Dhanyawaad ( An Anidita Story )

Ch.9 Truth of the Masked Thief

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*Devipur*

All the members of the house were sleeping peacefully. The ladies were sleeping on the ground and the only male in the house was sleeping on the cot.

At around midnight, Sampoorna woke up to weird sounds, like someone is calling for help. She saw Bondita struggling in her sleep, a frown on her face and sweat beads on her forehead. Before she could do anything, Bondita let out a scream in her sleep. The others woke up and inquired Sampurna what had happened to Bondita. They shook her, trying to wake her up but she was just struggling like someone was choking her.

Finally, Sumati held her shoulders and shook her, shouting her name loudly. She woke up with a jerk and her eyes looked teary, like she was about to cry. But in a flash, they went back to those piercing siren eyes.

"Bondita, kya hua beta fir se bura sapna aaya kya?" Sumati asked her daughter, patting her back to calm her down.

"Arrey, mujhe to lagta h koi bhoot lag gaya h isse. Baar baar aise bure sapne aate h, neend m chillati h, do baar vivah toot gaya h aur mati to bhrasht hoti jaa hi rahi h iski.", Mami said irritated.

"Tum chup karo. Bondita, saba thikache?" Mama asked her.

"Ji mama."

"Chalo fir sab so jao."

Mama went back to his cot and mami laid down on her place. Sampurna and Sumati were looking at Bondita.

"Bondita, tune baba se jhoot kyu kaha? Tujhe fir se vo bure sapne aa rhe h na?"

"Koi bure sapne nahi h didi so jaa. Maa tu bhi so ja. Mein bilkul thik hu."

The trio lay down to sleep. Within minutes, they were in deep slumber. Bondita carefully got out of bed and went outside. She went near the Banyan tree and sat under it, looking at the stars.

"Baba, kaash aap yaha hote, to ye sab nahi hota.", she murmured to herself. She felt tears coming to her eyes. In the past years, whenever she wanted to cry, she would either stare upwards in order to stop them or just control it and take it out as anger by punching walls. The was about to punch the tree when suddenly, a hand stopped her. Immediately, she looked up and saw Sampurna standing there.

"Kya kar rahi h ye tu?"

"Kuch nahi didi. Tu soyi nahi? Parso vivah h. Kal itni taiyari karni hogi."

"Ho gaya. Kabhi to choti ki tarah reh liya kar. Tu meri badi behn h ya mein teri badi behn hu. Ab sidhe sidhe bata. Kya hua h? Aur ye firse gussa aane laga h tujhe? Ye kya tod phod kar rhi h. Tera vivah bhi to h parso. Aise patti bandhe haath leke baithegi vivah m. 2 saal pehle ki tarah."

"Didi"

"Kya didi? Bondita m teri behn hu. Agar tujhe koi baat sata rahi h to mujhe bata. Acha chal mein saugandh khati hu ki m ma baba ko nahi bataungi. Pishi ko bhi nahi bataungi. Shotti!"

"Didi, koi baat nahi h. Mujhe bas neend nahi aa rhi thi. Isliye yaha aagyi thi."

"Pakka na?"

"Haa, pakka."

"Bondita parso humara vivah h. Ek baar muskura de. Bas ek baar."

"Didi"

"Bas ek baar.", Sampurna whined.

Bondita collected her courage and curved the corners of her mouth upwards. Sampurna looked at her and felt like crying. It looked scary. She looked scary like that. Lips in a smile and eyes numb, like that of a zombie. It looked like someone had forcefully morphed the face of a dead person.