It Wasn't Supposed To Happen

71

Bondita was around her room in the green saree. She entered to find a bundle on her door side small bed. So many sarees. One in each colour she could think of. They were nothing special. Just plain, almost similar patterns on each. It could easily be told that a man had bought them. She now remembered that he too wore a green kurta today. Is that why he asked her to wear it ?
But she had more things to worry about right now.

She had heard about how zamindar and other rich families got around their business. People who crossed them were not to be found the other morning. Families disappeared over night. She had noticed her Kaka Sasurji and even Sasurji engaged in such a meeting before but had not thought much of it. Neither any drastic news ever followed. She had just thought of it as adult business and ignored it. But not this time. This time he was involved and his words were indication of his motives.

Aniruddh entered the old house with Somnath and Kaka. His men were already inside. With that man. The master sat in a corner in a chair looking scared to death.

Good.

" Bade zamindar sahab ! Trilochan babu ji ! " He was about to get up but was pushed to the chair. He folded his hands " See .. See what your son is doing ! Stop him ! Please !"

Aniruddh knew that master had already pictured the most horrible scenarios. It was amusing.

" Oh I won't be here for long." Trilochan replied. " I just came to look if things were as we wanted them. They are. Right Aniruddh ?"

" Right Kaka."

" Your family, master" Trilochan continued " had the nerve to come to me complaining about how my son had been unfair to you when you hit my Bahu." Even from behind his glasses, his heated gaze reached the man. " My Bahu. I would have burnt you alive !" He smacked his chhadi on the ground making the man shiver.

" Sorry zamindar Babu ji." His shivering hands were still folded.

" Sorry doesn't cut it master. It is a good thing you are in my son's hands or I would have had punished you so that no man ever would dare to lift his eyes up to  a woman of my family." He turned to Aniruddh. " I would be leaving him to you now."

On his way out he pulled Somnath with him. " See to it that things don't go out of hands." He instructed him.

" Kaka it's Aniruddh Dada. A warning, a threat. That is all it is going to be. He told me he just meant to scare him."

" Yes. I know. But beta... lately he has been too disturbed. These things...they give young blood a rush. He has never felt a life whimper for mercy under his feet before. It could go anyway. He might understand that it is not a very good way of handling things often. But it is possible he might end up liking the feeling of such power. It is.. Aniruddh. I... know...I have nothing to worry...but still..."

Somnath understood what his Kaka said. He too didn't like such things when he first heard of them through his Baba but slowly, he felt he was ok with it. Things worked their way much easily. He told himself that they were atleast a good family and used such methods only when necessary. Very, very few times.

Aniruddh sat on a chair infront of the master. " I can just sense it you are about to die..." He saw his colour change to that of ash "... of suspense." He smirked as he saw him blink as if trying to understand.

" Why are you doing this ?" The master asked.

" Doing what ?" He leaned placing his right elbow on his knee.

" You have brought me here..."

" To talk master..." He said as if trying to not laugh " just to talk." He found it odd and funny that master was thinking he would kill him. No doubt he was thinking that, it was written all over his face. He had thrashed Chandrachur with no mercy, everyone in the village knew that now. They were calling it the next stage of his fitoor. Even Bondita thought so, that he might kill him or severely injure him.