly and went to Thapki pulling her up in a sitting position.

"I brought something for you Thapki... a gift." Dhruv rummaged through his bag and took out a beautifully wrapped packet. Dhruv opened it and held out its content.

"Do you like it?" Dhruv took out a green saree. Thapki was looking at Dhruv with so much hatred and venom a normal person would have flinched but Dhruv carried on as if nothing was wrong. Dhruv held out a pair of gold earrings and showed it to her.

"Nice, na??" He asked and Thapki spat in his face to which Dhruv grabbed Thapki's hair and pulled her towards him. Thapki screamed in pain.

"Don't be like this with me, darling. Come; let me put these on you. Let me make you beautiful." Dhruv started to put earrings on Thapki and she fought him with what feeble strength she could muster.

"Ssshhh... don't be difficult, be a good girl Thapki, don't make me hurt you anymore. I don't like hurting you. But I will if you continue this. And we have an audience now. Smile for him, what will he think if you fight like this with me?? He will think you don't love me. Let me put this jewellery on you, then I will drape this saree on you myself." Thapki stopped struggling at once.

"L-Let me...l-l-let me do this, I will wear these myself." Thapki said realising Dhruv's intention of taking off her clothes next.

"No, baby let me do these, it is my honour to help you dress, and I feel doubly happy because he is watching us. After you dolled up, I will make love to you while he watches us having fun. Then you can dress up yourself because I will be busy killing him off that time."

Bihaan however was busy cutting the rope binding his hands with the knife he always kept tucked in his boots. He forced himself to remain calm even after hearing Dhruv's disgusting words. He gestured Thapki to play along with Dhruv to keep him busy and distracted. He noticed Dhruv had dropped his dagger he was threatening Thapki's life with and was busy rubbing off Thapki's sindoor muttering non sense only he could understand. Bihaan's own gun was lying nearby Dhruv's dagger.

The moment Dhruv started to get Thapki's saree off he was wrenched apart. Bihaan was done keeping his cool, controlling his anger and tolerating Dhruv pawing Thapki with his disgusting grubby hands. With one punch , he sent Dhruv flying across the room. Bihaan strode towards where Dhruv fell and picked him up fisting his hair. Bihaan bashed his head in the floor, kicked and punched him ruthlessly until Dhruv was lolling on the ground almost senseless. In front of a feral Bihaan, Dhruv couldn't even muster a single blow in defence or shield himself at all. Bihaan didn't give him any chance.

"MERI THAPKI KO CHUWAYGA TU?? YOU WANT TO MAKE LOVE TO MY THAPKI? TERI ITNI JURRAT??" Bihaan kicked an almost senseless Dhruv. "I will not give you a quick death Dhruv, I will cut you in small pieces while you are still alive, you will watch me, feel me chop your legs, hands bit by bit and then I will hang your body in a tree from where vultures will eat your flesh when you are still alive."

"Bihaan" Thapki croaked and Bihaan remembered her lying on the floor. He left Dhruv and ran to Thapki, opening the tight bindings of her hand massaging there to let blood flow. Thapki threw herself on his chest and hugged him with all her might.

"I w-was so scared B-Bihaan. Imli told me y-you were shot and I w-went with her and she g-g-gave me to h-him." Thapki sobbed. "Bihaan, he was so c-cruel to me, he is n-nothing but a monster."

"Sshh...Thapki don't cry baby. He can't harm you anymore. I am here no?? Everything is fine now." Bihaan hugged her careful of her injuries.

"He k-k-kissed me, Bihaan...on my li-li---" Thapki began to sob all over again. Though there was an explosion inside Bihaan, the animal inside him wanting to thrash Dhruv all over again he remained calm and gently ran his hand through her hair. "Ssshh...dont worry..he can't touch you again Thapki I promise" Bihaan said, controlling his urge to kill Dhruv right now and then.

"I feel so d-dirty" Thapki sobbed. "I feel violated, Bihaan...I c-can't... Imli held my h-hand from behind...she was l-laughing while he...while he ki-ki-ki- " Thapki hiccupped.

"Ssshh...it is okay baby Imli will die soon too. I will kill her. Don't think about it anymore..." Bihaan crooned trying to console Thapki.

"They are v-v-very bad people Bihaan, they don't d-d-deserve to live." Thapki said.

"Yes, they don't...you don't have to hear or see their face ever again. Let me have a look at your wound Thapki. You need stitches. I have to take you to the hospital too."

"Bihaan, just hug m-me a little longer p-please??" Thapki pleaded clutching him like a scared kitten.

"Everything is alright baby. I will take you away from all this nastiness. Think of it as a nightmare??" Bihaan gently kissed her hair.

Though Dhruv didn't have any strength to move and his whole body hurt as if a bulldozer went through over him, his hearing was perfectly fine and he could hear Thapki and Bihaan's conversation word by word. Their conversation hurt him more than Bihaan's beatings hurt. He tried to move but couldn't feel his legs; the bas***d broke almost all his bones. Death was near he could feel it. He slowly crawled towards his bag where he kept his revolver. If he couldn't get his love, he won't let Bihaan have his love too. He took out the revolver from his bag while the two love birds were too busy hugging each other.

After getting hold of the revolver, he didn't wait even for a second. Dhruv just aimed and shoot at Bihaan's back. Bihaan flinched as he felt something hit him from behind. Both he and Thapki heard the gun being fired and broke their embrace to see Imli lying on the floor on a pool of blood. Dhruv realising his bullet missed hitting his intended aimed again and pulled his trigger. But before he could do that, he was hit by maelstrom of bullets from all direction by the boys who had entered the room by then. It all happened within a blink of an eye. Dhruv was dead instantly but still the dakus kept firing at him.

Bihaan took Imli in his arms; she was hit directly in her heart. She gasped and wheezed trying to speak.

"Imli, you took a bullet for me." Bihaan was astounded, didn't know how to react. He held the bleeding woman in his arms seeing life slowly seep out of her.

"I can take a thousand bullets for you, Raja. Say you believe me that I love you?" Imli whispered running her bloodied hand though his cheek.

"I believe you Imli."

"I never meant any harm, I only wanted you."

"I know."

"Forgive me?"

"I forgive you."

"I just wish you loved me like you love your awful wife." Imli said smiling sadly.

"Imli---"

"Kuch maat bol tu...janti huun I'm utterly unloveable."

"That is not true--"

"My dad never really loved me, my husband never did, not even you---"

"Chotu loves you Imli"

"I know... he is the only one who loves me unconditionally." Imli looked at Thapki who was looking at her with tears in her eyes.

"Take care of my Chotu??"

Thapki nodded tears choking her.

Bihaan felt Imli's life go away finally and all he could do was hug her lifeless body like the way she always wanted but he never did.

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Durga exempted Bihaan from his gang but Bihaan couldn't leave the forest even after his emancipation from being a daku. The forest had given him a lot of things, taught him a lot of things and he could not just let it go. Bihaan had eventually discovered himself in this forest and this was where he wanted to stay. He and Thapki took over looking after the lodge from Dorai after buying it completely from him. They also legally adopted Chotu and were expecting their first child by the time their 2^nd anniversary came. Bauji decided to stay with them after his divorce with Vasundhara. Each month almost as a rule whole Pandey parivaar came down to the lodge and spend their weekends with Thapki, Bihaan and their adorable 4 year old son. The unfortunate black sheep of Pandey Paarivaar got his happily ever after all.

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I want to thank each and everyone of you for being with me with this story. Thank you to my special friends who have helped me writing LOOTERA. I am so blessed to have you all in my life. Thank you for having patience and wish everyone all the best.