Agnisakshi (Under Editing)

19:A promise to self

19: A promise to self

Evil laughter echoed from the room making her clutch the tray in her hands.

"What a master plan, baba, what a master plan! Nobody would ever even suspect what happened, there would be no proof left. Only ashes!" Shyam cackled.

"My plans never fail, child. Just make sure to act surprised," Shyam's father instructed while taking small sips from his hookah."And you, don't try to over-act today. Especially with Shyam's wife, her father must be dead by now. Consider him the sacrificial goat for this beneficial 'havan'." He looked at Shyam's mother who was massaging his feet and she nodded.

Shocked with the information, Nakoshi muffled her cries with her saree pallu. She was about to run away when a worker clashed against her and entered the room, making the tray fall from her hands.

"What was that noise?" Her mother in law asked, her piercing gaze spotting her shadow running into the corridor.

"Saab, the sugar factory near the highway has caught fire! Almost all the workers were heavily injured, most of them succumbed on the way to the hospital. Many of them are still stuck inside the building." The worker kneeled and cried.

"What! I will go at once to manage this situation!" Shyam pretended to be shaken by the news and rushed towards the factory.

"I think that Nakoshi has heard all our talks. What if she opens her mouth in front of the insurance officials?" The mother in law expressed.

"I don't need to handle such petty affairs. Your puny brain should be enough to handle that girl, if Shyam doesn't turn out to be man enough to know how to control his wife." The father in law continued sipping his hookah with leisure.

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"Baba!" She screamed. Running more than 5kms barefoot had drained all her energy. The blazing fire irritated her eyes, distraught people's voices screeched in her ears. She tried to break the barricades unsuccessfully,  the firefighters didn't let her enter the factory.

"Aai! Baba!" She screamed in horror as she saw the firefighters carrying the charred carcasses of her parents into the morgue van. Their half burnt faces were recognisable yet unbelievable to her.

Shyam spotted her as she sat on the ground, holding her head. Her cheeks were drenched in her tears when he came and held her mouth tightly with his fingers.

"What are you doing here?"  He gritted his teeth.
"Those are my parents," She pointed towards the morgue van and cried. "You are a murder…" She started beating his chest and screamed. He covered her mouth before she could complete her sentence. Realising that she had fallen unconscious, he carried her to his jeep and took her to the sick place he called 'home'.

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Nakoshi found herself alone in the room when she regained consciousness. She gathered her Saree around herself and ran towards the door.

"Where do you think you are going?" Her mother in law held her hand tightly, breaking her green bangles.
"Anywhere, I'll get my parents justice. I'll send you all to jail, make sure you rot in hell…" She screamed in anger.

"Oh, great! We will have a nice party with your parents. After all, without their last rites performed, that is where they will end up." Her father in law laughed.

Her eyes widened, her religious beliefs taking an upper hand over her respect for truth and justice. She shuddered and slumped near the wall.

"I love you and my son so much, Lakshmi, I am ready to perform the final rites of your parents." Shyam stood in front of her.