The Messiah Of Self (Completed ✔️)

The thing about hospitals

“Churaliya hai tumne jo dil ko…”

Adi heard someone’s phone ringing in the corridor. It was cold and he was sitting on the bench alone. Rain water was dripping from his hair on to the floor and the sudden gush of wind made him shiver. More than the cold it was the emptiness that hurt him more. Can’t say that what he felt at that time was pain, maybe it was nothing. Maybe he felt nothing at all. It was dark except for a few bulbs burning in the corridor. Pooja was dead. She was gone, his best friend, lover and most trusted person was gone. She was not just gone, she took with her the years of love and belief he had built around their relationship. She was gone with the person she loved. A person who was dead cold in the mortuary next to her, a person Adi never knew before.

*******

Maya was breathing. She was unconscious. When the bullet thrust her chest she thought that all had ended. But it didn’t kill her, maybe she had more to see.

Doctor: She is alive, Thank God!

Arjun: I wish I could say the same too. I was broken when I thought she was dying. I wished if I could reverse what I had done. But now I don’t want her alive. If she comes back, she is going to haunt my family and our happiness forever.

Doctor: Arjun, what are you suggesting?

Arjun: I don’t want to kill her nor do I want her near my family. I wish if I could send her somewhere away from all of us. I wish I could just lock her up.

Doctor: Maybe I can help you with that. There is a mental asylum I know of in Nainital. It is a high security place and no one will be able to get in to it or get out of it without the knowledge of the authorities. Maybe we can shift Maya there and she will never be able to escape.

Arjun: I know that I am committing another mistake if I am agreeing to this but I have no other choice. Maya should go. I have no other option.

Doctor: Do not worry Arjun. We know each other since years. I will make sure that Maya never escapes that place and will be kept under high security for the rest of her life. She will never be able to hurt you or your family. Just wait till her wound is healed. Till then I will keep her under sedatives.

Arjun agreed. Saanjh was sitting on a bench next to them with her child in her hand. The child Maya delivered two days before. It kept on crying for its mother, kept on crying for the mother who she might never meet again in life.

*********

Adi looked outside. The rain had stopped. Everything around was wet. He didn’t know what he was going to say to his family and his friends. He had trusted her more than anyone else and believed that she loved him as much as he did. His father is going to hide everything from the world talking about reputation. His mother will agree to his father. His brother would cry and would try to console Pooja’s mother. But what would Aditya do? He felt as though the air in his lungs was sucked out and he was not able to breathe. His chest and head hurt and he thought that he would lose his mind in any time. Adi was lost in thoughts when a woman in white dress came to him and gave him something. It took Aditya more than a minute to realize that it was nurse and she had given him a pouch with Pooja’s ornaments. Adi also heard the nurse saying that the person who was found dead with Pooja was Yash and his family also lived in Mumbai and will come in sometime to complete the formalities. Adi wanted to run away from the hospital before that happened but then Pooja would be alone. She was his friend and he had to stay there till his family came to take her over.

**********

Maya was under sedation. She could hear some vague noises but nothing was clear. She tried to speak but her voice would not come out. Maya somehow knew that her lips were moving. Then she could feel something piercing in to her skin and then she was falling in to dark deep pit. Maya kept on screaming but no one came to rescue her. She fell and fell and fell and still she didn’t hit the bottom. Maya could hear her child crying from a distance. She wanted the fall to stop and to hold her child but it didn’t and her eyes became water and tears fell from them and then there was nothing.

********

The Hooda family came after a long time and Adi felt as though an infinity had been passed. When Arjun saw Aditya, he ran towards his brother. Aditya didn’t have the strength to talk or fight. So he ignored Arjun and his parents but when he saw Pooja’s mother he couldn’t control his tears anymore and he wept uncontrollably. Pooja’s mother tried to comfort him but Adi didn’t stay for any words. He couldn’t face anyone or talk to anyone.

He walked out of the hospital and Arjun called him from behind.

Arjun: Brother, where are you going? We will finish the formalities soon and will go home together.

Aditya: I am not coming with her. I will come home tomorrow. I can’t see her like this. I can’t.

Harshvardhan: Adi, stop. You are not going anywhere.

Aditya ignored his father and he kept going without a destination. The streets were decorated with lights for some festival. Mumbai was a busy place but Adi didn’t notice anything that was happening around him. The way seemed longer than he remembered and did he travel the same road before too? He had no idea. It was Pooja’s birthday. She had promised that she would come back from Chennai and they would celebrate her birthday together. But Pooja had never gone to Chennai. She never boarded her flight. She was in the outskirts of Mumbai with another man. She had lied to Aditya, to someone who blindly trusted her. Adi wanted to scream to the night but he didn’t. Even though Pooja had broken her promise he still wanted to keep his. Adi bought a candle and lighted it and blew it and wished his wife a happy birthday.

Aditya: Happy birthday cheater.

Adi walked through the streets. He bought alcohol and drank it till he passed out on the streets. Everything was perfect till today. No, everything was not perfect but at least he was happy. Adi cried in his dreams or in his half sleepy reality.

*******

Jhanvi: Where is Maya, Arjun? Did you find her? I saw Saanjh going inside. But she didn’t tell me anything.

Arjun: Maya escaped mom. Police is trying to find her. Hope they would find her soon.

Jhanvi: She escaped? She is dangerous and needs to be found soon or else she would hurt us again.

Arjun: Don’t worry mom. I have everything under control. She will never hurt us again. I promise.

Though Jhanvi was tensed and scared after the whole incident she was confused after Arjun’s calm and composed demeanor. He would never be at peace if Maya is roaming free. He would do everything in his power to find her. But somehow Arjun’s mannerism and Saanjh’s silence made her feel that Maya had died and it is kept a secret from everyone. Jhanvi should have felt happy about it but somewhere in her heart there was an unbearable pain. It just kept on pricking her but she couldn’t cry. Tears won’t come out of her eyes.

*******

Arjun entered his room and closed the door.

Saanjh: How is everything going? When would she be shifted?

Arjun: It will take a few more days for her wound to heal. After that she would be taken there. I enquired about the asylum. It stays isolated from the world. It is in a place less known to people and has acres around it with nothing at all. No people, nothing. There is only a meditation center near it where drunkards and drug addicts are treated. The board that takes care of the asylum also takes care of the meditation center. Most people who are admitted there are also half mad. But the asylum is isolated from the center and rest of the world by huge walls that are guarded all the time. There is no way Maya will ever get help from outside or will be able to escape on her on. No one will ever find out about her.

Saanjh: At last we can live in peace. Maya is gone. The child is alive and safe. I hope we can bring her home soon.

Arjun: Yes, everything is going to be alright.

**********

Maya breathed slow and steady. Dreamed of her child and Arjun. Her dream was beautiful and had a lot of light and color in it. There was no Ashwin or Saanjh in her dream. Just her Arjun and their child. A smile appeared on her lips. Everything is fine now. Everything.

Amrutha

**************

Guys, please read it and give me feedbacks..good as well as bad..thank you all.. ♥️♥️