6."Torment"🖇️

Happy reading ✨

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Authors pov

Raghav stood still, hearing Siya call out to him again, "Jaldi aayiye na..."( Come fast ..) Her voice was eager, pushing him to move. With a small shake of his head, he walked over to help her, wondering what she needed this time.

As soon as Siya stepped out, she surprised him by hugging him tightly. Raghav froze, his arms hanging in the air, not knowing what to do. The hug was strong and unexpected. He was in shock, trying to understand what this little girl had done to him.

For a moment, he just stood there, feeling her heartbeat against his chest.

"Thank you so much, Maine ye baat bilkul nhi sochi thi ki aap itni jaldi aa jayege," (I didn't expect you to come so quickly) Siya said, still hugging him tightly.

Raghav quickly removed her hands, saying, "Hatiye..." ("Move away...") He then walked over to Veer.

Siya stood there, surprised, and exclaimed, "Aree..." ("Oh...")

Raghav turned to Veer and instructed, "Veer, sabko unke ghar safely tum khud chhod aao." (Veer, personally drop everyone safely to their homes.)

Veer bowed and responded, "Ji hukum," (Yes, as you command) before leaving to carry out the orders.

Meanwhile, Siya brushed dust off her dress and approached Veer. "Veer ji, aapke hukum aaj hi khadus huye hai ya paida hi aise huye the?" (Veer ji, were your orders made to be strict today or were you born that way?)

As she finished speaking, Veer turned towards her with a stern look and said, "Vo Rajasthan ke Hukum hai, tamiz se baat kijiye unke bare mein." (He is from Rajasthan, speak about him with respect.)

Siya shot him the same defiant expression before leaving and said, "Tumko to main dekh lungi beta." (I'll deal with you later, son.)

Meanwhile, Veer stood still, muttering to himself, "Badi badtamiz ladki hai, 2 fit ki to hai nahin magar tera haniyon wale." (She's quite ill-mannered; , but she's trouble.)

Siya's pov

In her room 3 am .

As Hukum Saab said, Veer Ji dropped me off at my flat and left after reminding me to stay safe. As I entered my room, a rush of flashbacks flooded my mind. I closed the door behind me, trying to hold it all in, but tears welled up and started flowing uncontrollably. My body leaned against the door, feeling the weight of emotions pressing down. Slowly, almost as if I had no strength left, I slid down until I was sitting on the ground. The room felt heavy with memories, each one a sharp pang in my chest, leaving me overwhelmed and vulnerable in that quiet, solitary moment.

He Ram, mere saath jo kiya maine, sab dhaara mujhe danta aur haath tak uthaya [Oh Ram, everything I did, he scolded me for and even raised his hand]. Main chup thi, ek nayi shuruaat karne yahan aayi to un logon ne mera peecha yahan tak kiya [I was quiet, I came here to start afresh, but they followed me this far]. Kyun, mera kya kasoor hai? Kya bus yahi ki main ek ladki hun? Ya fir mera janm lena gunaah hai? Bolo Ram... [Why, what's my fault? Is it just because I am a girl? Or is my very birth a sin? Tell me, Ram...]

My voice cracked as I cried loudly [my voice]. I don't understand why. I know they hate me, but I didn't think they would go this far. He betrayed me... How can he do that? He

"Kyon de rahe ho itna dard, Ram? Main mar jaungi..." [Why are you giving me so much pain, Ram? I will die...]

I sobbed the last line, tears streaming down my face, feeling utterly defeated. Exhausted from crying, my eyelids heavy with sleep, I was about to retreat into my fictional world when a knock on the door echoed from the living room. I remembered locking the doors securely. Who could be here at this time?

"Veer Ji..." He came to my thoughts first, but then I realized, why would he come?

I slowly approached the door and before opening it, I asked, "Kaun hai?" [Who is it?] Ashwat, as he was the only person I knew here. But as soon as I opened the door...

"Bhai... aap?" [Brother... you?] My tongue slipped without my acknowledgment. Why was he here? How could he come to me after doing these awful things?

As the door fully opened, he came in and tightly gripped my shoulder, causing me more pain. Maybe I had been hit earlier in the evening; it was already hurting, but I had ignored it until now. The tears flowed uncontrollably, like a dam bursting. I felt like this was the end, that I couldn't take any more.

"Bhot aavara banne ka shauk hai na tujhe chal btata hu ..." [You seem to enjoy wandering around aimlessly, let me teach you a lesson...] he said, driving me towards the stairs downstairs.

It was terrifying, the way his grip tightened on my shoulder. "Chhode mera haath, jaane dijiye" [(Let go of my hand, please let me go)], I pleaded, tears streaming down my face, desperate for him to let go. But there was no response, just his relentless effort to pull me downstairs.

"Apni behan ko bechne jaisi neech harkat karne ke baad bhi aap phir yahaan gaye" [(After stooping to the level of selling your own sister, you still came here)], I managed to choke out, trying to reason with him, hoping some sense would penetrate his aggression.

As my words trailed off, he released my shoulder, briefly easing my fear. But before I could even exhale in relief, his grasp tightened painfully on my already damaged hair. "Niche... Kaha tune? Abhi batata hu tujhe" [(Where did you say? I'll tell you right now)], he growled menacingly.

In that moment, all I could feel was the ache in my scalp and the sinking dread of what was to come. Every move, every word, seemed to tighten the knot of fear in my chest, as I struggled against the hands that controlled my every breath.

From my perspective, it was a nightmare unfolding in front of my eyes. He grabbed me forcefully, slamming my head against the wall repeatedly until blood streamed down my face. The pain was excruciating, and I pleaded with folded hands, "Please let me go, Jane do mujhe [please let me go]." But in his eyes, there was no remorse, only a terrifying emptiness fueled by hatred.

As he raised his hand again, ready to strike once more, I summoned the courage to grasp his arm, begging through tears, "Bhai [brother], dard ho raha hai [it hurts], please jaane do [please let me go]. Agar aapko nafrat hai mujhse [if you hate me], main aapke paas nahi aaungi [I won't come near you]." His response was callous, tossing me aside like a ragdoll, causing agony to surge through every inch of my body. I lay there, helpless, unable to even move.

"Le jao isse [take her away]," he commanded coldly, as if I were nothing more than an object to be discarded. In that moment, his transformation into a heartless figure bewildered me. How could someone lose all traces of humanity in a haze of animosity? The pain, both physical and emotional, cut deep, leaving me shattered and questioning the depths of human cruelty.

Raghavs pov

As I jolted awake from a terrifying dream, my heart raced in the darkness of my room. Sweat trickled down my temples as the images from the nightmare still lingered in my mind. I reached for a glass of water beside my bed, trying to shake off the lingering fear.

In that dream, I saw a girl, helpless and tormented, as if she were a puppet being mercilessly manipulated. Her screams echoed in my ears, calling out to me, pleading for help. I recognized her from earlier - she was that little girl who hugged me tonight. But how could this be? Was she really in danger?

Normally, dreams were never something I paid much attention to, but this one felt different. The vividness, the urgency of her cries - they felt too real to ignore. Veer had assured me she was safe in her apartment, yet here I was, unable to shake the feeling of dread.

I knew I should try to sleep again, but rest eluded me. Instead, I found myself pacing my room, trying to distract myself from the unsettling thoughts. Just as I began to calm down, a noise from the hall startled me. No one should be here at this hour, not even the staff. With cautious steps, I descended the stairs, heart pounding, unsure of what I might find.

The night seemed to hold secrets, and I was determined to uncover them, haunted by the image of that girl and the unanswered questions swirling in my mind.

"Ek baar mil vo rooh me sama si gayi hai,

jisne zimmedario ke tale neend mein bhi kabhi khwab na dekhe,

usse ek chalak me apne sapne dikha diye hain."

(Once encountered,

she has blended into my soul,

the one who never dreamt under the burden of responsibilities even in sleep;

a mischievous one has shown her dreams to her.)

Siya's pov

A

s I lay there, feeling the weight of despair, I knew that staying inert would seal my fate. My heartless brother's tyranny had turned my life into a living hell, and the dreams I held close were slipping away. I couldn't bear to be just another lifeless body under his oppressive rule. The pain, both physical and emotional, gnawed at me every second, pushing me to the brink.

The urge to fight back, to make him feel the same agony, consumed me. I couldn't let this devil dominate me any longer. His cruelty had pushed me to a point where inaction was no longer an option. When I overheard his man on the phone, I seized what felt like my last chance at freedom.

Moving slowly at first, I began to run, desperation fueling each step. But before I could reach the stairs, I heard my brother's voice, dripping with malice: "Pakad sali ko, bhot bhagne ka shouk hai..." ("Catch her, she loves running...").

His words were a command, and soon, he and his man were in pursuit. My heart pounded in my chest as I cried for help, my voice echoing in the emptiness. No one answered. I kept running, tears mingling with the blood staining my clothes. Each step was a battle against the searing physical pain and the overwhelming emotional torment. The desire to escape, to survive, was my only anchor.

I didn't know where I was heading, only that I had to keep moving. My tears blurred my vision, but I couldn't stop. The pain, the terror, and the desperation to break free from his grasp were all that propelled me forward.

I had been running for more than an hour, desperately seeking a place to hide. The darkness was overwhelming, punctuated only by the occasional street light that showed me the way. The silence of the night was eerie, broken only by the sound of my own labored breathing and the distant footsteps of my pursuers. They were faster than me, and my injuries were slowing me down.

Exhaustion was setting in, and I could feel my strength waning. I clasped my hands together, tears streaming down my face, and cried out, "Ram, Rasta dikhao, bachha lo muje aaj please! (Ram, show me the way, save me today please!)" My plea to Lord Ram was my last hope.

As I listened, I heard their footsteps drawing nearer, a reminder that I couldn't stop. I forced myself to move again, turning in a random direction. My heart pounded as I ran, only to come to a sudden halt in front of a grand palace. Relief washed over me as I realized where I was - it was none other than the palace of Hukum Sa.

Mahel .... Hukum sa .. only these two thoughts occupied my mind.

As I approached the main gate, a security guard stopped me. He asked, "Aap kon hai aur ye chot kaise lagi?" (Who are you and how did you get injured?) I understood their concern and, struggling to speak, I told them, "Mujhe milna hai unse please.... vo log maar denge muje." (I need to meet them, please... they will kill me.) I was still crying, both hands clutching my waist, aware that I could collapse at any moment. I desperately needed a safe place.

One of the guards, seeing my condition, said, "Thik hai, chalo," (Alright, come on) and let me enter the palace. They called Veer ji on the way. By the time we reached the main hall, Veer ji was already there. The lights were dim as I stumbled in, and Veer ji asked, "Kon hai aap?" (Who are you?)

I could barely stand, my vision blurred with tears and pain, and my heart raced with a mix of fear and relief.

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SUkriya ji 😊 ❤️ 🥹