Chapter 7
Despite assuring her family that it hadn't been her fault, her ammaji refused to let the matter go. Claiming that the risk of having a bad name was now higher since Pratigya is old enough to attract attention from every man. Hence she stated that it was time for Pratigya to be married off. Her papa never seemed to refuse ammaji in the past and even now proved that once again the decisions of their lives were determined by ammaji.
So lost was Pratigya in her predicament that she failed to hear the trains last horn of departing.
As the train commenced leaving, Pratigya snapped out of her thoughts and with a cry started running towards the train.
The wind blew through her hair as she continued to run as fast as she could. To her utter most relief she briefly saw a man reach out his hand to offer her help in trying to get onto the train. As she reached closer to the man, she raised her hands and finally made contact with the stranger's hand. Her trembling hand clasped the stranger's strong callused hands, as he raised her up into the train. Her hands were still held in his as she tried to smile at him in gratitude when suddenly someone placed their hand harshly upon her forearm and yanked her hands away from the stranger.
With a cry she faced the person who held her arm so tightly that she feared her bones would crush into a thousand pieces. It was him! Her mind screamed out, Krishna! Not even yesterday could compare to how much anger was etched within each angle of his face. His whole body shook with his fury; however his gaze was set deadly upon the stranger who had dared to hold her hand.
Without losing his tight grip upon her, he slowly walked towards the stranger who clearly knew that he had made a mistake in trying to help the girl. Using his free hand, Krishna clasped his hand around the stranger's throat strangling him with such ferocity that Pratigya started crying in protest.
"P-p-p-l-eaase leave him alone, he didn't do anything." Pratigya cried, "It was my fault I didn't hear the train coming."
Krishna was oblivious to her words as he continued to strangle the breath out of the man.
"He h-helped me, he had no other intentions". She pleaded, "Please Krishna, leave him alone, please I beg of you, please." She started sobbing uncontrollably whilst she held onto Krishna's arm pleading ceaselessly.
Her pitiful words had no effect on him. To Pratigya's dismay, the stranger's complexion had turned into a deathly pale.
Desperate to save an innocent from dying, Pratigya fell onto the ground and clutched at Krishna's legs. She held onto his legs and begged with every breath in her body to let the man go.
"Don't kill him, don't kill him, don't kill him" she pleaded, "If something happens to him I won't be able to live with the guilt".
Suddenly Krishna let the man go in disgust as the stranger scurried away in a desperate attempt to flee, leaving Pratigya alone with Krishna in the train carriage.
Pratigya was so deeply shaken with the event that she continued to hold onto Krishna's legs, whimpering in terror. Krishna bent down and held Pratigya by the shoulders, raising her to face him. His breath was coming in harsh gasps indicating that he still was furious and had yet to calm down.
"K-k-rish" she tried to say.
"Shhhh!" Krishna whispered harshly, "Right now don't say a single word, if you do then I won't be responsible for my actions so just shut up!"
Pratigya's eyes widened at his untamed fury but she gracefully held her tongue before he got any more aggressive.
"Last night, when you were on the ground and I held out my hand to help you then you rejected my attempt to assist you." said Krishna. "I tried to reassure myself that you were an innocent girl who would obviously be scared to touch a strange man's hand, that's why you refused to hold mine."
Krishna started walking closer towards her as Pratigya edged herself away from him until her back hit against the wall and she realized she had no where else to go, she was trapped. Her back stained with blood from the whipping was placed hard against the wall. She will ignore the pain; yes if she ignored the pain then it would simply disappear. Then she would be back to her home, safe and sound?. Safe and sound??.untouched.
Krishna raised both his arms and placed each arm against the wall trapping her in between. He leaned in closer, only inches away from her face. She could feel his hot breath on her face, so close his lips were to hers that she was afraid to even move an inch let alone breathe.
"Then why? did you hold onto the stranger's hand when you so easily rejected ME!" he screamed. "Why?" he whispered harshly as he grabbed her face roughly, "why?"
Edited by siinnce.09 - 14 years ago