Lullaby

Chapter-12

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Suddenly the world around her began spinning. She was shifted to a different scene.

A pregnant lady sat caressing her baby bump. She smiled softly at the thought of her little one who would come into this world. She hummed a soft tune. A lullaby that was filled with every bit of love.

Naina recognised the song. It was the same lullaby that she used to hear in the middle of the night ever since she entered the Roy mansion.

When Naina approached the lady, she was again transported to a different location. She now stood in the living room of the Roy Mansion.

A girl lay crying on the floor. She supported her belly with one hand and wiped her tears with the other.

The pregnant lady was facing her back towards Naina. Out of the blue, Nirmala slapped the weak woman who wept bitter tears.

"You wretched woman! How dare your parents refuse to send the dowry?" Nirmala glared at her.

She huddled helplessly on the floor. "I asked my parents-"

She was cut off by another slap. "I don't believe you. I shouldn't have allowed this marriage in the first place. Our castes don't match yet Purab insisted on marrying a characterless woman like you" Nirmala hurled sharp painful words on her.

Anandi and Naina's father-in-law stood beside them with a disgusted look.

"Nirmala, she is pregnant," father in law said with an emotionless face. The people there were heartless. They weren't humans but demons in disguise of humans.

"So what? Don't say me you believe that it is our son's child! I don't believe it at all. It is not our blood." Nirmala scoffed.

"Please don't say that. I have done nothing wrong. I can never think of doing something like this. This child is your grandchild-" the pregnant lady was cut off by a sharp yell.

"Stop that! Dare you call that unholy thing out grandchild" Nirmala screamed before continuing "I don't know what Purab saw in such a low caste girl like you. He turned against his family just to marry you. I am sure you are behind his property"

"I never thought about money. Neither did I think about property. I am not greedy for such things" she cried out.

"Everyone says that but deep down I know you want your unholy child to get all this property. I am not going to let it happen" By saying this Nirmala asked Anandi to bring the woman to the storeroom.

Anandi dragged the woman by her hair towards the storeroom. When Naina saw the pregnant lady's face, she was shocked for a moment.

The innocent eyes were bloodshot. Her vermillion on the forehead was smudged. Her cheeks were damp with tears. She was Sudha, Purab's first wife.

Naina ran behind them towards the storeroom. She wanted to save Sudha. She wanted to free Sudha from these wicked people, but she couldn't. The incident that was playing in front of her was already done in the past. All she could do was see Sudha meet her end.

Her father in law merciless poured kerosene on Sudha. While they were looking for a matchbox, Sudha weakly opened the window and yelled for help. "They are going to burn me. Somebody, please help." The window faced the backyard where very few people would go. Sudha's cries went unheard as the fire was lit and her body was engulfed in flames. She screamed until her last breath. Within no time her wails died down and only the burnt corpse was left.

The three heinous people dug a grave in the far end of the backyard and placed the corpse. They covered it with mud without a single regret on their face.

Naina saw the beggar watching them from the corner of the compound. He had a horrified look on his face.

Unknowingly a tear slipped from Naina's eyes. She had witnessed the most immoral act.  How a mother and an unborn child was put to death.

She was back in the present time, in the storeroom, still holding the photo. She was snapped out of her thoughts by her father in law's terrified screams.

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