DEATH SENTENCE

CHAPTER 20

"Please leave her alone today. She is not well. She is too weak" She heard her mother plead. She opened her eyes halfway and saw her mother struggling,in vain,with her father who raised his hands to strike her.

She wanted to cry out, she wanted to strike her father, to stop him, to defend her mother. But all she could do was utter a faint cry as her already weak mother fell down. She could feel the hot tears running down on the sides of her eyes.

Then her father turned to her. He dragged her down from the bed. Then he pulled her on her by her hair. Her vision blurred as the pain began.

And then she found herself in a deserted street.

"It's your only choice Ayesha." she heard a voice from behind. She turned to see the killer. She knew it was him even though he was in shadows "It has to be done" he said raising the gun.

Ayesha opened her eyes in a startling cry half expecting to see her father standing near the bed ready to give the punishment ,the punishment for being born.

She saw the clock, it was 5 in the morning. Deciding that there is no point in trying to sleep again she got out of the bed.

Even though the pain in her shoulder subsided she had a very dull ache in that area. She winced when she felt a sudden sharp pain.

She brushed and prepared herself a coffee and sat down contemplating the case.

After sometime she ended up watching news which was going on and on about Meera's death.

At exactly 9 am Harish came up to pick her up. Now that her car is gone and Harish does not own a car, they booked a cab.

They arrived at the agency half an hour later. Everybody seemed eager to see her and asked about health and all other things. At last after 10 minutes Harish managed to clear a way for her to her office.

They were sitting in her office discussing when suddenly Tara entered.

"Ayesha there is a man called Ishant Grover waiting for you. He said he is from the Times and wants to ask you some questions."

Ayesha groaned and got up. With Harish's help she reached the front room.

The man waiting for her was dressed up like he wanted to attend some big business meeting or something.

As she reached him he smiled politely and extended his hand which she shook

"Hello I am Ishant Varma," he said in a business  like way.

"Ayesha Zaid," she said.

"I wanted to talk to you about the case," he said as they three sat on the couch.

"I am afraid I told everything there is to know about the case already," Ayesha said getting visibly irritated.

"Well I wanted to dig it up even more" laughing lightly. Watching her eyebrows shoot up he continued. "I just wanted to know about your little incident. How you got shot.

"I told that too," she said getting irritated. "It was dark. He shone the flashlight right on my face and i couldn't see anything"

"the thing i wanted to know was why were you there at that time?" He asked.

"For reason I don't want you to know. For some personal reasons," she said her voice raising

"Madam you have to tell us. Otherwise we will assume you were up to something," He said calmly.

"Are you accusing me?" she said her voice chilling.

"I didn't say that. I just wanted to know.."

"I don't need to tell any damn thing that happens in my life to you people. Because you are going to cook up stories of your own anyway and I don't give a damn about it." She half shouted.

"Okay Madam," he said getting up and leaving the office without any reaction.

Ayesha stood there staring at him as he left and turned and walked away. Harish followed her looking dejected