Chapter 44
Saachi slowly pushed open the door, calling out her friend's name...There was no response...The silence was deafening...She felt a tingling sensation on her spine... her arms and legs were filled with goose bumps...With strong sense of foreboding, a premonition of some disaster to happen, she gingerly entered the house...
The drawing room was empty... The hallway leading to the kitchen and beyond it was also free from human presence...She opened two doors on the other side of the hallway away from the kitchen and found them empty...Only bare walls was there in all room so far, devoid of any indication to whom this place belonged to...
Getting an eerie feeling about this place, she heard a faint sound of the front door closing with a click....A noise that was loud enough to make her shiver and suddenly feel chill...With arms around her and searching for something in that hall to attack, in case it was the stalker, she heard loud footsteps nearing her....She turned around and saw HIM...
"You".... she said.... "You are here ... you are, you are..."she stammered and hesitated, stepping slightly back....She then saw that animal look in his face, a look of lascivious and leering in nature...Then the realization hit her strongly, making her reel back, because of the intense shock..." YOU ARE THE STALKER AND THE KIDNAPPER" she cried closing her mouth with her hands, eyes wide filled with fear and bewilder...
"Yes" said an inhuman AMIT VOHRA..."Why you thought it was someone else; how much you underestimate me, My dear lovely beautiful Saachi... You insult my intelligence"...he said laughing and smirking at his own joke....
Stepping forward closer to her he said in a tender voice "Saachi ever since you came living to Mussoorie, I have watched you grow and become a surpassing beauty...Do you remember the boy who was living, just down the street, in a one room house of a crowded rented, dilapidated apartment complex...Yes that was me...Studying in a Municipal school, I always had to fight my way for studies and attention from all the Neighborhood kids....I used to be so skinny and bones and whenever the others picked up fight with me you used to come to my rescue"...he said dreamily...
"Then calamity struck, my father died due to heart attack and my mother became a wreck...We were thrown out of the house and moved to a lesser known, seedy place, where daily living was a constant struggle...I toiled and studied and worked part time and made it to IAS training...Then we moved back to a decent place...My mother never really recovered and still suffers and wavers between lucid and unstable phases...Rajshri befriended me in college, but I never gave an indication of knowing her before"...
"I have watched you, finishing school, college and earning as a teacher...I felt proud of you and was able to relate to you...In the meantime you Mama started looking out for suitable alliances for you...Then one day when I thought I was settled enough and could care for you ever, I called up on your mama and asked for your Hand...He rejected straight away saying that I was a nobody...I didn't feel hurt, I waited and asked again, this time after, landing this prestigious IAS seat; again he rejected me saying 'Saachi will marry whomever I choose' and sent me off"...
Then scores of prospective groom were lined up for you and none was chosen...Again I tried my Luck...You know what your mama said, 'I prefer Saachi to be a spinster rather than get married you'...He said that he had made enquiries about me and found that the method of my achievements did not measure up to his standards"...
"What is wrong with that, I ask you..I stole a few people's money, cheated a few out of their homes and blackmailed the doctor treating my mother...Am not ashamed of all these...All I wanted was to succeed at all cost and to marry you...Means of attaing my goal was my aim not the ways of achieveing them... But you mama didnt feel convinced and like me either....He shut the door completely on my face and even threatened me"..
"That is when I finally realized, I would never be able to attain you...what couldn't be achieved by straight way can be done in my own crooked way...So I planned all these moves very carefully and meticulously stalked you...But when I heard you are to marry that idiot, my rage knew no bounds... I was seething and felt cheated... None can steal you away from me... You are mine and always will be...so that why I kidnapped the child as bait to capture you...Now that you are here, you can never go back, none knows about this place, nobody will rescue you"...he said...
The lengthy harangue was like a, twisted, warped man turned monster's monologue...It was unreasonable, unjustified and bizarre behavior of a compulsive obsessive addict of a man...A man turned animal needing desperate measures of correction...
A sobbing sound made both of them jump and realize that Rajshri was standing, near the door of the hallway, was listening to all this...Seeing her torn clothes, uncombed hair, smeared face, Saachi immediately guessed her ordeals and feared for her worst...Rushing to her comforting her, with her arms tightly around her, she was speechless...Amit seeing this was angry and forcefully led them back into his room...
The sight reeled Saachi, shocking her entire core...It was disgusting and loathsome to even set one's eyes inside...Fighting a strong and urgent sense of escaping from there she scanned the room for a sign of life...Overjoyed at seeing Apurva, she rushed to him and took him inher arms...Thankfully Rajshri's attentions and care had eased him in a better frame of mind...
Turning around Saachi asked Amit what he wanted..." You ofcourse, you stay with me, I will let both go free; If not you still get to stay with me but I won't guarantee their lives"...smiling crookedly he laid conditions for them..." But don't ever think of calling anyone from here...This place, my own, is jammed against any signals; so no cell will work...I had thought of everything else you know...This time Saachi nothing can stop this Amit from making you his...I will give you half an hour, think and come with positive answer'...closing the door he walked away, whistling to himself...His immediate job was to hide Saachi's scooter and wipe away her trace to this house...
"Oh Saachi, how could you get yourself trapped like this? Why did you answer the call? Why didn't you inform Shravan and come with him here?"..... she be moaned her friend...
"I have texted a message to Shravan you know, he will surely come here...In my haste I cldn't think of anything else, just came rushing here...Surely God will guide Shravan here..." she said so confidently and wiped Rajshri' tears and cooed baby Apurva at the same time...It was a very cool and confident Saachi, strong and steadfast in her belief that her Maker will somehow release them from captivity without any harm or maim....
Edited by maris08 - 13 years ago
