Mythri Shah just needed fifty more rupees to add to her stash so that she could could pay the wagon that passed by her desolate house every other week to take her with them, as well as pay for a day's worth of lodging before she reached her brother's home. Once she made it there, she was safe, and she could live happily again.
For now though, she had to focus. Fifty rupees meant that it would take her ten more days, if she were to continue five rupees a day from her husband. He was a construction worker; every day, he would come home drunk, with no memory of how much he earned. When he passed out, she would reach her hands into his pocket and pull out five one rupee coins. Just as quickly as she'd taken the money, she would run outside, and dig up her hole, add the five coins to her meager pile, and run back inside. He did question her in the mornings, but she claimed it was a robber that might pilfer daily from his pocket on the rickshaw home from work. Kabir Shah never believed it, but he could never find the missing money in the house, so he was forced to accept the other possibility.
Even though this plan had worked for the past two months, to get her to 250 rupees, today and onward was going to be different. Her husband's job had changed work policy, so that intoxication could lead to potential suspension, and possible termination. His anger was already let loose the previous night in a drunken stupor concerning the new policy, and Mythri woke up with fresh, burning bruises.
She had no plan as of yet, on how to acquire the money. There was a time when she would pray fervently that her husband's workplace would enforce such a policy, but now she had already planned her escape. The policy might stop the domestic abuse, however, that would clearly take some time, as Kabir was even angrier without alcohol to subdue his rage. She didn't know when she could take the money, since now, when he came home, he would instantly lock up the money up in his safe. Maybe she could glimpse the combination? But last time she even looked at the lock when he touched it, he gave her a beating she still didn't forget.
It was a bright Saturday morning. Mythri decided that she would think about it while she did her work for the day. She couldn't think about it now, in bed, certainly not. She glanced to her side. Kabir fixed her eyes with a steely stare. She quickly got up, folded her blanket, and got ready. It was time again to face the day; however, today, she'd have to devise a plan.
YOU ARE READING
Mythri
Short StoryLiving next to an isolated coastline, there's no one Mythri Shah can tell about her abusive husband. She's 50 rupees short of being able to buy a ride out of her home, but with the clock ticking and quickly heightening tensions, the only way she can...
