A Single Breath … Part 2

It was a dark room. Geet opened her eyes but everything looked a bit blurred. She closed her eyes again. She thought she was dreaming. There was also a slight pain in her head. “Seema, please bring a cup of masala tea,” Geet called her maid. 

But there was no response. She called again. “Is anybody listening? My head is bursting with pain. “All the servants have become lazy. Uncle has put everyone on his head. Everyone has to be discharged” On blabbering this she started getting up on her own but could not get up. There was a pain in her feet too. She remembered how she had walked in traffic. 

“Everything is happening because of this stupid traffic..”

She wanted to rub her feet but was not able to get her hand up. “What is happening here?” She looked around with her blinking eyes. Geet did not see much in the dark, but she understood this was not her room.

“Then what place is it? Where am I?” Questions surrounded her mind. She started trying to get up but her legs were tied. Her hands were also tied. The darkness now started bothering her.

“Anyone here? Uncle?” Geet shouted but her voice hit the empty walls and came back. Her heart was beating loudly. “uncle?” She tried to open her arms and legs but failed. She tried a lot. Even, traces of rope started appearing in her hands and feet, turning them red. “Ahh!” Geet started groaning with pain.

“Uncle where are you? Seema, Ramesha… where is everybody” She started crying. She remembered now what had happened. How did she raise her hand for the auto and someone pulled her hard? Before she could understand anything, someone put a napkin on her face and she fainted. She does not remember anything after that. Her heart was sinking with fear. 

“Is anybody here? Someone tell me which place it is? Why am I brought here?” 

She started feeling thirsty. 

“I’m thirsty. Is anybody listening to me? I need water” she gulped in fear. 

Suddenly, the room lights up. Probably, someone had lit the light from outside. Geet became more nervous. She could now see everything in the light.  It was a small room. She found herself all tied up on a bed. In one corner there was an old chair along with a table. A cupboard and a small table near her bed. She was able to see just that when someone opened the front door.  Her eyes grew larger in fear. An unknown happening started harassing her. It was a man.

“Who are you?” As strong as she could speak, she asked. 

That person did not answer. He was just staring at her. Geet was frightened. She started moving her hands and legs very hard so that the rope could open but it was tied very strong. It was hurting her, yet she kept trying.

That person moved forward.  Geet started trying with double force. ” Don’t come forward. Stop there” she said in fearful anger. But the man did not listen.  He kept moving forward. He had come very close to her. Geet wanted to scream but as if her voice had disappeared. 

The man bent and Geet cried “No”. But he put something on the side table. Now she carefully noticed that he had a water bottle and a box in his hand. He threw the box before her.

“What’s in this box? ” Geet questioned in a larking voice.

Man again didn’t respond. 

“Why don’t you say something. Why have you brought me here?” Geet shouted. 

“Don’t shout” 

Geet got scared by the deep voice of the man. “I will scream. Open me up. Why did you bring me here?” But gathering all the strength, she asked. 

The man did not respond but his eyes deepened. He went out of the room before his anger got out of control. Geet was panting badly. She looked at the water bottle on the table. Somehow, she moved to the table and emptied the entire bottle in one go. She saw the box lying nearby. Had a sandwich in it. She threw the box away in anger. She had to go home. When she fell asleep due to hunger, weakness and fatigue, it was not known.