The Trap (MG ff) Part 1 Pg 1

It was like any other ordinary night. The sky was enveloped in pitch black darkness and so was the surrounding. A blue jeep was darting through an isolated road bordered by lush green forests in both sides which had even darker appearances than the night itself. The driver of the jeep was relishing soft music while driving through that land of darkness and desolation when abruptly the shrill tone of his cell phone broke through his concentration. A frown appeared on his handsome face as he wondered who was calling him now as he didn't have a family who could call him to know about his whereabouts and the cause of his late arrival. He glanced at the caller id and his frown subsided and his expression mutated into one of utter concentration and he slipped into his professional mode. He pressed the answer button and wore the Bluetooth.

The guy : "Goodevening Sir. CID officer Maan Singh Khurana here."

Other side : …………………..

Maan : " Aap bilkul fikar mat kijiye Sir. Maine kaam shuru kar diya hain. Bahut jald Dev Malhotra shalakhon ke peeche hoga."

Other side : ……………………..

Maan : "Thank you Sir for having faith in me. I will never let you down."

Other side : …………………

Maan : "Sure Sir. Goodnight."

He disconnected the call and his gaze yet again fall on the file kept securely on the passenger seat beside him and yet again it filled him with the resolution to crush the mafia and throw him behind the bars. His immaculate features hardened with determination. However soon enough distraction occurred in the form of chaos erupting from somewhere amidst the darkness of the forest and was apparently approaching the main road through which Maan's jeep was jooming away. Yet again a frown appeared on his immaculate features as he endeavoured to decipher the cause of the commotion and the exact point of its origin. However, he didn't have to ponder much over the subject as soon a petite feminine figure emerged from the forests and was scampering away while glancing over her shoulder time and again. Soon she came in front of Maan's jeep but wasn't hurt as he had already applied brakes. He instantly stepped out of the jeep and found the girl was panting heavily. She was sweating badly and her hair was mangled and stuck to her face. She was clad in a red bridal lehenga and jewellery. Her face was partially concealed beneath the strands of hair matted over her face. Maan decided to approach the girl.

Maan : " Suniye…kaun hain aap… aap thik toh hain."

The girl looked up and the first thing that caught his eyes was her beautiful large, black eyes, brimming with unshed tears. It was as if he was entranced and he kept gazing at her fair, immaculate features, now distorted with fear. However, soon his trance shattered as yet again both of them heard a commotion approaching them. Maan craned his neck to see what was going on while the girl whirled around at the noise and when he regressed his gaze back to her he was stunned to see her almost paralyzed with indescribable fear.

However, before he could even utter a word, the girl joined her palms and entreated : " mujhe bacha lijiye please….Please save me…wo log mujhe maar dalenge."

Maan was utterly baffled as he was clueless about what on earth was going on : " Kaun aapko maar dalega? Kaun log? Aapne kiya kya hain? Aur aap hain kaun?"

The girl was about to reply when they heard the screams of quite a few men. The girl ran to him and hide herself behind his strong built and clutched his shoulder in tight fist.

Soon the men approached nearer and came to halt three – four feets from Maan and the girl.

The man who was apparently the leader of the group stepped forward : " Sahabji! Is larki ko humare hawale kar dijiye."

Maan crossed his arms across his chest as the CID officer in him surfaced : "Aur aisa main kis khushi mein karunga?"

Another man who was comparatively shorter said : " Kyunki isne jo kiya hain uske baad isko jeene ka koi haq nehi."

Maan : "Aur aisa kya kiya hain isne? Kya kisi ka khoon kar diya hain jo aaplog iske khoon ke pyase bane fir rahe hain?"

The leader now spoke again : "Is kudi ne humare gao ki ijjat mitti mein mila di. Isne shaadi karne se inkaar kar diya wo bhi shaadi ke mandap par."

Maan was now befuddled. He now turned to look at the girl behind him who was shedding tears silently and whose gaze was fixed on the ground and then turned again to face the riotous mob : " Aisa kyun kiya isne?"

Now another man spoke : " Aur kya sahabji itna gurur hain is larki ki. Sabke samne dusre gao se aaye larke ko keh diya ke shaadi nehi karegi. Arey aisi bhi kya baat thi, bas ek dusri shaadi hi toh thi dulhe ki …."

However, he was cut in by an astounded Maan : " kya kaha? Dusri shaadi thi? Fir toh isne jo bhi kiya bilkul sahi tha. Kya aapko pata nehi ki ek patni ke rehte dusri shaadi gairkanooni hain?"

However, another much younger man stepped forward : " Wo sab humein nehi pata. Hum bas itna jaante hain ki isne humari gao ki ijjat nilam kar diya aur ab hum isko nehi chorenge."

As if energized with a new vigour the mob stepped forward but halted abruptly when Maan fished out his gun and pointed at them.

Maan : "Main bhi dekhta hu mere rehte kaun isko haath lagata hain. Yeh mere saath jayegi mere ghar."

The leader stretched out both his hand controlling the mob who had already backed away and snapped : " Accha? Aur kya kahengey duniya se aap ki kyun hain ek kunwari larki aapke ghar mein aur kya kahegi yeh ki kyun reh rahi hain ek paraye mard ke saath bin shaadi ke? Kis haisiyat se rahegi yeh aapke ghar?"

Maan himself didn't know what made him say that but it was as if almost automatically it came out of his mouth : "meri patni ki haisiyat se. Main karunga inse shaadi."

An eerie silence fall over the mob and they gaped at Maan as if he had gone berserk. They were looking at each other and Maan partially turned back to see the girl gaping at him with great astonishment in her large, beautiful black eyes. Maan grasped the girl's hand and freed his shirt from her grip and gently pulled her beside him.

Maan : "Yaha pe koi mandir hain?"

The leader who was standing flabergasted by the turn of events fumbled as he asked : "Ji?"

Maan repeated his query with increasing impatience : " Maine poocha yahan pe koi mandir hain kya?"

Now it was another man who replied : "Mandir? Haan wo yahin paas mein Kalimata ki mandir hain. Kyun ji?"

Instead of replying to him, Maan just gestured them to lead him and strode forward leading the girl holding her hand in a tight clasp.

Soon they reached the steps leading to the temple in a clearing in the midst of the forest. Maan took the lead at the moment and began mounting the steps of the temple, while pulling the girl gently alongside. The mob gaped at each other and then followed the young couple.

Soon they reached the temple courtyard and made their way to the temple. The priest was making arrangements to close the temple for the day and was flabbergasted to see so many people at that hour in the temple.

However, before the priest could even utter a word, Maanstepped forward.

Maan : " Pandit ji. Aapke yahan shaadiyan toh hoti hongi hain na?"

Priest : "Ji hoti hain beta"

Maan : " Aap shaadi ki taiyari kijiye."

Priest was shocked out of his wits and fumbled with his words : "Par shaadi kiski karwani hain beta?"

For a moment Maan was quiet, then he turned to the girl beside him and without removing his gaze from her he replied : " Humari."

Priest gulped : "Ji?"

Maan replied in a determined tone : " Ji haan. Ab jaldi kijiye."

Priest nodded and within a few while he arranged for a simple wedding and asked the bride and groom to come and sit in front of the holy fire.

Maan filled the girl's parted hair with vermilion and tied 'mangalsutra' around her neck and then they took rounds of the holy fire for seven times holding hands.

All these took place within a few moments and soon the priest declared the girl to be Maan's wife.

Maan now whirled around to face the mob : "Ho gaya? Mil gayi chain? Abhi kisi ne ek kadam bhi aagey baraya toh meri goli uski sar ki aar paar hogi. Seedhe tarike se nikal jaiye aap sab."

With slow murmurs among themselves, finally the mob retreated and slowly dissapeared in the darkness of the forest.

It was at this moment that the girl sighed in relief and turned to Maan still not letting go of his hand. Maan blinked his eyes in assurance.

Maan : "Chaliye. Ab aap khatre se bahar hain."

With this he stretched out his hand towards the girl. Slowly but hesitatingly she put her hand on his bigger one and his strong fingers enclosed gently but firmly around her delicate hand. Toghether they took the blessing of the Priest and with quick steps sauntered out in the intimidating darkness.