#Rajpurepisode7

#Rajpurepisode7

#rajpurepisode7

#rajpur

#Rajpur

Link of previous episode: #Rajpurepisode1, rajpurepisode1, #Rajpurepisode2, #rajpurepisode2, #Rajpurepisode3, #rajpurepisode3, #Rajpurepisode4, #rajpurepisode4, #Rajpurepisode5, #rajpurepisode5, #Rajpurepisode6, #rajpurepisode6

#Author: #RhituparnaChakraborty

#Disclaimer: This is an original work of fiction with no relation to any person/organism living or dead. Every episode, every character is a work of imagination. Any resemblance to any person, organism, place or character is purely coincidental. There is no intention to hurt or rebuke anyone through this work. This story/episode cannot be copied, published or reproduced without the permission of the author RhituparnaChakraborty.

Suresh walked upstairs to take off all the paintings and picture frames. When he went there, he saw Sofia lying on a pool of blood. He realised Sofia was sniffing around. Something had to be done. Suresh felt if Sofia stayed here without any medical assistance she would anyway die. So, without bothering at all, he quickly took off all the paintings and frames in the room and tucked them in a bag. He looked at that blank frame. The moment he touched it, there was a red flash of light. No, he was not scared. He was paid well to do all these stuff. Putting all the picture frames carefully in the bag, he rushed downstairs. Sofia was still there in that room.

Sarita came to see Saanchi through the window. Saanchi was fast asleep. Sarita was worried. She thought of offering food to Saanchi because Saanchi had not eaten in a while. All the same, Sarita was very scared. She told herself, ‘Maybe I should ask Sofia Maám to come with me.’ She then called Sofia’s name loud. ‘Sofia Maám, Sofia Maám……’ Sarita called the name loudly. Sofia was nowhere to be seen. Suresh heard Sarita. He had to stop Sarita from finding Sofia, till Sofia was dead. He came near Sarita and said, ‘Maybe she has stepped out.’ Sarita replied with a confused note, ‘Stepped out? Oh. Okay.’

Just then the doorbell rang. Sarita answered the door. It was Mushtaque. Mushtaque asked, ‘ How is Saanchi?’ Sarita replied, ‘ I looked at her from the window. She was fast asleep.’ Mushtaque asked, ‘Did you give her something to eat?’ Sarita replied, ‘I was about to, but then, I was scared to go inside alone. I was looking for Sofia Maám, but she is not around.’ Mushtaque replied perplexed, ‘Not around? What do you mean not around?’ Sarita said, ‘Yes, I have been looking for her, calling her, I haven’t heard from her?’.Mushtaque brushed his hair and said, ‘Damn’. Saying that he instructed Sarita to look in every room. Mushtaque then went to search Sofia inside the house. He silently prayed, ‘Please, let Sofia be safe.’ He went to the room at the corner. He tried twisting the knob of the door. The door was locked. Suddenly Mushtaque saw a thin layer of blood flowing out of the door. He shouted, ‘Damn it , Damn it…..’. Saying that, he went behind and ran towards the door fast and kicked it open. There lay Sofia lying on the floor. Mushtaque held Sofia, patted her cheek and said, ‘Sofia, wake up Sofia……..’. He then shouted, ‘SARITA………..’ . Sarita came running. Seeing Sofia in that condition Sarita screamed. Mushtaque asked Sarita to inform Abhay all that happened and told her to ask Abhay to come to the hospital. Mushtaque then carried Sofia, put her in the car and drove to the hospital.

Sofia’s condition was critical. The was immense blood loss. The surgeon told Mushtaque, ‘If you would have brought her little earlier, maybe things could have been better. We will try our best, but this does not look good.’

Meanwhile Suresh called up his boss and shared all the details.

Abhay too rushed to the hospital. He was shattered. Sofia may die. Mushtaque and Abhay were torn apart. Mushtaque clenched his fist. His eyes were red. Who is doing all this? That person is going to pay. The surgery will take time. Mushtaque could not wait any more. There was something in the house itself. He will have to find out now. Now means now.

Abhay sat there on the hospital bench looking down on the floor. If something was to happen to Sofia, he will not be able to bear the agony. His eyes were drenched. But, he knew he had to be strong. Mushtaque held Abhay’s shoulder. As it is, Mushtaque, Abhay and Sofia spoke only what was required. Mushtaque told Abhay, ‘Stay here. I will be back. Let me know once the surgery is done.

Mushtaque went back to the service apartment. He was drained. No, not with exhaustion, but because of not being able to take care of Saanchi and Sofia. He banged on the steering wheel and said, ‘DAMN IT. DAMN IT. THAT’S IT. NOW NO MORE.’

He reached the service apartment. He told Sarita, ‘Get me Saanchi’s food. I will help her eat.’ Sarita got a plate of 3 fluffy flat breads (chapatis), some piping hot lentil soup with clarified butter in it, some crispy okra fry and a small bowl of creamy yoghurt. Mushtaque kept the food on Saanchi’s bed side table and woke Saanchi up. Saanchi woke up, looked at Mushtaque, smiled and said, ‘Uh huh, was I sleeping this late? What’s the time?’ Mushtaque realised Saanchi did not remember anything. He smiled at Saanchi and said, ‘Never mind sweetheart. Now have dinner. Will you have it on your own or shall I feed you?’ Saanchi sat up. She had dark circles below her eyes. Her skin had lost that soft lustre. Mushtaque’s eyes welled up, but he knew his tears will make Saanchi ask him a lot of questions and he had no answer to these questions. Saanchi said like a little child, ‘I don’t want to eat on my own. Feed me.’ Mushtaque smiled and said, ‘Anything for my queen.’

After dinner, Mushtaque gave Saanchi one of the tablets the doctor had given her and put her to sleep. Suresh and Sarita went to sleep. Abhay had called. The surgery was done, however, the doctor had said that Sofia’s condition was still critical. If she did not regain consciousness in another 24 hours, prepare for the worst.

Mushtaque went back to the room where he had found Sofia almost dead. He looked around. The empty walls proved that a lot of things were removed from there. He knelt and looked down, beneath the tables, couch and the bed. No, there was nothing. He then sat on the sofa and looked at the television kept there. There was some reflection on the TV screen. The window behind him was open. Mushtaque watched those reflections quietly. Suddenly the reflections faded off.

Only Suresh knew this clandestine door. Softly closing the door behind, he came to his room. Suddenly he felt a painful hit on his back. He fell down screaming. Mushataque stood there like a herculean mountain. Suresh froze. Mushtaque’s enraged bitter look made Suresh shiver. Mushtaque held Suresh’s shirt, pulled him up and punched his nose till Suresh’s nose started bleeding. Suresh cried in pain and yelped like a puppy in anguish. Mushtaque asked with his eyes red in anger, ‘ Who were you talking to?’ Frightened to the core, Suresh chattered his teeth and said, ‘N….no…no one.’ Mushtaque held Suresh’s face with one hand, squeezed it like a lemon, and then punched him with the other hand. One of Suresh’s tooth flung out. Suresh cried. Mushtaque said sternly with deep red eyes, ‘Tell me all……..’

Suresh cried, pleaded and said, ‘I work just for money. This place is haunted. The spirit fulfills all the wishes of her child. That person I was talking to is the spirit’s child. The spirit wants Saanchi maám to be with her child because her child loves Saanchi Maám. This lady had committed suicide and hence she protects her child.’ Mushtaque listened to Suresh and said, ‘You really want me to believe in all this?’ Suresh said with folded hands, ‘This is the truth.’ Mushtaque then said, ‘ Who is that child?’…………………………………