The Dead Flower

chapter 3

Getting ready like a beautiful bride, she opened her old wooden almirah and took a small pencil box which was securely hidden from the two other people in that house. After opening the box she took out something that was folded inside an old newspaper piece. That was a ring with a beautiful white stone. The only thing which she had for the memory of her mother.

The only thing she had, which she stole from her father when he forbid her from every belonging of her mother and showered a five-year-old Vaishu with hatred. She remembered the days when got punished every day and called a bad omen who took the life of her mother.

Wiping her wet cheeks with the back of her hand she wore the ring on her left hand. She knows that her father won't notice it as he won't bother to look at her.

"Vaishnavi... open the door... why are you taking this much time?" She heard her stepmother's voice "don't test my patience... come out when I am being nice to you" she added.

Vaishnavi took her mobile and dialed Raghu's number but making her disappointed a robotic voice said 'the mobile number you have dialed is currently switched off'. She couldn't digest the fact and tried once again. Without having any energy she sat on the floor holding the mobile.

The time was already 8:12 am, she didn't have any idea about how long she could wait there without going out of the room. Her stepmother's cursing started to increase as she didn't open the door.

She sighed helplessly watching the mobile display showing 8:30 am. She could hear her father's shouting along with her stepmother's cursing. She knows very well that they wouldn't hesitate to break the door if she didn't open it.

She started to shiver uncontrollably with each passing minute. Suddenly her phone rang making her startled.
Without wasting any second she picked up the call expecting Raghu's name on the display but disappointing her it showed Midhuna calling.

"Hello, Midhuna..." she answered her best friend hoping it might be some message which Raghu told to inform her. He might be busy with the marriage arrangements.

"Vaishu, where are you? Did anyone call you?"

"What happened Midhu? Did Raghu called you?" Vaishnavi wanted to talk to Raghu without wasting any time.

"Vaishu...he... Vaishu, just listen... don't get panicked... it's not that severe but..." Midhuna's puzzling words confused her and worsen her condition even more.

"Vaishu, Raghu...he caught with an accident" Vaishnavi's phone slipped from her hand with the impact of what she heard.

She quickly regained her consciousness and took the phone.

"Hello...Vaishu...are you there" she could hear Madhavi's voice from the other side.

"Midhu...where...which hospital?" she asked in a hurry.

"Government Medical College...he" without letting her continue Vaishnavi cut the call and got ready to go there.

She quickly took her purse and opened the door.

"Come, where are you running?... haa... I get that now... so you are planning to escape right?" Vaishu's stepmother Manjula shouted at her holding her right upper arm without letting her leave.

"See Baskar, didn't I say this snake will bite back..." she started to add venom along with her crocodile tears.

"Please leave me... I won't disturb you anymore... please... Let me go..." Vaishu tried to release her hold while crying miserably. She didn't have anything in her mind other than Raghu.

"Are you trying to destroy us... you evil thing?" Basker spatted at her. "You didn't give me any peace since you were born, you only destroyed my life... I should have killed you when you took the life of my wife..."

Basker's words slit her heart with their sharpness. She sat on the floor crying miserably in the thought of her mother and about Raghu. 'Did my Raghu got hurt because of me? Am I such a cursed bad omen'

Even though her brain didn't agree with the thoughts, this time heart won the battle.

'Yes, I'm a bad omen... I should not be with Raghu... It will only hurt him' she sat there weeping silently................