" Hello , Who is this ? "
" Sushma , It's me." He spoke with delight after he heard her voice after ages.
" Why have you called , Harish? After all this, you still have the nerves to dial my number and speak to me?" Her voice sounded of utter disgust and it reflected the amount of hatred she had towards Harish.
" I know you hate me for what I did but I am your husband , Sushma. We're married for 25 years now. I want to see you so bad. " He pleaded.
" I can't believe after all that you did, you can still call me .Listen Mr. you have lost the right of being called my husband. What do you expect, huh? I will welcome you with Aarati and sprinkle flowers all over you since you are back after 5 years of living in jail for raping and murdering my daughter? " She was shouting in tears.
" Listen Sushma, it was a past. Please don't punish me. Okay , don't call me your husband but please meet me once. I want to see your face for the last time. I promise , I will not let you feel my existence further." He begged.
" You don't have a bit of shame even after doing all that. I curse myself everyday for marrying someone like you. Your legal powers reduced your punishment to only 5 years else if it was under my control, I would have sentenced you a life long imprisonment or even death. Let alone seeing your face , I won't even tolerate hearing your voice any further. You can go and die." These words of rage and anger were followed by beep of the telephone line. She had hung up.
Harish was in tears. The only woman he loved his entire life didn't want to talk to him . Moreover, she wanted him to die. He came out of the telephone booth and looked at the Central jail that was a few metres away. In his head, he wished he hadn't used his powers to reduce his punishment. He wished he was given a life long imprisonment for he thought that it was better in there rather than here where he had noone to go to. He had lost everyone and everything.
He saw a coffee station on the other side of the road and thought of refreshening his mind a bit with a cup of hot coffee. As he was on his way crossing the road , he got hit by a truck and was dead on spot.
Five years later ,
Sushma was busy with her household chores when she heard a doorbell. Washing her hands and wiping them with towel, she went up to the door to open it. As soon as she opened it, she saw a middle-aged tall man with a lanky body carrying a black bag .
" Am I talking to Mrs.Sushma Shrestha?" He asked to know.
" Err.. Yes , I am Sushma. I am sorry I couldn't recognize you . My memory power you see, has been degrading at faster speed these days." ; She apologised.
" No , no. Please don't blame your memory. We haven't met earlier so it is obvious that you wouldn't know. I am Satish. I was in the jail with your husband , Harish. I heard of his death. He was such a lovely person. Well, I got bailed today . I directly came here as had to tell you of something you don't know but you must. Can I come in?" He exclaimed.
Sushma was shocked. After all these years , she was hearing Harish's name. She went in and Satish followed. Satish placed himself in a sofa. Sushma brought a cup of tea for him.
" Thanks but just a cup? Where is your share?" Satish questioned as he caught hold of the cup's handle.
" No, I just had a cup of coffee. " Sushma replied hesitantly.
Taking a sip of tea , Satish spoke;
" Listen Sushma ji . Sometimes in life the truth is not always what you see . It is not necessary that all that is said to you is correct , sometimes the story might be completely different. Somethings are just like the novels that come up with a tagline 'Based on a true life story'.The writer manipulates the characters and spices up the story line forcing the reader to believe what is written. But the real life incident which it has been inspired from might be completely different. We believe what we see or read. "
" Huh? I didn't get you. Could you please stop drawing mazes and say directly what's the matter?" Sushma stood up furiously.
"Sushma ji, please calm down and be seated. It wouldn't be aunthentic enough if I told you the truth as I am just a random stranger. You identify your husband's hand writing ,don't you ?" Satish opened up his bag and handed her a diary.
" What is here in this diary? " Sushma asked with her eyes wide open.
" The real truth of the story that you are a reader of and you have been believing all this while." Satish left.
Sushma couldn't make out what just happened. She was surprised and too stunned to react.
She went in flashback of her memories ten years earlier that changed her life.
Ten years ago...
It was a Sunday afternoon. Sushma and Harish had escaped from their children and gone for a movie. Harish had always complained of how Sushma never gave her time after the birth of their children. So, that day they had gone out after a real long time. After the movie Harish told that he would go home and asked her to get vegetables from the market and come later. Sushma was angry to see her husband leave her just like that. Little did she realize what the future held.
Sushma reached home after getting vegetables and opened the door to see no one in the living room. She called Harish but he didn't respond. When she opened the door of Aashika's room , what she saw was devastating. She saw Aashika half naked with blood all over her body and Harish sat there in tears with knife in his hand........
Ten years later...
Sushma was in tears as she remembered what had happened. Nevertheless, she caught hold of the diary a random stranger just left for her. She opened the cover to see a picture of her , Harish , their daughter Aashika and son Pramod where everyone were laughing and posing infront of the Great Wall of China. She remembered they had gone there on the summer holidays and it was one of the best moments of her life. She turned the pages and was more than amazed to see Harish's handwriting printed all over the diary. She got back to the first page and started reading it.
" 30th March 2010
I miss Sushma . I miss my family. We were the ideal family of our society. Everyone praised of how happy we were and indeed, we were. Inside these four walls of jail, I feel suffocated. I am longing for the food that Sushma makes. Food here is disgusting.
2nd April 2010
I can't take it any longer. I have to tell it to someone . The truth inside my heart is eating me up and I can't even share it to anyone. I feel helpless. I asked the jailer to call Sushma but he said she doesn't want to talk to me. I need to burp all that is in me else I will die shortly. But the pain is I can trust no one.
10th April 2010
Okay I am doing this now. I am writing all this here. Atleast my heart will be at relief if I pen it down. I must do it but this diary shall be kept in secret and will go in grave with me. So this is it:-
That day we were so happy. We watched a movie and I was planning a surprise for Sushma . I asked her to come home a bit later as I had planned a meal for her ; her favourite Chicken gravy and pulao. As I went home and knocked the door , no one came to open it. I knew Aashika and Pramod were in but they didn't respond. The door was locked from inside. I went to the backyard to peek into Aashika's room and what I saw there was beyond my imagination.
Aashika lay there naked and in a pool of blood. My eyes were filled with tears and shock as I saw my daughter dead and the most heart-breaking part was my son, Pramod, was all curled up in a corner crying with a knife in is hand. I couldn't believe my eyes. I didn't know how to respond. I asked Pramod to open the door but he refused. He was afraid that he would get punished brutally.
'Son, please open the door and let me in.' ; I said.
'No , dad. I know you'll send me to jail. I don't want to get punished , dad. They will beat me there. I know what I did is wrong . I don't know what made me do it.' He was in tears.
'Nothing will happen. I will save you , my son. Don't worry. Trust me , trust your dad, will you?' I convinced him.
He opened up the door, hugged me and cried. I didn't know what happened to me at that moment. I knew the action I was going to take would be an injustice to my daughter's soul but Pramod and Aashika both were equal to me. I couldn't imagine Sushma viewing the scene where her son had raped her daughter and killed her. I couldn't imagine the allegations that would be projected at my son by the society. I knew it was wrong in part of my daughter but I couldn't lose my son too. I did what my heart said. I asked Pramod to leave and come a day later. I made him promise that no one should know what happened here and not even Sushma. He left in a rush not knowing what was happening. I stained my shirt with blood and sat there holding the knife.
I know I am the convict in the eyes of Sushma and everyone. She will never accept me but I had no choice at that moment. "
Sushma couldn't believe what she read. She was more than shocked to see what the truth was. She now knew why Harish had said that post-mortem wasn't required as he was the convict .The guy she had been blaming all the time for killing her daughter had actually saved her son. She cried a lot that afternoon. Then, she went upto Pramod's room to see him lie without movement. Now that she realized why Pramod had been in coma ever since.
" Sushma , It's me." He spoke with delight after he heard her voice after ages.
" Why have you called , Harish? After all this, you still have the nerves to dial my number and speak to me?" Her voice sounded of utter disgust and it reflected the amount of hatred she had towards Harish.
" I know you hate me for what I did but I am your husband , Sushma. We're married for 25 years now. I want to see you so bad. " He pleaded.
" I can't believe after all that you did, you can still call me .Listen Mr. you have lost the right of being called my husband. What do you expect, huh? I will welcome you with Aarati and sprinkle flowers all over you since you are back after 5 years of living in jail for raping and murdering my daughter? " She was shouting in tears.
" Listen Sushma, it was a past. Please don't punish me. Okay , don't call me your husband but please meet me once. I want to see your face for the last time. I promise , I will not let you feel my existence further." He begged.
" You don't have a bit of shame even after doing all that. I curse myself everyday for marrying someone like you. Your legal powers reduced your punishment to only 5 years else if it was under my control, I would have sentenced you a life long imprisonment or even death. Let alone seeing your face , I won't even tolerate hearing your voice any further. You can go and die." These words of rage and anger were followed by beep of the telephone line. She had hung up.
Harish was in tears. The only woman he loved his entire life didn't want to talk to him . Moreover, she wanted him to die. He came out of the telephone booth and looked at the Central jail that was a few metres away. In his head, he wished he hadn't used his powers to reduce his punishment. He wished he was given a life long imprisonment for he thought that it was better in there rather than here where he had noone to go to. He had lost everyone and everything.
He saw a coffee station on the other side of the road and thought of refreshening his mind a bit with a cup of hot coffee. As he was on his way crossing the road , he got hit by a truck and was dead on spot.
Five years later ,
Sushma was busy with her household chores when she heard a doorbell. Washing her hands and wiping them with towel, she went up to the door to open it. As soon as she opened it, she saw a middle-aged tall man with a lanky body carrying a black bag .
" Am I talking to Mrs.Sushma Shrestha?" He asked to know.
" Err.. Yes , I am Sushma. I am sorry I couldn't recognize you . My memory power you see, has been degrading at faster speed these days." ; She apologised.
" No , no. Please don't blame your memory. We haven't met earlier so it is obvious that you wouldn't know. I am Satish. I was in the jail with your husband , Harish. I heard of his death. He was such a lovely person. Well, I got bailed today . I directly came here as had to tell you of something you don't know but you must. Can I come in?" He exclaimed.
Sushma was shocked. After all these years , she was hearing Harish's name. She went in and Satish followed. Satish placed himself in a sofa. Sushma brought a cup of tea for him.
" Thanks but just a cup? Where is your share?" Satish questioned as he caught hold of the cup's handle.
" No, I just had a cup of coffee. " Sushma replied hesitantly.
Taking a sip of tea , Satish spoke;
" Listen Sushma ji . Sometimes in life the truth is not always what you see . It is not necessary that all that is said to you is correct , sometimes the story might be completely different. Somethings are just like the novels that come up with a tagline 'Based on a true life story'.The writer manipulates the characters and spices up the story line forcing the reader to believe what is written. But the real life incident which it has been inspired from might be completely different. We believe what we see or read. "
" Huh? I didn't get you. Could you please stop drawing mazes and say directly what's the matter?" Sushma stood up furiously.
"Sushma ji, please calm down and be seated. It wouldn't be aunthentic enough if I told you the truth as I am just a random stranger. You identify your husband's hand writing ,don't you ?" Satish opened up his bag and handed her a diary.
" What is here in this diary? " Sushma asked with her eyes wide open.
" The real truth of the story that you are a reader of and you have been believing all this while." Satish left.
Sushma couldn't make out what just happened. She was surprised and too stunned to react.
She went in flashback of her memories ten years earlier that changed her life.
Ten years ago...
It was a Sunday afternoon. Sushma and Harish had escaped from their children and gone for a movie. Harish had always complained of how Sushma never gave her time after the birth of their children. So, that day they had gone out after a real long time. After the movie Harish told that he would go home and asked her to get vegetables from the market and come later. Sushma was angry to see her husband leave her just like that. Little did she realize what the future held.
Sushma reached home after getting vegetables and opened the door to see no one in the living room. She called Harish but he didn't respond. When she opened the door of Aashika's room , what she saw was devastating. She saw Aashika half naked with blood all over her body and Harish sat there in tears with knife in his hand........
Ten years later...
Sushma was in tears as she remembered what had happened. Nevertheless, she caught hold of the diary a random stranger just left for her. She opened the cover to see a picture of her , Harish , their daughter Aashika and son Pramod where everyone were laughing and posing infront of the Great Wall of China. She remembered they had gone there on the summer holidays and it was one of the best moments of her life. She turned the pages and was more than amazed to see Harish's handwriting printed all over the diary. She got back to the first page and started reading it.
" 30th March 2010
I miss Sushma . I miss my family. We were the ideal family of our society. Everyone praised of how happy we were and indeed, we were. Inside these four walls of jail, I feel suffocated. I am longing for the food that Sushma makes. Food here is disgusting.
2nd April 2010
I can't take it any longer. I have to tell it to someone . The truth inside my heart is eating me up and I can't even share it to anyone. I feel helpless. I asked the jailer to call Sushma but he said she doesn't want to talk to me. I need to burp all that is in me else I will die shortly. But the pain is I can trust no one.
10th April 2010
Okay I am doing this now. I am writing all this here. Atleast my heart will be at relief if I pen it down. I must do it but this diary shall be kept in secret and will go in grave with me. So this is it:-
That day we were so happy. We watched a movie and I was planning a surprise for Sushma . I asked her to come home a bit later as I had planned a meal for her ; her favourite Chicken gravy and pulao. As I went home and knocked the door , no one came to open it. I knew Aashika and Pramod were in but they didn't respond. The door was locked from inside. I went to the backyard to peek into Aashika's room and what I saw there was beyond my imagination.
Aashika lay there naked and in a pool of blood. My eyes were filled with tears and shock as I saw my daughter dead and the most heart-breaking part was my son, Pramod, was all curled up in a corner crying with a knife in is hand. I couldn't believe my eyes. I didn't know how to respond. I asked Pramod to open the door but he refused. He was afraid that he would get punished brutally.
'Son, please open the door and let me in.' ; I said.
'No , dad. I know you'll send me to jail. I don't want to get punished , dad. They will beat me there. I know what I did is wrong . I don't know what made me do it.' He was in tears.
'Nothing will happen. I will save you , my son. Don't worry. Trust me , trust your dad, will you?' I convinced him.
He opened up the door, hugged me and cried. I didn't know what happened to me at that moment. I knew the action I was going to take would be an injustice to my daughter's soul but Pramod and Aashika both were equal to me. I couldn't imagine Sushma viewing the scene where her son had raped her daughter and killed her. I couldn't imagine the allegations that would be projected at my son by the society. I knew it was wrong in part of my daughter but I couldn't lose my son too. I did what my heart said. I asked Pramod to leave and come a day later. I made him promise that no one should know what happened here and not even Sushma. He left in a rush not knowing what was happening. I stained my shirt with blood and sat there holding the knife.
I know I am the convict in the eyes of Sushma and everyone. She will never accept me but I had no choice at that moment. "
Sushma couldn't believe what she read. She was more than shocked to see what the truth was. She now knew why Harish had said that post-mortem wasn't required as he was the convict .The guy she had been blaming all the time for killing her daughter had actually saved her son. She cried a lot that afternoon. Then, she went upto Pramod's room to see him lie without movement. Now that she realized why Pramod had been in coma ever since.
