Vrinda's POV
The sun ascended slowly over the horizon, sky painted in a range of vibrant colors, from soft pinks and oranges to deep blues and purples. The air fresh and cool, with a gentle breeze blowing through the trees and rustling the leaves. This had to be best scenery, I have blessed with .A serene start to a chaotic day.
Things would have been different, if certain event that occurred did not occur. A warm smile filled with love and care. A shelter that I could roll back too, when things turned gloomy. Infinite ambitions. The things I could have conquered, that are now buried deep down rotting away. I pulled myself out from the deep dark pit of What-if's that I have been falling into, thanks to the sparrow chirping bright. It has been collecting soft hay to build its home on the upper inner most storage shelf. They are one big happy family. I hope I will be able to protect them well.
I stand up and brush my clothes and get going with my day. With the bounce, I rush down the hallway. I see my Chachaji (Uncle) Lakshman Raguveer, commencing his day with his mandatory every morning prayer ritual with beaded chain grasped in his hands, muttering hard. "Good Morning Baba," I chirp to the man closest to the father figure, I will ever have.. He passes me a warm smile in between his prayers.
I curse silently when my gaze lands on the clock in the living room, I was late again. Uff! I imagine of all the antics my Chachiji (Aunty) would act out to make my life more grueling than it already was. Uff !! All the drama all over again.
I grab the metal pots from the kitchen slab, and make my way to the stream to fetch some water. I had missed the water girl gang by half an hour away, all thanks to my strange obsession to the orangish yellow sun. Its was just too pretty to be ignored anyways. Kindly note the bold-ed letters "IT WAS", cause now my sweet gentle sun has turned into a raging monster burning me alive. Uff! I reminiscence about lack of almost empty sunscreen lotion hidden deep into my trunks. I was definitely getting tanned. No knight in shinning armor saving my skin today. Uff!
One kilometer to and fro, I make my way to the the kitchen to make brunch for the Chacha and Chachi. After an hour into the house chores, I get dressed up for conducting sewing classes for ladies of the village. A self taught skill helping me to hold myself through the monstrosity of thoughts. Fortunately, I did not have a face off with Chachi. It would be a good day.
After the tutorials, I make my way back to home greeting all the passers-by. One of the advantage and disadvantage of giving in a village, everyone knows you and you know everyone. Friend or foe, it is always hard to tell apart.
Walking ahead, I see a crowd of villagers gathered at the frontward of my house, muttering and whispering among them. I rush towards the crowd worrying about the all type of terrifying possibilities that would have happened. Well, drama is fun until you get your a*s involved.
"she is an orphan, a girl without parents will run wild"
"An characterless girl indeed, She hangs with Sitha's daughter. She would have spoiled her too"
"I heard she ate her mother up, when she arrived"
"She cannot stay here, She is bad influence to all our village daughters"
"Yes, One rotten mango will spoil the whole lot"
" I saw her going out with Madan late at night, indeed a bitch without morals"
"Shameless"
"Harlot"
As the whispers reaches my ear, my blood run cold. I stand frozen just behind the crowd trying to process hard what would have happened. I rewind the past days in my head, anything that would have caused this disaster. I stay rooted to the edge of the crowd and my nerves got the better of me. I couldn't help but feel like everyone was watching me like they knew I was the one they were preying for. I took a deep breath and reminded himself to stay focused. No one had noticed my presence. I knew I had to get out of there before someone saw me. My heart was racing, and palms were sweaty as I scanned the around. I moved quickly and silently around the house, avoiding any potential obstacles or people who might recognize me. This would help me get out undetected.
I reach safely to the backyard, stumbling on my way. I step on my brick border fence of the vegetable plant and try to squeeze through landing on the kitchen floor.
As the tears welled up in my eyes, I tried to fight back the emotions that threatened to overwhelm me. But it was no use, the tears spilled down her cheeks, hot and salty, as I struggled to catch her breath. I clutched my chest, trying to steady my racing heart, as the sobs racked my body. It felt like a dam had burst inside me, unleashing a flood of pain and hurt that I had been holding back for too long.
The damage has been done on a large scale. No matter what the truth, how hard I shout out, things will never change. No one would believe a alphabet I had to say. It is funny how I will be punished for the things, I have never done or known. Why can't life be just simple and calm. I want peace. Is that too much to desire. The raging emotion trickles through my eyes, unrestrained. This cannot be my end now. I don't accept this. I don't accept being stoned to death. No, never.
I am bought to reality by a loud crash. The loud shrill voice of my Chachi reaching my ears. With a fierce determination in my eyes, I make my way towards the source of the destruction. I try to stay light and calm on my feet.
I peep through the kitchen door, trying to grasp the situation I have been forced to face.
" I told you not get her into my home, I will not raise that witch. She is the roots of all misfortunes. She killed my sister and then years later she killed my brother -in-law. Even if that was not enough, she stole all my daughters opportunities. She has made our life unbearable. Now look, what has she done. She has made it impossible for us to walk on the streets of the Bhiyangarh (Village) . Why should I bend my head down being ashamed for what that whore does. She is not my daughter. She is nothing to me"I see my Chachi scream vividly at Baba with tears trickling down her face. She continues, "Maybe we should have killed her when my brother-in- law died."
"RENUKA! You don't understand what you are speaking. Lets wait to Vrinda to return home. Let's just hear her, what she has to say"
"Are you blind, you still don't understand what you most beloved so called daughter has done. You still defending her. Don't you understand the severity of the situation," She yelled out.
"Lakshman, If Vrinda is involved in prostitution and whoring around, then she has to face the punishment. They are rules and regulation of the Bhiyangarh that has been place for more than 100 year. It is to maintain order in the society. These hard punishment will educate the people of society to behave in a disciplined way. I know it is hard for you Lakshman, but be strong. Justice has to be prevailed. Vrinda's phone is switched off. Lets just wait for now," the Village Chief authoritative voice echoed the now silent room.
I stand in confusion, trying to process what was happening. Anything that would hint what was going around. I have been accused of whoring around. Ok, understood. But who the hell would come up with such a heinous scheme. I have been acting good, with warm smiles, hugs and tons of compassion for people around. Where did things go wrong. As my mind races through my memory for the prospective enemy to realise the scope of this persons darkintenions.
" Village Chief, I can validate my claims. Vrinda would receive money from foreign men for spending nights with them. She used to take them to the rooms available in the motel at the end of the village next to the highway. When one of my friend heard about such services provided by Vrinda, he was shocked and told me about it as she was my schoolmate. I was totally disgusted, but I knew for a women to take such journey would be hard and she may had her own reasons. So previously ten day from now, I tried to speak to her and find about the hardships she faced for her to venture into such disrespectful path. At first, she denied. But then she told about how stressful this life is and such activities give her relief from her pain. I really wanted to help her and take her out. I even proposed to marry her but she did not stop. I was worried about her influence on my sister that hangs out most of the time with her. So I had no way but to report this matter to her parents, " an unfamilar voice reached my ears. I try to squint my eyes trying to figure out the one who is hell bent on having me killed.
He continues, " I have these pictures. I wanted to force her to get out of prostitution. So I clicked them with good intentions. But now, It's absolutely necessary for such corrupt women to thrown out of our village that would polluted the our sisters minds."
I stood there, hidden in the shadows, my heart pounding in her chest as I listened to the evil scheme unfolding before me.
I also knew that I had to be careful, that any misstep could mean my own downfall. I watched as they plotted, my mind racing as I tried to come up with a plan of my own, something to thwart their wicked scheme.
I couldn't stay there for long. Anyone would come barging in. I had to jump into action. I save the tendency to cry rivers for the unfairness of my situation for a future period. I tiptoe back to the kitchen door through which I previously sneaked in. My heart racing with fear, the consequence of getting caught would be detrimental. It would be one against the entire village. They would come after me like some barbarian, I have seen it before, too many times to even allow my memories to fade away. Horror truth of this village society that I had born in. Such a situation would results in getting the girl stoned to end. They would hook the corpse to the tree at the doorway to that very boneyard of hope. That is what I have named that place a "A boneyard of Hope." They would be no pity when the crows feed on their remain. It was for the world to see, what happens to soulful human, who dares to have something as economic as dreams. That was the justice awarded to them. A village unknown to civilized ways, without harmony, compassion or benevolent.
I carefully open the door , wincing at the creaking sound it makes. Once outside, I deep breath of the cool night air and looks around. The Village was situated within the deep forest filled with wild and unknown. The closest highway that would take me to the city would take me around 2 hours by foot. I cannot take the road, I would be a too easy prey for them. By forest, it is then.
" Matarani raksha karjiyo"
"Lord, protect me"
I had to be agile. They would come searching for me. Anytime now, the villagers would know I have gone missing out of the blue. A further evidence for them to confirm my non existence enemy manmade crime. Uff ! I had to walk in the open to reach the opening of the forest. To prevent any mishaps, I use my neighbors bicycle, mentally sending an apology note.
"Sorry Nirma, This cycle of your is going to be a sacrifice to my independence. A divine Karma indeed"
I use all the physical strength to push the bicycle forward in full swing. I would feel my adrenaline pumping. Speed and agility and their initial confusion is my only advantage, a much needed window to jump out of this terrifying experience.
As I see the edge of dense dark forest, I jump from the bicycle and swing myself into the grass rolling forward cushioning the fall. I get into the forest fit and fine. A small self-Pat on the back for the courage I orchestrated.
The moon was hidden behind a thick blanket of clouds, leaving the forest floor dimly lit by only a few scattered beams of moonlight. The trees towered over me, their branches reaching up into the sky like gnarled fingers, casting long shadows across the forest floor.
I runs through the endless trees, I can hear the sound of my own breathing and the rustling of leaves under my feet. I was scared but determined, and I refuses to give up now. I know that I was getting closer to the road that will take me from this shit hole, but I couldn't let my guard down. Not now.
Suddenly, I hear a twig snap behind me. I freeze and turn around, heart pounding. There was nobody there. Please, let nobody be there. I continue running, but my nerves are on edge now, and I can't shake the feeling that I am being followed, that would surely be happening in the near future. It was like the forest itself was alive and waiting for me to make a mistake.
Independence, Its is not easily awarded, at least not to me for sure. Letting me go, letting a rebel live, would motivate and give birth to hundred more rebels. Such a dilution of control, they would not be able to live with. Freedom is such a exquisite jewel that just adorns my soul that my body is deprived of. They chain my body inside their definition of how my life should be.
It feet like hours, my heart was pounding in my chest, and my breath came out in ragged gasps as I tried to keep up the pace. Finally, I saw a glimmer of light up ahead, and my heart lifted. I knew I was close to my destination, and I pushed my legs to run even faster. The light grew brighter as I approached.
I ran madly towards the light, thin tree branch hits my face momentarily blindly me. The sound of screeching brakes filled the air as My life flashed before my eyes. Such an easy end. In an instant, I realized that I had made a fatal mistake I had stepped out onto the road toward the Highway lights without looking both ways, and now a car was hurtling towards me.
He felt my body freeze as I tried to process what was happening. The car was coming at me fast, and there was nothing I could do to get out of the way.
Then everything went black. I felt my body being thrown through the air, my limbs flailing helplessly as I was hit by the car. I felt the sickening crunch of bones breaking, and then I hit the pavement hard.
For a moment, I lay there, unable to move, unable to breathe. I felt a sharp pain in my chest, and my vision began to fade. I knew I was dying.
But then I felt a surge of adrenaline rush through my body, and I forced myself to sit up. Blood was pouring out of my wounds, and I could barely move my limbs. I knew that I was badly injured, and I feared that I might not make it. I felt dizzy and disoriented and then went black.
Goodbye!