Pieces of a Cracked Mirror [An OS series]

Scarred

Two weeks after 'Cramps' 

Pallavi rarely gets a good night's sleep nowadays. But after what seems like a million years later, she had finally been actually dreaming while being curled on her bed, fast asleep. 

She didn't know where she was but it was such a beautiful place. It had a sea beach with stretches of soft golden sands beneath her bare feet and foamy aquamarine waters which kissed her toes. She was wearing what seemed like a baby pink sundress while her hair billowed wild and free. Not a single soul was in sight within the visible range of miles around. 

Suddenly she heard footsteps. She didn't turn yet she knew who the man was as he came to a stop directly behind her. She wanted to turn back and see his face but she couldn't. She got his familiar earthly musky fragrance which made her deliciously dizzy. He hugged her from the back and lifted her right off the ground twirling her around in circles. She was squealing and she heard his deep chuckles resonate through her body. He was muscular and his torso was bare. She could feel the drops of salt water permeate her skin through the fabric of her sundress as the contours of his chest and stomach muscles rubbed sensually against her back. 

She moaned and turned her face around to see charcoal black eyes blazing into her very soul. The face was bearded but hazy and he had caramel coffee coloured skin which made her want to run her tongue over the enviously chiselled territories of his entire body. He dipped his face and it was becoming clearer as the sun went behind them blinding her momentarily. She craned herself in hopes of catching his shapely lips when suddenly a loud piercing sound jolted her awake.

Pallavi sat up on the bed feeling like a disgruntled cat and looked around disoriented. Her phone was ringing on the bed stand, yet the hammering of her heart prevented her from hearing it or any other sound as a matter of fact. She gulped dryly trying to remove the images of her rather vivid dream, still playing like a blurred reel in front of her sleep drunk eyes. She finally picked up her screaming mobile, highly irritated at whosoever ruined the best dream she had had in years. 

She hadn't seen the caller id but her eyes had wandered to the wall clock which showed one in the night. She heard the voice even before she could say hello. But the words garbled through and specially the way they were spoken pierced her foggy brain cruelly, within a second as if a splash of a bucket full of biting frozen water.

"P..P..Palla..Pallavi....Amma..Keer..ti.. dhyaa..n rak..na"

And then like a deafening gunshot the line went dead.

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Pallavi always thought she had a rather good relation with her God. Though He had thrown her into a thousand trials and tribulations since her earliest memories, taking away her parents, turning her into a widow, getting her kicked out of the only home she knew, still He had also been the only one to help her in times of need. Whenever she would be in trouble He would create some miracle or send someone in the form of His messenger.. His messiah and solve her problem. 

So, today as she was madly dashing towards the driveway of the Rao Mansion having abandoned her almost overturned scooty, she bargained with Him. With all that she possessed, even her own failing breaths as an ever increasing hysteria build inside her aching chest with the passing seconds.

She had prayed to every God in the Hindu pantheon she has ever heard of and from every other religion during her entire journey from Krishna's place to Jubilee Hills. But as her destination neared, the fear bubbling in her heart had almost transformed into a mind numbing terror. She didn't even know what was she bargaining with.