The Green stared at her incredulously for a whole minute. Then she simply threw back her head and laughed. “Dear Dev! She’s just a poor sheltered darling…Knows nothing of such things. Only an idiot of a girl would let a snake inside her own home. Of course…The snake was just little at that time. But a snake’s still a snake…you follow?”
“Crystal clear.” Said a bemused Goldy. “A little snake is still a snake.” “What about you…Violet?”
A snake…A venomous snake… The word little didn’t go with it. A child…How can a child be poisonous? All of a sudden I could see it…A scared girl brought into a world she was unfamiliar with. A horrible hatred growing inside her for her ‘friend’ who had too much of everything. Even though she was treated well…The sense of being a ‘charity’ girl and ‘outsider’ must not have gone away.
“I can see plenty of things.” I said slowly.
Once humans are stripped off their masks…It was odd how different they were underneath. No wonder humans fail to comprehend each other. Their poor eyes can’t see beyond the carefully worn masks. Pathetic…really…I simply don’t understand why they can’t simply be themselves.
“Could you fetch a piece of paper and a pen?”
“What?”
The Green looked startled. “Paper?Pen?”
“You do understand, don’t you? We’d rather not enter.”
The Green glanced inside the room and sighed. “I can see why. But still…” “We want to leave a message.”
If was surprised by my answer, she didn’t betray the fact. She struggled through the mass of greens and returned with a notepad.
“Play all you want…” She snickered. “If you want to have a conversation with Miss. Queen of Greens…Who am I to stop you?” “I would never dream of having a long conversation…”
The note was short and quite to the point.
I wouldn’t trust a murderer and certainly not one who killed his own child “So…That’s the big plan…”
Goldy snatched the note from my hand and threw it into the air. She caught it deftly as it came floating down. “I don’t know…Does this sort of thing work on shedevils?”
“We’ll see…”
“HOW DARE THAT MAN CALL YOU A GOLD DIGGER!”
Eek! I almost jumped at the over-eager over-the-top voice. But on second thoughts… There was something endearing about it. Like a stubborn pouting child. The large form of the princess appeared out of a room followed by her slender pretty friend. Devyani looked uncomfortable - even more than before- in her sari. She glanced several times at Anasuya, taking in the enviable beauty and natural dignity.
“Does charity make me your equal Dev?”
Anasuya’s voice reeked of bitterness. Hatred flicked in her eyes. “No one will agree with you on that.”
“CHARITY!!!!” Devyani stopped dead in her tracks. “HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT! HAVE WE EVER TREATED YOU THAT WAY? HAVE WE EVER SCORNED YOU? OR LOOKED DOWN UPON YOU?”
She turned around and looked right into her friend’s eyes. “We will never do that… not ever.” There was such a glow of innocence on her round face and such child-like trust in her loud voice. The smile that lit up the unattractive face was pure magic. At that moment I understood what the Green meant.
“To this day she has no clue…” The green whispered behind me.
I nodded, still staring into those sweet blue eyes. It was doubtful whether they would see through her friend.
“Besides…Anyone would believe you’re the heiress and I’m your servant. Just look at yourself in the mirror, my lady…”
I’m sure that was meant to lighten the mood and everything but all it did was make Anasuya look even grimmer. A green jumped out of her and danced into the room. “Welcome to a typical day in the Raj household.”
I watched Anasuya lock herself in her room leaving her friend alone in the hallway.
“I STILL THINK YOU OUGHT TO LET DAD TAKE CARE OF THE WEDDING PREPARATIONS…LETTING NANDAN DO THAT ISN’T GOING TO IMPRESS HIS FATHER!”
I didn’t think letting Devyani’s Dad take charge would impress Nandan’s Dad.. If anything he would have another reason to call Anasuya a heartless parasite and gold digger. Suddenly…The anger, frustration and bitterness that I could feel coming from Anasuya made sense…
As I was taking a break analyzing the charming Anasuya Goldy had slipped the note under the door.
“Much as I would love to see her face…We’d better stay here…Maybe she’ll scream or something…” I heard the sound of footsteps. The paper was picked up from the floor. We stood still as time went by…waiting for the inevitable…for the shock…for the scream. But only silence reigned at the other side of the door.
An hour must have surely passed before Goldy finally spoke.
“Why isn’t there any sound?”
I turned the door handle and slowly pushed the door open. A storm of greens rushed out like some sort of ghastly hurricane. I tripped a few times, caught between them, tripped some more, but I did finally make it to the center of the room. Through a mass of green fog I spied a sturdy bed. Sitting on it, as though she had just woken up from a distressing nightmare was Anasuya. A pale figure in a white gown. Like a ghost… At her feet was my message. Torn to a million pieces.
“At least our message did get to her…”
Goldy said cheerfully, giving me a thumbs up.
Anasuya stood up before I could answer. She clenched her shaking hands into fists and walked elegantly out of the door.
“If she’s going to confront Nandan…”
CHAPTER 17
“Nan…”
Anasuya’s hands were shaking as she held on to her cellphone. Each sound came out slowly and painfully out of her mouth.
“I…” Goldy and I touched the phone at the same time. The cheerful voice of Nandan boomed through…Summer to Anasuya’s winter…Er…maybe I became a bit too much melodramatic tere.
“What’s up with the ‘I’m scared’ voice, love? Surely you aren’t turning cold feet as the wedding looms nearer are you?” “No! Of course not! I…”
She gripped the telephone tighter. “I just wanted to ask you something.”
The question was dancing around the tip of her tongue. I could see it. All that was required was to throw it deftly towards Nandan. “What? Did my Dad say something again?”
“No…That’s…I got a letter…no…more like a note. It said…”
In a hoarse voice she recited the contents of the note. Then she waited…holding tightly onto the cellphone. Her heartbeats were increasing…I could hear them. “You have to be joking.” Something about Nandan;’s laughter was off and I thought Anasuya could feel it too. There was another emotion just beneath it…trying hard to come out. It was anger. Boiling rage.
“I wouldn’t dream of joking about something like this.”
“Have the good sense to see that someone’s playing a prank on you. Maybe it’s that ugly duckling…I don’t thing old fat face likes the idea of you getting married.” “Of course not ! Dev would never even think of such a thing!” The indignation in her voice was quite real this time around. It surprised me so much that for quite some time I couldn’t think of anything else. So…Miss Charm can actually be honest once in a blue moon.
“So you trust that girl and not me…I’m a murderer is that what you were saying?”
One hit and the cellphone went flying from Anasuya’s hand. Well…Just thinking about Nandan made me want to hit something and in this case…The cellphone just happened to be unfortunate target, Goldy was clenching her fists too and for one second I thought Anasuya would end up being the punching bag. Fortunately for the girl, Goldy decided to control herself. After a moment of surprise, Anasuya picked up the cellphone which had landed on her bed.
“Can we just go and give him a slap?” Goldy asked me, hopefully.
“I’m just asking you for an explanation…just…just that.”
It was a wonder the girl could repl
y this calmly. Any other person would have exploded like a volcano. But an explosion did come. Just that…it came from the other end of the phone.
“I DIDN’T THINK I WOULD HAVE TO EXPLAIN MYSELF JUST BECAUSE OF A SILLY PRANK.” “Nandan please…I am not accusing you of anything.”
“We’ll talk about this madness later. I’ll come over in an hour.”
An hour…What a long time it seemed. Anasuya sat down on the couch the whole time…paying no heed to the eyeliner mixed tears running down her her cheeks. She seemed not to hear Devyani’s concerned questions. Nor did she confide in her friend what happened.
Nandan arrived in his car. But not exactly in style. In fact when he stepped out, I could hardly believe the man in black jeans and gaudy T-shirt was Nandan. He didn’t even wait to ring the calling bell but simply barged in and confronted Anasuya.
“Anu…please tell me this whole thing was a joke.”
‘Anu’ didn’t look up. Tears brimmed her eyes.
“What whole thing? Did you two fight? Please don’t be silly.”
Devyani asked anxiously.
“Would you please allow us to talk?”
The coldness in the perfectly polite voice was enough to silence Devyani. She nodded and left them to it. Nandan knelt down in front of the sofa and softly called out Anasuya’s name.
“I tore up the note.” Anasuya said, still not looking up. “But…”
“Anu…” Nandan laid his hands on her shoulders. “Look at me.”
Anasuya’s red eyes met his. I saw in them doubt and a kind of desperate hope. “I wish you would not believe the worst.”
“I…I…”
Anasuya’s lips trembled. More and more tears leaked out her eyes.
“Look here…” He lifted up her chin. “Please…Please do not tear us apart because of a childish trick.”
“No…No…I…I would never…”
Anasuya broke down completely. She fell on Nandan’s shoulders and wept, her hands clinging to Nandan.
“Please…just tell me it isn’t true…Please…”
The girl looked so lost…so confused…so desperate…I could imagine her mask lying on the floor, torn into pieces like that note.
“Of course it isn’t true.”
I looked at Nandan in surprise. His face was devoid of any expression be it guilt or even simple distress. “Do you really believe I would do a thing like that?” Not even the tiniest shake in his voice. He was so…so…damn…
“Promise me. Promise me that it isn’t true.”
“Oh come on, girl! Have some dignity for heaven’s sake!”
Goldy was shaking her fists at Anasuya in all too obvious anger. “Just find a bit of spine for goodness sake!”
“Poor foolish girl…” Ack! I nearly jumped at the ice cold voice. The Green had crept up behind us(talk about ‘chilling experiences’). She sighed without much emotion and shook her head. “Why can’t she see through such facade?”
“Her eyes doesn’t want to see it.”
The Green laughed. “My sympathies to the idiot.”
Idiot…Who was really the idiot here? I looked at Anasuya and then at him. Her pleading eyes were crying out for hope…But all I could see was a path full of darkness. And Nandan…I wanted to punch his smug face.
“I promise Anu…I never killed anyone.Never.”
“LIAR!!!!!”
I and Goldy cried out at the same time.
“Wait…Just wait…So…Did that guy really kill his kid?”
We enlightened the Green as to the whole story. Didn’t spare any details. Not even the smell of the blood all over…
“Tell me one thing…Who in the big wide world theorized that humans are superior to animals?”
“Obviously…It was a human.” The three of us stood silent just looking at the drama unfolding before us. Were the things we saw and experienced the worst part of the human world? I had a sinking feeling it was not.
“Do you perhaps keep and ear out for human news?”
“No.”
Ok…I know human have these nifty things like newspapers and TV telecasts but I hadn’t felt any compulsion to check them out. For one…all the drama was more of a Green thing than a Violet thing. For another…Something about them always sounded ominous to me.
“Why don’t you try one as a sample…You’ll see what I mean.” The newspaper was lying neatly folded on the small table next to the sofa. My first impression was…Colourful…There was this huge photo on the front page and a headline all bold. I touched it and started to read…Only to withdraw my hand almost immediately. The picture on the front page was of a woman who had beaten her two year daughter to death with a metallic rod. She had then proceeded to cut up the little body into tiny pieces. They were discarded in the nearby river.
“She wanted to go with her lover…He wouldn’t take the kid. Nor would her divorced husband.”The Green shrugged. “This kind of stuff’s too heavy…Even for us.” “Is she even human?” Goldy cried. She stared at the newspaper, standing a foot away as though coming closer might burn her. “Humans can’t do terrible things? Really? This so called humanity and compassion… It’s really a myth dear. Everyone’s a monster. They are all just really good at keeping up a good face. Till the monster inside finds the perfect opportunity to slip out.”
I kept looking at the serene face of the beautiful woman escorted by two women cops. I kept looking at the serene face of the beautiful woman escorted by two women cops.VIBGYOR
I couldn’t read any remorse…Not even the slightest hint of sadness…The newspaper proclaimed her a disgrace to motherhood. Something about that irked me. Maybe it was because I sensed the immense pleasure the person who wrote up the report felt while writing it. Not disgust or revulsion…But pleasure.
“Revolting, isn’t it?” My gaze shifted to Nandan and Anasuya who were deep in conversation. Nandan was stuffing her with excuses, no doubt about that. And she was swallowing it…Trust is a curious thing indeed.
“Isn’t it about time we concluded the day’s activities?”
Goldy was edging away from the paper as if it were poison. She stopped only when she reached the door.
“I think I’ve had enough of the human world for one day.” Humans talk about the proper perspective to look at things…the optimistic way or something like that. Now, I understand what they mean. When we returned…when we walked through the familiar gates of Shiva’s home and entered the silent living room, it felt…for the lack of a better word - good. The hell house actually felt good.
“I feel perfectly good, Shiva. Now you can stop babying me around.” “Mom…No…”
The woman stumbled out the room, her legs shaking. Shiva caught her before she fell face forward on the floor. “What in the world are you thinking!”
“No…You are not going to treat your father this way! No!”
“But…”
“Tell me I’m not going mad.” Goldy said incredulously. “What in the world!”
“I’m not telling you what he did is right. I am trying to tell you that the way you’re acting is silly, childish and cruel.” Devi steadied herself and slipped out if Shiva’s grip.
“I’m cruel…Mom…”
It was clear Shiva wanted to say plenty of things but they got lost somewhere on the way to her mouth. “Now…Don’t babysit me anymore.”
The weak hands tried to shove Shiva aside but she barely moved. Hurt emanated out of her eyes.
“Mom…”
“Leave me alone!”
A single tear dripped down Shiva’s cheek. A few more brimmed her eyes. “FINE!!!!!JUST DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO!!!!”
Tears streaming down her cheeks Shiva ran into her room. The door shut with a slam. “Shiva…”
“GET LOST!”
Holding on to the dining table, chairs and shelves, the woman made her way to the kitchen. Her legs threatened to give away at several points but she held on. After a while I heard the sounds of plates and pans be
ing moved and the stove being switched on.
The door opened. Shiva, all dressed up to go outside, came out. She barely glanced at the kitchen. Nor did she bother to call out to her mother. The girl simply walked out, a sad unhappy figure, her held held high.
“Oh dear…” Goldy sighed. “The human world’s calling us back.”
Her destination was the library. It’s harsh lights streamed down on us as we entered, highlighting Shiva’s tearstained face.
“Would you point me to the reference books section? I would like to see if any books for UGC NET preparation are available.”
Her voice was so cold…Her eyes drained of emotion. If the librarian was surprised, she didn’t betray it.
“Second last shelf from the right.” A practiced finger pointed at the most worn out shelf filled with thick books. Just looking at them made me want to sigh like an exhausted student. Educational…The faded label appeared to mock me.
“I didn’t know Education was so…you know…so heavy.” Goldy giggled. “Doesn’t Shiva have enough on her mind without stuffing it with…” she shuddered. “These…” Shiva picked up one of them and casually looked through the pages. A sigh escaped her lips now and then. “Well if it isn’t Shivani…”
“Jacob?”
The familiar man in wheelchair with Dan pushing it! Just the sight of them made me so happy. As Jacob said in his song…They were like moonbeam in this dark world. A darkness that was making me more sick day by day.
“I expect a full apology for storming out on us.”
Shiva’s face relaxed into a smile.
“Sorry about that. My Mom was sick.”
“Hope she is fine now.” Dan said. “The illness wasn’t anything bad, was it?” Shiva’s face darkened.
“Nothing bad. It was just fever.”
“Did you fight with your mother over something?”
The darkness disappeared from Shiva’s face as she stared at Jacob startled. Then she smiled.
“I am not going to ask you how you knew that.”
“But I’ll take the time to tell you.” said Jacob mischievously. “I am familiar with tones. Now why don’t you ask me what that means?” It was Dan who asked.
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