11 years ago

Amit's house wasn't the only one on that street. At the far end of the street was a bigger house- the ancestral property of the Sethi's. The Sethi brothers were three in number, but two of them had moved out long ago. The youngest one was left to take care of both the house and the family business. The family business was in it's twilight, and thus, the youngest brother-- who also happened to be Dhara's father-- was contemplating to his elder brother's house in Noida. The only thing stopping him was his daugher.

Dhara was walking back to her own house. She had returned from college, and her backpack proved it so. She had a cast on her left hand, near her wrist.

Dhruv walked up to from behind and pulled her pony tail to tease her. Childlike innocence was not Dhruv's forte, and being the same age as Dhara instilled in him a belief that he could do whatever.

"Let go of my hair!" Dhara yelled.

Dhruv grinned. He tucked his hands in his pockets. "Whom do you like- Prithvi or Akash? Or are you taking your chance with both of them?"

"Enough with your nonsense. Get lost!"

"Tell me." Dhruv kept following Dhara.

Irritated, Dhara stopped and turned to face Dhruv squarely. "Whoever it is, it shouldn't concern you. So get lost!"

"I am their brother. It concerns me." He put his arm over Dhara's shoulder and smirked. "Or do you like...me?" He raised his eyebrow.

Dhara grabbed Dhruv's arm and pushed him away. "You?" she chuckled. "Putting the surname Kant behind your name doesn't make you one of them. You are a nobody. You are here because of Amit uncle, just because of him. You even deserve to be in the family. Not like the rest of the family approves of you either."

The veins on Dhruv's forehead began popping and his jaw hardened. He took a step closer to Dhara and held her chin, bringing his face dangerously close to hers. "If you like me, tell me. I;ll do it."

"Do- do what?"

Dhruv smirked. "Don't pretend to be all innocent and clueless. We learnt it in school." He let go of her chin. "Sex."

Dhruv grabbed her plastered wrist and pulled her. Dhara yelled in pain and hit DHRUV on his shoulder and back with her fist. He managed to pull her nevertheless. He opened the gate of the house, tightening his grip over her arm. She went behind him in order to protect her arm from further injury,

Dhruv pulled her inside the house, into the room.

Dhara looked at Varsha, sitting in the living room, with pleading eyes. "Aunty..." Varsha looked up from her magazine, but went back to reading it immediately. Dhara was shattered by this reaction. Deciding to take matters into her own hands, Dhara took off her bag slinging off her shoulder and threw it at Dhruv. It hit Dhruv, but fell down.

Dhara's screams brought Akash out of the kitchen. He froze upon seeing Dhruv pulling Dhara, but blasted upon seeing that Dhruv had grabbed Dhara by her injured arm. He stormed towards Dhruv.

Dhara was tearful already. "Akash... this monster..."

Akash balled his fist. "Let go of her. Before I break every single bone in your body, let go of her."

Dhruv made a mocking expression. "What will you do anyways, you pathetic loser?"

Akash lunged on Dhruv, grabbing him by the collar and yanking him away from Dhara. He punched him in the face, making Dhruv stumble and fall on the stairs and scrape his elbow. Akash sat on Dhruv's chest and landed two more punches on his cheek, bruising his left cheek. Dhruv's lip began bleeding.

Varsha got up seeing her son getting beaten up. She rushed towards the stairs, and tried pulling Akash away, but her strength was no match for his.

Dhara stood a short distance away from them, shivering.

Varsha was still at the foot of the stairs, trying to save Dhruv from Akash's wrath. She somehow managed to pull Akash away when he slightly loosened his grip over Dhruv. Just as Akash stood up, Varsha's palm landed across his cheek, turning it red.

Akash was breathing heavily. "You didn't birth a human, but a monster. But how can I even expect a monster to birth anyone but another monster." He pointed towards the door, and commanded. "Out of my house. This is not your shitty playground. Get lost, and don't let me see you ever again." Akash glared at her. "OUT!" He took a step closer to Varsha, his figure towering over her. "Prithvi is a police officer. And he is returning. Remember that. Remember it very well."

Furious, Varsha slapped him again. She pushed him out of the side door.

Dhruv made another attempt to pull Dhara by grabbing her left hand, causing her to scream in pain. He momentarily let go of her hand only to grab the right one. She managed to pull his hair using the fingers of her left hand, but was pulled up nevertheless. She called out for Akash.

*

Dhruv threw Dhara against the foot of his bed and shut the door. Little did he know that not bolting it would turn out to be the biggest mistake of his life. He towered over Dhara's crouched figure, with an evil glint in his eyes and a victorious smile..

Dhara hissed at him and stood up. She bolted towards the door, but Dhruv grabbed her hair and pulled her back, causing her to scream in greater pain. She nevertheless threw herself towards the door, ensuing a scuffle. She twisted her foot in the struggle and stumbled back, falling against the foot of the bed yet again. Her lips trembled, but she kept a brave front. She hissed at Dhruv.

Dhara gulped. As she kept her hand on the floor, she felt a shoe kept under the bed. She grabbed the shoe and threw it at him. "It's a final warning. I know how to beat up people. Save yourself."

Dhruv laughed shrilly, his laughter echoing in the room. "You have the audacity to threaten me?"

Dhara nodded. "If we attack you, you'll end up at the hospital with a good number of broken bones."

"Dhara, you need to understand something. He won't come. He's a coward- has always been, and will remain so. He can't shield himself, and you think he'll be your knight in shining armour to protect you?"

Dhara chuckled. She raised her plastered hand for the man in front of her to see. "I am no damsel in distress who needs saving. I am talking about beating you to a pulp. I can save myself even with this broken arm."

Dhruv laughed mockingly. "If you were that capable, how did you end up here? You could have saved yourself a long time back." Dhruv began unbuttoning his shirt.

"Akash..." Dhara said with a sigh.

Dhara heard the door being opened. She peeked from the space between Dhruv's legs.

Dhruv turned too.

***

After Varsha pushed Akash out through the side door, they ended up the yard. There were some logs of wood next to the door. On the wall, was one axe. Another was lodged in a log.

Varsha had her back to the side door, while Akash faced it. He was shaking in anger seeing what was being done to Dhara. In his presence, he couldn't let anything happen to her. His childhood friend, his first crush, pretty much his everything was being dragged into something unfathomable. He couldn't be a bystander to her plight. He would not let Dhruv's intentions bear fruit.

Akash tried pushing himself into the house, but Varsha stopped him. Akash yelled. "Do you even understand what you son is trying to do?"

"He is young. It's all hormones. He won't do anything."

Akash stared at her wide-eyed. This lady had never made sense to him, and now, she was going senile. How could she dismiss her son's actions as nothing. She was walking filth, and that's the only way Akash would see her from now. He paced around in a limited distance, hands on his hips. He came to a halt soon enough and glared at Varsha. "Stop your son. Before I end up harming him, stop him."

Varsha went ahead and held Akash's face in her hands. She massaged the cheek where she had slapped him. "Trust him. He's your brother."

"I have one brother- Prithvi. Dhruv is your son." He yanked her hands off him.

"Calm down." Varsha smiled at him and returned to the living room.

Akash looked at the axe lodged in the wood with utmost certainty.

*

The door opened. Dhara spotted the axe in Akash's hand first. She slowly slid towards the side.

Dhruv turned and saw the axe soon enough and started panicking. He turned and saw Dhara moving. Dhara could be his only shield if Akash was the one attacking. He grabbed Dhara by her arm and pulled her up. He made her stand in front of him as he staggered backwards. "A- A- Akash, I... I was just kidding." he frantically explained. "Right, Dhara? It was a joke, wasn't it?"

Dhara said nothing. Her breathing is heavy and her eyes, red. She fixed her gaze on Akash who gave her a questioning and assuring look at the same time. Dhara was on the brink of tears. Akash gulped and nodded reassuringly.

Dhara extended her right arm towards Akash. Akash took a step forward and reached out to Dhara. Their fingers brushed.

Dhruv observed this. He slowly stepped behind to grab his hockey stick, causing his grip over Dhara to loosen.

Akash pulled Dhara to himself and steps ahead. Dhara did not end up in Akash's arms, but found herself being flung to the wall in that inertia. Yet, it was gentle. Akash would not let her get hurt.

Having lost Dhara, Dhruv immediately turned to grab his hockey stick but felt a sharp pang is his nape. Akash had lodged the axe into his nape, drawing out all blood from his body. Dhruv's eyes remained wide open as the back of his shirt changed colour. Akash pulled the axe out and Dhruv's arched body falls backwards on the edge of the bed. It was just his shoulders and head that had found space on the bed, so he slowly slipped down. He lay there, his eyes at the ceiling, yet seeing nothing.

Akash's hands shivered. Dhara looked at the plaster on her hands. Some blood had splattered on it.

Varsha was standing outside the door. Akash had killed her son. He had done it. She stared at her son's dead body. She would not spare the murderer. She gulped and grabbed the handle of the meat knife tighter. Her hand raised, she lunged towards Akash.

Dhara spotted Varsha and the meat knife in her hand. Gauging her intentions, she grabbed Varsha's arm and struggled with her. Her foot still hurting, she pulled Varsha to the left of the room. Akash turned due to the scuffle.

Blood was dripping off the axe. He stared at the scuffle void of any emotion. His eyes soon lost focus. The sounds around him became distant.

Dhara was on the losing end of the tussle with all the pressure coming on her injured wrist. She made one last attempt and turned Varsha's wrist with all her strength. She gritted her teeth, and finally, the tip of the knife now pointed towards Varsha's face.

Varsha shrieked. "Even if he murdered Dhruv, you are an accomplice. You stood here, letting him do it. Remember this- you are a murderer too." She hissed, "You'll die an equally pathetic death."

Dhara fixed her gaze on Varsha. "It was your son who started this all. If he had succeeded, you would have been accountable too. A damn scheming accomplice. You justified his behaviour." She then turned to look at Akash. "Akash, do something! I can't take it anymore." She got no response. With Varsha using all her might, Dhara stumbled backwards. With a final desperate call for help, Dhara screamed. "Akash!"

Akash was pulled back into reality. He looked at Dhara who was struggling to snatch the knife from Varsha. In a split second, Varsha turned the knife and with full force, pushed it towards Dhara's throat.

On a reflex, Akash struck the axe into Varsha's skull. Dhara moved aside to avoid Varsha falling on her. Varsha fell forward, the knife under her. Akash removed the axe, and finally, Varsha fell on her face with a loud thud.

Dhara and Akash stood there quietly for a while. Dhara slowly shut the door of the room and went to Akash.

He was blankly staring at his doing- the two dead bodies. He was scared, tired and confused, but his face betrayed nothing. Dhara embraced him slowly, wrapping her arms around his waist. She placed her head on his chest and wept. Akash patted her on her back. Eventually, he dug his face into her nape and pulled her closer.

Their weeping and the ticking of the clock were the only sounds heard. It was 10:30 am.

*

Prithvi walked up the street leading to his house. He was still in his police uniform. He took in the familiar sights and smells of his old home. Even though situations had changed ever since Varsha and Dhruv arrived in their lives, Prithvi could not hate the place where he had grown up. There were a lot of people around the town who were still filled the old warmth, enough to dispel the new cold.

As he reached the house, he saw the main gate open. It was unusual, but he walked in and shut the gate behind him nevertheless, only to realize that the main door was ajar too. Now this, was worrying. Nobody at his house was in the habit of keeping the main door ajar.

He entered the house with his luggage and placed it next to the door. There was a backpack lying on the floor. The silence was unnerving. He called out Akash's name, but mild echoes were the only thing he heard. He began climbing the stairs. He was not in the mood for jokes.

Just as he reached the landing of the first floor, he saw a thin stream of blood coming out of Dhruv's room. He opened the door and stepped inside. He found Akash staring at Dhruv's corpse, his back towards the door and an axe in his hand. Dhara was sitting on a chair a short distance away, looking at Varsha's corpse.

Prithvi sighed. "What's this?" Akash and Dhara looked at him.

Dhara immediately got up. She held Prithvi's hand. "I'll explain everything. But do something. Save us."

Prithvi took a moment to register everything around him. He placed his hand on Dhara's shivering hands clutching him. "I'll take care of everything. You should go home." He saw the uncertainty in Dhara's eyes and patted her on her head. "Have faith in me. Okay?"

Dhara turned towards Akash for confirmation. Akash took some time before giving her a nod. Casting a longing look at both brothers, she left.

Once she was gone, Prithvi examined the bodies from afar. "Why did you do this?" he asked Akash, without looking at him.

"He was trying to force himself on Dhara. I wouldn't have let him do it to her. We have known her since were kids." Akash was a statue of calm in that moment.

"Hmm. And her?"

"She was defending him. She claimed that his hormones were at play." he scoffed. "Must have seen me storming upstairs with the axe. She followed me with a knife to kill me. Dhara tried stopping her and she tried killing Dhara."

Akash suddenly dropped the axe on the ground with a loud noise. He had lost his calm and his ability to narrate the tale any further. He squatted and wept. Prithvi stood there, watching his brother cry. After a while, Prithvi squatted next to Akash, pulling him into a hug.

"We need to handle this, Akash. I have a plan. I can take care of it. I will- for you and Dhara. Get up now. Get up."

He helped Akash get up, wiping his tears.

*

Prithvi would do what he would do. Akash would do as he was told. Eventually, their lives would fall apart in ways neither of them imagined.

*

Dhara was leaving the house. She picked up her backpack lying near the TV cabinet. It had the keychain on it. She scanned the room to see if something had fallen from it. Finding nothing, she left the house.

*

9 years ago

A police officer entered the storage room of the police station with a stack of files in his hands. He placed them on a table and switched on the light. The light, exactly above the table, flickered to life. It shone on the file which was the the top of the stack.

VARSHA AND DHRUV KANT MURDER CASE

The police officer accidently pushed the stack. The first file fell down revealing the one under it. This one was rather slim, as there was nothing much to put in it anyways.

AKASH KANT- DETAILS

The police officer picked up the bundle and placed it on the table on the top of the stack. He took out keys from his pocket and headed towards a cabinet.

Prithvi who was passing by the storage room, stopped for a moment and took a peek inside. Smiling, he continued on his way. The file was too familiar for him to not know what was happening.

"Akash was the main suspect. When they called his hostel for enquiry, he wasn't found there.

There was no alibi to prove that he was here during the murder either.

A train ticket had been booked in his name. He had boarded the train. But nobody knew where he had gotten off.

There was no motive for a murder either. Rumors existed. People said that Akash hated his stepmother. However, nobody had ever seen any animosity to prove that something could have gone wrong, terribly wrong, for Akash to have killed her and her son.

It was all confusion.

There was a call which came from Nainital. They were just tracing calls then, not recording them. The police thought it was Akash, but Papa didn't provide many details. Nobody knows what was said in that call.

After that, Akash remained an absconding criminal."

The officer came back to the table for the bundles and picked them up.

"Cases kept piling. They could not waste all of that time behind one suspect whose whereabouts were unknown. I was kept off the case since Akash was the main suspect.

After two years of trying, everyone agreed that even though the case would not be shut, nobody would waste time looking for Akash. There were no traces and evrrything was a hassle. If there happened to be a link that popped up someday, the case would be revisited. It wasn't unusual; things like these happebed more often than not.

With that, everything stopped. Everything."

The officer placed the bundles in a cabinet and shut the door.

***

Prithvi places his mug on the table and gets up. Akash, who is stoking the fire, looks up.

"I'm heading to sleep. I have to leave early tomorrow." Prithvi says, making his way to the room.

Meera places her mug on the table. Akash puts the mugs in the tray and heads to the kitchen.

Soft music keeps playing in the background, through the tape.

Akash begins washing the mugs. Meera enters the kitchen. Akash notices her, but doesn't turn. Akash turns on the tap.

Meera goes up to the platform to which the sink is connected and leans against it. She observes Akash, arms crossed across her chest.

No one speaks a word until Akash is done washing the mugs. He wipes his hands on the kitchen towel hanging above the sink and turns to face Meera.

"You might want to sleep. You have to reach there early." he tells her.

"Akash...Akash...Akash." She pauses and inhales. "I know everything. Everything." She takes a step forward. "But I'll never say anything to anyone. Never. It is a secret. For 11 years, I..."

Akash drops the mug he was wiping. It's pieces scatter across. "Go away from here. Please." He breaks into cold sweat.

Meera looks into Akash's eyes with a thankful expression. She leaves the kitchen.

Akash stands there, looking at the broken pieces of the mug. He sees blood on the floor. He scans the kitchen and finds Dhruv's body at one end and Varsha's at another. His eyes flicker to the dining table outside and he sees Kailash's body. All bloody.

He crouches on the floor, holding his head and begins to cry.